Fear and Great Joy: An Easter Story

On Good Friday at our church we were able to go and quietly observe the 12 stations of the cross. It was a humbling, worshipful, and joyful experience for Erin and I. As we walked through each station several things jumped out at me from the various scripture verses we read at each station. But at the last station something in particular stood out to me in a powerful way as I read through Matthew 28:1-10 which is Matthew's rendering of the Resurrection. I will focus more on that below, but first the reading (from the ESV):


Matthew 28

The Resurrection

 ¹ Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ²And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." ⁸So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹And behold, Jesus met them and said,"Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."


As I read the passage I was struck by the phrase "fear and great joy". Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (the mother of James and Joseph) have arrived at the tomb where Jesus was placed after His crucifixion. Without question these were anxious and heartbreaking moments for them. Jesus (whom they love) has days before gone through the most ultimate betrayal, suffering, and death ever recorded in human history. They arrive at the tomb no doubt with questions and fears. When they arrive the tomb is still sealed which must have been devastating for them to see. Had He not promised that in three days He would rise again? They had that hope, but they had that fear. Then something amazing happens - a great earthquake caused by the descent of an angel of the Lord, who proceeds to roll back the stone covering the tomb - causing the guards watching the tomb to tremble and become like dead men. The women too were afraid. Imagine the scene! Then, the angel of the Lord speaks! "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay." These faithful followers of Jesus were the first witnesses of the greatest event recorded in human history - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! The angel of the Lord then charges them to go and tell the disciples of Jesus that He is risen and will see them in Galilee. And this they do, but the text says something extraordinary about the moment -  "they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples." Fear and great joy. What a combination. One would think that the two could not be found at the same time, but that's not true. In 2 Timothy 1:7 the Bible says, "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind". God does not give us fear. But God gives us joy. Fear is human. Joy is divine. And in this most historic moment of all time we find both Mary's are experiencing fear AND joy - great joy. And that spoke to me. Consider why they would fear:


1) Until this moment Jesus was dead - an absolute heartbreak for these women
2) They had witnessed one of their own betray Him
3) They had witnessed just about everyone else who followed Him flee from Him
4) They had witnessed his ultimate suffering and crucifixion
5) They must have felt very much alone and uncertain at this moment in their life
6) It was not a good time to be a follower of Jesus - even after His death
7) There were soldiers at the tomb
8) There was a great earthquake
9) An angel of the Lord appeared, rolled back the stone covering the entrance of the tomb, and spoke to them
10) In historical context, they were women. Women were woefully treated in society and they have just witnessed the most amazing event of all time - given a charge to go and tell the disciples of the news. What would the disciples - or anyone else for that matter - even say to this?


That's a short list, but it's plenty to ponder. Read each of these carefully, placing yourself in this moment in history. Imagine how profoundly horrible and fearful it would have been to live in this time. I can't imagine the fear they must have had, but I understand why they would have fear. But now they have just received and witnessed the Resurrection! Talk about a lot to process at one time. It is no wonder they had fear - and great joy! And I love that. In our own lives we have fear. It's natural. We live in tough times in this country. People are losing their jobs all around us. But it's nothing compared to the suffering of the rest of the world. We all have loved ones who are sick. Maybe you're sick. Perhaps death is a real possibility for you or someone you love. Maybe we have friends or family who are far off and living lives filled with hopelessness. And we wonder how they will be reached? I can think of several families who are working through tremendous marital problems, some have even lost their marriage. Finances, health, death, suffering, abandonment - the list can be long. We all have fear. But that's not the end of it all. For the Christian we have something more powerful than our fear. More powerful than anything, and it's what we went to church to celebrate today - we have a risen Savior and Lord. We have the Resurrection. And this fact separates Christianity from all other belief systems in the world. Because of the Resurrection, we have hope. We have faith. We have - great joy! And no matter how our world gets turned upside down - no matter the fear that comes our way - our joy is greater than our fear because we lay hold of the Resurrection. And that is what we must ever hold before us. We must live a life that reflects what the Resurrection has done for us. If we allow our fear to be bigger than the Resurrection, then what does that say to those who have no hope? It's OK to have fear to a certain extent, because we are humans. But we have the Resurrection therefore we have great joy! And that should be the attitude that marks our life as Christians. So if you have fear today, lay hold of Resurrection power for He is alive. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Now lets' get up, go, and tell someone just like these amazing women did. Behold Him! Take hold of His feet as they did! Worship Him! See He is risen! Do not stay in your fear! Go and tell everyone that He is alive and God-willing they will see Him! May we all live in the power of the Resurrection and with the great joy that it produces!


Grace and Peace.

trouble enough

"trouble enough for this day

to worry about tomorrow

trouble enough for this day

so why would i borrow

from the time that's here and now

as i think about

something that hasn't happened yet

and then i can't go back

and i'm filled with deep regret and sorrow

cause there's

trouble enough for this day

to worry about tomorrow

so don't worry about tomorrow

live today

in the moment

don't let it slip away

live right now

redeem the time

that's the only way

so i say

(there's)

trouble enough for this day

to worry about tomorrow

trouble enough for this day

so why would i borrow

from the time that's here and now

as i think about

something that hasn't happened yet

and then i can't go back

and i'm filled with deep regret and sorrow

cause there's

trouble enough for this day

to worry about tomorrow

so don't worry about tomorrow"

from matthew 6:34

copyright lance brewer music 2011

Losing Things

We've all done it and we'll do it again. We lose things. Big things. Small things. Seemingly insignificant things. Truly meaningful things. But it happens. Losing things is a fact of life. 


