Rodeo Clown - Immovable Object vs Unstoppable Force

Note: I looked online for pictures related to immovable object and unstoppable force. The first notable picture was of Lebron James. But if you saw the NBA finals, you know he is neither. Other pictures included: a rubber band ball (what?), Mickey Mouse (why?), The Joker and Batman (I sort of get that one), Donald Trump (must be the hair), and (my favorite one) Chuck Norris.

Maybe the following will make it all clear . . . clear as mud . . . mud that's not mud.

When I was about 12 years old our family attended the Arcadia Rodeo. There was something about a rodeo that was so exciting. It was man vs beast. It was loud, fast, funny, and fun. The sights, sounds, and smells, yes, even the smells, were so different than what us city kids were used to experiencing.

There were two things that made this particular trip memorable. First, Tommy Butts (a good friend and co-worker of my father’s) was entered in the calf-roping event. Yes, I said Butts. You just can’t make up this stuff. My father and I had gone on a couple of hunting trips (hog and raccoon) with Tommy. So, I was very excited to see him in the event. Secondly, I entered the kids calf-catching contest. It would be comparable to the halftime show at a ballgame. Though I don’t remember Tommy's part of the evening, my part was most unforgettable to me, to my family, and to anyone else who paid attention that evening. I only wish I had a picture.

Now when I say, I entered the calf-catching contest, that doesn’t mean that I was privy to that knowledge before I arrived at the rodeo. Let’s just say that it was a responsibility that was thrust upon me. Just before the event Tommy took me out of the stands to inform me of my upcoming entry and to show me how to use his rope (lariat, riata, or reata). I could have refused the prodding from my family, but how could I refuse the invitation from a real cowboy - and such a cool one at that? Well, I couldn’t.

I remember how wonderful the rope felt in my hands. It was nothing like I thought it would be. It was stiff and rough to the touch. Tommy stood still and had me try to rope him. He taught me how to roll my wrist and let the rope fly. I hit him in the chest and the face before I successfully snagged him. That was the end of training. I was off to the big show.

Soon I was standing in a line with dozens of other kids at one end of the arena. I wasn’t dressed with a cowboy hat or boots like many of the other kids, but I had a cool rope, so I was good. The announcer told us that the calves would be released at the other end of the arena and that the first person to get past the judges with a calf would win the contest.

More recent photo of a similar event

I kept looking and looking for those judges down by the gate where the calves would be released, but I didn’t see them. All I could think was that I must have to take the calf back the way it came. It didn’t make any sense that I could rope a calf and just keep running the same way it was already going. That would be too easy. I was sooooo wrong. The judges were standing at either end of our line, not at the other end of the arena (see crude, child-like drawing below).

“On your mark. Get set. Go!” I immediately had my eye on a calf in the distance. I was running, swinging, and scheming. I hadn't run very far when a calf that was moving toward me ran right beside me. I instantly drop the rope over the calf’s head. I was by far the first one to rope a calf. If I had just turned and run with the calf, I would have won within a minute or two of the start the contest.

But alas, I thought the calf had to go the opposite direction, so I had to turn that calf around. It was man vs beast, but the beast knew more than the man. I became the immovable object. The calf, of course, was the unstoppable force.

I could see the slack quickly going out of the rope, so I dug in and leaned back. When the calf hit the end, the rope said, “Twanggggggg,” But the calf didn’t stop, and I didn’t lose my spot. It simply turned right and kept running – kept running in circles around me. It wasn’t exactly my plan, but I still wasn’t losing, and it still wasn’t winning. That quickly changed when three other calves crossed the rope and knocked us both down. A problem? Yes, the calf got up first.

That calf dragged me all over the mud that wasn’t mud. But I wouldn’t let go of the rope. I was stepped on, bloodied, dirtied, smelled up, laughed at, embarrassed, and exhausted; but I didn’t let go of the rope. I was thrown against a fence. I grabbed it, stood up, and steadied myself, but I didn’t let go of the rope. Finally, when it was all over, one of the officials came over and released the calf. He looked at me with a pitiful look and pointed to the exit. Maybe he thought I couldn’t find my way out either. But I was still holding that rope.

I think we left for home soon after I got back into the stands. I didn’t look or smell very good. We drove the two hours back to Tampa with the windows down, and I don’t think my mom said a word to my dad all the way home.

Later I was told that while I clutched the fence and rope, Tommy, my Dad, and others were outside the double fence yelling at me to let go, but I didn’t hear them. So, I held on. Perhaps some thought I was stupid or stubborn. Maybe others thought of me as determined to win. Some really thought I was a rodeo clown. But none was true. As I left the arena someone asked why I didn’t let it go. I simply said, “It wasn’t mine.”

Just as the rope wasn't mine, neither is my life my own; It was bought with a price (the blood of Christ). When the Christian life gets difficult, and I get discouraged and worn out. When I’m tired, broken, bloodied, and beaten (and have any thought of quitting), I remember that rope and hang on. I hang on to my trust in God

God's plan is never thwarted. He is never taken by surprise. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. I don't hang on for me or in my strength. I hang on with His strength because He is sovereign (in control). So, I hang on. You do the same. MM

Submit yourselves therefore to God. 

