When all is said and done,
Shouldn’t the world be loads of fun?
But along the way we often stray,
Losing focus as well as our way.

The bumps and potholes we find in life,
Many times fill us with loads of strife.
We look to the left and look to the right,
Wondering why help is not in sight.

The path can be strewn with many friends,
Who just might help us with the twists and bends.
But first we must find the trusted One,
Who really knows how to find the fun.

When tragedy enters along the way,
We wonder how to keep emotions at bay.
Should we cry and should we weep?
Or do we simply fall at His feet?

We start the journey as a child,
Living our lives on the edge of wild.
With our parents close at hand,
They’re always willing to help us stand.

The teen years come when we know it all,
Our parents slide back, sometimes letting us fall.
Could it be they really do know,
More than we thought before the winds started to blow.

In due time we fly from the nest,
Wondering just what’s in store for us next.
True love comes and we often wed,
Celebrating the joy of the marriage bed.

The next stop in life is the parent role,
That’s when things really begin to roll.
Life becomes hectic with every hour filled,
We wonder aloud, will anything get spilled?

When mid-life comes and we start to gray,
We begin to wonder about our stay.
By now it’s been close to two-score and ten,
But what lies ahead around the next bend.

Should we turn left, or should we turn right,
By now the sunset just might be in sight.
When we were once young, those around were old,
But now things are different, or so we are told.

Just when we think we have life figured out,
The tables seem turned and we begin to doubt.
Did we go left when we should have gone right,
Did we simply respond out of a sense of fright.

Before we know it we’re back with the question,
Or is it possibly more of a confession?
Shouldn’t life really be loads of fun,
When we find this journey done?

We walked the path at times alone,
While all along not far from a Stone.
Will that Stone become the Rock,
Who gives meaning to life when we stop.

The path is now strewn with many friends,
Who did indeed help us with the twists and bends.
But when did we find the trusted One,
Who’s also known as the Son.

He’s always been there from the beginning of time,
Simply waiting for His time to shine.
The table is set and all is prepared,
All we need to do is cut loose our despair.

While the journey seems long as we search for the fun,
All we really need to hear is “Enter in” and “Well done”.
For the ancients of old always cheered us on,
Even when we thought all was long gone.

At the end of the journey what will we find,
A loving Savior who is really kind.
After serving God’s purpose in our generation,
We too can find rest with in His Holy nation.

In Seminary I had a Professor once explain balance as something very hard to find and achieve. While we all want balance and are in search of balance, finding such balance is very difficult.

The professor explained it this way….

“It’s like being on a boat,” he said. “You have everyone gathered to one side of the boat looking over the edge at something fascinating when suddenly the boat begins to pitch to one side.” Why does this happen? “Because everyone is on one side of the boat. As a result, there is no balance at all, and the boat begins to take on water.”

As a result of the situation, “Everyone screams and they suddenly run to the other side of the boat in an attempt to bring balance. While one would think we understand that balance comes from the middle, no one stops in the middle of the boat.” Actually, the opposite takes place! “Everyone keeps running to the other side of the boat in an attempt to stop the tipping sensation.” Of course simply running to the other side of the boat does not bring balance. “Actually,” declared the Professor, “in the search for balance, the boat suddenly starts to pitch in the other direction.”

Thomas Merton – The Real Thing

On July 23, 1964, Thomas Merton found himself reflecting on the life, experience and doctrine of Ramana Maharshi. I’m currently reading a devotional book entitled A Year with Thomas Merton. The book contains daily excerpts from his journal’s. Today Merton is really addressing the idea of balance. He says he’s fascinated by the life of Ramana Maharshi because his experience.

Merton writes;

“Whatever may be the deficiencies of the doctrinal elaboration, and the misleading effect of some of the philospophical concepts, this is the basic experience – ‘God is the ultimate ‘I’ Who is the Self of every self!’ It is this that Christianity too expresses in and through the doctrines of grace, redemption, Incarnation, Trinity. Sons in the Son by grace.”

For me, the fascinating aspect of those words is not found in the concept of discovering who we are in Christ. Instead, it’s the deeper thought Merton expresses here concerning experience. Merton goes on to say that while Maharshi has flawed doctrine, he has something many Christians don’t have – a true experience and understanding of who he is in God.