A recent survey found that the most common things lost are (some humorous; some not so much):



Your date's name
Eyeglasses
Pet
House keys
Car keys
Wallet
Personal indentity
Your mind
Wedding ring
Credit card
Passport
Money
Driver's license
Car registration
Cell Phone
Children
Travelers checks
Clothing
Luggage
Library books
Virginity
Homework
Video rentals
Someone's birthday/anniversary
Umbrella

This past winter something amazing happened at the Brewer household involving my wife. Let me preface the story I'm about to tell by saying - my wife is the smartest person that I know. Not only that - she remembers everything. She has a mind like a trap. But this past winter we experienced something highly unusual. Not once. Not twice. But three times. My wife lost three pair of gloves. Nice gloves. Gloves that she loved. The first time happened somewhere in Yellow Springs just before Christmas. We have a tradition where we go up and shop at the unique stores up there. Then we go to dinner at the Winds which is expensive but well-worth it. Next we drive through a neighborhood united by their competition of who has the best Christmas lights - with our car lights off (which sounds crazy, but it's amazing and there's plenty of lights to help us see). After we do that we go to (or drive by) the Clifton Mill on full, festive, breathtaking display. And at the end of it all we finish at Young's Dairy for dessert before heading home. Somewhere along the way during that trip my wife lost her favorite pair of gloves. She was really sad about it because she loved those gloves. She called around up there and asked if anyone had found a pair of gloves but to no avail. They were lost. Well, almost. A few days later she found one of the gloves underneath the passenger seat of my SUV (which we took to Yellow Springs). But that almost made it worse - to have one glove but not a complete pair. I wanted to make her feel better so I offered to buy her an identical pair. So we went to Target but by this time the gloves were well worked through and we did not find the same exact pair. But we found a pair by the same label that were just as nice. Shortly thereafter, you guessed it, that pair of gloves turns up missing. Lost. As of this writing I don't remember the circumstance; I just remember that she now has two pair of gloves lost. Now not only is she sad about losing a second pair, but she begins to wonder is she's losing her mind. I offered to buy a third pair but she said she would just wear an older pair that she's had for years just in case she loses them too. And guess what? Yea, she lost that pair too. I assured her that there was nothing wrong with her. These things happen and they would most likely turn up. In the case of the last pair, they did in fact show up which made her feel better that she wasn't losing her mind! But it was quite the ordeal throughout winter. She hated losing each pair of gloves. And she kept wondering why? We lose things. It's that simple. Or is it? What if what she had lost had some significance or value? What if it was irreplaceable? I've lost something like that. 


At the time I don't remember doing anything foolish. Looking back I realize I just wasn't focused. Aware. And a simple decision cost me something very dear to me. Something that even as I write this post still makes my heart hurt. My real father died of his own hand when I was 15 months old which has marked my life in so many ways. As I grew up and learned more about him from my mom, my older sister, and my grandparents I began to want to know him in some tangible way even though I knew I would never physically know him. One of the ways this has happened for me is through stories and memories passed down. However, another way was by having the privilege of inheriting a lot of his personal belongings - wallet, watches, photos, dog tags, the flag from his military funeral, bowling trophies, pens, papers, etc. But perhaps the most prized possession that I was given was his class ring from Xenia High School. I wore that every day of my life from when I was a teenager when my mom gave it to me until I was in my late 20's when something horrible happened: I lost the ring. As near as I can tell it happened at a farm in Blanchester where the church I was serving in at the time was hosting a big youth event. The highlight of the event was inviting the local football team to the event to play a football game with us in the hopes of having a chance to minister to them. If I remember correctly the team was state champs that year. It was a youth/youth worker team against the football team and it was a blast. I honestly don't remember who won, but I remember playing quarterback for our team and throwing a no-look touchdown pass that totally blew their mind, because they were looking at my eyes. In the huddle I told my guy to go to a spot in the end zone and I would look off of him but still throw it his way. I knew looking away would draw the defense away from the target, and it worked like a charm. Obviously I was pretty proud of that moment, but less proud of another moment. A moment that seemed insignificant. But it was the moment before the game when I took off the ring. I did take off the ring. But I could not remember where I put it down. I looked high and low, but it was not to be found. And if it fell somewhere in that maze of corn fields and high grass there was no way it was going to be found. Had I put a little more thought into that decision - had I just placed a little bit more value on that heirloom - I wouldn't have lost it. I would have made sure where I placed it so as not to lose it. But I was in a hurry to be the hero in a game that didn't matter. And I lost something that I will never get back. And I will most likely take that heartache and regret to my grave. I feel like I dishonored my dad by not valuing that remnant of his existence passed on to me for safekeeping. I periodically look at web sites where people post that they've found class rings, but I have no hope of ever seeing that ring again. Perhaps God in His grace and His delight in small mercies will see fit to surprise me someday with a seemingly impossible reunion with something most precious to me. But for a moment it was not precious enough.


As I've thought about that (and I've thought about it a lot over the years) if there's any good that came out of it it would certainly be the life-lessons that I've learned as a result of that choice. And it's caused me to value things more. It's caused me to be more cognizant of my choices - even the seemingly insignificant ones. But especially the big ones. And it's made me realize that there are so many things in life that we can lose without much effort at all. And I'm not just talking about your everyday, common place items like some of those listed above. But bigger things. Essential things. Important things. Here's a short list:



1. We can lose time. Whether by losing track of time or simply wasting it - time can get away from us. Time is always fleeting and we can never get it back. Steve Miller says, "Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future." But it's also slipping, slipping, slipping into the past and we can't get it back. We must make the most of it. Ephesians 5:16 says to, "...make the most use of our time because the days are evil." Time is a terrible thing to lose.

2. We can lose our temper. Anger seems to be everywhere. Just drive down the street and see how many people drive as if they'd like nothing more than to run you over. We are a nation of angry people. And anymore it seems like secular people equate anger with religious people. Why is it that one's religion would make them angry? As far as the Christian faith goes, that certainly is not a teaching of Christ and you only see Him angry at the religious leaders of His day. The Bible does say that there is a time and place for righteous anger, and that a believer can be angry and not sin. But anger should not be a constant for the Christian. And you will not find it listed among what the Bible calls the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and meekness. How refreshing it would be if we could lose the ability to lose our temper. I just read this quote from John Piper, and it meant a great deal to me, "Use the same eye-gouging, hand-amputating force against the lust for anger as you do against the lust for sex." Powerful.

3. We can lose our mind. I don't necessarily mean this in the literal medical sense (although that may happen in God's providence). But I'm talking about the space in our mind that we can't get back where we put things that we can never forget. This could be a sad and painful place of regret from bad choices - either ours or others choices that have affected us. It could be related to something impure that we put in our minds. But whatever we put in our minds will most likely stay there. So we must take care to value what we put in our minds. Because it's hard to get that space back once it's occupied - especially with the wrong things. Thankfully Roman's 12:2 speaks of being able to have our minds renewed, but even a renewed mind can be affected by bad choices. We need to be careful what we put in our minds.