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. 

James 4:7-8a

Finishing Strong: Going the Distance for Your Family
The Calvary Road By Roy Hession
Changed Into His Image 

"The anvil wears the hammer out, you know."

This week, I began my work in an online class called Old Testament Survey, and I have already been challenged to think through a lot of the fundamental beliefs of Biblical Christianity. Last night, I was pushed to think through the depth of the foundation that Genesis builds for the rest of the Bible, and today I read an article by Lehman Strauss, entitled "We Can Trust the Bible," which defends the inspiration and inerrancy of the Word of God. At the end of the article, under the section entitled, "The Wiles of Satan," Strauss writes that despite the methods of Satan and man to destroy God's Word. . . .

". . .The Bible stands, this impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture. Men fling themselves against it in all their fury, but instead of them breaking the Book, the Book crushes them. Bibles have been burned and torn to pieces, but God's Holy Word remains triumphant. In our world of darkness and despair the Bible shines forth as the scintillating light to lead men aright. The Bible is the only light for man's pathway (Psalm 119:105); the one Light shining in a dark place (II Peter 1:19). The Bible is the greatest luminary on the earth to bring men to God. It is the one beacon of hope in the night of men's sin. However dark the shadows of sin and sorrow might become, the Light will al­ways be there for those who will follow. . . .

"Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith's door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chimes;
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.
'How many anvils have you had,' said I,
'To wear and batter all these hammers so?'

Just What I Need: When I need it!

Have you ever had a circumstance in your life when you thought, "How is this thing good for me? How is this process profitable? Why is this person in my life? Why am I not getting that right now? Why am I getting this right now? How will I get through this?"?

I think if we are honest with ourselves, we would probably all say that we have thought nearly all of those questions, during various circumstances in our lives.

However, as a Christian, I have a just, gracious, merciful God who gives me just what (and when, where, who, and how) I need! Because of who my God is, I can trust that He has my best interest in mind, and will cause things to happen according to His sovereign will (Philippians 1:6)

In His justice, He gives me what I deserve.
In His mercy, He doesn't give me what I deserve.
In His grace, He gives me what I don't deserve.

He puts things and people in my life in just the right way, in just the right place, and at just the right time. Although I cannot always see what is best for myself, I have a Savior who knows my inmost thoughts and needs (Psalm 139).

Who
God knows the people I must have relationships with in order to become more like His Son-- whether they be sweet and kind, or consistently testing my patience. 


What
He knows the things I need (and don't need!) in order to become more like His Son-- whether a thing will bless and provide for me, or will simply become a snare and a stumbling block to my feet. 


When
He knows the exact moment I need to encounter things in life in order to become more like His Son-- whether my persistence for "Today, Lord!"  is good, or a time of stillness and waiting would teach me.


Where
He knows the perfect location I need to be in order to become more like His Son-- whether it be the thrust of a raging storm on the sea, or the soothing of a gentle breeze in the desert. 


How
He knows the process I must go through in order to become more like His Son--whether it be a trying and difficult one, or a pleasantly simple one.

I recently had an overwhelming need, and I had figured out the "perfect" way to fulfill it. However, God had a totally different plan of how He would provide for me! I had prayerfully stepped out in faith, acknowledging that I would do my best according to His revealed will, but that I was ultimately trusting Him to provide the way. And surely, He worked! Provision came in way I never expected, from the people I had least anticipated, and at a much later time that I had hoped!

Prayer Request - Pass It On

God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars ; He gives names to all of them. Great is our Lord and abundant in strength ; His understanding is infinite .
Psalm 147:3-5

Prayer Request

I have not posted for quite some time now but feel compelled to do so at this time. Most folks would not post a prayer request, but I think this is one worth posting. Please pray for Victor Rodriguez. He is a former student of mine who graduated from Victory Christian School (Carmichael, CA) in 2006. My middle son and Victor were classmates until we moved in 2004. They remain friends today.

Victor was one of the good guys in school. He had a good, easy-going personality. He wanted to do right, and I remember his great love for baseball. I write in the past tense only because that’s what I knew him to be back then. My understanding is that he hasn’t changed much over the years. Good for you, Victor.

Victor married Crystal Andrews recently and headed to the Bahamas for their honeymoon. On June 16th (the 12th day of their marriage and the last day of the trip), the couple went parasailing. Tragically, the harness broke and the couple fell 40-50’. Victor awoke in ICU to the news that his bride had not survived the fall.

I know that God is good all the time; all the time God is good, but the human tragedy still breaks my heart. Victor has rough days ahead. Pray for the families and for Victor’s continued physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery. Please send this post to your family and friends.

Thanks for reading and praying.
MM

http://www.tribune242.com/06172011_EP-GB-parasailing_news_pg1

 Grace Walk: What You've Always Wanted in the Christian Life
Finishing Strong: Going the Distance for Your Family

Born without a father?

On June 19, 2011, a young girl will experience her first Father’s Day without her dad. On June 7, eleven days before, this girl came into the world just hours after her father left it.