As Thomas Merton grew older, some inside the church accused him of heresy. It was statements like the above which started to get him into trouble. Did he really say Mararshi had a deeper understanding of God than Christians? No, that’s not what he’s saying. Instead, Merton is pointing out that in the midst of doctrine, some believers don’t truly experience who they are in God. On the other hand, on the other side of the boat, Merton points to Marashi saying “while his doctrine is flawed” he has an experience that many Christians do not have.

How do we find balance?

That’s really the heart of the matter here. Thomas Merton was once asked who the best Christian was he’d ever met. His response – “Ghandi. The only problem is, he doesn’t realize he’s a Christian.” Staggering words coming from a Monk in the Catholic tradition. What was he saying? Again, I believe Merton was addressing balance here. Was he saying Ghandi was a Christian? No. But he was saying he saw attributes of Christianity in Ghandi that he did not see in other believers.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – “Life is called a journey for a reason.” – As we journey through life, we find ourselves bombardered with many things. Through it all, we seek balance, so we might in turn discover truth.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Dandelion Fluff

Have you ever looked at the life cycle of a dandelion? Those incredible yellow flowers, or weeds, which spring up all over the grass as soon as spring arrives. To some people, they look pretty. To others, they’re a menace to be weeded out and discarded forever. The first life of the dandelion consists of that little yellow flower that just seems to never go away.

Then, for those that do survive the first cycle of life, the dandelion suddenly and magically turns into nothing more than fluff. On the surface, this fluff looks very harmless. When a wind comes along, the fluff is blown away and the dandelion is never to be seen again.

At least for a season…

Impacting Your Environment

The dandelion fluff, which marks the end of a season, or life cycle, for the dandelion may look harmless. But, for those who really know what’s going on, the fluff is merely planting the harvest for the next crop of dandelions. The fluff goes to seed and lays dormant until the dandelion growing season hits once again.

From time to time it’s important for us to step back and see what’s going on in our life. A journal entry from Thomas Merton in June of 1960 says the following;

“To see better means we need to gain perspective. That sometimes means a withdrawal, or a stepping back from the machinery of life.”

Stepping back from the machinery of life…
Just let those words sink in for a moment.

All too often, the machinery of life adds to the chaos and noise of life as we navigate through this journey we call life. From time to time, we must step back so we can gain perspective on what’s going on around us. Or, sometimes we need to step back so we can gain perspective on what’s going on in our own lives. It’s during these times of reflection, these times of stepping back, that we truly gain the perspective we need to make sense of what’s going on around us.

In my final year of Seminary I took a class on the Historical Books from the Old Testament. Up until that time, I usually had little to no difficulty working on the various assignments pertaining to Bible study and Bible study methods. However, for some reason I had a block when it came to working through lessons found in the Old Testament historical books. All I saw was a collection of names, facts, and what I considered to be useless information.

However, one day that all changed as I sat in my Professor’s office lamenting the fact I didn’t see anything! He looked at me and said, “It’s because you’re too close to the material. You’re working too hard in trying to figure out what’s going on.” He then said, “Take off your glasses.” I told him if I did that, I would see nothing at all! He laughed and said, “Take off your glasses, hold them over your shoulder like you’re holding them up for God to use.”

The Professor then said something that totally changed the way I looked at not only the Scripture passage, but even the situation. The Professor said, “Now, ask God what He sees here.”

Wow! What a transformation of attitude in looking at something. I believe that’s what Merton touches on when he says we need to step away to get perspective. Sometimes it’s the stepping away, and even asking God to show us what He sees in a given situation, where truly find answers for the journey.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

]]> http://fellowsojourner.godlaughs.net/2009/06/28/stepping-back-to-gain-perspective/feed/ 3 http://fellowsojourner.godlaughs.net/2009/01/11/a-new-week-is-dawning/ http://fellowsojourner.godlaughs.net/2009/01/11/a-new-week-is-dawning/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:01:26 +0000 Dr. Rus http://fellowsojourner.godlaughs.net/?p=182 The Week Starts on Sunday…

Have you noticed how a lot of business calendars these days have the first day of the week as Monday? Actually, calendars have been sliding that way for a while, but I’m beginning to notice it more and more these days. It’s like the entire world is shifting to the idea that the most important thing in life is getting up Monday morning and heading off to work.

But, this simply is not the case.

