For Those Who Rush In

 “Greater love has no one than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." ~ John 15:13

This is for those too young to fully appreciate the sacrifices of generations of soldiers – men and women of all ethnic backgrounds, whose shoulders we stand on Memorial Day.  You’re forgiven for the inexperienced ways of youth and naivete.  Consider this.

Most Americans are like sheep - kind, gentle, caring humans who’d only hurt someone by accident or under extreme provocation.  We’re living in one the most violent times in history but, actually, violence is still pretty rare.  That’s because most citizens are decent people.  They’re the sheep.

Wolves are the opposite.  They feed on sheep.  They are capable of cruel, hateful, and malicious crimes.  With a capacity for violence and no empathy for others, they’re often defined as sociopaths.  The moment you forget that or pretend it isn’t so, you become a sheep.  But there’s no safety in denial.

Finally, there are the sheepdogs.  They have a deep love for their fellow citizens and live to protect the sheep from wolves.  They’re warriors who walk dangerous, unchartered paths and hopefully return unscathed.  There’s nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what they chose to be.

Sometimes they look and act like wolves.  But a sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep.  Anyone who intentionally harms the meekest lamb will be punished and removed. 

Sheep generally don’t like sheepdogs.  They’d prefer that they didn’t tell them where to go or handout traffic citations.  They may even scoff at those in standing in ready at airports, wearing camouflaged fatigues, holding M-16 rifles. 

Some sheep would rather the sheepdogs surrender their weapons, look the other way at drug or other “victimless” crimes, or watch cities burn in protest. 

Until the wolf shows up!  Then the entire flock cowers while the sheepdogs rush in.

Thank God for the sheepdogs who rushed in to help students evacuate Columbine High School.  Bless all those who climbed mountains of stairs shepherding people from the Twin Towers on 911.  

And most of all today – we remember, with heartfelt gratitude, all those who gave all.  Like those who fearlessly and unselfishly stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of Europe and the eventual end to WWII. 

Thanks for letting us continue to be sheep and permit us the freedom to express even bad ideas.

Whether you fought in combat on enemy soil or faced down an angry mob within our own borders; whether you carried a gun or made sure our troops were well equipped; whether you came from a long line of military heroes or became the first in your family to answer the call – we say THANK YOU and may God continue to bless you and your family.

Father God, thank You for bringing us together to pay tribute to those who lost their lives defending our nation.  May their souls live on in Your gracious presence.  Please guide us and make us worthy of the sacrifices from which we have benefited.  Amen

Instant Karma

 “God loves cheerful givers and He will bless them abundantly." ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

Liz’s night started out like many others.  The 24-year-old was waiting tables on the night-shift at a New Jersey diner.  As dawn brought new light, two firefighters stumbled into the café, their energy drained from exhaustion.  They’d just finished 15-hour shifts battling a hazardous warehouse fire.

Hearing their weary conversation, Liz decided to pay them back for their efforts.  She wrote a note on the back of the check:

“Your breakfast is on me today.  Thank you for all that you do; for serving others and running into places that others run away from.  No matter what your role, you are courageous, brave and strong.  Thank you for being bold and badass every day.”

Liz's life would forever change based on that single act of kindness towards two strangers.

She’d been struggling to help make ends meet after a brain aneurysm left her father (also a fireman), paraplegic.  Bankruptcy forced the family into a much smaller home, leaving Steve confined to the view from his bedroom window. 

Determined to help the kind waitress who’d comped their meal, fireman Tim shared a photo of the check on social media with a call for their friends to visit the diner:

“Turns out, the young lady who gave us a free meal is really the one that could use the help.  And if Liz is your waitress … tip (Liz) BIG!”

But Tim didn't stop there.  He added another post referencing a GoFundMe campaign that Liz had started months earlier to buy a wheelchair-accessible van for her Dad.  No one expected him to walk again, but a specialized vehicle would significantly improve his quality of life.

Her campaign had limped along toward its $80,000 goal – perhaps more an elusive dream than reality.  But Tim’s post made a huge impact for his former colleague, bringing great exposure to the page.  Donations poured in, soon reaching Liz’s original goal.  After years of hardship, Liz’s family had reason to smile.

Liz started shopping for the perfect van.  Before she could even make a purchase however, a company called Mobility Ventures offered to DONATE a brand new MV-1, one the hottest vehicles on the market at the time.  The exchange between Liz and the firemen had inspired their gift.  and were inspired to donate, Liz was moved to tears by the donation, but goodies kept rolling in.  

Even Ellen Degeneres got into the act - agreeing to pay for all the firemen's meals at the diner for 5 years before presenting Liz with a check for $20,000.

"Look for those opportunities because they’re everywhere, said a grateful Liz.  “You can make a difference -- it doesn't have to be an elaborate production or effort - it's always the little things that have the greatest impact."