I remember my first Father’s Day without my dad. It was as hard as I imagined it would be, about 3 ½ months after he died. I was away from home on vacation, and in the teen group at the church I visited, the leader asked for all of us who “have a godly dad at your home” to raise our hands (why he did this, I do not know, but I could tell he regretted it after three of eight kids didn't respond). With two other visitors, I sat there wondering if I qualified because technically, my godly dad wasn't in my home.

This young girl in NY probably won’t have to worry about explaining things to people for a while. She won’t have to deal with the shock of death when she's a child, or the realization that life is really hard before she’s old enough to understand how to deal with it.

In some ways, I envy her ignorance and inexperience in life. It’s easy for us to wish things had never happened, to wish we had never had to experience something and feel the pain so many people around us haven’t known. It’s easy to believe that life would be so much better if we didn't have the burden of grief to carry with us. If only, like her, we were blissfully ignorant to how deeply painful loss is. Sometimes I wonder, maybe it wouldn't be so hard not to have a father if I hadn't had one and lost him.

But I know that this girl in NY will grow up and feel just the opposite. With absolutely no memories of her dad, she will spend a lot of time wishing he were there, wondering what life could have been. She will believe that, if her dad had to die, she would be willing to endure any kind of grief later in life if only she had a few more years with him.

And that is where she will envy a person like me, who had fourteen more years of Father’s Days' with a father than she will ever have. While I’m jealous that she won’t have to know the pain of having and losing a father, she will wish she had a father to lose in the first place.

Isn't this how we spend our emotional energy sometimes? Whether it's about a job, a friend, a relationship, or something as great as death, how much time do we waste wondering what could have happened, thinking our lives could be better, wondering if God got something wrong.

Coauthoring with God

I wouldn’t say I’m a control freak; but I do like to know where I’m going and how I am getting there. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either. It’s great to have a goal and game plan! As the saying goes, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” You probably do the same thing, right?

You may love carrying around your day planner or checking items off that seemingly endless checklist. But do you have a life planner? It’s probably an unwritten story of how your life is supposed to go. You may have it rather detailed down to the house number and street you plan on living at when you retire, or the when and how you will meet that special someone that you have pictured perfectly ever since you realized that boys and girls do NOT have cooties.

We all have these desires (hopefully less detailed!) in us. We think we have the greatest happily-ever-after story lined up for our lives. But how quickly things diverge from our plan. We try to orchestrate it back in to place, but it just doesn’t seem to fit into place. We realize, we are out of control.

"But God": the most powerful words ever used. But God is in control. In fact, He is better than just “in control”. God is a loving, good God that has remarkably beautiful plans for His children who let Him lead. But that’s where the problem lies, isn’t it? We don’t let Him. We are so busy whispering in his ear or maybe even shouting in His face how our life is meant to be. We take the pen from His caring hand and begin to “make a few adjustments” to the story line. We live in fear that our Father either does not have TOTAL control or that He is not good. We buy into Satan’s lies.

My Hope is in You

Psalm 39:1-8

ESV

I said, "I will guard my ways,
   that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
   so long as the wicked are in my presence."
I was mute and silent;
   I held my peace to no avail,and my distress grew worse.
 My heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;
   then I spoke with my tongue:

 "O LORD, make me know my end

   and what is the measure of my days;

   let me know how fleeting I am!

Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

   and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

                         Selah

 Surely a man goes about as a shadow! 

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;    

man heaps up wealth without knowing whose it will be in the end!

 "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

    My hope is in you.

Deliver me from all my transgressions.

    Do not make me the scorn of the fool!"

Trust and Obey

Sometimes, it can be difficult to trust someone with something that I wish I had control over.  Even if it's someone who is worthy of my trust, it is still hard to accept that I will be without power in the situation. Unfortunately, although God is worthy of my trust (as a mere human) in every aspect and every situation, I often don't give it to Him.  I doubt Him, whether deliberately or not. Ultimately, I am challenging His authority (Isaiah 55:9) and questioning His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 32:4). 


Also, it can be difficult to submit to someone else's control over me.  Obedience can be a hard thing to do, because I don't like to admit that I am subordinate to someone else, therefore acknowledging that they are in a higher position than I.  Again, this is often our attitude toward God, although He is completely worthy of our obeying and honoring Him in His omniscience and omnipotence. 


However, if I stop to think about it, trusting and obeying actually do go hand-in-hand.  Obedience with trust-- It's action in waiting.


I can't truly do one without the other.  God has called us to action (Philippians 2:12-13), to obedience, not to just sit around pray that His work would be done. We  are the ones He uses to accomplish His work!
On the other hand, we can't just go out and do whatever we think needs to be done, either.  We are to prayerfully seek out the Lord's will first, and then to do what He has called us (2 Timothy 1:9) to do, trusting that He will go before us (Deuteronomy 1:30) and give us His power (2 Corinthians 12:9) to accomplish His plan.


If we are consistently and sincerely seeking God's will and obeying what He has revealed to us, how is it that we cannot trust Him with what is yet to be revealed?  If we can trust Him with the unknown, how can we do anything but obey what we know He wants us to do?