4. We can lose our purity. Have you ever heard the phrase, "so-and-so has fallen into sin" as if he or she was just walking blissfully along in the splendor of purity and some great abyss of wickedness swallowed them whole from out of no where. I do not hold to that mentality. It's more of a process. I doubt it's so sudden. We lose a little here and there until sin chips away at us to such an extent that it is no longer a private matter, but a public disgrace. Unfortunately somewhere along the way the concept of purity has become a silly thing in our Hollywood-saturated culture. But there is nothing more beautiful than purity. Thankfully when God sees us He sees the purity of Christ, but that does not give us license to be impure and abusers of God's Grace. I love Proverbs 22:11, "He who loves purity of heart,and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend." You can't beat that.


5. We can lose out testimony. I once heard someone describe one's testimony as a barn. It takes a lot of labor and time to fill it up, but only a spark to set it ablaze and burn it immediately to the ground. We must guard our testimony.


6. We can lose our way. Lose faith. Heart. Confidence. Direction. All of these seem to fall into the same category to me maybe with slight variations. It's OK to question. To doubt. But we can't stay there. I follow a Christian author and blogger that I like but sometimes disagree with, and he almost daily writes about doubting. Sometimes it's difficult to read because there is more to faith than doubt. At some point we have to have affirmation and belief. To me having faith is nothing more than trusting God. Someone once said, "When you can't trace His hand trust His heart." I love that. At times we don't know which way to go. But it's at those very moments that we need to stop. "Be still," as Psalm 46 says, "and know that I am God."  It's easier to know God once you know that He is God. The Great I AM. He can take us through anything and, as Psalm 46 concludes, "He will be exalted."


The above list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully helpful. Life is the sum total of all our choices. We can't waste a choice. Each choice is significant. Each choice has a consequence - good or bad. And when we lose something it all goes back to a choice - even if it's a subconscious one that we have little to no awareness of in the moment. But even a choice like that can produce consequences that last for time and maybe even eternity. I hate losing things. Especially things that matter.


Peace.

What Will You Leave Behind?

Death and taxes - it's been said that those are the only guarantees in life. Truth is, death is a certainty. Unless, of course, Christ decides enough is enough and returns before death can sting us. But if we do draw our last breath here, what will we leave behind? What type of legacy will we pass on? Some of us have a broad reach. Some of us a shorter reach, but no less significant. Your legacy may be to pour into your children, and perhaps they will grow up to have a broad reach that affects millions through some calling, gift, or talent. But it started with a father or a mother whose reach seemed small, but was indeed great in the long run. We shouldn't compare ourselves among ourselves. It is indeed unwise. But we should all look to discover what it is that God has blessed us with or called us to do, and make the most of it today so that tomorrow we won't be filled with regret - asking ourselves, "I wonder what might have been...?" And we shouldn't keep it to ourselves.

I recently read the amazing story of a lady named Vivian Maier. She was a nanny in Chicago in the 50's and 60's. She never married and lived a very unassuming life. Nobody would have ever known there was anything special and unique about Vivian if they hadn't discovered boxes and boxes of over 30,000 film negatives upon her death. And what a discovery it is turning out to be. Even though she never lived to see it, she is now being heralded as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - street photographer ever. If you don't know what street photography is, you're missing out. This type of photography captures real life moments - nothing staged or fake. Yet they are moments that will take your breath away - a child laughing while they splash in a puddle or an elderly woman staring deeply back at you. They could be beautiful, melancholy, dark, simple - but all true life stills. They are pictures of life captured often without the object of the photo even knowing. Her work is astonishing, and experts are just beginning to understand the scope of her work - which is second to none. This was her hidden hobby - her personal passion. It's just something she did, but because of her reclusive lifestyle nobody ever knew about this talent - what she was really great at. Even now a man named John Maloof is going through the tedious task of digitizing all of her photos, with the goal of making her work available to the public via print media and gallery displays. He is the 26 year old Chicago real estate agent who "discovered" her when he purchased the contents of a repossessed storage locker that belonged to the by then deceased Vivian Maier. What started out as the surprise find of a lifetime chronicled in his blog has turned into a life-altering venture of introducing the world to Vivian's art. A company called Kickstarter is gathering funds to tell her story in documentary form - "Finding Vivian Maier". I look forward to its release.

Vivian died at 83 in 2009 never knowing that her secret life's work is now amazing the world. I think this is both incredible and sad. Incredible to have such a gift and passion that can be weighed and measured - with the capability of benefiting and inspiring millions; but sad that no one knew this while she was alive. Just think if she had shared this with the world while she was alive! Who knows why she lived her whole life with no one knowing her and knowing this about her, but what a legacy she has left! Just think how much greater that legacy could have been had she shared this gift out loud. Or maybe she didn't have the support or encouragement she needed and therefore, she alone knew of her gift and passion. But I think the lesson here for all of us is to embrace the gift of life that God has given us, and with that gift pursue what He has put within us to do. A calling. A talent. A passion. Share it. Live it. Love it. Don't settle. Don't compromise. Don't hide it. Don't be ashamed or fearful. Take a risk. Step out in faith. If there are obstacles in the way, by God's grace and persistence - overcome them and use them as stepping stones to get to the next level. And once there, really live joyfully and peacefully - knowing that you are doing what God gave you to do. It may take time, but don't give up, and don't hide away. While there is a happy ending to this story that will live on forever, it is sad to think that, even though she created such amazing art, no one knew while she was alive. No one really knew her. Find what it is God has blessed you with, and share it, and leave behind a legacy - not to be accidentally discovered, but a legacy left on purpose. Something you knowingly built during your life that will live on even after you are gone, and, in the words of Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator, something that will "echo in eternity." What legacy are you working on building even now in your life, for your family, your friends, your community, your church, your country, your world? I know I was challenged by this story of Vivian Maier. I hope you are too. And I hope you get to check out her amazing work! Peace.

How Would You Like To Have This Guys Job?

I mean, the TSA guys one hand is on the other guys love handle, and his other hand is, well...just look at his face (pic below). He's thinking, "Why did I quite my last job?" I'm just really glad he's not grinning like an idiot. But that is funny right there - unless you're the other guy. What's even better is Ron Paul's legislation that he submitted submitted before the house which would require all political figures to be subjected to this type of treatment at the airport, photographed, videotaped, along with the full body scan treatment - all made available to the same public that is already required to go through this crap. In Ron's words, "Enough is enough!" Man, I love that guy. Ron Paul, that is. Not the groping goof ball below. In the immortal words of Earl Pitts, "Wake up, America!"