Job burnout and overall distaste for where one works at is at an all time high. Many people simply are not happy with their lives. Could it be a result of the fact that many are geared to think Monday is the first day of the week? If your mindset is one of work, work, work, then you may quickly discover the old cliche – “All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.”

The week starts on Sunday for a good reason.

Many still believe Sunday is a day of rest. It doesn’t matter if you’re a church-goer, or a non-church-goer. When the calendar starts on Sunday, signifying a day to sit back and relax, the work week goes smoother. We all need a day to rejuvinate and re-energize. Sunday, the first day of the week, sets the tone for the rest of the week.

But, as we find ourselves on another Sunday, we can also reflect on ways we will positively impact those around us in the coming week. There’s no way of knowing what exactly will take place, but as we ponder how we can positively impact our little portion of the world, maybe things will go a little smoother. During the past few weeks I’ve written much about hope on this blog. Many people are searching for hope. For some, we might be the only glimmer of hope and encouragement they might see. 

As you ponder the start of a new work week, why not ponder someone you can encourage along the way too.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Through the years the way we record our family history has changed. In the Old Testament the patriarch of the family always carried a staff. Of course the staff itself had many uses. It was a shepherd staff to keep the sheep in line. It was also a walking stick helping the young shepherd make his way through the rocky hillside. As the years moved along, the staff even took on more of a cane use instead of just a simple walking stick. Whatever the case may be, one thing was sure, the staff stayed with the patriarch throughout his life. 

But, the staff was far more than just a simple walking stick or cane. The staff also contained the geneology and history of that particular family. Etched along the patriarch’s staff were important events that took place in his life. Births, deaths, movements through time. All tracking and keeping a chronological order of the patriarch’s life.

The staff was how the Sojourner kept track of his journey as he made his way through life here on earth.

By Faith, Jacob Leaned On His Staff

“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.”
Hebrews 11:21

We find Jacob’s life, his journey here on earth, drawing to a close in this passage. As he blesses his grandchildren, he’s also leaning on the top of his staff. He’s pondering his mark on this world. He’s pondering his family, and he’s remembering those most important to him in this journey we call life. He’s leaning on his staff, which contains the history of his family. I’m sure his staff was also passed along to his own son. Why? So the memory of the family will continue from generation to generation.

I started thinking about keeping track of our life earlier this morning as I spent some time on Twitter. It all started with s0mething I read on the social network site that said this was 80sphotoday weekend on Twitter. As I read more, I discovered the idea was to post a profile/avatar picture of yourself from the 1980′s. Wow! Now there’s a scary thought! But, I also figured it sounded like fun so I decided to dig around and find an old picture. 

Let #80sphotowknd #80sphotoday On Twitter Begin!

I dug around some old pictures and came across that one from the early 1980′s. Pretty scary hair! But, I do remember that time of my life well. It was the early 1980′s. I was looking forward to graduating, and also starting a career in radio. Little did I know what the future held, but I knew I was having fun and having a good time. I even looked like that when I met my wife! I’m thinking it was the hair that really impressed her. We were married in 1984, and by then, I was working at my third radio station. Time marched on, we had our first child, and then, it was time for another move. The journey this time took me back to college.

Of course things changed, and so did styles.

By the late 1980′s I was trying to look more like a grown up. Okay, the glasses are still really big, but the hair has changed. This time around instead of looking forward to being a radio star, this is a picture taken while I was leading a group of college students on a mission trip into Haiti. Another great time on my journey through life.

How Are You Tracking Your Journey?

We’re presented with many ways to track our journey these days. Some use journals, some use blogs, others use pictures. Whatever the case may be, one thing has not changed. Just like Jacob of old, we’re all looking for a way to keep track of our journey. My New Year’s resolution this year is to become much better at sending out birthday and anniversary cards. The passage of time has a way of rising an awareness that yes indeed, we are all mortal. We are all on a journey, and it’s important to acknowledge, and keep track of events, as we journey through this thing we call life.

It’s been great fun today going through some old pictures. I’ve also enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of some of my Twitter friends looking at their old pictures. It’s true, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks to @erickbrockway You Can Enjoy The Fun Too!
80′sPictureDay Photo Bucket Display
80′sPictureDay You Tube Video

Then and Now

A few recent events have caused me to pay a little more attention to the passing of time. As I get older, I’m also coming to the realization that others around me are getting older too.  This year my wife and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage. My two brothers are 50 and over, my parents have been married more than 50 years, and I’m gaining speed on that number 50 as well!

