RICK’S BLOG

October 2026
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A good friend from church sent me a link to a wonderful clip with Imogene Coca and Sid Caesar from “Our Show of Shows”. The link is below if you want to see it and have a good laugh.

When I was a High School student, I played percussion in the local symphony orchestra and the High School band/orchestra. In the band, I played a variety of drums, but mostly “triples” and we played through most of every song, if we had measures of rest it was usually not for more than 4 to 8 measures of counting.

However, when playing symphonic music, even with the variety of instruments that a percussionist is playing during one piece, there is a lot of counting empty measures. Sometimes the percussionist may play a crash cymbal at the crescendo of a phrase and not play again for 200 or more measures, then play one or two strikes on the triangle. Sometimes the percussion enhances or echoes another instrument during the piece, sometimes a drum gives a little extra and added pulse to the orchestra for movement. Sometimes it is the color that is added: sleighbells or woodblock. And once-in-a-while, when the moon is blue, the percussionist gets a solo line.

That’s what it’s like to play, not only in the percussion section, but in ANY section of a symphonic orchestra: sometimes you harmonize, sometimes you amplify, sometimes you echo, sometimes you solo, and many times you are silent. The composer and the conductor see how it all works together…but they are oftentimes the only people who see the whole picture…and balances it out for the ears of the audience.

That is a lesson to be learned by those of us in a “community of faith”, where we each have a role, a gift, a “part” to be performed within the whole of this “symphony of faith.”

Each of us, for the most part, receive a copy of our own part. To believe that we are looking at the ENTIRE SCORE is as ridiculous as believing that the timpani is the only instrument playing in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. There are times when what WE do enhances or harmonizes with another “player”. There are times to echo what is playing in some other section of Body of Christ. There are times when the entire symphony plays together, and we are a part of that magnificent crescendo. There are times when we need to sit, wait, and be silent as other players perform. And then there are times when we are the soloists, and the other players support us. The One who wrote the song is the One who knows how and when everyone should play their part. And the conductor follows the instructions set by the Composer.

It is that way in the Kingdom. We are, for the most part, playing a part that we alone can see. We don’t know anyone else’s part until we hear it, even then, it is not our job to do anything but assure that OUR part is played when it should be, and that we don’t play when we shouldn’t…so that that symphony is heard by the world in the way the Composer intended.

Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca – Your Show of Shows – Classical Musicians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeV9t2pqHWA

One of my favorite plays and films is AMADEUS. It has been one of my favorites since I first saw the film in the theatre, in 1984. In college I performed in a 2-person opera, with original translated text from PUSHKIN’s poem about the young composer (played by me) and the older Salieri…the Russian poem, set to music by Russian composer, Rimsky-Korsakov. This Pushkin poem first introduced the idea that Antonio Salieri poisoned Wolfgang Mozart out of jealousy…it is a fantastical, though probably altogether fictional, idea. The two singers never sing TOGETHER in the entire opera. This idea was taken up by playwright, ‎Peter Shaffer, and later turned into a film.

It is remarkable to think about this man, Mozart’s genius mind: operas, symphonies, sonatas and more…all written and orchestrated by him since the time he was the age that I started playing the piano: age 5. The movie is a fictional account of a segment of his life, but there are several “nods” to reality in some truly extraordinary ways.

Wolfgang did indeed write every note of every instrument in his head, FIRST. Once edited and revised in his head, then he would take the pen and write it on the paper. There are not many scores, if any, that show changes or edits. Once, the night before one of his operas was to have its premiere, the concert master (first-chair violinist) frantically rushed to Mozart’s home and informed him that there was no Overture in the orchestra parts, Mozart had written the entire 2.5-hour opera but no Overture for the orchestra to play. Mozart calmly gave him a glass of wine, asked him to make himself comfortable and then proceeded to write out the Overture, one part at a time, from memory, while carrying on a conversation with the concert master. He didn’t even waste time writing out the entire score until much later, since he himself was conducting. Once, to make a deadline, he wrote out parts (not copied from the score, but written from memory) all night while his wife kept him awake by singing German folks songs!

The man was a gift from God, and if it weren’t enough that his genius was astounding, the music produced from his genius was and is absolutely beautiful; a gift to every ear, educated or not.

Although the storyline, which includes the composer Antonio Salieri (a contemporary of Mozart and in reality a friend and colleague), as an antagonist whose supposed jealousy causes him to poison Mozart (at least that fiction is inferred). But, in the script, Salieri has a valid question regarding his own talents, which he views as gifts from God, and Mozart’s greater talents.

His question is: Why do You (God) choose such a profane, rude and crass vessel (Mozart) for such incredible gifts…especially when I (Salieri) have given you my heart and soul and have not received the same?

The real Salieri may have indeed wondered about this and asked God. Salieri was the most popular composer of the era and place, when the young Mozart stepped onto the concert scene, and although Wolfgang probably wasn’t even half so much as crass as the character in the movie, he was, by all historic accounts, a “free spirit” who did not view the rules as applying to him. And again one asks the question: Why does God choose to speak through seemingly unholy instruments? OR why does God choose whom He chooses…for anything?

It is not an inappropriate question, David asks it all the time in the Psalms. I don’t think God is offended by our questions of why “good things happen to bad people” or why the gifts of that which is good, beautiful and true in art, are given to those whom we feel are undeserving. However, there IS an issue when WE believe it’s fine to judge who is worthy of God’s grace and gifts, ourselves.

FIRST – we are NOT God. Choosing who to bless and who to use is HIS prerogative, NOT ours.

SECOND – We don’t have all of the information. We cannot see people’s hearts, we cannot know what they are capable of in the future, any more than we know what WE are capable of…we cannot see as God can see.

THIRD – The moment we usurp God’s role (by judging who is worthy and who is not) we place ourselves in the place where God should be. We cease being FOLLOWERS…and there is a difference between BELIEVING (which even Satan does) and FOLLOWING (which one can’t do, if they continually place themselves in front of the One they are supposed to be following)

FOURTH – the assumption that someone else is being “blessed” or “gifted” when they are seemingly unworthy, while we stand un-thanked, unheeded and unnoticed once again is an example of our impatience in thinking that the story is over. In the end (or beginning, as I see it) all truth, all blessings, all rewards will come to those who have, in God’s eyes, earned them…until then we are still in the middle of the story.

Holiness and purity are not always necessary to communication of beauty, truth and goodness. After all, some of the most Godly and beautiful creations and art have come from some truly ungodly and pagan individuals, while some of the most Godly are not always the most talented…what’s THAT about? And what does that teach us about God?

In scripture AND in life. God gives, and gives and gives…not to some but to all.

MATT 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We also know EVERYTHING that is good, beautiful and true comes from God, no matter WHAT the vessel.

JAMES 1:16-17 “Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.”

So how should we react when, like Salieri who seeks to do right and be blessed by His action sees another who, by Salieri’s measure, is unworthy of the gift?

We thank God for the gift.

We apologize to God for believing that our good works will go unrewarded…just because we don’t have the reward yet.

And primarily, we thank God that His grace goes beyond our own ideas of mercy…after all, there was time (and will be again) when we do not deserve the greatness He so generously pours on us.

As THE ALLEY THEATRE, here at Central, puts up the second-to-the-last show of the season, I watch all the players onstage and the crew backstage as they prep, rehearse and polish. I really enjoy theatre, as I have for most of my life. It is a reflection of life, and a teaching tool like none other. But everyone must know their roles clearly, even those who aren’t “actors”.

I’ve watched certain characters play their roles as they moved on and off the stage during other productions in other companies. At one somewhat moving and emotionally-charged drama I started analyzing exactly what it was that caused me to find certain players “riveting” while others were simply “fine”. What I found was the actors who understood their characters’ “prime objective” and acted accordingly were the most interesting to follow. Every acting decision was precise, they moved with authority, clarity and purpose. The others were merely reciting their lines.

For an actor, the “prime objective” is what drives the action of the character they are playing. One character’s PO (prime objective) might be to “get the girl”, and everything that actor does, even those things unrelated to “getting the girl”, stem from the PO. There may be “minor objectives” along the way, for instance: avoiding another character or pretending to be someone they are not, but the PO is still the driving force for the character, it is the definition of that character, it gives the character purpose and meaning and sets the character’s priorities. A character’s PO allows for that character and others to “connect”, emotionally, onstage…and that human depth of connection is what separates good theatre from great theatre.

What is YOUR “Prime Objective”? Do you have an overriding purpose that defines the direction of your life? Most people do…although they don’t realize it. A Prime Objective may define itself FOR you, if you’re not careful. Is your life directed by just trying to survive? Is your Prime Objective to enjoy every minute, at all costs? Is your Prime Objective to feel secure by having your life arranged, filed and your bank filled?

For those of us who follow Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life…He has told us what our Prime Objective is: “to know God.” (John 17:3 “This is forever life, that they may know You, the One True God, and the One You have sent – Jesus the Messiah.”) The direction to “get to know God” comes from a “Stage Director” who understands clearly that if “knowing God” is our Prime Objective, then all other objectives, relationships, and plot twists, will fall into place and everything else will be put into perspective. This “Spiritual Stage Director” understands that “knowing God” is a lifetime pursuit, a grand plan, an energizing force…and so, the “life” is found in the journey.

The danger for any actor is NOT choosing or knowing what their character’s Prime Objective is…when that happens, they are at the mercy of the other actors onstage, they are at the mercy of the script…they wander in uncertain circles…and the audience soon forgets they were even onstage during the show.

Again I ask, what is YOUR Prime Objective in life? Whatever it is, it will define every scene, every relationship and every outcome…even to the final curtain. My advice…listen to the Director and LIVE the story, as opposed to just being IN the story.

Lessons from the Polar Vortex:
I’ve learned some things about myself during these cold days…I don’t enjoy being an adult, a home owner or a landlord during this kind of weather. I really just want to wrap up, watch TV and have someone else take care of all the issues.

Of course, I’m overstating (surprised?) and this has been more of an adventure than anything else, even kind of fun sometimes. However, as a person whose job it is to look for life-lessons and push through to “get to God” in the center of things…I’ve observed some other lessons during the cold, cold winter.

When the world is cold, your world gets smaller.
Personally, I’m not prone to get “cabin fever”, I don’t just enjoy, but actually relish time spent in my house. But after a few days, even I notice that being cooped up in a confined space actually starts working on my body. I don’t stretch as much, I don’t move as much, my “world” is limited to ME and MY SPACE. Even with the internet, television and wi-fi…enough is enough. I crunch up, I don’t spread out. I walk, I don’t run. I hibernate. I cocoon.

I know that this kind of world is what many feel like all the time. When the outside world gets “colder” their world gets “smaller”. It’s happened to me, and it may have happened to you. Something in the world is unexpected, rude and hurtful…so what do I naturally do? I crawl into a space that is my own: steady, friendly and safe. The outside world becomes something that can observe without having to experience it. Slowly my “body/mind/soul” become cramped, atrophied, and begin to take the shape of someone who has never run, stretched, fought or soared!

The scripture has the wise concept of, “IN the world, but not OF the world”, this isn’t a specific verse, but a concept from John 15:19. It is accurate when looking at ALL of the other teachings of Jesus, who pushed us to live our love for HIM by loving each other, being invested in each other and even those who are against us. This requires being IN the world, and not sequestered IN ourselves.

I also find that when I stay too long in my own world, the rest of the world gets defined by my own quarantined life.
And wow, doesn’t that define the “narrow-minded”, the “entitled” and the “judgmental”? I ask myself, how do people acquire those above-mentioned attributes? I think that I’ve glimpsed a part of the reason. When one separates oneself from the world, the good AND the bad of it, then one starts to define the “rightness” of the world according to their own self-controlled (and not God-controlled) environment. Just like someone who has, for most of their lives, lived alone and likes to do things a certain way, have knick-knacks arranged in a certain order, and who is uncomfortable with “change”…anyone who separates themselves from others who are NOT like them will find their view of how the world SHOULD be is not defined by who God is, but by who THEY are.

“Cabin Fever” is an accurate term, I believe, to define one who waits for the Day of the Lord and the Age to Come…not by loving God through loving people (even to and including the “least”), but by separating themselves from people and living comfortably within their controlled environment…while observing those who create the chaos outside that they dislike.

I believe that cloistering isn’t a bad thing in moderation. Everyone needs time to themselves, to listen to their own hearts and minds…because the more we honestly learn about ourselves, the more we learn about God. But, like everything, too much of that skews the reality of God and what the world is.

Don’t let the cold world scare you into hiding. The world can be cruel, even in the midst of beauty. And we, as lovers of God, are sometimes (often) more quick to be offended by Godlessness than we should be. Godlessness and chaos should not surprise us, instead we are here to present the other side while treating even the Godless like the child that God sees when He looks at them.

Stay warm, pray for the Spring to come, and be IN the world…so that the world might be changed by God in you.

This cartoon/meme is one of my favorites. It’s the twisted and “word” kind of humor that I love. Analyzing the humor, one could say that it’s about punctuation or wording…but it’s really about context. There are some information clues that are missing, one is supposed to keep THE BOTTLE away from children. Of course, once you analyze it too much, it’s not funny anymore…but it is a good lesson. It’s a lesson about “context” and pulling phrases or words OUT of context and then reading or hearing something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than what was intended.

In the study of scripture especially, this is called PROOF TEXTING.

proof text: (noun) a singular Scriptural passage produced
as proof for an entire theological doctrine, belief, or principle

PROOF TEXTING is recognized by almost everyone as an error when someone else is guilty of it, but unfortunately tolerated by almost ALL (including the Apostle Paul) when used to fashion their own argument, view or doctrine. It is a difficult thing to avoid, because there are so many quotable and singular verses that say much in few words. When one finds a verse that seems to speak directly to a particular time and place in the one’s mind and heart (resonates is a good word to use there) it is difficult to not read through, around and between the verses. And worse, when one has a particular viewpoint one is trying to argue, or a particular part of their own personal or corporate theology and doctrine they are trying to promote, it seems that Scripture Proof Texting can be used quite well to substantiate any and every view. PROOF TEXTING single, out-of-context verses, has been used to form entire books, entire theologies and entire religions.

Examples of this that we can still see today are these: forbidding women leadership in the Church and, in the not so distant past, slavery. Both of these viewpoints and doctrines can easily be defended by Proof Texting Scripture…and HAVE been. But both the concept of non-leadership for females and the concept of slavery are also great examples of why Proof Texting is dangerous for the Believer & Follower who are trying to “know God” (which is our only meaning in life).

PROOF TEXTING Can Ignore Context – The three questions we as Believers & Followers must ask about every Scripture we read are these: WHO is speaking? TO WHOM are they speaking? WHAT IS THE CONTEXT in time and place? Only then can a student of the Scripture get closer to what the original intended audience heard, THEN we can know the core of what God says to all places and times. If one doesn’t understand which festival was being observed when Jesus shouted out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink!” (JOHN 3:37) and why that would be controversial at that specific time and place, then they do not get the REAL and FULL meaning of the phrase. It is just like the words, “keep away from children” on the aspirin bottle…if you don’t know the context, it’s just plain funny…AND SAYS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

PROOF TEXTING Can Ignore The Kingdom – for the sake of individual, and sub-group arguments. Since the 1970’s our religion has turned very egocentric at the expense of community. Ours is not a Faith that is practiced theoretically or individually, it is a Faith that is exercised through action-love to others; that is how we are to be identified in the world, and how we will be judged at the end of this age.

“Judas went out and hanged himself.” (MATTHEW 25:7) is rarely a verse anyone pulls out of context and builds an entire theology around, and for good reason…it is not necessarily about us, it is information, as many other scriptures are also. For those who believe that EVERY verse speaks to EVERY person of EVERY time and place, this may be a matter of semantics. Much of the scripture was written for specific people, specific needs, at a specific time…there may be a problem of relevancy to every word in the scripture today, or in any other time.

Why do the folks in my congregation wear clothes manufactured with blended fabric, even though the law of the Old Testament specifically commands us differently? Because 1. we don’t live according to the law any more, we live by the grace of God in Jesus, and 2. that law doesn’t apply to us. Every verse does not speak to every person in every time and place, but the core principles of those verses do carry a common thread and Kingdom principle that speaks to all at every time. The verse about Judas isn’t a command for me or anyone else to do likewise, but in the context of the story there is a lesson about the desolate nature of turning away from the grace that is God.

PROOF TEXTING Can Ignore Wholeness – The main reason Proof Texting is dangerous is because it looks at scripture as if it were a bunch of little pieces, unconnected from other little pieces, instead of seeing each verse, each chapter and each book as part of the whole. Why do reasonable Believers & Followers think that slavery is a bad concept for humans who love God? Is it because there is a specific verse that says so? No, it’s because when one reads/studies THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE and gets to know God OFF THE PAGE as well, one clearly sees that everything points to a Truth that “people are not to be owned by others”. This leads to another flaw of IGNORING WHOLENESS, “the scripture is the best commentary on itself.” When one verse or odd collection of various out-of-context verses sit next to THE WHOLE of Scripture and God do they align? If not, it’s most probably not the scripture that’s in the wrong…it is most probably lack of study, poor translation, or resistance of the reader to “re-search” and be open to a different reading than they may want or know.

PROOF TEXTING Can Ignore Priorities – The WHOLE of scripture points in one direction…to the person of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus is the point, Jesus is the hub, Jesus is the paradigm through which ALL of scripture needs to be seen…or the rest of scripture makes no sense. It stands to reason that His words have priority. It makes sense that if the book is ABOUT HIM then His ideas and His theology take precedent over all the rest. Thankfully, when the scripture is read in context, faith and honest research, even the most confusing of passages align with His thoughts and deeds.

I have watched good friends divide over national issues and have read many arguments using PROOF TEXTING on both sides, using the Scripture and the U.S. Constitution. This is perhaps the most important point: the disturbing word here is USED. The Scripture is not to be USED by anyone as an instrument of attack, especially for their own agenda. Pulling verses out of the scripture to make them fit what one wishes to be truth and then calling it God’s truth because all the words came from scripture is like me cutting a Picasso artwork up into one hundred pieces, gluing the pieces back together haphazardly, and still calling it a Picasso.

PROOF TEXTING is an un-winnable game, the only way to triumph is to not play. The important things to remember when using the scripture as a way to KNOW GOD, are Context, Kingdom, Wholeness, and Priority…all the Bible Study in the world is not worth more than empathy, compassion and plain old LOVE. No verse ANYWHERE in the scripture has dominance over the continual message of Jesus: YOU LOVE ME BY LOVING EACH OTHER, friend, family and foe…even “to the least of those.”

She was a petite, beautiful, blonde girl who fell in love with a college linebacker while in school. Back at home, in my home church, she asked me (still a high school student) to sing THE LORD’S PRAYER at her wedding. Although I had done a few weddings already, this was still early on in my “sing for/playing for/presiding over” wedding career, and I was honored.

None of us had met or even seen her fiancé until the day he arrived for the wedding, from his home state. It was a Saturday in July, on the desert side of my home state. It was a sunny one-hundred-and-three degrees…but it was a DRY heat. The old home sanctuary’s ancient cooling system (I’m not even sure they CALLED it air-conditioning at that point) was not keeping up. But the sanctuary was beautiful; filled with hundreds upon hundreds of pink and cream roses.

The bride was beautiful, and the groom? Well, he can be best described as “the largest object in the room” and easily the biggest man I have ever seen. The presiding minister was five-ten and had to stand on one of the boxes the youth of the church used for one of their “musicals”, just to be seen by the congregation.

The groom was probably as uncomfortable with his suit, as his suit was with him. And did I say it was hot?

The time came. The vows and rings had been said and exchanged, and it was time for the prayer. The Pastor nodded to me and the pianist began the familiar arpeggio intro to THE LORD’S PRAYER. I began singing. Now, this is a song I knew so I could kind of watch the proceedings (which was supposed to be prayer and communion for the couple) while I sang. What I saw was a groom who started swaying, and then…to the horror of all present…started slowly falling forward, threatening to crush the Pastor. The bride threw down her bouquet and grabbed her future husband’s tree-trunk arm to keep him up; as effectively as a squirt gun in a forest fire.

The Pastor yelled (yes, actually more like screamed) “Somebody help!”, while indicating me to keep singing. BOTH fathers jumped up and ran to intervene, as they got closer they frantically indicated to the assembly for MORE MEN!

Meanwhile, I’m singing THE LORD’S PRAYER. Is anyone praying? It was the strangest underscore to the scene before me that I could imagine. In the end it took ten average-sized men to gently lower the groom to a sitting position until he came to.

The wedding reception was held (as always, back in the day) in the church’s next-door fellowship hall. I meandered back for cake, mints, nuts and pink punch. The first person I saw was the bride’s mother, who came directly to me and said,

“She wants you to go get him out of the kitchen, he won’t come out. She figured you’d be the best one to talk to him.”

Because…? And what? Remember, I was a MUSICIAN (read: scrawny, non-jock) and this was a southern states linebacker. Guys like that snap guys like me in tiny pieces, just as a light workout. I also didn’t know him. But, with a little prayer and naivete I entered the kitchen. There I found a man, a few years older than me, as big as the house I grew up in, sitting in the corner…crying.

I went over and said hi, sat by him and introduced myself.

“Nice singing.” He said, “I can’t go out there…I ruined her wedding…everybody’s laughing.”

And this big guy suddenly became a small boy. I didn’t (and still don’t) have the wisdom of Solomon, Ghandi or Dr. Phil at that point, so I probably said some stupid things. Thankfully I don’t remember. What I do remember is that he exited the kitchen to a loving crowd of people, I exited a hero, and I became friends with a really great guy.

Aside from the obvious life lesson: “If you’re going to get married on the hottest day of the year in an un-airconditioned church, be sure to ask the groom if he’s allergic to roses”…

…there is also the lesson: “You don’t know someone until you GET TO KNOW them.”

Humans look on the outside, but God looks on the heart. (I SAMUEL 16:7) I’m prone to label and judge, and my guess is that some of you are also. This early lesson to me was that the outsides don’t always advertise what’s inside. And if you label too quickly, you might miss something wonderful.

I am, as I do every Christmas season, reading my favorite Christmas book, Charles Dickens’ “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”. Through the years I’ve had several copies of this story, one is in a collection of Dickens’ classics, one is in a collection of other Christmas stories, and this year my copy is on my IPad (backlit with big letters…yeah!). No matter what the setting or context, this story continues to amaze and inspire me. It was my privilege to be involved with a production (as script and songwriter) for the North Anderson Church of God (now Madison Park) production of “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”. This was their last year to perform it, after 27 years of productions.

It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of Christmas season I’m having, or when or where I’m reading, Charles Dickens uses his words to reach down into the soul where he communicates that best of all messages to the child that is still hiding inside of this old shell.

The great question of the story for me is; how can Scrooge, with all of the resource that his world can offer, miss completely the joy…while Tim Cratchit, sick, poor and facing a certain and early death, seems to not only understand but “embody” the joy of Christmas? And what is that “joy of Christmas”?

In the story, it’s perhaps easier to see what the “Joy of Christmas” is not. When one observes Scrooge, it’s easy to understand the JOY does not come from wealth or power. Scrooge has an abundance of both and neither has given him joy. One can also see that “memories of Christmas”, though fond and perhaps filled with warmth, love and kindness, are more often a reminder that Christmastime now does not fulfill the memories of what it used to be. For Scrooge, his past memories of Christmas only filled him with despair at all he had lost or cast aside.

So what is “The Joy of Christmas”? At its core, it is the knowledge that our Great God cared enough to save us through such elaborate and sacrificial means as placing His Son in this “God-forsaken” world, where he “put on our skin”, felt our pain, walked our path…just so that we would trust and follow. We no longer need to fear the grave, we no longer are victims of our circumstance, we are no longer prisoners of our past, our present or our future.

Tim Cratchit “embodies” the idea that despite our circumstance, Christmas and its Joy transcends all, life is not totally encompassed in this Age, but lives beyond…and “life” is not defined solely by heartbeat and breath. Christmas Joy is greater than the sum of our surroundings, our memories, our hopes. And what finally makes Scrooge happy, what fills him with a joy that sets him dancing? Giving. Because Christmas Joy is “outside” of ourselves, we find the physical manifestation of that joy is also outside of ourselves.

Isn’t that just like God? We must GIVE to GAIN. The percentages will always remain the same, in the Kingdom of God; the more joy you give, the more joy you receive, whether it’s smiles, time, talent, cash or love.

“I have come that you might have life…and have it more abundantly”! JOHN 10:10

“God bless us, everyone.” TINY TIM

This is reprinted from a past BLOG, but after my trip to HAVANA and all the wonderful classic American cars I saw, I thought of this story, its lesson…and I thought it worth repeating.

I’ve been working to compile and digitize all the photos that I’d like to keep; memories of some wonderful times. As I revisited my photos I came across some from my 1988 trip to the U.S.S.R. (back when it was the U.S.S.R.) as a composer in an acting troupe of High School actors from both the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. (a local youth theatre from the Pacific Northwest). We had a truly life-changing time, getting to travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway, watching the country go by and ending up in Novosibirsk, Siberia where we rehearsed together and learned from each other.

There were many warm and wonderful people that we met, and many of them were eager to tell us all that THEY knew and loved about America. This was the age of perestroika and glasnost, the country was much more open and people more willing to be free about their opinions. There was a genuine friendship and willingness to connect with the Americans. These people wanted us to know that they admired many things about us and our culture.

One of our hosts showed us photos that she had collected from “grey-market” LIFE magazines: pictures of Presidents past, photos and articles of space exploration, as done by the U.S. There was the English Teacher, who wanted to always speak English with us, so that she could practice her idioms.

Then there was the 60-something-year-old man in Siberia who, after a dinner at his home (a larger apartment, because he was a high-ranking party member), and a few glasses of vodka, wanted to show us his pride and joy. We walked outside to the back of the complex where he led us to a series of locked garages (cars were a luxury and there were few of them) where he unlocked the padlock, opened a small door within the garage door, turned on a light and we looked in disbelief at a spotless garage containing a shiny, like-new, baby-blue, American, 1957 Chevy.

Even those of us (like me) who didn’t know or care about cars were astounded at several things: it was in pristine condition, inside and out, it was sitting on a large oriental rug…AND IT WAS AN AMERICAN ’57 CHEVY in the middle of Siberia!

I’ve forgotten much of the story, told by him through our interpreter, but remember enough that it was a gift given to him by a German who acquired it from an American soldier. It was sent to this man (Ivan was his name, I believe) in pieces, which he put together by find photos of the vehicle…which was not easy in itself at that time. He was a tool and die maker in Siberia, so he fashioned the implements he couldn’t find. His eyes filled with tears when he saw the astonished admiration of the teen-aged boys who looked at every detail…and encouraged them, and us, to go ahead and touch it…he would polish it again tomorrow.

We left a very happy man, tinkering with it in his garage that night. But before we left, the interpreter with us, Misha, called me over to the hood of the car and said…”look at this”. He opened the hood and inside was…nothing. There was no engine. Ivan had received some parts of the engine, but not enough yet to rebuild it…partially because the engine parts were so valuable that he used some of them to fix the car that he actually drove.

What we had here was a beautiful vehicle, looking like it hadn’t aged a day since it left the factory in the U.S.A…but it’s main purpose was all but forgotten.

There are Believers & Followers…and even churches…who are just like that car. We look good on the outside, and even sparkle with beauty. But our intended purpose is missing. This is a person/church without the Breath of God. The entire PURPOSE of a 1957 Chevy is transportation. The beautiful design and structure is to cover, protect and enhance the performance of the engine…the purpose being to carry people and things from one place to other. Somehow in this story the design & structure became a shell…the purpose being lost. Sometimes the design and structure of a Believer & Follower or a church congregation becomes the MOST important thing and POWER (The Holy Spirit/Breath of God) is gone and can’t support the PURPOSE. So churches polish the structure and make sure that it’s a beautiful “vehicle” that doesn’t go anywhere.

The lesson? Let’s make sure to “Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing”, let’s surround ourselves with a beautiful structure ONLY after we are assured that the engine is powered by the Breath of God, and tuned to His Word. Only then can we get the car out of the garage and see the world today, in our Chevrolet!

This last weekend (December 1^st, to be exact) 160 years ago a small congregation of 13 was chartered as FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH of Andersontown, Indiana. They met as an “official” congregation in the Chestnut Grove Schoolhouse on Mounds Road. This newly chartered congregation had been meeting, in fits and starts, since 1834, mostly in the home of Andy Steward, at 11^th & Central.

As the village, town, and city of Andersontown (and later, simply, Anderson) grew, declined and grew again…so did the congregation. By 1861, a mere 3 years since their charter, the congregation had grown from 13 to 1168 souls. A church building was needed and so, on the corner of 13^th & Main (home of THE TOAST now) the first building was built, and the first “official” Pastor was called.

By 1880 the organ was installed and used regularly in worship and for special occasions. A choir loft was built some 5 years later…and thus the legacy of art and music at Central was born.

The congregation was large enough now to move to a newer larger home. In 1886 a lot on the corner of Jackson & 10^th was purchased for $5000.00 for a new sanctuary. Groundbreaking was December 1899, and the dedication was a short year later: December 1900. With the move a name change was in order. As there was another congregation in Anderson going by the name FIRST CHRISTIAN the congregation at Jackson & 10^th chose to rename themselves CENTRAL CHRISTIAN.

A 52-day revival led by the renowned preacher, Charles Reign Scoville, the congregation grew in size from 463 to over 2000 members – the largest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the world at the time.

These were our beginnings, our roots. Why is this all important to know? Because HOPE (as we have learned) is based on A GOAL, A PATHWAY to the Goal, and the FAITH in God and ourselves as partners to reach the goal. Did those 13 members in 1858 see this place, these people, this town? In a way, I believe they did…or none of us would be here.

It is vitally important to remember where and how God took us from one place to another. Our vision is sadly short-sighted when it comes to dreaming, casting, and HOPING. To look back and remember is sometimes a very good thing.

It is because of God’s plan, grace, love, strength, and protection that we are CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH today – what will the next 160 years bring? That is up to the partnership between God and us…it all depends on HOPE: Goal, Pathway, & Faith.

For a more detailed look at CENTRAL CHRISTIAN’s history, click here:
http://www.central-christian-church.com/about-us-2/

Ahhh, Christmas Parties; one of the best things about the season, as far as I’m concerned. Any excuse to get together with friends simply to get together. Alright, there’s the food and drink, and that’s nice too, but really, how often do we take the time simply to BE with our friends? Not often enough, so it seems.

I’m looking forward to a few get-togethers during the next few weeks, various hosts and various types of parties and dinners, and various “gigs”, but in each case I was invited, and accepted the invitation. It was simple. I didn’t have to fill out a form, join a club, recite an incantation, it was simply an invitation from a friend. Some parties I’ve attended over the years have been popular and sometimes people have worked hard at getting invitations. Some parties have been quiet, improvised and spontaneous, some elaborate and well-planned months in advance. But in all cases the people who attended were asked by the host and accepted the invitation. They were invited because the host wanted them there. They were invited because they were family. And they attended because they accepted the invitation.

The chaos and tension between denominations and between believers is often about the discussion as to who is a part of the Kingdom of God, and who will “go to heaven”. It is often a contentious debate which requires PERSON A to do what they are commanded NOT to do (according to the scripture), which is to pronounce judgment about PERSON B’s heart and behavior. It is, for some, the bottom-line discussion which separates the sacred from the profane. If PERSON A feels that another doesn’t fulfill the requirements (as THEY see them) it doesn’t matter how good and fine PERSON B is, they are obviously NOT “going to Heaven” so do not deserve the love of other self-identified Christians. Now, I’m not talking about harmful and destructive behavior, I’m talking about theological differences and people seeing God from a different angle. I’m talking about people who made read the same Bible but come to different conclusions than another. To pass judgment on those types of things requires a knowledge that no human has: the ability to read hearts. All of this requires an authority that is not given to humans: the authority to judge, which is God’s place alone.

And yet it is so simple. Who is a part of the Kingdom? Who will be allowed to walk on the streets of gold? God’s friends, who are given the invitation and accept. It requires one to be a friend of God, not necessarily a friend of yours or mine. It requires one to accept the invitation, given by God, not necessarily given by you or me.

It does Not require one to make a decision about attending, based on who else will be there.

There IS going to be a party. WHO will be there? Those who are friends of God, those who have been invited by God…those who have accepted the invitation. This season, let us assume that ALL have been invited; sinners, seekers and saints…and treat them accordingly.

After all, there are probably some who don’t believe you will be there either.

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