Cut It Out

It could be in you and me right now - a silent killer. A disease that will take us quickly and unexpectedly or slowly and painfully. But it could be there. I know that sounds a bit morbid, but, hey, Halloween was just a few days ago so I'm rolling with it. Seriously, though. It's true. How many people do you know in your life that seemed fine one day, and then not so fine the next? I think the key here is regular checkups. How many potentially lethal diseases and illnesses have been avoided or abated because of this? On the flip side, how many seemingly healthy people get sick out of nowhere and maybe even pass away? And of those how many thought, "I'm good. I don't need a regular check up" - only to find they were wrong.

A lot of diseases have the moniker of "silent killer", but I think cancer is the one that deserves that title the most. It seems to come out of nowhere. Regular checkups can help to prevent or catch this awful disease which takes over a half million lives a year and is the cause of 23% of all deaths in this country. But what if you have it? How far would you go to remove it - if you could? There are so many treatments for cancer - each as extreme as the rest. Chemotherapy. Radiation. Surgery. Bone marrow transplant. Stem cell transplant. And more. None of these are light treatments. All are extremely difficult with the understanding that they still may not work. But, again, how far would you go?

I read recently about a 31 year old Canadian woman, Janis Ollson, was having extreme back pain while pregnant with her second child. Doctors initially thought that the pain was related to a difficult pregnancy. But they soon found that they were wrong. She had bone cancer and it was not treatable with radiation or chemotherapy. So they all had a choice to make - a choice that is hard to even imagine. They chose...to have her cut in half in order to remove the tumor. This they did, and she lived. This is the only time in history this has happened when the patient lived. In fact this type of surgery is usually only performed on cadavers. The doctors amputated her legs, cut off her lower spine, as well as half of her pelvis so they could remove a tumor that was the "size of a calzone" - the biggest they had ever seen. She now has one leg fused to her body, as well as a prosthetic leg and pelvis. She now utilizes a wheelchair, walker, or crutches to get around. but she is alive and cancer free.

What an amazing story.

I wonder how far we would go in her shoes from a physical perspective. But what about looking at this as a spiritual analogy? In a spiritual sense, sin is a cancer. It's in all of us, and without regular checkups, it can be hard to detect let alone difficult to cure. If left unchecked it can be destructive - even deadly. The Bible has some extreme things to say about sin and how to handle it. Consider the following verses:

Matthew 5:29, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away..."

Matthew 5:30, "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away..."

The Bible is serious about sin. In fact, James 1:15 says this, "...sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

So why play with it? Why ignore it? Why hide it? Why think about it? Why do it? Why do we allow it free reign when we know for a certainty what it's going to do? If you and I were told that we have cancer, we would be aggressive about eradicating it by any means possible. Because we know what it is and what it can and will do if left alone. We would even cut it out. And that's what we need to do with sin - we need to cut it out. We need to keep short accounts. We need regular checkups. And we have every means necessary spiritually speaking to make sure that sin does not win. And don't be fooled by thinking that you and I "fall into sin". It is a gradual progression down a slippery slope of not heeding the need for repentance before that big fall sends us over the edge into an abyss of pain, consequences, or worse. 

I hope this is helpful and challenging. I only write it because I have been challenged by my own failure in this area. We need to live in freedom from sin.

The Clarity Of Church Bells

I have a confession to make - I am not a good Christian. I know this - not because somebody told me that, but because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to me this weekend. And it took church bells to help me see it. More on that later.


It's been a hard 14 months for Erin and I - on every level. The highlight of the last year has been finding a church home - not just going to church, but actually calling a church...home. That is a big deal, and I'm not sure that everyone who is a Christian knows what that feels like. That's been huge for us. And it has come at the right time for us, because, apart from that, things haven't gone our way. You name it we've been hit by it. And, honestly, the hits just keep on coming. I'm not going to get into the details of it all. But we're exhausted and fatigued, and we're really looking forward to the holidays and extra breaks (except for the fact that Erin has a difficult surgery coming up over Christmas). So, yeah, it's been a hard year plus.


Erin and I usually take a daily walk around our little historic town of Lebanon, OH. We live just three blocks from downtown and we love walking to town, stopping at shops, talking to shop owners, grabbing a chocolate at the Golden Turtle or a cupcake at Manna, probably a coffee for Erin and a frozen or hot chocolate for me. I'm not sure how completely healthy that is, but it usually is relaxing. Except for this weekend. As we took our walk, we decided to go to Manna (again). We each got a mini cupcake and a drink, and then we got some extras to take to some friends of ours from church who lived just up the street (they told us recently they haven't been there yet). So we did that, and talked with them a bit. It was nice, but I was distracted. As we left, Erin had a hair appointment - again, just up the street. I walked her there and then I walked the rest of the way back home. It didn't dawn on me at first that I was heads down in heavy thought. I was wearing discouragement like a coat - paying no attention to the beauty of the day. And then my ears picked up one of my favorite sounds - church bells pealing a familiar hymn. Having grown up in a Baptist church surrounded by hymns, my ears recognized the song immediately - "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". And my heart just squeezed as I remembered the words, "...Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer." Two things struck me right then as I continued walking listening to those noonday chimes: 1) My prayer life stinks; and, 2) How I miss those hymns. I purposed to go home and dust off the hymnal on my bookshelf to revisit that hymn. And, upon doing so, I just sat there and tried to let the message hit home. And I prayed, as best I could, because there is a lot built up in me. But it was a start. And I'm not talking about vain repetitions. I'm talking about just pouring my heart out to God. I've got a long way to go both in my prayer life and in getting through these accumulated challenges, but of one thing I am certain - I have a friend in Jesus. I am reminded of Hebrews 4:15 (ESV), "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." Amen.


"What a Friend We Have in Jesus"
Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886 
Music: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918 

1. What a friend we have in Jesus, 
 all our sins and griefs to bear! 
 What a privilege to carry 
 everything to God in prayer! 
 O what peace we often forfeit,
 O what needless pain we bear, 
 all because we do not carry 
 everything to God in prayer. 

2. Have we trials and temptations? 
 Is there trouble anywhere? 
 We should never be discouraged; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Can we find a friend so faithful 
 who will all our sorrows share? 
 Jesus knows our every weakness; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 

3. Are we weak and heavy laden, 
 cumbered with a load of care? 
 Precious Savior, still our refuge; 
 take it to the Lord in prayer. 
 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 
 Take it to the Lord in prayer! 
 In his arms he'll take and shield thee; 
 thou wilt find a solace there.