Then, toss in on top of that the passing of good friends.

The Warren’s have been a fixture in the life of the Jeffrey’s for a long time. As a matter of fact, Duane and my Dad were school buddies. When my parents were married, Duane was Dad’s bestman. When Duane and Shirley were married, Dad was their bestman. Through the years we spent a lot of time together. Duane and Shirley have three kids, and Mom and Dad have three kids. We were also all about the same age. When Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Anniversary a few years ago we were all together. It had been a long time since we were all in one place, so we took a picture of just the kids. (Well, with the exception of Scott. But I’ll have more on that a little later in this post.)

A few months ago, Shirley passed away, and that’s when Mom and Dad pulled out some old pictures. One picture caught my eye, and combined with the one from a few years ago, I ended up with a great Then and Now shot.

Now – From Left To Right
Me, Lance, (Scott), Chris
Girls – Debbie, Jill

Then – From Left to Right
Back – Lance, Debbie
Middle – Chris, Jill, Me
Front – Scott

I’m sure you may have noticed the picture of Scott in the Now picture is actually a picture of Dudley Do-Right. Scott couldn’t make it for my parents anniversary. But, since he’s an RCMP in Canada, I thought it appropriate to have my design guy put in a picture of Dudley Do-Right.

It’s pictures like the one above that help us to remember the passage of time. We are all on a journey. Many people come, and many people go. But the important people can be remembered through pictures.

How are you keeping track of your journey?

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

I’m not a big Pirates of the Caribbean movie fan. I liked the first one, hated the second one, and tolerated the third. Now with rumors of Johnny Depp signing up for a reprisal of his Captain Jack Sparrow character, I’m dreading the fourth installment of a Pirates movie. However, even though I don’t really like the movies, I’ve always been fascinated with Captain Jack’s compass.

Throughout the first movie Captain Jack is chastised because his compass doesn’t work. It never points North. Instead it spins around and goes in different directions. But never North. However, even though the compass never points North, Captain Jack always ends up where he wants to go. By the second movie we discover the secret of the malfunctioning compass. The compass may never point North, but it does point to something more important.

Captain Jack’s compass points “toward what the heart wants.”

Searching For Direction

Many today are searching for direction in life. A quick scan of the landscape can result in worried hearts and troubled spirits. The economy is sliding, the job market is declining, and the government appears to be in shambles. Bankruptcies are at an all time high, and now many business are lining up for government bailouts. Everyone wants a handout.

Then on top of the economic mess, everyone seems to have an opinion on just about everything. Spin doctors are a dime a dozen and they all declare they have the answers to all our problems. The left say they have the answers. The right say they have the answers. Those in the church even declare they have the answers. In this sea of voices and endless noise, it’s sometimes very hard to decipher which is the correct answer. How do we truly discern what is true and what is false?

My good friend Ken Davis recently wrote a post on his Lite Post – A Seriously Funny Guy blog entitled Just Do It. While Ken talked about committing to doing something and then following through, I was reminded of the importance of focus. As life seems to swirl out of control it’s important to check our bearings. Take a look at our compass and make sure we’re still heading in the direction we should be heading. We need to make sure we’re still heading toward what not only our heart wants, but where our heart should be yearning.

Hearing Through The Noise

People are searching for hope these days. I addressed this search in an earlier post entitled Write It Down & Make It Clear. In that post I encouraged us all to remember the words of Jeremiah who said “God’s plans are not to harm us, but to prosper us, giving us hope for the future.” Those are wonderful words. But, what do we need to do in order to make sure our compass is leading us in the right direction, toward that hope? It’s easy to turn to various commentaries on the Bible, and even the words of man, to discover how we should navigate through this world. However, many times the books and voices do little more than add to the noise of the culture.

With this in mind, where do we turn?

How about the few verses ahead of the wonderful promise of hope found in Jeremiah 29. It’s here we discover some very practical suggestions of how to make sure we’re heading in the right direction. The people of Jerusalem found themselves in the midst of turmoil exiled in Babylon. Far from home, when it looked like the odds were totally stacked against them, they were encouraged to do some very practical things.

