Happy New Year!

Reflections on friendship

We had occasion to have dinner last night with some very good friends, and ever since I have been contemplating the notion of friendship...what is a friend-friendship-a good friend-a best friend?

• What makes for a good friend?
• Why are some people better at it than others?
• Do guys do friendship different than women?

I am very blessed to have what I consider a number of very good friends, a bunch of good friends, and a ton of friendly acquaintances! But why?

I wonder how good a friend I really am? I enjoy connecting with folks, hearing their stories, laughing with them at life's adventures. But when it comes to"giving back" I'm not so attentive. Why? Is it laziness, busyness or protective defense mechanisms?

It takes work, time, energy, and intentionality to be a friend, sometimes a lot of each; sometimes it comes very easily, sometimes it requires us hurt, to feel emotions we would rather not, and to open the window of our own soul.

I wonder how many friends - true share your guts kind of friends can a person reasonably keep up with?

It has been my experience that friendships change over time. There are people in my life with whom I used to be close friends, over time they became casual friends, Christmas card friends, hi - how ya doing friends, or altogether lost. What changed? Alot of things contribute to the ebb and flow of friendships - life's ups and downs, disagreements, time, physical distance and plain old disinterest.

Perhaps this quote will help us all consider anew how we go about being a friend?!

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being." -Goethe

What about you - your thoughts on friendship?

To respond all you need to do is hit the word comment

the power of the word - SALE!

What is it about the american consumer that makes us go crazy when we hear or read the word SALE? It is as if we are trained to respond like Pavlov's dogs - we see the word SALE and we just have to buy "it" - it being whatever the retailers tell us we need.

Why are we this way?

I have to confess I like a good (at least 40% off)sale as much as anyone...but I am trying to get over it! My goal in 2008 is to purchase less and less- maybe even to go a whole month with NO purchases except gas and groceries!

What do you think of the american addiction to stuff? Are you addicted?

Whatever happened to on & off?

I was fortunate to receive an I-POD and docking station from my family for Christmas - believe me I AM very excited. But..why did they make the thing so challenging to operate!?!?

I am beginning to get the hang of it but whatver happened to s simple on and off, volume up and down button ? When did the icon symbol takeover the world? There are ICONS now for everythign - from the restroom to the IPOD!

My 23 year old son tried his best to enlighten me - the double line is pause and the pointey/triangle thing is play - they are on the same part of the IPOD circle?!

So - everytime I thought I was starting things I was in the same action putting it on pause - go figure!

Again I say-whatever happened to a simple on and off?!

Christmas Wishes

Just hours away from Christmas Day and I find myself wondering and wandering...

what is Christmas?

I guess it is alot of different things - but at the core -

it is, for me, a time to remember and be thankful

for the amazing gifts God gave to me - His Son - Jesus -

a hope so real, a joy so pure, and love so true!

I hope and pray that this Christmas - is for you -

the beginning of a year filled with

good health, a deepening faith

and a "peace that passes all understanding".

tamara - the disciple-the writer-the friend

I am a lucky guy.

I had the good fortune of sharing a part of Tamara Hanson's life journey.

Specifically we shared stories about cancer-

• how it feels to hear a Dr.say you have it!
• how it feels to know it is inside you
• how it feels to fight it
• how it feels live inspite of it all!
  

Tamara heard her diagnosis "only months to live..." (Over 5 years ago) and for Tamara that diagnosis was not acceptable-instead she learned everything she could about her body, diet, meditation,and her inner strength - her faith.

Tamara shared her struggle in writing on her blog - titled: Chronic Hope.

What a gift she gave us- a reminder to never lose hope!

Thank you Tamara

Part II the commercialization of Jesus birthday

As I look at it _ there is a whole other aspect of this holiday-the economic side.

In my opinion the gift giving aspect of Christmas has gone nuts!

The retail machinery sends us messages to buy and give because -when we do - all will be right with the world....if we give our wife a Lexus or a diamond we will be loved forever-if we buy our kids a laptop or at the least an Ipod they will be smarter-cooler-prettier!

What does all of this have to do with Christians recognizing/celebrating the birth of Christ?
What would happen if Christians said NO to the retail fever and redirected ALL that money to helping others?

What do you think?

There I go getting radical!

technical difficulty!

