Bushido Intro

I'm pretty sure that I speak for the vast majority of men when I say that we love, and I do mean LOVE, having heroes (especially historical ones) who we can look back on and see a true commitment to what it means to be a man. Whether that be William Wallace, Winston Churchill, King David, or Andrew Jackson, we all have certain men who we can look back at and think, "Wow... I wish I could be more like that guy." Sadly, though, we live in an age where people have stopped really "thinking" about most things, period, so the idea of thinking about heroes in any sense than, "What a cool guy!" is a bit foreign to many men. This could be just one reason why men don't act like men should. But, I must say that there is great value in looking back, studying, and appreciating those who have gone before us, and seeing what qualities they lived out that we would do well to add or refine more in our lives.

There are several blogs and websites that I frequent almost on a daily basis. The official website for the New Zealand All-Blacks, Pyromaniacs, Facebook, Providence Church, City on a Hill Albequerque and a few others are on that list. One site / blog that I've just added to the daily list is called "The Art of Manliness." In a recent blog article, they talk about the Bushido Code. If you don't know, this is basically the code that ruled a Samurai's life in feudal Japan (not many men still really live by this code). There are eight main points, and I want to look at each one individually and how still very relevant these things are.

The Bushido Code is as follows:

1. Rectitude / Justice

2. Courage

3. Benevolence / Mercy

4. Politeness

5. Honesty / Sincerity

6. Honor

7. Loyalty

8. Character / Self-Control

Although these are things that men, globally, should probably live out, I want to look at how we, as Christian men, live them out from a Biblical perpective. Stay tuned for more...

-K-

Forgetfulness (Deuteronomy 4:9)

So I have a confession.... not that this will surprise many of you. I struggle with forgetting things. It seems that I've always got at least 217 projects thundering around in my head, and, if I don't write them down, I'll forget the majority of them. Some people call it adult ADD; I call it being spontaneously forgetful. Regardless, I was reading through Deuteronomy 4 this morning and saw the spiritual ramifications of forgetfulness, and how they even apply to this blog!

Beginning way back when, the Jewish nation developed a very strong culture of recounting the awesome works of the Lord, throughout their history. I mean, when you hear about the Exodus, the plagues, conquering other peoples, and the other things that happened in Israel's past, you can't help but think, "Wow!" The continual re-telling of these events only gave their children a stronger sense of the things that God had done. This was in order that the people may never forget.

We've sort of lost sight of the need to recount the awesome things that the Lord has done, though, in our day and age. It seems that many parents want to let their eleven and twelve year olds make "the choice" to be involved or no with things of the church. It's hard for me not to want to beat these people over the heads for thinking that their pre-pubescent CHILD is capable of making the best choice for their lives. It's like telling a small child to choose the occupation at a very early age (not too many of us actually grow up to be astronauts or Indian chiefs). 

Even in my own life, how often do I forget the things of God and think, "Why in the world did you guide me to this particular situation? How are you going to provide?!!" Then I'm slapped in the face and know that I have a lack of faith and strength and that nothing gets done on my own power so how dare I be so conceited and small? Same goes for even this blog... perfect way of communicating, yet, I forget. It is horrible to forget.

Before I digress into uncharted waters, we love you all, are thankful for those of you we got to talk to over our brief time in Lubbock, and look forward to hearing from all of you soon! Enjoy the September edition of "Holding the Line!"

-K-

Oh MAN!

There are times when I look to do the most embarrassing thing possible. "Why?!!" you might ask. I like to see people's reactions when embarrassing things, goofy things, things that, if they experienced them, might make them turn beet red and hide, happen to someone else (me). There are so many different reactions... from being ignored as a nuisance to someone doubling over, agonizing over the ab workout they're suddenly getting from laughing so hard. It's fun, for the most part, to make others smile.

There are also times, though, when I can be the one who wants to hide. Times of self-conscious indignation. Times of embarrassment for who I am. Times that I wish I was in New Zealand, either in a mountain stream on the South Island or on a rugby paddock busting knuckles and heads. There are times that I give much more thought to who I am around and what they might think of me than on simply doing what I need to be doing.

You might think that these "episodes" would come at places like the gym, while shopping for clothes, or even in an office setting or while teaching somewhere. The truth is, they don't. The truth is... they spring up out of nowhere. Different situations lead to me wanting to make the best possible impression. They're not always the same. In fact, they're rarely ever in the same situation. But, about once a week, some spontaneous episode of concern for what others might think weighs on me.