• Build houses and settle down
• Plant gardens and eat what they produce
• Marry and have sons and daughters
• Find wives for the sons and give daughters in marriage
• Increase in number, do not decrease

They also received some spiritual suggestions, to ensure their compass was pointing at their hearts desire.

• Seek the peace and prosperity of the city you live in
• Pray for peace and prosperity because if the city, and nation, in which you live prospers, so will you
• Do not listen to the spin-doctors who spin lies for they do not know what they are talking about

Many of the spin doctors of the day are proclaiming doom and gloom. The so-called people in the know declaring doom and gloom are found both inside and outside the church. As we attempt to stay the course in the days ahead, we need to make sure we’re not listening to the doom and gloom spin-doctors. If we truly want to walk in hope, we need to stay clear of those who spin their lies saying all is doom and gloom.

As we stay the course moving forward with “Hope for the Future” we will do well to seek peace and prosperity for the city, and nation in which we live. As the city and nation prospers, so too will we.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

What does Christmas mean to you?

It’s the time of year when there’s much activity. Many people run from place to place trying to find the perfect gift. Others run from place to place trying to see everyone they’ve neglected to see during the past 11 months of the year. Still others simply become overwhelmed with the thought of the Christmas season. I know that last one is hard to believe. But, many people really don’t like this time of year because they’re simply overwhelmed by all the activity.

When I think of Christmas, I think of family. As a kid we would all head off to the Christmas Eve Candle Light Service. Then it would be home with some friends popping over for a quick snack. Later in the evening, just before it was time to go to bed, our parents would allow us to open one present. It was a wet our appetite type thing so we would hopefully not try to get up at 1 o’clock in the morning on Christmas Day.

It was great fun, and I have many great memories of childhood Christmas celebrations. Christmas Day would find us up and moving, usually early, to spend time with the immediate family. Then it would be off for a larger family gathering with relatives.

A Time For Church Tradition

For many today, the thought of church tradition is totally foreign. The sad thing is, for many inside the church, the thought of tradition is foreign too. I know this is a peak time for church attendance. But, I’ve never felt comfortable as a Pastor to build a bunch of hype around a few days of the year in the hopes that the pews might be filled for just one Sunday out of the year.

Isn’t a life of faith supposed to be just that?
A life of faith, not just a day of faith?

While I’m all for new faces in the congregation and I love it when people start attending on a regular basis, I also find something missing hyping one season of the year. When people attend church, should they not find us the same way the other Sunday’s of the year too? Church should always be a welcoming community of faith, encouraging others to grow and move forward in positive ways as we journey through life.

Aside from the family memories listed above, I also have two vivid church memories too.

The first revolves around the Advent Candles. An important aspect of a life of faith during this time of year as we remember an entire month heading up to the birth of Christ, not just one day. For years, whether we’ve found ourselves as Pastors of a traditional church, or a contemporary church, the Advent Candles have always been an important part of our Christmas Services. Each Sunday we light a Candle and describe the meaning of each candle.

• The First Advent Candle – the candle of prophecy and hope. The birth of Christ was foretold and promised by the prophets and the words were fulfilled with His birth some 2,000 years ago. The candle of hope as we’re reminded that it’s in Christ we find hope.
• The Second Advent Candle – the candle of the way. As believers we find encouragement in this journey we call life knowing that with Christ, He illuminates the path and the way for us to go. It’s a simple message of hope.
• The Third Advent Candle – the candle of joy. This candle represents the only lasting joy to be found in life on earth is through Christ. All other joy is fleeting.
• The Fourth Advent Candle – the candle of peace. This candle reminds us that Jesus came to the earth to bring peace, both in the world, and in people’s hearts.
• The Fifth Advent Candle – the Christ candle, or Christmas candle. The fifth, and center candle in the Advent candles, represents Christ Himself who was born. He is the Prince of Peace.

Through the many Advent seasons I’ve preached, I’ve always been amazed at the number of people who tell me they’ve never heard of the candles. For me, the candles aren’t only a church tradition, but they are also a family tradition. I can’t imagine my journey of faith without the reminder during this time of year of what the birth of Christ really means. This year has been exciting as we’ve used one family to light each candle. A family with triplets who are now 4. This year, they’re not only excited about Santa Claus, but they’re also excited about the Hope and the Message of the Season.