We boldly- (finally)
attempted to enter the new frontier - the fad known as the world wid web at our home.
The tech arrived at 9:00am-worked diligently til 100pm-then announced- "sorry sir- I'm going to have to call my supervisor-there appears to be a problem in your line."

Just as I thought-this new fangled technology promises but can't deliver.

So much for my dreams of making it big on acebook-utube-etay-harmonymatch-gregslist and goockoogle!

Oh well- at least I still have my Atari!

wonder tree update

Many of you have asked for an update on our disco-light inspired artifical christmas tree.
I am happy to share that I single-handedly conquered the 7 function-1000 lights adventure!
When the tree is plugged in and the light show starts, to set the display at the approved setting- I simply stand on one foot, face the Northern sub-lateral equinox, bite my lower lip and pray to the pre-lite articial~tree gods- when I feel a slight tingle and get a whiff of fresh cut evergreen I push the white program button and- in a twinkle our tree radiates love-joy and world peace!

Funky-grumpy-grouchy-anxious & irritable- who me?

I think I may be on to something?!

After visits with my buddy Daniel I think I might be sneaking up on an understanding of why I get funky-grumpy-grouchy-anxious and irritable during the holidays. My coping center hits overload as I try to process my collection of Christmas junk from years gone by and the new stuff I have created in my adult years.

Bear with me - this "dear diary" entry will come in 4 parts I call todays:

Example #1 Why did the kids next door get more gifts than us?
I realize now that as a kid I had unrealistic expectations of what old St. Nick would leave for me under the tree. A new bike? the latest electric race car set? a new stereo? maybe even a "mini-bike" Never happened.

Don't get me wrong - my parents made sure we had a nice-reasonable set of gifts. Always at least 3-4 boxes, with a greeting written from Santa with handwriting that strangley looked just like our Moms?

They did the very best they could with the resources they had to work with!

I never did understand why the kids who lived next door got SO many more gifts than we did?! I recall asking my mom what that was all about - and she would just say thats just how it works out? I would fall asleep wondering "Had I done something to dissappointment Santa..you know "he sees you when you are sleeping - he knows when you are awake - he knows when you've been bad or good."

My dad was a warehouse manager and our mom watched other folks kids in our home. They had very limited resources but never lacked in love. I specifically recall a number of years being so excited when my dad came home with all the leftover goodies from the office party held at the furniture store for which he managed the warehouse.

All of our in-laws lived up in Minnesota so we never had a big Christmas with extended family all over the place - it was just my mom and dad, and my 2 sisters. It never felt or looked like the perfect Christmas described on TV?

As a kid I never fully understood why?


Tomorrow I will try to make a"dear diary" entry about: #2 the commercial-ick of Christmas,
Saturday #3 The sentimental perfect Christmas with chestnuts roasting over an open fire...
Sunday #4 The holy gets overshadowed

How about you? What stuff bubbles up in your life suring the holidays?

I recommend this book: The Heart of Christianity

Check out this quote from a review of Borg's book by Fredric Brussat...

Another important element in Borg's imagining of the Christian way is practice, which he defines as "the formation of Christian identity." Churches are just beginning to respond to this after centuries of neglecting the resources of the desert fathers and mothers, the mystics, the monastics, and other mentors of daily practice. Now there is much talk about disciplines of prayer, more emphasis upon the spiritual practices of hospitality and compassion, and new interest in liturgical renewal in a variety of forms. The author concludes: "In my judgment, the single most important practice is to be part of a congregation that nourishes you even as it stretches you."

Watch tomorrow - I'll add more about this book.

give a priceless gift

You are invited to join me in this Christmas gift challenge:will you give those you love a priceless gift-that of words from your heart that express the special feelings you have for that person?

I for one know I have not actually put in writing how I feel - how I treasure my wife, my kids - my extended family, and my close friends. I try to tell them that I love them - but this year it feels important to put it in writing .When was the last time you actually used a pen and paper to share feelings--I think there is a power to the written word that can not be matched by emails.
I am curious to hear your thoughts on writing letters, especially to those you love.

why blog my blog?

I've been blogging for a couple of weeks now and I am wondering why? What am I getting out of this online diary?
Is there a value in having a place to stop now and then and share your soul? To rant? To let off steam? To share my wonderings and wanderings?