Generous God, thank You God for my abundant blessings.  Through Your grace, I will prosper in every good deed when I extend generosity to others as you have extended it to me.  Amen

Ode to Charlie

 “Though my health may fail and my spirit weaken, God is my heart’s strength." ~ Psalm 73:26

I lost a dear friend to pancreatic cancer this week.  His spirit was amazing.  Even though he went through unimaginable physical and mental suffering, he continued to spread optimism, goodness, love, and happiness to all those around him.

He knew he only had but a short time to live.  We all knew it too, but didn’t say it.  Friends and family rallied around, kept him company and supported him until the very end.

During that time the world became a smaller place. 

When cancer steals the life of someone you love, there are no words.  Simple words don’t do an entire lifetime justice.  Nothing can explain why cancer swoops in ... grabs a hold of someone you love and swallows them whole.

Charlie used every day to build his legacy; vivid rainbow colors that will echo for eternity.  Even in this difficult time he gave more than he took, helped others more than he helped himself, and returned even more love and light than he was given. 

He prayed continuously.  Not for a cure or more comfortable passing, but as in Jesus’ Prayer at Gethsemane, he asked to be led from challenging times and delivered from evil.  He was right to ask, to present his heart before the Father.

He also taught us about prayer.  Praying for someone with an incurable condition is not mainly about trying to "fix a problem" or even "finding the right words."  It's about joining the suffering in crying out to a gracious and powerful God, acting as living testimony to God's promise in Christ that darkness won’t have the final word.

I wish that all of you could have known what my friend knew and live with the same joy, love, and passion that he lived.  I wish that we all could see deep in our hearts just how precious this life is; that every second we’re given can be a moment of caring, of happiness, of humility.

So, let’s never let a second of our lives go to waste.  Let’s not wait until an illness threatens our lives before we start living.  Choose love today; share love this moment.

Rejoice in the life you’re given.  Take the countless little choices you make each day and make them with a loving heart, a kind thought, and a joyous soul.  

Hug your family.  Let your friends know you appreciate them.  Tell those you love just how much you love them.  Care for yourself, others, and the world around you.  Live your life the way God meant for you to live.  He may not guarantee constant happiness, but He does promise to be an ever-flowing source of joy.

Charlie, you’re someone who used your life to touch so many others.  I’ll always feel lucky that mine was one of them.  God speed my friend!

“Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.  Et lux perpetua luceat eis.  Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace.”  Amen  (Catholic Blessing for the deceased)

Funny Little Bird

“A joyful heart is good medicine." ~ Proverbs 17:22

Sharon found herself slumping into a new year; weary, worried, and troubled.  “We’re living through a dark time of an out-of-control virus, the violence in our presidential election, and a planet careening toward disaster,” she thought. 

So, she decided to do what she always did when she needed a pick-me-up.  She didn’t do drugs.  Sharon didn’t frequent the bars, shopping malls or nail salons.

She went to the zoo.  

After walking down a darkened hallway, she peered through a thick glass pane into the icy pool.  Suddenly a penguin jumped into the water and he was flying; clearly in his element.  Penguins are invaluable as diversion and consolation; a great antidote for despair.

Tuxedoed birds with endearing personalities, penguins are fascinating for both young and old alike.  Clumsy and comical on land, Penguins become beautifully graceful swimmers under water.  They’re ten times more streamlined than a Porsche!  With the equivalent amount energy from a single liter of fuel, they can swim over 1,500 miles.  

Penguins lost the ability to fly millions of years ago, but their powerful flippers and streamlined bodies make them the fastest swimming (up to 20 MPH) and deepest diving (up to 1,800 feet) species of any birds.  Those huge depths require great lung capacity; the longest-known dives have lasted 22 minutes!   They seemed almost miraculous.

Dark back colored plumage provides superb camouflage from above and white under bellies protect them from below in the water.  And superior underwater vision helps them spot prey while hunting, even in cloudy, dark or murky water.

But to Sharon, their essential value lay in their ability to make her laugh.  It was virtually impossible to feel miserable in the company of penguins.  They always lifted her spirits.

A line of penguins paraded past her with their distinctive, comical waddle on tiny little feet - so serious, so purposeful; pretentious even.  Then one slipped on the ice and did a face plant in the snow.  Undeterred, he picked himself up and abruptly smacked a neighbor with his flipper.  Sharon chuckled as a playful chase ensued. 

Pride and a pratfall.  Slapstick on ice.

Then she remembered something odd about Antarctica's king penguins.  Turns out they emit such copious amounts of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, that “researchers have known to go 'cuckoo' from being surrounded by penguin poop.”  

Suddenly, a laugh emerged from Sharon like a newly sprung leak - timid at first, stopping and starting.  Laughing didn’t come just from her mouth, but from her eyes as well, as her face changed to a vision of relaxed joy and unrestrained hilarity. 

How could one not laugh at those beloved clowns at the bottom of the world?  Precious!