Remember I said earlier there are two things I remember about my childhood church experience? The first are found in the Advent Candles. The second is found in a yearly gathering of the church family for a special Christmas program. The kids were always involved with the singing of carols. Then after a wonderful children’s program, it was time for lunch. Hotdogs and other Christmas goodies. This is what I remember about the community of faith. The family of faith coming together to celebrate with a meal.

Today, we will do the same at Fresh-Wind. We will gather and sing some carols, then we will have a time of sharing a meal together. Maybe I’ll even sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. You see I also remember the very loving Sunday School teachers who allowed me to sing that song, every year at Christmas time. It was always a joy to sing my favorite Christmas song, with my parents, and sometimes my grandparents, sitting out in the church hall, smiling from ear to ear.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

How many times do I have to yell, “Help! Murder! Police!” before you come to the rescue?

We’ve all heard the phrase, and maybe used it from time to time, “There’s never a cop around when you need one.” There are times when we wonder if anyone is hearing our cry for help. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about crime, or simply addressing a family or personal crisis. Sometimes many feel all alone. A friend of mine wrote a song a number of years ago called Lonely In A Crowd. It’s an alarming song about how many people wander this earth, feeling lonely in a crowd.

Have you ever felt like that? Lonely in a crowd?

Surrounded By Injustice

Sometimes we think we’re the only ones feeling betrayed and scorned. Sometimes we think the whole world is against us and no one else cares, or even understands. While these are real emotions, and I’m not making light of them at all, when we begin to realize we’re not alone, then we do begin seeing light at the end of the tunnel. It’s really the age old question – When the going gets tough, where will go?

People are searching for a message of hope these days. President-elect Obama’s main platform was one of hope. Will he deliver hope? Time will tell. But, I can tell you one thing, the government’s form of hope, no matter who’s in power, ultimately does not bring fulfillment. The government’s concept of hope seems to be bailouts, taxing the rich, and getting involved in every aspect of life. The government’s concept of hope will fall short in the end. The government is already broke, and turning on the money-making-machine and handing out billions of dollars, will fall short.

However, even in the midst of where we are now, we do have much to be thankful for. I believe for the first time in a long time people are starting to search for a true message of hope. The question is, where will they find that answer?

It’s A Simple Unadorned Message

The Sunday after the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York City, church attendance skyrocketed. Why? Because people were searching for some kind of hope. Now, as we find ourselves a number of years removed from that attack, church attendance is actually lower than it was before the 9-11 attacks. How did this happen? I believe it’s because when people went to church to find the message of hope, they left wanting. The church has become irrelevant in its search for relevancy. Could it be in it’s attempt to become hip and trendy, the church has lost touch with the simple message of hope?

As we find ourselves in the midst of another Christmas season I’m reminded that one of the four candles many churches light during this time represents the fact that some 2,000 years ago a man named John the Baptist declared a very simple message. In The Message translation, Eugene Peterson translates the words of Matthew 3 saying;

“His message was simple and austere.”

Webster’s translates austere as markedly simple and unadorned. Could it be many have made the simple message of hope, brain surgery? It was the prophet Habakkuk who wondered where God was when the nation of Israel found itself scattered to the ends of the earth exiled in Babylon. It was Habakkuk who said, “How many times need I need to yell help before you respond.” The response was concise — “Write the message of hope down, make it clear, and make it simple so others will understand it.”

As we find ourselves wondering what’s going on around us, the message of hope really is quite simple — “His plans are not to harm us, but to prosper us, giving us hope for the future.”

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Now I’m an avid believer in having pets because they do bring a sense of calm and peace into your life. If you’ve had a bad day, your pet is usually waiting to greet you when you arrive home. If you have a cat, they curl up on your lap and purr. If you have a dog, they greet you at the door with tail a wagin’ and sometimes full of slobbery puppy dog kisses. If you happen to have a lap dog, that’s even better because they too can curl up in a chair with you at the end of the day. No one knows if Jesus owned a dog during His lifetime, but if He did, I’m sure He’d be very pleased with what’s going on at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Reverend Rachel Bickford is now allowing people to bring their four-legged friends to a special service on Sunday.