I read an obituary today for Dan Fogelberg, he was one of my favorite songwriter/performers from my college years. His cause of death was prostate cancer-everytime someone dies from the same cancer I had I pause and get a punch in the gut!

Good night

Unto us a child is born

In the midst of our busy Christmas "comings and goings" life still goes on - the joy and the heartache do not take a break. Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow suspend "the stuff of life" just long enough to give everyone a free no-pain-pass from Nov. 20-Jan. 5!

In the past week I have witnessed:

• a family face the loss of a 20 week old-pre-term baby,
• an amazing woman - who battled cancer for 5+ years, leave this physical earth to begin her life eternal,
• a family have their electricity get cut off,
• another family wait anxiously for biospy results for their son,
• a family have their teenage child commited to a Psychiatric hospital,
• a family shun a child for acknowledging his homosexuality

What am I supposed to do, what are you supposed to do to be present for these in pain?

I believe God sent Jesus to walk among us to teach us how to love each other just as we are loved by God. I wonder how we are doing? Are we really loving "our neighbor as ourself"?

Who knows maybe we do this better during this time of year than any other time? Humm?

Maybe this little poem from Ann Weems book: Kneeling in Bethlehem speaks a word to us:

The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas spirit is that hope

which tenacioulsy clings

to the hearts of the faithful

and anounces

in the face

of any Herod the world can produce

and all the inn doors slamed in our faces

and all the darks nights of our souls

that with God

all things still are possible,

that even now

unto us

a Child is born!

The Golden compass author challenges the church

While sitting in a waiting room this morning I read an interview with Philip Pullman, author of the triology of
books that includes the current movie The Golden Compass. The buzz among many
Christian writers/columnists is that this guy is out to bash the church/Christian faith through this movie.
-
I find some of his comments to actually be insightful and worthy of exploration by the current church.
The interviewer wrote, "its not religion that pullman has a problem with, or religious believers; its what happens when religion mixes with politics.". I am very uncomfortable with the current state of politics and faith-in my opinion many in politics use their faith as a distraction from their skills, expereience, or lack thereof!


Pullman commented, "the power to send armies to war, to rule every aspect of our lives, to tell us what to wear, what to think, what to read - when religion gets hold of that - watch out.". - I wonder what lesson can be drawn from this especially for those of us who differiniate our discipleship from "our religion."

What do you think?

Wisdom from Dallas Willard

One of my favorite authors is Dallas Willard, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy,@ USC.His book, the Divine Conspiracy has challenged my thinking like no other book in years!

Listed below is a quote from this book, in which he gives his thoughts on
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) (pp.100, 116-119)
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit [“the spiritual zeroes- the spiritually bankrupt, deprived and deficient, the spiritual beggars, those without a wisp of ‘religion’”], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn [“the weeping ones”], for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek [“the shy ones, the intimidated, the mild, the unassertive”], for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [“who burn with desire for things to be made right . . . in themselves” or in others], for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful [those who are “taken advantage of”], for they will receive mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart [those “for whom nothing is good enough, not even themselves”], for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers [the ones “in the middle” where “neither side trusts you”], for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, [those who stand up “for what is right”], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account [you’ve “gone off” your “rocker and taken up with that Jesus”].
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I appreciate Dallas down to earth simplicity of Jesus’s teaching and am astonished at how He opens the doors wide to the Kingdom of the Heavens just for us.

How do you view the Beatitudes? Does this speak to our culture today?

The Meyer Christmas card

obama oprah huckabee romney clinton

I've already got presidential tired head and the election is 11 months away!

Why is it that I'm bothered by the oprah empire being a player in the presidential pep rally? It is certainly her right to speak her mind, but what about all the people who will now blindly become obamaites simply because oprah "Said so."

It would be interesting to see who the other "celebrities" endorse such as: letterman? Regis? Katie Couric, Ellen, Anderson cooper, daddy bush, bill gates, etc?!?

Congrats - Brittany & Ray!

Me, the middle aged married guy

christmas carols

What is it about carols that makes us love to sing them so much? Our congregation is not known for their hymn singing but give them a familiar carol and look out! Today we sang Joy to the World with gusto and passion, just like the Mormon tabernacle choir.