Watch My Story - A Story of Four Fathers

I had the privilege of sharing part of my testimony with my church family yesterday in both services. I did so via video recording. It was recorded by Carl and Amy Johnson - our worship pastor and his wife. It was such a blessing and I pray that God can use it over and over again for His glory. I've always called my story "A Story of Four Fathers", and I just wanted to share it.

Thanks for checking in!

My Story - A Story of Four Fathers

If You Want To See How Strong Your Marriage Is...

...Go on a long canoe trip in the middle of nowhere in Cumberland, KY. I promise that you will discover the best and worst about your marriage. You will see what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong.

This was a last minute trip. We didn't think we'd be able to take the trip this year for a variety of reasons, but when we cashed out some 5/3 rewards, we decided to go for it. We always take a camping trip at the end of summer over Labor Day weekend. We also always go to Putin Bay. But we wanted a different kind of trip - more of a hiking/canoeing kind of trip. We looked all over Ohio but everything was booked. Erin found a nice campsite in southern Kentucky, about 75 miles south of Lexington near the Cumberland Falls. The weather was cooler, but absolutely beautiful. We made good time getting there early Friday evening. We got set up at camp and relaxed, read, and went to bed early. We were both exhausted. The next day we drove to Cumberland Falls. It was even better than I thought it would be. We took a long hike through the hills and just took out time enjoying the Falls and the quiet of nature. It was very nice. On our way back we stopped at the headquarters for the outfit that was coordinating our canoe trip for the next day and we got all of our paperwork done ahead of time. But here's where things started to get interesting. We had booked this trip ahead of time, and it was to be an all day canoe trip. We were really excited about it because we love to canoe and we knew the weather was going to be great. Now at this point we are 45 minutes away from our campsite. The lady at the canoe place explained that where we would be ending our trip was where we would be going the next morning, which was an additional 45 minutes away from headquarters, so we would be driving an hour and a half to get to there - plus 45 minutes by bus to where we would be starting our canoe trip. That's over two hours of driving early Sunday morning just to start our all day trip. But we had dropped a good bit of cash on the trip and we weren't going to get it back now, so we had no choice. We were still excited though. So we get up Sunday, drive all the way to the river. And let me just say that some of the roads weren't marked. I expected to hear dueling banjo's at any moment. After a bit, the bus shows up - a short bus (my first time on a short bus) pulling kayaks and canoes. Two couples just finished their early morning canoe trip, and Erin and I and another family of four were on our way to start ours. 45 minutes later we turn onto a steep, winding, freshly graveled road that snaked its way down to the river where we would be dropped off. It's an absolutely gorgeous morning. The scenery is breathtaking. The weather is in the high 70's. And we are looking forward to some quiet time together on our all day canoe trip just talking and taking in all that nature had to offer. But isn't it just like life to get in the way? Sure, we had this planned out; it was going to be great - what could possibly go wrong on a morning like this? It's a canoe trip - with my wife. It's meant to be...chill. No stress. We have enough of that back home. After all - we were on a technology-free trip. It was just her and I - together. And that's about the time that my thoughts were interrupted by a sickening feeling - the brakes went out on the bus - right at the point in a sharp curve that overlooked the river which was about 50 feet below us going down a steep hill. I had enough time to put my hand on Erin's leg and say, "There goes the brakes." It was all very surreal, and even almost serene. But the kid driving the bus (and I do mean kid) acted quickly, if not instinctively, and dropped it down into 1st gear and turned the wheels just enough to break our momentum, and we stuttered to a stop about three feet away from the edge. We all slowly got out of the bus, and we didn't say it out loud at first, but we all knew that was close. Let's just say the kid got a nice tip. I mean - we were within feet of going over and only God knows what would have happened.

Next we all carried our canoes and kayaks down the rest of the way to start our trip. Surely the excitement was over, right? I mean, it's canoeing - not white water rafting. Well, we pushed out and immediately we came upon some rapids, and it's not like they were extreme, but we took the wrong approach. Erin was in the front and I was in the back of the canoe. As we were going through the rapids we weren't in unison with our paddling - it's as if we were in the same boat but trying to go in different directions. And we were moving fast toward a huge boulder the size of a large truck jutting out head high from the side of the river. Erin and I both saw it at the same time and I just knew she was going to crash into it and crack her skull. The only thing she could do was hold up her paddle with both hands to offer some protection against the blow that was coming. All I could do was watch, and I hated it. Her shifting and lifting caused the canoe to unsettle and probably saved her from getting hurt because at that point we went over. The water was actually deeper now (having just come out of the rapids) and it was cold. It took my breath away, and worse, I was wearing glasses (why???) and they flew off as I went under. I don't know how this happened because I am helpless without my glasses, but I reached out and caught my glasses mid air just out of the water - without even seeing where they went. Thank God! I was most concerned about my glasses because I'm blind without them and because they are expensive. Now, I had a little hiking bag with me in the canoe that had a bottle of water, some food, and (can you believe it) our digital camera. The bag was gone. My paddle was gone. I was under water. And the canoe started taking off upside down - rolling down the river, and I had no idea at this time what was happening to my wife, which scared me worst of all. I came up out of the water, grabbed onto the canoe and looked for Erin. She was about 20 feet down river floating as she was instructed by the driver ("in the rare event that you go overboard") - on her back, in her life jacket with her feet in the air up in front of her. And she had both our paddles, and the bag clutched to her as she was floating away from me. How that happened she doesn't even remember. Crazy. But she was heading into the really deep water, and it was a wide river, and I didn't like where this was headed. I had found that I could touch bottom where I was when I stood up, so I asked her to try because I knew she wouldn't be able to in seconds. She did, and she could touch bottom enough to get her going toward a rock island in the middle of the river. All of this time, the family from the bus was behind us watching, and a couple of teenage girls with a little girl were on the island - not sure why. But everyone was able to help us get to shore. We got the water out of the canoe, caught our breath, took inventory, and counted our blessings. Erin lost her sunglasses, and our digital camera was ruined, but other than that, we were fortunate. We shoved off again - soak and wet - but determined. We still had a few things to learn as a couple though, but lesson number one for me was:

1. Marriage is full of unexpected challenges. Everything seemed great that morning. What could possibly go wrong? Now we know.

