Which One Would You Choose?

One of the great privileges of being the Daddy of daughters is the opportunities I have had to play Barbies. These Barbie playtimes have provided unexpected adventures, with my girls displaying amazing creativity and always discovering ways to make the Barbie experience more palatable for Daddy. I’ve been a chef for Barbie, a Barbie Body guard, a Barbie Chauffer, and this weekend, a judge for a Barbie singing contest extravaganza! All of the contestants were amazing, with performances powered by the strong vocal talents of our own Victoria! That fact, made judging the performances a bit of a challenge, since every last contestant was spot on in their presentations and absolutely equal in every way. It was apparent to Vic and to me that the only criteria I had left were criteria based on appearances. Hmmm. The Barbie contestants differed from each other in ways that were totally external: hairstyles, wardrobes, and physical features. As I thought about the choice I was being asked to make, I began to consider the message that my choice might give to my daughter. What would it say about how I viewed people and evaluate others? Was this really a teaching moment or mere child’s play? Flashes of doll experiments used to discover how children viewed themselves in terms of beauty came to mind. Perhaps this could be a teaching moment. But how?
As I pondered the decision, I thought back to my own childhood and my own experience with action figure dolls. I remember the talking Astronaut G.I. Joe my father brought back with him from a deployment to Puerto Rico. Joe was awesome! He spoke some excellent, tough guy phrases like, “Accomplish the Mission!” “Ten seconds to lift-off…and counting!” “We are entering lunar orbit!” and “Houston…we have landed!” There were a couple of problems though: he didn’t have any Army uniforms, and he wasn’t Airborne! As if they had read my mind, my parents shared some resources to bring my G.I. Joe up to speed. My mom showed me how to make uniforms I could sew from scraps of my dad’s old fatigues. Army uniforms? Check! Dad presented me with a real parachute from an illumination round with a ball-bearing attached to give it enough weight to descend at the proper speed. Airborne? Well, he was about to be!

After preparing Joe for his mission by putting him in the proper uniform, it was time for the Airborne operation to begin. First we had to get to altitude. I climbed up onto the 8-foot tall, 15-yard long carport that stood in front of our quarters. The carport gave me the running space to gain throwing momentum and to achieve the extra height needed to give Joe’s chute enough altitude to open. The chute had been carefully packed and I bound it to Joe with a special harness I had designed myself. I gathered speed, much like a javelin thrower approaching the release point, reared back and heaved! Joe went soaring through the air gaining tremendous altitude! His chute began to unfurl in textbook fashion but something wasn’t quite right. There was a twist! Joe had a Mae West! The partially opened chute slowed Joe down some, but not enough to lessen the terrible sound of Joe impacting the sidewalk with a thunderous “CRACK!!!” I jumped off of the carport, executing a perfect PLF (Parachute Landing Fall) just like Dad taught me and nothing like Joe’s impact. I picked Joe up and found him to be bent in a strange way. One great characteristic of G.I. Joe is his flexibility. I made a few bends and twists and he looked just about as good as new. I pulled his string and found that Joe only had one phrase left in him… “ACCOMPLISH MISSION!” Though he was damaged, it seemed his priorities were squared away! He was Airborne and he was mission driven! What more could I ask for?

Well, actually there was one thing. I wanted Joe to look like my dad. The life-like hair and Kung-Fu grip, were dead on…but his complexion, well… not quite! I thought about it and secured a brown magic marker. I began to color Joe’s face and exposed limbs in a brown tint almost identical to mine and my father’s. Mom saw it and said, “Beautiful!” For me, G.I. Joe now had at least a little bit of soul!