"Stop regarding man, in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?" (Isaiah 2.v.22)

There it is... the real way to look at what people think of me.

Light & Dark

There is a point along the tour, at Carlsbad Caverns, NM, where they turn off all of the lights on the path and you are left with between 15 and 25 other people, standing in pitch black darkness. The kind of dark that reminds you of inkwells. The kind of dark that reminds you of Bilbo Baggins' first encounter with Gollum in "The Hobbit." The kind of darkness where you could smack yourself in the face and never even see your hand. That's darkness.

There is also a point, upon waking up, when your eyes are still adjusting to being open and any sort of light makes you squint as though you're trying to read the Bible written on a grain of sand. One time, one of my roommates opened the blinds on me while I was attempting to wake up (we were about to embark on a roadtrip to Houston / Austin) and temporarily blinded me. I wasn't able to hold my eyes open for more than 30 seconds for what seemed like forever, but was more like 10 minutes. Even afterwards, I squinted until we were outside of Winters, TX. That's light.

Isn't it great to know that God is over both of those polar opposites?

In Psalm 74v.16, the Psalmist declares, "Yours is the day, yours also the night..."

This is such an encouragement to remember. In our seasons of great brightness, as well as darkness of the soul, God is sovereign and in control. When we feel that we, even as God's children, are at the lowest point we could come to, are fed up with waiting on God, and can't see how He could possibly work our situation for His glory (or if He's even there), we must remember that God is over the darkness. There is nothing that has escaped His Divine plan. When we feel that life as we know it could not get any better, our marriages and kids are doing incredible, the money is really coming in, and we are in the best seasons of spiritual growth, we must remember that God is over the light. It's not for our comfort, but for His glory.

This particular verse just reminds me of this truth: God is in control. He works all things for His glory in accordance with His will. The seasons that we go through are similar to those that everything else goes through... budding growth, periods of abundance, hardships, bleakness and then budding growth. In the midst of all these seasons, though, is the constant glow of the hope that we cling fast to... the fact that our Saviour is risen and will never leave us nor forsake us.

Stupid Animal

There are many different things you can mean when you call someone an animal. For instance, when you call someone "an animal" in regards to football, you're talking about one mean guy out there on the gridiron. When you call someone a "pig" talking about their eating habits, then everyone knows that that person eats a lot and in a sloppy manner. Then you've got things like "curious as a cat," "sick as a dog," "swam like a fish." Great similes. 

The thing about animals, though, is that if they are domesticated, they know their master. Ultimately, I think, all animals know their true Master, as well. Yet, unlike our bi- and quad pedal friends, we often do not.

"The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know; my people do not understand." (Isaiah 1v.3)

Sometimes I feel like the stupidest of all animals, in that I so often lose sight of what the Lord has done, is doing, and has promised to do. I think that, somehow, the things that keep me nourished and going come from myself, rather than from the Provider. Unlike most animals, I kick and buck, at times, because at those times I really don't know the Lord very well.

There are plenty of times when a talking donkey has much more intelligent things to say that me, probably because he's better at following and trusting.

Toil and Trouble

So, the past week has not been the greatest. Although I'm excited to be living in the Dallas area, there have been several times of sadness and home-sickness. I've been pretty stressed about support-raising and simply going on staff with NEXT. I'm trying to get into a rhythm when it comes to being at the office, hopefully finding a place to work out, and simply the ins and outs of the Metroplex. We know that we're supposed to be here, but still...

"You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again, you will increase my greatness and comfort me again." (Psalm 71v.20-21)

Now is one of those times that I feel that I'm walking through troubles and calamities, even though my troubles haven't been all that huge, compared to what many people go through. But, I can hold fast, like David, to the promises of a God who truly does raise us up from the depths of the earth.

It is at different points in times like these when I remember that sanctification is a process, one that sometimes involves quite a deal of pain and frustration. But, in the end, it is this process that refines us, through fire, to look more and more like the awesome one we serve, Jesus Christ. How I want to look like Jesus to this world!

May His glory be seen amidst all of the struggles that we, His children, are blessed to go through.

Pax per Pugna. Soli Deo Gloria.

Settling In

So it's been far too long since my last post.

I know I'm a slacker.

I will be posting more consistently again as we get completely settled in to living here, in Little Elm.

Until then...