Whatever happened to groups going caroling? We used to go door to door in my little hometown of Channelview, TX, just outside Houston, and come back for hot chocolate - iced tea - all depending on the weather.

I guess I have good old day syndrome!

One of my favorite places - ALASKA!

Just wanted to share a picture of a beautiful place that reminds me of Gods love for me -
He created this beautiful creation for us all to enjoy and watch over!

christmas do-over

What would it take for us to have a 100% christmas do-over? Perhaps the christmas machine is just too big to even think of returning to a simple, sincere acknowledgement of jesus birth?

Maybe what I need to do is learn to play along with the current state of things, and quietly, off to the side, begin developing my own plan!? It will be a simple plan, one that is built around an acknowledgement of the birth of Jesus,God with us!

How can I take out, for starters: gift giving, parties, and home decorations?
I'd like to leave in christmas cards and extreme acts of kindness and generosity!

Any other suggestions?

I guess we have not come as far as we think we have?!

Why do we kill each other?

Whats the deal with mentally ill people going on killing sprees?!

We hear today that the kid who killed 8 strangers in a shopping mall, then turned the gun on himself was depressed and felt like a failure. So help me out here - what brain synapses fired (or not) contributing to this kid killing innocent people? Seriously - you professionals help me out! If a person feels like he is a failure - does the knowledge/anticipation that he will now be "known" somehow motivate him to pull the trigger? Or does he simply lose all touch with reality - and suspend his internal checks and balances?

I appreciate the fact that mental illness is a complicated issue - one that can be found in MANY of our families. I wonder what our churches can do to help?

My miracle tree has 1000 lights - I can't wait!

Thinking I was helping myself avoid the beating of putting lights on our fake tree, I bought a brand new 7 foot pre-lite "miracle tree" from JCPenny - the morning after Thanksgiving! I got a heck of a deal, so they say, $399.00 tree for $110.00. By the way - "a miracle tree" - means you simply open the tree - and put it in place - it requires no extra manipulating of the branches to create a replica of a perfectly formed Douglas fir.

After dinner Monday night the request came from "our home management director" for the miracle tree to be placed in it's spot of honor in our den. After the appropriate bit of groaing and moaning, I drug the huge box into the den. I was so excited - finally I would not have to hassle with the lights, in addition I could not wait to witness the birth of our "a miracle tree."

I reviewed the directions then carefully began placing the 3 sections together. Almost instantly I became disallusioned and disappointed with our "miracle tree." As I placed the sections together it bacame evidetn that the tree had been packed so tightly in the box that it looked as it grew up laying on its side!

I comforted myself with the inner joy of knowing that in spite of the shaping work that would need to be done - our tree was pre-lite with 500 white and 500 multi-colored lights! I was so close, so excited! The 3 sections snapped together, I located the plug, found the extension cord(after exploring every drawer in the kitchen) and plugged in our pre-lite tree.

Then IT began - the most amazing-dazzling-dizzying-disco light event you have ever seen. I watched with amazement as the light show cycled through 7 pre-set, unstoppable light shows. My miracle - pre-lite tree pulsated and gyrated, til my stomach was flipping and the home management director demanded that "thing be unplugged!"

Surely upon further exploration I would find a switch or a wire or something that would enable the light explosion to be altered - but NO! The only mention I could find about the light show was a simple phrase tucted in the directions..."your miracle tree features 1000 bulbs programmed with 7 beautiful light events."

With disappointment, my miracle tree was unplugged, dismantled, and shoved back in its box awaiting a return trip to JC Penny's. Then began the hunt for the receipt...motivated by wise counsel from the home management director that "surely you saved the receipt?!"

I have been busted!

As you get to know me you will come to appreciate, laugh at, or find sad, my ability to be consistently inconsistent!
Regarding TSP holding me accountable for ranting against retail and all of us who allow "them" to define our Xmas - thank you for holding me accountable!
For the record I had filed the appropriate "entering retail giant against my own will" paperwork prior to my arrival at Basspro.

retail hell

I have been standing in the garland bass pro shop for over an hour while my son waits his turn to check out a bambii killing instrument! This is crazy! I am crazy! Allow me to vent, why aren't stores equipped with adequate staff, especially this time of year? Have I become an old complaining fart? Huge retail stores spend zillions of dollars to lure us suckers in then have no one to help us fools!