“Dad?” Victoria’s interrogative interrupted my blast to the past. “Who won?” I remained silent. Which Barbie would I choose? Before I could answer, Victoria had a most interesting solution. “I know!” She interjected. Picking up the blonde Barbie she reasoned, “This is our winner at the beginning of her time as queen.” Then, putting her down and picking up the Barbie of African decent she continued, “And this is our winner at the end of her time!” In her creative, child’s mind, there was room at the podium for both Barbies to reflect different characteristics of beauty and excellence in a single person. Upon hearing of Vic’s solution, one friend reasoned, “That doesn't surprise me at all! She [Barbie] got a new (much needed) hairdo, including color, obviously a major tan, and different outfit! Makes complete sense to me.” I guess I could see that too! From the mouths of babes…

A song from my childhood by Curtis Mayfield entitled, “Choice of Colors” asks, “If you had a choice of colors, which one would you choose, my brothers?”  The games I played with Victoria took me back to a time when the idea of being comfortable in one’s skin was relatively new for people of my ethnic background. Children less than half generation before often struggled to find beauty in their own faces. Some current studies suggest the struggle persists. Nevertheless, I am encouraged to find that my child has the ability to see equal beauty not only in her own face but in many faces and many hues. The aforementioned Mayfield song also says, “People must prove to the people a better day is coming for you and for me. With just a little bit more education, and love for our nation, we’ll make a better society.” Even at play, we possess moments to educate, guide and inspire our children to make better decisions forged in the furnace of being people of more steadfast character. It is said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” May God grant us all the ability to behold the beauty we each possess as reflectors of His image so that we might witness at least a few rays of sunshine from “the better day”. Until next time…

Sam.

No Condemnation

Justice. We seek it. We long for it. We relentlessly pursue it. We read incredible stories of horrible acts that ignite our hearts and create a longing for justice within us that is difficult to satisfy. Some acts are so horrible that we cry for justice at any price, eager to rid this world of evildoers no matter what it takes. We want justice and we want it now – at least that’s what we think.
A friend from years back penned lyrics that exposed a deeper truth. He wrote, “Everybody wants justice…for somebody else!” When we’re the victimizers, the wrong-doers, and the ones who have committed unacceptable acts, we find ourselves in a position of seeing a situation differently. “But officer, I was in a hurry to pick up my girl from day care. I wasn’t meaning to break the law. I normally drive at regular speed!” “Mom, I just couldn’t resist your cookies! I was just trying to reach them when I knocked the cookies jar down and broke it!” “I’m not a killer! But I just got so angry at what he did, I couldn’t control myself! You’d have done the same thing too if you had experienced what I did!” When we are the ones for whom the gavel falls, we are then not so much seekers of justice as much as we are seekers of understanding, forgiveness and mercy.
A Facebook conversation stimulated my thoughts on the subject, especially as it pertains to forgiveness being meted out to the perpetrators of particularly wicked crimes. We often become cynical and unforgiving when we hear of “death bed repentance” or “jailhouse conversions”. No WAY is that guy going to Heaven!” We say. “How dare that preacher tell us, ‘he gave his life to Jesus, now he’s free?’ Free to go to Heaven? Free of sin? I hope he burns in Hell forever and a day!” Our mercy tolerance can be quite low when the pain hits close to home.
Is it really possible for God to forgive “big time” sinners and sinners who have no opportunity to make things right by giving them the exact same gift of eternal life as those who have “labored long” in the Lord’s vineyard? Consider the Parable of the Laborer in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:16ff).
Jesus tells a story which seems to violate every Human Resource and Fair Practices code ever recorded! In the story, a landowner invites workers throughout the day to labor in his vineyard. Some come first towards the beginning of the day. Others come at midday and still others just before closing time.” When the time comes to give the wage for completed work, the landowner gives everyone, the exact same pay! Stunned, those who labored longer protested. “How could you?” the Landowner responds that the money was his to do with as he pleased and asked if he had not kept the terms of the promises he had made with them. The response quieted the workers, giving them something to think about while leaving us with some critical lessons as well.

The website gracethroughfaith.com has this to say re: the Matthew 20, 1-16 passage:

[This is]a heavenly story put into an earthly perspective, [with] all the characters represent someone or something else. [The] landowner represents the Lord, the workers His followers, and the vineyard, His Kingdom. The pay stands for the rewards of salvation. The work is what His followers do to deserve the reward, and the day is the length of time they’re given to do it, normally their lifespan. This parable wasn’t meant to be a management seminar. It was given to illuminate three critical principles having to do with the Kingdom of Heaven.
Three Principles

First, no matter when in your life you decide to join His Kingdom, you are entitled to all the rights and benefits pertaining thereto the moment you do. (Ephesians 1:13-14) The last ones hired got the same pay as the first.

Second, you have to sign up before the end of the day. (Hebrews. 4:7) No one was hired after the end of the day and as I said, the day represents our lifetime.

Third, if you think you deserve more in the Kingdom because you worked longer or harder or lived a better life than someone else, then you’ve forgotten how you got in. You weren’t saved because of your merit or worthiness, but because of His mercy and grace. Thinking He owes you something extra is a sin that if left unconfessed won’t get you thrown out, (remember every worker is a believer) but it could put a strain on your relationship with the Lord during your life and will certainly diminish your joy at having been accepted into the Kingdom.

A personal story might help to further clarify. I have friend from my Jr. High days who committed a series of heinous crimes that gained him infamy. After a couple of years of inner turmoil, he surrendered his life to Christ. He became a truly transformed man, who was the "go to" guy in times of trouble and prevented a number of riots, suicides etc. He had also been sentenced to death. He didn't allow his attorneys to publicly announce his being born-again until after his execution, feeling it might be seen as a ploy for clemency. Though he certainly would have preferred life, he accepted the sentence he earned without protest as a consequence of his sin. He shared his testimony in front of a prison Bible Study for the record a few days before dying. It was published after his sentence was carried out.

His transformation - evident some 8 plus years after his claimed born-again experience - was so profound that the crew who would have normally carried out the sentence asked and received special permission to have another crew carry out the execution because they could not bring themselves to harm him after coming to know him once came to Christ. He was repentant and sought every way he could to demonstrate his understanding of the impact of his sin (he refused a last meal, stating that his victims never had the opportunity to choose their last meals on this earth).

Why do I share this? It's a simple testimony to the transforming power that comes through faith in Jesus' finished work on the Cross which sufficiently paid in full for the sins of the world. Consequences may remain, but forgiveness, freedom and peace are available for murders, liars, adulterers, cheaters, rapist, tax evaders - anyone who recognizes their helpless state and trusts in Jesus' Work. That's the Good News! And because of that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” Praise God for His grace! Relishing His love and mercy until next time…



Sam.

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How Can We Respond to Calamity?

The human experience presents us with a never-ending series of challenges, difficulties, trials, tests and calamities. These types of experiences are common, though we are never quite prepared for them when they strike close to home. If we are caught in the brunt of the trouble, our senses tend to be overwhelmed, leaving us in a state of shock, hurt and confusion. If we are bystanders or on-lookers who do not have immediate solutions or practical relief, we often feel helpless or impotent in addressing the pain of others we see in front of us. We know that the words of comfort we often try to deliver seem trite and out of place in the face of horrific devastation. The monstrous tornado that leveled an Oklahoma community with a scope of destruction beyond the wildest nightmare has left many people in the position of asking questions and pondering the overall meaning of human existence.
It is natural to ask deep questions when calamity strikes. When Jesus walked the earth, He was asked on various occasions about tragedies that occurred in that day and sought for advice on how to handle such situations and what God thought about them. Jesus really did not directly answer such questions. In most, if not all, cases, He redirected the minds of the listeners to examine their own hearts and to be prepared for the tragedies and challenges that might come their way at an unexpected time. What kind of individual examination should we do when we find ourselves reeling as a collective community from unimaginable horrors? I believe there are Biblical admonitions to help us prepare for the unthinkable when it occurs:
We should clothe ourselves with humility. The book of James instructs us to tag our plans with a reminder of our limitations by stating, “If the Lord wills.” We are not absolutely sovereign with respect to the daily happenings of our lives. Should we plan, prepare and look forward to the future with hope and expectation? Absolutely! Nevertheless, we should also always leave a category in our thinking that allows for an abrupt change in plans when the unexpected invades our life path. That kind of thinking calls for humility and an admission on a cosmic level that life is not under my control.
We should orient our minds towards the service of others. We were not placed in the world to live in isolation or to be in a perpetual mode of self-preservation. We must seek at every possible opportunity to bless and be a blessing to others and to prepare ourselves for those extreme moments when our service to others may coast us everything. Those extreme moments may never come, but the less extreme ones certainly will. If we prepare our hearts, minds and hands to be helpful, we can make small scale differences that make the way for big time impact when the tough times arise.
We must accept our mortality and our immortality. Jesus constantly warned against living with only the here and now in mind. He declared with unmistakable clarity that those who only invested in the “here and now” were investing foolishly and headed for certain destruction. The Scriptures remind us that it is appointed for us to die – it will happen - then comes judgment. Are you living as if there is no eternity, storing up treasures that at the time of your passing at best will go to others you have appointed and at worst will simply rot, decay, and turn to literal dust? Jesus calls us to invest in people – eternal souls like ourselves who spirits will remain forever – and to serve others so that anyone watching will be able to understand the love God has for the world by our actions and through those actions give Him the glory!

Though I don’t have question ending answers for calamities like Oklahoma, I do feel that God has provided us with instructions. Though we may not ever understand the “whys”, we can engage the “what’s” and “how’s” – what we should do, and how we should do it. As John Wesley said,

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” That much I can do, as long as I have breath and strength. I pray that together we can spur each other on until our day comes and others will have to take up the charge! Pray for those who are struck down by tragedy and press on in this world by being a helpful and healing soul. Until next time….
Sam J.



An Old Sweet Song - Georgia On My Mind...

Georgia on my mind. She stays on my mind. Hers was the first heartbeat I discerned. Hers the first voice I heard. Hers the first loving embrace I felt. After so many years, I still miss her. There is no price I wouldn’t pay just to be held by her one more time. She’s gone to be with the One she loved most and Whom she served so well all the years she walked on this earth. Certainly she lives with Him now in eternal Glory, yet she lives on in other beautiful ways in the lives of those who knew her and in the lives of those she left behind. I hear her in Joana’s laugh. I see her in Coco’s tender motherhood. I feel her in Maris’ joie de vivre. I remember her in Victoria’s unflinching courage. I know her in the still small voice that continues to guide me in righteous paths. And I miss her.
Yet, I remember her charge years before her soul slipped the gravity-laden bonds of the earth: “My son, the day will come when you hear that I am gone. You will grieve, but you must carry on. There is work to do and the time is short. So when you hear that I have gone, don’t let your grief hold you back. Know that I expect you to carry on doing what you have been called to do for as long as the Lord allows, knowing that in God’s time, another call will give you leave and we will be together once again. Therefore carry on until your labor is done, knowing that I am content and at peace. And Darrell, my son, don’t ever forget the Lord!”
As Mother’s Day weekend is upon us, Mr. Ray Charles’ timeless song rings in my heart - not for the state - but for the one of a kind woman named Georgia who made me who I am and remains forever in my heart and who stays on my mind. A Happy Mother’s Day to All! Until next time,
Sam

Dad On Guard! Love Always Protects!

Dad looked amazing!  When we approached him, he called out with joy, "Hey Man! Hey Luz! What a surprise!  You both look good!"  He was energized, present in mind and up beat in spirit - a sweet, sweet sight! After our greetings we conversed with the nursing staff and Dad sat behind us with other residents. One of his neighbors seemed unsettled.  He looked at me, began pointing and shaking his head as he authoritatively asserted, "You're not squared away! You hear Me! You're not squared aware!  This place isn't squared away!  $%#@^!! You're not squared away! @^#&%$! Get this place squared away!"  I smiled and kept speaking with the nursing staff. 

The neighbor grew more agitated. I began to hear Dad chiming in, "Cool your heels now." The neighbor persisted. "This place isn't %$^$#@! squared away! HE'S not squared away!"  Dad responded, "Let's be gentleman. Let's be gentlemen."  My conversation with the staff continued when I heard Dad say, "Well, he's a little bigger and stronger than me, but that's my boy and he IS squared away!" The neighbor responded "#$^%&! your boy!" Then I saw the nurses eyes grow big as she called out to the another staff member, "UH, OH!  MR. JACKSON'S ROLLING OVER THERE!"  Fortunately, the nurse was faster than Dad and intervened. Also fortunately for us, dementia has a way of overriding memory and before long, the neighbor had settled down and he and Dad were engaged in a pleasant, cordial and gentlemanly conversation!,

The entire episode was funny but it was also deeply moving for me.  Even with his movement governed, his presence of mind not always clear and other significant limitations, my dad still had my back! When he believed my well being was in question, he did all he could to protect me and those around me.  The threat wasn't real, but it was real to him and he was willing to step in to the best of his ability. I thank God for my dad's love - a love that helps me better understand the love of my Heavenly Father and a love that sets the standard for I must love those around me as well.  In that respect, let's stay "Squared Away!"  Until next time...

Sam

Friends Indeed!

The rain just kept coming.  It set the tone for my disposition.  It was just plain gloomy – fog, rain, and gray skies.  We were about to travel to North Carolina to move my father’s home into storage.  All along the ride – and for weeks beforehand – I had prayed, “Lord, I cannot do this. The house is a mess. It isn’t move ready. There are pieces of furniture that require several people, and there’s no way Luz and I can do it.  We’ve got a deadline.  We can’t do it.  But we have to do it. Lord, show us how and make a way for us.” Daily, for weeks I had prayed this prayer.  The task seemed overwhelming, if not just plain impossible.  As I prayed, I worried about what we faced though worry isn't an appropriate response to trouble for a Christian who trusts the Lord.  Worry was a constant companion as I just couldn't see a solution to the challenge we faced.  Nevertheless, duty called and we prepared.

When we arrived, the situation was as challenging as I remembered it; lots of stuff – none of it move ready.  The “stuff” not only included heavy furniture but volumes of paperwork that had not been sorted and several pockets of storage that had been exposed to the elements and ruined, yet still required sorting because of the importance of some of the contents.  I stared at the job and wondered, “How?”  God’s answer was straightforward.  “With the love and help of your friends.”

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  The catch is, one cannot experience the truth of this verse until a time of critical need arises.  Just at the point I thought, “We’ll do what we can and leave behind what we must”, the friends and brothers kicked in.  Old friends, newer friends and those sent by dear friends who knew of our situation showed up to help us.  We had a jack of all trades to guide us, 8 paratroopers and an Airborne Chaplain to do heavy lifting. We had trusted lifelong friends who heard about our plight come alongside to sort through sensitive things and to give us support and speed in our sorting duties.  Other provided meals, ran errands and held watch as we had to run errands. I was amazed as our friends carried us through the tedious process of moving, sorting, storing, giving and discarding. They stood strong when we grew weak, and they carried on whenever we faltered.  When emotions overwhelmed, they persevered and gave us the strength we didn't ourselves possess. When I was convinced we couldn’t get everything done, these ‘angels’ refused to leave our sides and remained faithful in their help until the last item was moved and the last piece of debris was thrown out. The end result… our mission was accomplished, our minds were relived and our hearts are now at peace! 

Our situation was a strong reminder for me of the basic principle that God has created us to live in the context of relationships.  No matter how strong we may believe we are or how independently and self-sufficiently we may attempt to live our lives, all of us have been created to build friendships, treasure relationships and to journey shoulder to shoulder with others that we may enjoy mutual blessing, encouragement and support. However, one necessary and sometimes challenging piece to receiving the blessing of such help is to allow oneself to be humbled and to have the willingness to be vulnerable at one’s point of need. I had to practice what I preach in this regard and to allow my neediness to show. My self-exposure didn't so much show my weaknesses as much as it empowered those who love me to help.  By being open I was able to hear and feel the prayers on my behalf.  Because I was open I was able to accept the love shown to me.  Because I was open, I saw God’s glory in the helping hands that lifted us up when we didn't possess the strength to lift ourselves. 

I’m still in awe of the outpouring of love we received and the practical way in which it was manifested in our time of need.  Our friends simply refused to abandon us and literally walked us through a trial that had the potential to knock us down flat.  I want to call each of you to link your lives with others who can walk by your side through the trials and challenges of life and provide you with the opportunity to both give and receive love, support and encouragement.  As I spend the days recovering from our ordeal, I am glad that part of my days are also filled with times to reflect on the precious friends with whom I have been blessed and on the wonderful benefit I've received in seeing the fruit of our friendships come to such a sweet juncture.  I got by with a lot of help from my friends. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!  Until Next time…

Sam.

All Clear!

All Clear!

All Clear!

All Clear!

No Place Like Home

This weekend, I am faced with a task I had not fully considered until it became an unavoidable rendezvous with destiny - the removal and storage of my parents household goods and the closing of the last place my parents together called home.  With this action, many memories and reminders will be tucked away for some time and the brick and mortar that housed the last living memories of my mother will be out of reach for the rest of my life. 

As an Army Brat, having a place to call home is more precious than gold.  Home is a refuge - a retreat - a rallying point that stands as a personal fortress in the midst of a lifestyle that doesn't really allow geographic stability and security. Home is where my folks are...but what happens when the folks are no longer home? I hadn't really contemplated this fully until this weekend.  As an only child, I won't have the memories of my siblings to share as a source of encouragement and strengthening.  My father suffers from dementia and what he does remember is random and unpredictable.  There will be few chats around the hearth to celebrate the way we were.  Regarding family and home I find myself thinking, "What now?" 

As I reflect on the identity of my home, an old cadence comes to mind that really resonated with the deepest longings of my soul during the days I was compelled to sing it. It may have been meant as dark humor, but every note of it touched my heart and in reality, I sang it with gusto: "Airborne, Airborne, All the way! Airborne, Airborne, all the way! We like it here!  We love it here! We've finally found a home!  We like it here! We love it here! We've finally found a home! A home! A home! A home way from home! A home! A HOME! A HOME AWAY FROM HOME...HEY!" Yes, the Army has always been my soul's home, yet I answered a call that carried me far from my home and all for which I had prepared myself from childhood to my early adult life.  I have now spent most of my life as a wayfaring sojourner who is driven by a conviction to spread Good News to anyone that will listen and to help as many with my gifts, talents and abilities as I can.  A great calling to a meaningful existence, but home's not included!

Am I regretful of choosing a path foreign to my upbringing that on occasion causes me to contemplate the ambiguity of what home really means? Not at all.  In serving God, I have truly found a "Home away from Home" and I am bound for a Better Home than I have ever known.  In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus spells out the blessings of leaving behind one's earthbound home :  "“Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."  I have experienced this verse first hand as my path has crossed with others who have themselves left the familiar and comfortable to walk with God in the way of Faith. I have truly gained brothers, sisters and family as I encountered people whose love for God transcended their place of orgin, language,culture and nationality because of their primary identity as a child of God.

As I continue along my walk of faith, I find myself understanding the finite nature of life more clearly and longing for my celestial home that will never perish. Hebrews 11 says that Abraham waited for a city "whose builder and maker is God."  We are to likewise wait for that city as we display character consistent with our citizenship in it.  Our goals, aims, hopes and dreams should now be recalibrated to reflect our sanctified hope that as we suffer and hurt in our service, Jesus is preparing better things for us - if it were not so, He would have told us!

As I prepare for the challenging task of dismantling the memories of my home, I must sanctify my thinking.  I must take joy in remembering the wonderful home and community in which I was raised and that better things are ahead.  I must remember that a great multitude, including my mom, have walked in faith before me, showing me where my true citizenship lies and it is a privilege to follow in their footsteps.  I must choose to focus on the high and esteemed call I have as a citizen of my Home in Glory, not wade in the swamps of regret and disappointment. I must remember that I have not been left as an orphan, but rather been blessed with many brothers and sisters around the world to encourage, inspire and motivate me to continue to fight the good fight.

It may be true that my geographic reference points of home are fading away, yet the beacon of my true home and my extended family shine brighter every day.  For that reason I can say with sincerity, "I like it here. I love it here! I've finally found a home...because I realize that home is not confined to a zip code, nor family to blood relations, but it is found with the Lord and with all those he has placed in my life who walk with me here, there and everywhere! Truly, there's nobody like family and there's no place like home!  Many thanks to all of you who make this vision of home a daily reality in my life!  Until next time...

Sam

My Fondest Memory of Home