Dancing

 12 "I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil-- this is the gift of God." (Eccl. 3:12-13 NIV)

"A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in seemingly mundane, everyday life." (Anonymous)

I was slouched down in the love seat for two working on my horrible posture, watching a prideful Peacock team from New Jersey get trashed by North Carolina in the NCAA madness, when I turned to my bride and said, "We live a boring life." 

She said, "Is that bad?" 

I said, "No." But we can do better. We both know this is true, but not sure what that looks like. We have both experienced intermittent shifts in schedules this year and it has brought needed respite. Sanity in the unscheduled. Frosted sweet rolls in a world of daily oatmeal. Nice for a change but you wouldn't want a steady diet of it. Sometimes you just have to have something different.  

I will turn 60 this year and I'm not sure if I had my mid-life crisis yet, so I thought about getting a sportscar or a twenty-something girlfriend. Can't afford either. Probably couldn't keep up with either. Both scare me to death and would give me a heart attack. 

Deb has spent her entire adult life getting me to the point where I am the perfect husband, and I just don't have the energy to go back to relationship school to be retooled and reprogrammed. It is already exhausting trying to live up to that high expectation.  

We are like most married couples. We romantically gather our phone calendars on Sunday night to see what the week will bring. Deadlines. Meetings. Bible studies. Deadlines. Meetings. Rinse. Repeat. TGIF. 

We haven't quite fallen into the "Wheel of Fortune is on and then Jeopardy" phase of life but we are inching our way there. It feels like life is organized and navigated by TV shows except our life is such that we say, "This is being recorded on Monday, this on Tuesday, this on Wednesday, perhaps we can watch this on Friday or Saturday and the week is filled with watching what has been recorded. Getting things in as if our world will shatter if we miss a show or God forbid, the in-TV recorder gets full. TV deadlines. So much to watch, so little time. I can't wait to retire so that I can watch television all day long...death. 

I'm not complaining. We both like the shows we watch. They are an escape from the day's obligations, a needed timeout from the mundane, a vicarious reach into some other place with new people, often in historic times.

I am reminded of being young and married looking forward to "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," and a series of other 1980's and 90's shows that filled the evening space. TV deadlines. We need to be home by 8. 

But I once again resort to my favorite singer, Peggy Lee, "Is that all there is? Is that all there is? If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing."

However, the mundane has also allowed us to appreciate the blessings of the extraordinary - going out to eat with good friends, spending time with our children and grandchildren. It has allowed us to be home to watch said TV programs. To rest. To be with each other. There is something wonderful about being bored...together...as long as we also keep dancing. 

"A grateful heart is one that finds the countless blessings of God in seemingly mundane, everyday life." (Anonymous)

ND

  24 "Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?  25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan-- that fine hill country and Lebanon." 26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me...  (Deut. 3:24-26 NIV)

Sunday. 7:10. I couldn't wait for tip off time. My "Fighting Irish" were tapped to play Texas Tech. They had to play an extra game because of their pre-tournament record but that was okay. It would once again show the world their tenacity. 

I stepped out in faith asking for prayer for "God's team" to win and it almost looked like they were going to do so. Three minutes to go. ND up by 4. "Just hold on guys...just hold on." A bad call on the referee's part that took away a legitimate basket and about three or four "superstar" dribbles from a freshman point guard with the number "0" - aptly numbered - that ended in three or four turnovers - led to a final defeat. 

I will humbly hang my head before the remaining Purdue supporters in my men's bible study, and publicly confess my sin of presumption. Notre Dame has "goal post Jesus" for goodness sake! How could they not go all the way and take the national championship? 

But alas...we have come to the biblical dilemma of answered prayer and the will of God. Why does God answer certain prayers and not others? From a finite creature's perspective, it is quite perplexing. God is supposed to give us the desires of our heart, right? Not quite. If I am walking with God, he changes my desires so that they are His. Sometimes my motives are wrong. Sometimes God has other things He is doing that I am totally unaware of. Sometimes my sin clouds my eyes and stuffs up my ears so that I cannot hear. I presume. An answered prayer. A miracle. 