So we continued down the river, and we quickly started bickering with each other. We were both frustrated, discouraged, wet, and even embarrassed a bit. Plus we couldn't take pictures of the awesome views all around us. Not to mention we've never had anything like that happen to us before. So as we were rowing, we were struggling a bit. I would try my way and she would try her way, and we weren't doing very well. We were fighting each other. And this taught me another lesson about marriage:

2. Marriage is not a competition. When two people are in a canoe together there is no competition. There is no one person better than the other. We have to do this thing together - in unison. Teammates is a word Erin and I like to use a lot, but in this event we were competing against each other - both of us wanting to do things our way. Marriage doesn't work that way.

Again, we continued on, and very soon, we developed a system of talking to each other about what we should be doing when we rowed. Talking. Communication. I know it's been said before, but communication is key in any relationship - especially in a marriage. And here's the simple lesson:

3. Marriage is all about communication. Without proper communication, it's hard to go upstream or downstream, or through any rapids - be it on a canoe trip or in life.

Time passes. Things are getting better for us. The tension is easing. We have a system. We're focused. We go on a bit, and then - uh-oh - another rapid. So as we approached, we talked it through - communicated - and we went through the rough waters together without any issue. This made us excited. We accomplished something together, and this produced something cool between us - comradery. We had found something every marriage needs:

4. Marriage should be about companionship. You have to be able to go through life - the good, the bad, the ugly, the unexpected - together. And as our canoe trip was growing longer and longer, we were growing closer and  closer. And that was cool. But that's not the end.

We keep going, and going, and going. Remember, this is an all day canoe trip. And we're getting hungry. And it's taking a bit longer than we thought it would, not to mention that we would encounter six more rapids. We had to dig a little deeper, find a reserve of determination to get to the end of this. And that brings me to the last point:

5. Marriage is all about commitment. You can't turn tale and run at the first sign of trouble. You can't quit on the other no matter what. Brakes going out? Does it seem like you're about to take a nose dive off the side of a cliff? Is your canoe capsizing? Are you experiencing rapids? Sharp rocks? Strong currents? Some undertow? Not sure where you're going, or how and when you're going to get there? Sometimes you have to bear down. You have to grind it out. See it through. There will be high expectations met with unforeseen challenges, but you have each other. You're in the boat together. And what I found this past weekend - the things I learned is - Erin and I are in the same boat, going the same direction - not just on that trip, but in life. We're together. And no matter what happens we have to see it through. Marriage has challenges, and they will only be made worse if it turns into a competition. Communication is a must. Companionship is a given - when you choose to be committed. It is work, but when you finally reach the shore together there is no better feeling.

I had no idea a canoe trip could teach me so much about me, my wife, our marriage, but it did. So, if you want to see how strong your marriage is, go on a canoe trip. And hopefully you'll come to understand what I've come to understand - that I am so very blessed to have this amazing person in my life. I am blessed.

Peace.

Red Sun Farm

Those of you who know Erin and I know that we are very conscientious about the food that we buy. Most of what we buy is organic. We spend a little extra money and a little extra time going to different places to get it, but the quality is as God intended - be it vegetables, meat, fruits, dairy, etc. But not everything that says organic is organic. You have to do your homework. Most manufacturers of organic products meet the very base requirements of what that means. But there are a lot of great brands out there doing it right. I wanted to take the time to introduce you to one that is local - Red Sun Farm. Since 1793 this Loveland, OH farm has been doing this the right way when it comes to organic crops and meats. All of their food is grown without chemicals, drugs or hormones. Animals are grass fed and roam on a free range. I've posted about what that means in weeks past when briefly mentioning the documentary Food, Inc. - which shows what most Americans eat these days, and how the food gets to them in such horrible, unhealthy, inhumane ways. It's amazing to think that just a couple generations ago our country thrived on what was rightly produced by farms such as Red Sun. Now it's all about corporate greed and the high cost of low prices from places like Walmart. It's a shame, but we won't have anything to do with it.


When you go to Red Sun, you'll be blown away at how beautiful it is. It's like stepping back in time. It's set off of Loveland Avenue in the country. It's a gorgeous drive. When you get there you'll see their black barn on the left as you pull into the circular driveway. You can park, get out and go in their little store. You will find shelves stocked with all natural and organic products - eggs, cheeses, poultry, beef, pork, honey, jams, breads - you name it. And what's great about it is - most of the time they have an honor system on how you pay. They are not always in the shop. There's a box for you to slip your money or check when checking out your items. There's a mason jar with coin and bills for making change. And there's a notebook for you to right down your name, the date, what you purchased with the dollar amount, a tally, what you paid with (and left in the "Honor Box"), and the change that you made. That's all there is to it, but that's not really all there is to it. It's wonderful. It's old fashioned. It's honorable. It's right. And you leave feeling good that you helped some folks making the right choices with how they do business, and you'll be surprised to find that their prices are often better than even a grocery store like Whole Foods and Kroger. When you're done with your shopping and talking to caring, like-minded people you will no doubt meet in the store, you can walk the grounds a bit and appreciate their animals and grounds and how they take care of it all. I've always had a dream to have a little spread like that. I don't know if it will happen, but I do know that my wife and I will always support places like Red Sun Farm, and hopefully you will too. Why don't you make it a fun little trip? Historic Loveland has many great little shops and eateries and it's only five or so minutes away from the farm. Have lunch and then go shopping at Red Sun. You won't be disappointed and I guarantee you will go back again and again.


Additional Information:
They are located at
10995 Grog Run Road
Loveland, Ohio 45140
513-683-9780


Web Site:
http://www.redsunfarm.com/

lance brewer music now streaming on blog!!!

I finally found a way to get this done. Found a nice streaming player that plays playlists on blog sites - called Podbean. Worth a "look-see" if you're in need of a nice player for your site as well. There's also a mini player which will allow me to post demo's I'm working on. Looking forward to it now that my studio is finally up at the house! Will post a demo called "Back Home" soon. Working on a song lyric write now called "Nellie Yost." Anyway, thanks for checking out my music. Enjoy!

my blog got a makeover

with the leaves starting to turn signifying the changing of seasons, it seemed time for a change to my blog - a makeover so to speak. i have been very busy the last couple of weeks between work, church, and traveling. it's time i got back to my writing. i will be writing soon on "do you want to see how strong your marriage is?"

thanks for checking it out!