Reverend Bickford said she came up with the idea after reading a Psalm which encourages “all living things to praise the Lord.” As she read the Psalm, her dogs were roaming around the church. That’s when she came up with the idea of allowing people to bring their dogs to church. She hopes they will bring some happiness to people coping through hard times. The only rule that’s strictly enforced in church, all dogs must be leashed. Otherwise, all breeds and sizes are welcome and invited to attend.

What does she call the new service?

Woof ‘n Worship

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Please Note: While this Positive Post Tuesday entry is not about one particular person, it does address the idea of how to stay positive in a stress filled world.

Where do you find your sense of calm?

Unless you never pick up a newspaper, listen to the news on the radio, or watch the news on TV, you’re well aware of the fact there’s quite a bit going on in the world these days. Just this morning there’s news of another overseas terrorist attack. In upper New York State there’s a story about a soldier from Auburn, New York who was killed in Afghanistan. A little closer to home, gas prices are up and down like a yo-yo. In some southern States, stations are actually running out of gas. Then, add on top of that the fact that the financial markets seem very unstable and for some reason, the government thinks throwing money at the problem will fix it.

In the midst of all those issues, personal problems can add to stress levels too. Maybe you have a newborn. Maybe you have a child getting ready to start school. Or, possibly you have a child heading to college, or even getting ready to join the work force for the first time. It’s easy to see many aspects in life can add to the stress level in ones life. What do we do relieve some of that stress? All too often most people wait too long to figure out what to do. Time and time again we hear of people having some kind of a breakdown. On the surface people say – “Why? How did this happen?” – But, when we go beyond just scratching the surface, we discover a number of events probably led up to the ultimate breakdown.

So, again, I ask – How do we keep a sense of a calm in the midst of life?

Personally, I think we’ve made much of life brain surgery. For some reason we tend to make life more difficult than it really is. If you find yourself being set off by the little things in life, then it’s probably time to step back and re-assess what you believe is important in life. Now I’m not saying we need to live in some kind of fairy tale land where we believe nothing bad is happening. But, there are ways we can manage stress better, and many times it’s simply by disconnecting to a few things around you.

Dr. Rodger Murphree is a frequent guest on my Live Line talk show. During a recent interview we chatted about stress. Dr. Murphree noted that Americans now spend more money on antidepressants than the Gross National Product of two-thirds of the world’s countries. Dr. Murphree went on to say “studies consistently show that in up to 70% of the time, these drugs are no better than a sugar pill.” Dr. Murphree quickly noted that he’s not saying no one should take the drugs. But he did point out that many times medications such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Cymbalta are prescribed too quickly. He said it’s almost like people think they have a “Prozac deficiency.” The fact of the matter is, most people simply have a B6 vitamin insufficiency. In other words, many simply need to take a daily multi-vitamin, instead of loading up on the so-called stress-relieving drugs.

Another aspect of life adding unneeded pressure is technology. In her book Prisoners of Technology Lisa Whaley says; “It’s time to get unplugged!” In the book Whaley writes,

“Instead of making life easier, technology has introduced complexity. Instead of giving us more time with family, technology has pulled family members away from each other and toward their devices. As a result, it’s time to step away from the keyboard, email, cell phone and GPS devices and instead position ourselves to give a loved one a hug or wave at our neighbor.”

Have you noticed how plugged in kids are these days? When was the last time you walked through a mall and saw a group of teenagers simply talking with one another? Instead, they walk through the mall side by side, texting one another! I’m with Lisa on this one — It’s time to get unplugged! — Of course once you unplug, you may also find yourself living with a little less stress. Suddenly when you’re unplugged, you’re not bombarded with information overload. Do you really need a constant stream of breaking news updates on your cell phone, email or Twitter from CNN, Fox News, CBS, NBC and ABC? As a matter of fact, I recently stopped following Fox News on my Twitter account simply because I got tired of their updates which came in about every 30 seconds.

The bottom line is this, we live in a world where stress factors can climb and climb and climb. But, as we journey through this thing we call life, we also need to find a way to discover a sense of calm. I’m not saying we need to become hermits. However, we do need to find a sense of balance. Remember, it doesn’t have to be brain surgery. It could be as easy as taking a daily multi-vitamin and unplugging from technology when you walk through the door of your home. Turn off the cell phone, check your home email once. Then, sit back and enjoy some time with your family. Maybe you’ll discover life isn’t as stressful as you once thought.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus