In Search of True Love

Fairytales. Our world is full of them. You can’t really get away from them. Whether they are

the old school tales about princesses and princes finding true love and defeating the forces of evil or modern movies about aliens etc. I know this has been written about and spoken about more times than can be counted but it is something that I am becoming more and more interested in.

Some of my favourites:

The 3 pigs. What an awesome story. The big bad wolf. The silly pigs. The wise pig. And of course the “underpig” wins against all odds.
Then there’s the one about Jake and Beanstalk. Wow talk about and imperfect hero. Jack is both a fool and thief but somehow manages to save not just himself but his family too.

Little Red Riding Hood has to be one of the most bizarre stories ever written. I have a little girl, so I find myself asking this question these days, why is “Red” in the forest alone in the first place?! But the fact that she talks to a wolf and later mistakes this same wolf for her grandmother . . . how?! And then there’s the version where the grandmother and Red are swallowed whole by the wolf and the woodsman cuts it open to release them?! And we read this to our little kids??? Amazing!

Then there’s the story of a boy who is orphaned and left on a distant planet with his uncle. In this story we find the boy growing into his destiny and becoming the one who saves the entire universe of the Empire.*

Also there’s that “not-so-well-known” one about a little hobbit who manage to endure against all odds and save the people of Middle Earth.

Want something newer? In my opinion the best movie of last year was a film called, “Super 8.” It’s the story of a boy who loses his mother in a tragic accident. While trying to get on with his life, he and a group of friends accidentally film a train wreck discover an alien was being transported on the train As the story unfolds we see find that things are not always as they seem.

What is it about these stories that appeal to us so much? Why is it that they endure long after the authors have gone?

While these are just stories they do however point to another story. A story of adventure and rescue. The story of salvation found in the Bible. Yes the Bible is literally filled with stories that are mirrored by so many of these fairytales that we love but ultimately I believe that the Bible is a story in the best sense of word. The underlying story of the Bible is one of true love, of rescue and of the search for a real happy ending.

Maybe we love fairytales because they express something that sometimes we find hard to express. Maybe we love them because they express our of need for true love, and our desperate longing to believe that there is hope in the midst of all the chaos in the world.
Maybe that’s what the teacher in the book of Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has planted eternity in the human heart . . .” There is something inside of us all that longs for more than this life has to offer.

Stories are our way of expressing this idea that we know there is more. That we know true love is to be found. That there is hope. That good does defeat evil. You see fairytales reflect the hope that someone will search for us and save us even when we have been foolish. In fact this is the reason our Prince Charming has come.

I more I listen, the more I like!!

A great CD is defined by one simple fact in my opinion. If the more I listen to it, the more I like it, then for me it is defined as a great album. Its a very personal thing I know. But for me what defines a great album or perhaps even a great band isn’t any of the following, though sometimes they do help;

“It’s an artistic masterpiece.”
“It’s risky and goes where no one else has before. It’s unique.”
“Only music in this genre is worth listening to.”
“It’s cool and hip. All the right people are loving it.” Right People is also an opinion thing if you think about it and depends on where you are coming from.

You see for me at the end of the day what makes an album great is that I enjoy it more today than when I first heard it. I like loads of stuff and to be honest there are albums that I have bought that I loved when I first heard them and I listened to them for awhile but what about now? I have fond memories but seldom actually go back to the whole album and enjoy it.
There are however a handful of albums that I always seem to go back to and can’t get enough of. Over the years the little collection has grown but it also seems harder to get into the group.
I find it interesting that I work that way and I have only recently realized it. In the last month I have discovered a band that would never generally be the sort of thing that I would listen to. I just happened on them. I heard their name and though, “mmmmmm . . . that sounds interesting.” So I fired up Spotify and gave them a listen. At first I though it was okay but not really my thing. Soon though I was listening to it all the time, to the point that I splashed out and downloaded an album and over the last month I have grown to love the CD so much that it has become the default in my car. It’s a great album.

The more I listen the more I like!

That concept fascinates me. I wonder if that is a lesson on how I should live? What I mean is do I impact people more significantly the longer they know me or am I a one hit wonder. Don’t get me wrong I am not interested making everyone happy and being a people pleaser. What I am concerned about is how is my impact defined? Does it have longevity and real lasting effect or is it just a nice warm and fuzzy memory?

Perhaps that is a little bit of what the Bible is getting at in 2 Cor 2:15 - 17,

“In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. But for people who are lost, it has a bad smell and leads them to a horrible death. No one really has what it takes to do this work. A lot of people try to get rich from preaching God's message. But we are God's sincere messengers, and by the power of Christ we speak our message with God as our witness.”

* I have purposefully not mentioned names of bands etc.

I like to think that I am like Rocky . . .

I like to think that I am like Rocky. Obviously no one can be as unbelievably handsome and eloquent! The bar is set impossibly high in said categories.
But I like to think I am like Rocky or at least I want to be like Rocky.
In pretty much every Rocky movie, Rocky has to improve to win. He has to get fitter, get harder and gain the eye of the tiger. I guess that’s what makes them such good movies is that that the hero is humble enough to know he has to get better.
I like to think I am like Rocky. Hopefully I am getting better at being me everyday but not in an arrogant I’m-better-than-you-now way. Everyday I hope that I will get closer to becoming the person God intended me to be. That’s my hope anyway.
Trouble is I don’t alway feel like I am doing that. I don’t always feel like I am making headway. While my heart is in the right place, I can’t always say that I live with more integrity than the day before.
A few days ago I ran across a bit in the Bible that encourages me and in a sense is becoming my “eye of the tiger” moment.
I have looked into these words a little and here is my best attempt at what I think the dude who wrote it meant, Proverbs 4:18 (PUPV*)

“As those living for God travel on life’s road, the light on the road becomes brighter and brighter until it is like the midday sun on a clear and cloudless day.”

Mmmm . . . I guess that the promise of this simple proverb, which is a wise saying, is that if you are honestly living for God then the light on your path becomes brighter. The progression from dawn’s first light until the sun is at it highest, hottest and brightest point.
I find that encouraging for 2 reasons:

1. If I sincerely and am simply trying to live my life the way God intended, the road will get brighter and clearer. In other words I will make headway. I will get better. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

2. If my path is becoming brighter then hopefully it is helping someone else along the way. Following God’s way is never set in a private chat room. It will always overflow and like the sun brings light and life to everything it’s rays touch.

I think I may just have the eye of the tiger . . .


*PUPV - Phil's Unofficial Paraphrase Version

Clear eyes. Clean hearts. Can't lose!!!

“Clear eyes. Clean hearts. Can’t lose.” A quote from one of my favourite TV shows, called Friday Night Lights. Its about a high school American Football team and before every game they chant, “Clear eyes. Clean hearts. Can’t lose!” I’m a sucker for stuff like that so I always find it very inspiring.

I know its just a show and that words like this are meant to tug at the old heart strings so that you will come back for more but the reality is that there is truth in that simple quote.

Proverbs 3:1 -12 says this, “Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you; take to heart my commands. They'll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well. Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.” The Message

Not to oversimplify things but is says:

Clear eyes: “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all.” - Clear eyes. See things God's way. Get the right perspective on things, don’t just assume that you know it all. Clear eyes.

Clean Hearts: “Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.” “Run to God! Run from evil!” “But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.” - Clean hearts! Make sure you are right with God and people. Accept God’s discipline. Not words we like to hear. How often are our hearts not clean. How often do we resist what God wants in our lives. Keep your heart clean.

Can’t lose: “he's the one who will keep you on track.” “Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.” - Can’t lose!!
I don’t think the point is that we will be healthy and rich, the point is that we will be blessed. If we see things God’s way and run to him then surely the result is we can’t lose in the most important arena of life. We will live in harmony with God and not to be over spiritual but when we do that we really can’t lose!!!

I guess I am left asking myself and you the follow questions:
Do I have clear eyes? Is my heart clean?

Cars and Scars

Scars. I have a few. In one of the creases of the palm of my left had, I have a small one. The result of a very large splitter. Growing up we had an old painter's plank, the kind that they use on scaffolding. We used to prop it up against the wall dividing our house and our next door neighbours. It was easy access to our friends. One day I run up and my foot slipped, so I did the only logical thing . . . I grabbed the side of the plank to stop myself from falling! The result was that a huge piece of dirty wood pieced my left hand. I remember pulling out an inch long piece from my and and thinking that was the only piece and so I ran up the plank and went to play. Soon I realized that there was something wrong, as that part of my hand festered and swelled. Long story short I had to have and equal sided piece surgically removed, which resulted in the one and only 2 stitches I have ever had. I bare the scar as a reminder to be careful when climbing things.

Then there’s the very little one just above my top lip. I was playing tennis with some friends a few years ago. In a bizarre moment that will never be repeated, I attempted to hit the ball but on the follow through I whacked my face with the head of my racquet, thereby jamming the skin into my tooth and literally making a tiny hole. When I closed my mouth and puffed up my cheeks I could feel and hear the air whistling through it. Gross.

The other one is the head injury inflicted by a friend while playing cricket.
I have other “scars”. My weak knees from playing rugby and four square. My 2 front teeth that I chipped on a cricket pitch roller when I was 7 or 8. The list goes on. Some are physical, others are emotional and to be honest there are some spiritual ones too.

The other day, my wife and I took our little girl, Emily to see Cars 2. To be honest I was skeptical about it but its a Pixar movie and my thoughts are, Pixar at their worst is probably better than anything anyone else has to offer. I enjoyed it. Emily feel asleep. This however is not a review. There is this one moment when Mater, the rusted, crazy tow truck is being fitted with a disguise as he has mistakingly been confused as a secret agent (stay with me now). The car doing the work wants to fix his dents so that the disguise will work properly but Mater refuses because his dents remind him of the good times he has had with his friends, specifically Lightening McQueen. In other words, his dents are part of what defines him.

You see our scars tell our story. Think about the scars you have and generally they are wrapped up in a story that involves someone else. Whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual there is a story behind them and like it or not they play a big part in defining who we are.
Scar are important to us because:
They remind us of the people in our lives. Every one of my scars reminds of the people I was with when I got the scar. Good or bad. Positive or negative. The thing I have come to realize though is that for the most part is that those people whether I like it or not who have contributed to who I am.
They remind us of the lessons we have learned. For instance I will never again use a cricket pitch roller as a seesaw. The fact is though each scar serves as a lesson. Sometimes we learn from that lesson and sometimes we don’t.
They are in integral part of our story.
They can influence and affect others.

The interesting thing is that the Bible tells us of Jesus’ scars. Yes there were the physical ones on the cross in his hands, feet and side but his scars ran deeper than just the physical. Rejected, mocked, teased, let down by friends . . . I used to think that Jesus was somehow unaffected by all of that. He wasn’t. He couldn’t have been. If he was fully human then his scars were really and he felt them and they defined him, or how he dealt with them defined him.

Isaiah from the Bible tells that Jesus’ wounds/scars heal us. He is not talking about physical healing but is referring to the fact that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross heals our relationship with God. How he carries or uses his scars defines him as the one who brings healing.

So I guess it’s not the scar but how you carry it that defines you.

Scratching my head

There are times that I seriously doubt the evangelistic strategy that Jesus used. He never really seemed all that interested in gathering huge crowds to follow him. Yes he did some amazing stuff and clearly those that did follow were of a high standard otherwise we wouldn't have followers today, but it seems that while he was on earth he didn't want or expect large groups to actually follow. His strategy seems to have been, go into a town, do some miracles and then teach. And by teach I mean, mostly to the large crowds, he would tell stories and then leave. No explanations and to be fair some of these stories were a little awkward and weird, especially for those that thought he should be pulling in the crowds. One story that he told has had me very confused and to be honest when I first read it and took in, a little upset. I guess we all have a little pharisee living inside us? Or maybe it's just me....

In Matt 22, Jesus tells the a story of a king who is throwing a party for his son's wedding. A royal wedding party. We all want invites to one of those. He invites all his friends and dignities but on the day they all either ignore the invite or beat up his servant for coming to get them. Nice friends he has. Anyway after the king has sent his army to punish these stupid, unworthy friends, he sends out his servant to go and invite anyone who will come. They come in droves. As the king is having good time, he scans the banquet room and spots a dude who is wearing some really grotty clothes. He goes up to the man and says, "How did you get in wearing clothes like that?! How dare you insult me like this." The man who up until this point has been having a good time and is probably a little drunk, is left speechless as the king instructs his "bouncers" to tie the man up hand and foot and throw him out into the darkness . . .

Thats not the kind of story you tell someone if you want them to follow you. You see Jesus never made it easy for people to follow because he wanted them to be aware of the reality of it all. Following is not for the faint hearted.

Either way this story disturbs me. I did find this out after a few clicks in good old google. The custom of the day was that when you went to a wedding party, the host would provide you with the acceptable (right) clothing for the occasion. You didn't need you own party dress or suit, so you never had to worry about being dressed right because the host made sure you were. So if the man in the story is in his own cruddy clothes, then its his own fault because he has chosen them over the host's expensive garments. Mmmmm . . . he has been invited to a royal wedding, given every opportunity to enjoy the occasion but decides that his clothes are better. I wonder how long he sat at the wedding enjoying all the food and drink? What did he think he was doing? Perhaps he wanted to enjoy the party but in his own way. He wanted the invite but he also wanted to come on his own terms. It doesn't work like that unfortunately. Not for important royal events and definitely not with God.

I think what Jesus was getting at is this. All are invited, anyone can come but you cannot do it on your terms. You can't receive all that Jesus has to offer but hold anything back or receive it your way. It has to be his way because he is the only one able to make the offer. Like it or not that's the way it is. You cannot follow Jesus on your terms. It is the reality, though not the best tool to attract and keep the crowds . . .

I knew it would end that way!!!!?

I went to see the latest and last of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, last night. Definitely worth seeing. Possibly my favourite of the series but then I loved the book and thought that the JK Rowling did a great job in ending the series the way that she did. But its what happen after that got me thinking. About 2 rows down from us a lady says to her friend, "I knew it would end like that?!" My wife and I thought that was an hilarious statement, I mean thats the statement of someone who doesn't know how it ends and the only way they no that is that they haven't read the book!!! Someone on this planet has not read the Harry Potter books! I just assumed that everyone had and that the ending was not a surprise to anyone but I was wrong.

But I'm guessing that it isn't usual when I think about it. I mean how many people have actually read The Lord of the Rings for example? Here are fans of the stories who to be fair haven't really "heard" the full story. They quickly admit they like the story and enjoy it but really haven't experienced all the joy story has to offer. WOW!

How many of us say that we have faith in God? That we are followers of Jesus? That we base our lives on his teaching but actually haven't read the book or don't really have an adequate knowledge of the book? How much do we miss out on when we don't know the whole story because we haven't really experienced it?

I'm not judging because I am just as much to blame but there really is no excuse. I realise that reading is not everyones favourite past time and I think its great that books are made into movies so that more people can be impacted by them. But when it comes of God, the movie, someone else's interpretation of him, just won't do. The book should be where it starts surely. Perhaps I need to put my nose into it more often.