Faith Over Football

I love the NFL. It's my favorite sport (although baseball is a close second). My wife knows that come Sunday I will be spending my day of rest camping in front of the TV (with my laptop - fantasy football is my second favorite, um, sport). This, of course, is after having gone to church and eaten brunch. I do have my priorities. But 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 8:00 PM will show as busy on my calendar on Sundays from September to January. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about Mondays and even some Thursdays. I mean, when I hear the Monday Night Football theme song by Hank Williams, Jr., my heart starts racing (although Faith Hill's "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" theme song for the Sunday night game is growing on me too).

I...Love...Football.

Last year, I had Frank Gore on one of my fantasy football teams. He is the starting running back for the San Fransisco 49ers. He missed some time last year due to injury, so I picked up his back up (handcuff is what we like to call it in fantasy football speak) to spot start while Gore was out. The name of his back up? Glen Coffee. He did really well for me while Gore was out. I started thinking, this rookie is going to make hay one day in the league. At that time, I didn't know much about Glen Coffee. I just needed a running back to start while Gore was injured. As of this week, I know a lot more about him and for good reason. He was a stand out star as the starting running back at Alabama taking the Tide to the SEC title game his Junior year. He rushed for almost 1400 yards that year. He decided to skip his senior year and declare himself eligible for the NFL draft. Money and fame awaited. He got drafted in the third round by the 49ers. He missed out on the Tide winning the national championship in what would have been his senior year of college during his rookie year in the NFL. But, hey, he had the money, right. And it was only a matter of hard work and time for him to hit the lime light. But money wasn't all that he had. He had a burden growing on him daily. That burden had to do with something that took place in Coffee's life during his time with the Crimson Tide in 2007 - he became a Christian and was baptized. Shortly thereafter, he began to accept speaking engagements to share his faith with others through his notoriety as a football star. But that was not enough. He tried faith with football in his life (which is something Tim Tebow of Florida Gator and now Denver Bronco fame is doing even now). But for him, he needed to choose faith over football. In his words, he was "wrestling" with the need to leave football behind - as a 23 year old budding star with even more money and fame surely ahead of him. Instead, he announced his retirement from the NFL this week to pursue "the will of God." He believes that God has another plan for him instead of football, and he is now on the path to pursuing that plan. His first step is to go back to Alabama and finish his undergraduate degree, and then possibly go to graduate school for ministry training. He said, "A lot of people aren't going to understand and realize because they don't have the wisdom to understand. Their eyes aren't open like mine are open. True happiness is glorifying God and glorifying Christ. That's what true happiness is...And for me, that wasn't the NFL. That wasn't where I needed to be." He is now going to pursue some ministry, but he's not yet sure what. He says opportunities will come. He just wants to surrender all and follow Christ.

I have a lot of respect for this type of decision. Yesterday, I got together with some brothers and we talked about this. I asked the question whether it was a tougher decision to leave behind money and fame when you've already had more of it at 23 then most folks get in a lifetime, or to have nothing and make this kind of surrender. It brought up good discussion, and surrendering to God's will for ones life is just as big deal for an all world athlete who has everything than for an unknown man or woman with little to their name. One thing is true, the whole world knows what he did, why he did it, and God is getting the glory. I hope and pray God uses him and protects him in whatever ministry God has for him. And I pray you and I are already pursuing God and His plan for our lives, and, if not, be willing to make the best choice we could ever make in order to do so.

I'm sad I can't draft Glen Coffee for my fantasy team from a football perspective, but from an eternal perspective I'm glad we're on the same team.

Full story: Glen Coffee explains choosing faith over NFL football | al.com

Wanna See Something Scary?

Click here.

I'll give you a hint - it's directly related to the picture below.

This kind of thinking is killing our country and our homes. My wife saw the above picture and laughed. Funny, I had an entirely different response. :) I will write more on this topic later this week, but for now - the web link above and this picture will have to suffice. It's plenty to take in.

"See The Light"

"ah the games that we play
and the price that we pay
for public lies
and secret lives

always consequence
never recompense
the fool will fail and be exposed
the wise will veil and decompose

but no one can hide for very long
for what's wrong with wrong? it's always wrong

we work so hard to be deceptive
but why can't we just be receptive
to striving just as hard
with our being - every part

to have...

an honest heart
an open mind
a humble spirit
a word that's kind
a love that lasts
a faith that holds
a grace that's real
a truth that's bold
with compassion in abundance
with patience that is long
taking time to listen
not scared to sing a song
discover peaceful sleep
and strength to face the day
a quiet place to meditate
to pause, to praise, to pray

why on earth can't this be
a normal way of life?
i guess the answer's not in me
i need to see the Light"

(c) - LMB 6/4/2010

Living A Trash-Free Life

Could you and I live a trash-free life? It can be done, and I can prove it below. I know it's hard to believe, but it's actually not as hard to do as you might think. As with most things in life, it all comes down to choices. Conscious choices. Or, better yet, conscientious choices.

The average person creates an average of 4.5 pounds of trash a day. In America alone, we throw away almost 250 million tons of trash a year - with only 33 percent being recycled. Imagine how much money could be saved and how much better we could treat the earth that God created if we became more determined to not just throw everything away - or, even worse, litter. Imagine the benefit this would have - not just on the environment, but even on the economy. Think about jobs this could create. Renewable energy. The list goes on. Because just about everything can be recycled these days, or even better - re-purposed. One mans trash is truly another mans treasure, and I've written on re-purposing before so I won't revisit that now. But sticking to the idea of recycling - I've noticed week to week (since becoming a home owner in July of 2008) that the recycle bin we put by the road is completely full and our trash bin is almost empty (we actually have two trash bins and seldom use both anymore). It's getting down to one bag of trash every two weeks, and we know even that is too much. Now, there has been some conscious thought put into that concept over the last two plus years, but the good thing is - it has started to become routine. We really don't put much thought into it at all anymore. We recycle as much as we can, but we know there is still room for improvement. I know this because of Amy and Adam Korst of Dallas, Oregon.

The Korst's made a choice to live as trash-free as possible for a whole year. To do so they had to make sure that what they bought could be recycled, or composted (I'm sure I will write more on conscientious purchasing at another time). Then they made sure they recycled as much as they could - almost everything. The end result? Let's just say it could all fit into one medium size box - 75 scraps of trash total. Among the scraps of trash that could not be recycled were eight used razor blades, a burned out light bulb, two Theraflu pouches, and a broken Christmas ornament. This all added up to almost four pounds of trash - for the year. Not the 4.5 pounds of trash the average American generates a day (which is almost 1650 pounds of trash for the year by the way). But they generated four pounds of trash FOR THE YEAR. They are my heroes. And they are an excellent example for all of us.