“Grant me, Oh Lord, a sense of good.  Allow me the grace to take a joke to discover in a life a bit of joy and to be able to share it with others.”  Amen (“A Prayer for Good Humor,” by Saint Thomas More)

For All the Moms

 “His mother treasured all these things in her heart." ~ Luke 2:51

This past year has been challenging at best!  But like all the Moms before you - you forged ahead, persevered, and made it work.  Because as a Mom, there’s no finer choice; no back-up plan.  Cheers to you on this your special day!

Here’s to the Moms whose hearts grow exponentially wide for all children.  Who pray that kids worldwide have safety, food and love; who suddenly feel their suffering as if they were their own.

For all of you who sat up nights cradling sick toddlers, cleaning up macaroni chunks and cherry Kool-Aid saying, “It’s OK, honey, Mommy’s here.”  In a world of endemic divisiveness, where hatred is the cause and love the antidote, you relish the chance to rise above, to conquer it with empathy, wisdom and by example.

Here's to the moms whose child surprised them by being slightly "different" at birth.  And to the mothers whose children were born ill, but fight tirelessly for their lives.  They’ll get their courage and character from you. 

This is for those who show up at work with spit-up stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.  Then after a tough day at work, still read “Goodnight, Moon” every night.  And read it again, “Just one more time?” as they fall peacefully asleep.

This is for all of you who froze your fannies off on metal soccer bleachers so that when she asks, “Did you see my goal?” you can say, “Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” and mean it!

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to catch fly balls.  Here’s a shout-out to all of you whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls “Mom?” in a crowd, even though you know yours are away at college.

To the moms drained and depleted, thanks for waking up each day to battle forward.  It’s OK when you mess up occasionally.  We know hard you’re trying and how much we mean to you!

This is for mothers whose kids have gone astray; who can’t find the words to reach them.  And for Moms of all ages who put flowers on their children’s graves praying that when their own time comes, it’s their child that joyfully leads them by the hand into His eternal Kingdom.

Finally, three gazillion cheers to those of you who are still raising us … and helping raise your grandkids; who decades later, still continue giving of yourselves to both the big and little people you adore so much.

One day a year isn’t enough to celebrate motherhood and everything you do for us.  To all the Moms and Moms-to-be out there … Happy, Happy Mother’s Day!

Lord of Life, thank You for all mothers.  Continue strengthening them in their daily tasks.  Grant them wisdom in the lessons they teach, patience in the discipline they foster, and persistence in their promotion of decency and compassion.  Amen

Try Another Way

 “Never tire of doing good." ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Janae stood at the end of what seemed like an endless line at the grocery store.  She checked her cell.  Exactly three minutes had passed since she last checked an hour ago, or so it seemed.  The cashiers were doing their best, but progress was measured in millimeters. 

To prevent further self-pity, Janae shifted her attention to others in line.  A sublime compassion quickly washed over her for the mother trying to keep twin four-year-olds entertained.

Mom was doing her best, but boredom was about to detonate.  One of the girls walked over to a candy display, gazing back over her shoulder to gage her Mom’s reaction.  The other sister remained by her mother’s side, ready to bolt depending on Mom’s response.

Instead of the expected authoritarian voice that Janae would likely have used in this situation, Mom did something curious.  She squatted down to eye level, looked at the child testing her patience and calmly asked her to come back.

No worries, no anger, no provocation.  Just enough leeway for the restless child to make her own decision. 

She rejoined her family and retreated behind her mother.

The line had barely moved, so Janae decided to try and help. “Have you ever played ‘I Spy’?” she asked the girls.  

Two pairs of eyes looked at her as they considered her question.  Not the same fun as hopscotch or hide 'n' seek, but OK for now. 

Soon the children were engrossed in their own imaginations.  They noticed things in that store Janae would never have seen. 

Who knew that Kroger offered over 200 gift card varieties, or that fragrant bouquets are located near the store’s entrance to encourage impulse buying, or that favored kid items are placed at their buy-level on shelves?

Janae also noticed a ripple effect.  People who’d been grumbling at the wait, now enjoyed ‘spying’ two sweet sisters encourage and help each other find unique things in the store.  Time flew!

Soon, it was their turn to check out.  Janae took a moment with Mom.  “You did a great job back there,” she said.  “I was so impressed that you didn’t just hand them your phone.”

Mom smiled.  “I’m a kindergarten teacher, so I have other tricks up my sleeve than resorting to a mobile device.”  She laughed and added, “Thank you for stepping in!”  Looking down at her twins, she added, “You were our blessing today.”

Be a blessing to someone else today.  Your words or actions will be felt by them and seen by those around you, amplifying its effect.  By sharing your goodness with someone else, you lift them up. And they’ll likely pay it forward and do the same for someone else.

Father God, You never tire of keeping me safe and blessing me with abundant care.  Let my heart beat with humility and servanthood.  Keep my eyes and ears open today for even the smallest opportunity to serve You, to make others smile, to bring some joy to this troubled world.  Amen