In recent weeks, we've decided to stop using sandwich bags for lunches and we purchased plastic, washable, reusable lunch bins with separate food compartments in it to take to work every day. We've also stopped getting and using plastic bags from Target and Kroger. We use reusable shopping bags. And we no longer use those same plastic bags for our, um, pets you-know-what - which used to get thrown in the trash bins (poor garbage truck driver!). Instead, we use organic litter that flushes down the commode. OK, OK - that might be information overload. :) But the principle is the same - what decisions and choices can we make in reference to recycling? It's not hard. Call Rumpke or Waste Management, and they'll drop off a huge recycling bin at your house that contains a sticker on it of codes and examples of what can (and should!) be recycled. Then, purchase recyclable products. And do it - RECYCLE. Make your trash bin lonely. It's really not hard, and it's the right thing to do. Remember - you can recycle almost everything! Erin and I are very conscious and determined in this and other areas like this, and we long for the day when having these types of conversations with people doesn't cause them to look at us like we have two heads. We would rather find like-minded individuals who simply care about doing the right thing. And shouldn't that be the Christian response? I'm positive some folks clicked on this thinking I would be writing a spiritual post about ridding our life of sin, but in one sense - that's exactly what I'm doing. Want proof? James 4:17, "To him who knows to do what is good and does not do it - to him it is sin." This certainly qualifies.

How about it? Get a medium sized box and set it aside for those random things that can't be recycled - and do the right thing with all the rest - recycle, recycle, recycle. And you may end up needing to do what we need to do even now - get a second recycle bin!

For more on The Korst's please visit the following article:

Couple lives nearly trash-free for a year - Green House - USATODAY.com

And Now Back To Our Regular Programming...

Sorry I've been away a bit from the old blog. I've been busy (finally) setting up my office/recording studio. It's done! I'm pumped. Anyway, I'll get back on track with the posts you're used to seeing - as well as a new type of post - acoustic demo cuts of songs I am working on. Looking forward to it! Peace. - LMB

On Being Wrong

On a beautiful September Sunday afternoon in 2008 the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos were battling hard on the NFL gridiron in a back and forth struggle. With less than a minute to go in the game the Broncos had the ball on the Chargers one yard line about to score the potential go ahead touchdown. The Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to throw and the ball slipped out of his hands. It bounced off the grass and into the arms of Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins. The play was ruled an incomplete pass on the field and declared dead because veteran referee Ed Hochuli had blown the whistle. However, instant replay showed that the play was clearly a fumble, but because the whistle had blown NFL rules state that the ball has to be placed at the spot where the ball hit the ground. So Denver retained the ball at the 10 yard line and not long after that they scored a touchdown and a two point conversion to win 39-38. Had Ed Hochuli not blown the whistle prematurely, the replay would have awarded the ball to the Chargers who no doubt would have won the game. Mr. Hochuli had this to say after the game, 

"I'm getting hundreds of e-mails -- hate mail -- but I'm responding to it all," Hochuli wrote to several Chargers fans, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. "People deserve a response. You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea … Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection -- I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry." 

Wow.

It takes a man to do that, and no one would question that Mr. Hochuli is a man when they see him in the zebra stripes on Sunday. He is bigger and in better shape than a lot of the athletes he referees. But that's physical appearance. I'm talking about character here. He had the character to admit he was wrong, respond to EVERYONE who sent him all manner of hate mail, and apologize. I was stunned when I read this. This is a man who used to be president of the NFLRA and who now will be graded down thus affecting his ability to earn a lot more money officiating in the playoffs. Yet he took responsibility and did the right thing by admitting he did the wrong thing. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here.

I thought of the above story about Ed Hochuli as I was reading a recent post in the Freakonomics blog in the New York Times. It was a guest post by Kathryn Schulz author of Being Wrong. Here is some of what she has to say, 

"Listening to BP CEO Tony Hayward dodge and duck during last week’s congressional inquiry into the explosion of the Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, I was struck all over again by our stunning, culture-wide inability to face up to ignorance, failure, and mistakes. That inability is particularly evident up in the power stratosphere, where admissions of error are made rarer by (among other things) threats of litigation, fear of the wrath of voters or shareholders, and a value system that generally prioritizes certainty and ego over curiosity and humility.  But this problem is hardly limited to our political, military, economic and corporate leaders.  On the contrary: our society as a whole has completely neglected to master the art of acknowledging our mistakes.  In fact, we haven’t even mastered the basic skill of saying “I was wrong.” This is a startling deficiency, given the simplicity of the phrase, the ubiquity of error, and the tremendous public service that acknowledging it could provide.  Instead, what we have mastered are two alternatives to admitting our mistakes that serve to highlight exactly how bad we are at doing so.  The first involves a small but strategic addendum: “I was wrong, but…” – a blank we then fill in with wonderfully imaginative explanations for why we weren’t so wrong after all.  The second (infamously deployed by, among others, Richard Nixon regarding Watergate and Ronald Reagan regarding the Iran-Contra affair) is even more telling: we say “mistakes were made.”  As that evergreen locution so concisely demonstrates, all we really know how to do with our errors is not acknowledge them as our own. How do we go about changing that?  It would be nice if we could all just start saying “I was wrong” more openly and readily – but if that’s the end we want, it cannot also be the means to get us there.  (Not to mention that if it were that easy, we’d hear a lot more of those admissions in the first place.)  Cultural shifts aren’t created by wishful thinking, and they aren’t created out of whole cloth, either.  As James Bagian, head of the Veterans Administration’s National Center for Patient Safety, told me, “You don’t change the culture [of denial and blame around error] by saying, ‘Let’s change the culture.’  You change the culture by giving people new tools that actually work.”

In this article the tools they go on to discuss are more motivational and moral rather than spiritual. But for the Christian, we have been given a lot of tools to help us know when we're wrong; to help us admit we're wrong; and to help us not be wrong. We know the tools: the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, the example of Christ, the church - so much! But what are we doing with the tools? How are we using these tools? Here are a couple verses to help get us started in the right direction:

Psalm 119:11 (ESV), "I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

1 John 1:9 (ESV), "If we confess our sins he (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Don't be afraid or too proud to say...