Moses desired to go into the Promised Land. God said, "no." He and Aaron had robbed God of his glory by smacking a rock instead of just speaking to it. The result was the same: water came out for the people to drink. But the ramifications for Moses and Aaron were dire. Neither would experience what they had so desperately longed for, prayed for: the Promised Land. 

When I was reading Deuteronomy this morning, I couldn't help but see that Moses, in his recounting of that event, had not repented of this sin. He still blamed the people. "Because of YOU the Lord was angry with ME." Classic blame shifting. 

Perhaps it wasn't the initial sin at all but the lack of repentance that caused the harsh ramifications. Moses wasn't right before God and he wasn't right before the people. God's glory had still not been restored. Prayer hindered. 

Moses should have changed his heart and mind toward God and those he was to serve. Glory restored. Blame accepted. Victory acquired? Prayer answered? Lesson learned? 

As for my "Fighting Irish"...

Stupid refs.

Incompetent point guard.

Poor end of game coaching. 

I repent. 

Football starts in five months. Go Irish! In prayer...

Still workin' out that lesson 😏

I-75

 "God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation." (Isa. 34:11 NIV)

Covid 20/21 put a kibosh on any real travel plans for the Lute's. We were just glad to be home in Indiana, close to family. Holidays, cheerleading, basketball, softball, gymnastics, monthly meals at our home. Nice. Grateful. Close enough. Far enough. 

But this year Deb and I decided that we needed to once again venture out. I suggested Saudi Arabia as I have been repeatedly invited by a friend who lives there and ministers to Syrian refugees. We talked it over and agreed that we would go to Florida. My mother was to turn 80 and Deb's parents were down in the Orange Lake area - a two-fer. "Saudi Arabia would always be there, but your mother only turns 80 once." That's what Deb told me. She's so wise. Maybe next year. 

We heard the nightmares. Flights being canceled last minute. No rental cars available. No peanuts midflight. Needing to wrap your face in a turban to avoid whatever round of Covid we are in. Flight attendants with tasers. Dogs trained to smell out the unvaccinated. We would normally fly but we chose to see the beauty of the United States of America via ground packaging instead. After all gas was at $3.85. 😎

It's amazing how one has an excited energy leaving the driveway but an hour later you're thinking: "I should have flown." Four hours later your thinking: "I would have been there by now." Six hours later your thinking: "You're a blasted idiot!" Eight hours later and you're looking for that next Cracker Barrel and your hotel exit as your body aches from sitting for what seemed like nine hours. (That's because it was!) Which, by the way, has been the extent of our view of the United States of America through the windshield on any interstate. Rest stops. Gas. Cracker Barrels. Lodging. If I could make this easier for the reader: Pee. Pee. Pee. And..pee. 

"Georgia. Georgia. Georgia on my mind. Like an old sweet song. I've got Georgia on my mind." I just forgot that I have to drive through Atlanta on...I-75...the next day. 

I-75. Is there no other way? No. I-75. Straight down. Buckle up Bucko. Put your big boy pants on. You can do it. 

Atlanta. 9:30 a.m. Great timing. Still Atlanta at 9:30 but no worse than Chicago or Philly or Logansport at that time of day. 

"Oh...there's a big church." Deb shakes her head in unbelief that through all the stressful lane changes I seem to lock eyes on a church with my peripheral vision. "Only you, Dan. Only you..." I think it was God's gentle reminder for me to pray. He knew what was coming my way. 

"Ain't no sunshine when she's gone. Only darkness every day." I-75. Florida. OMG. Chaos. Cell-phone driving idiots at 80 miles per hour. Pray. "I know...I know...I know...I know...I know...I know..." (It's the Bill Withers song in case you're trying to find the tune.)

The return trip was worse. I-75 at 7 a.m. Cell-phone driving idiots at 55 only because the torrential rain was coming down so hard you couldn't see. Where is I-10. "Sweet home, Alabama." Thank God we decided to go left. That one-hour delay would have put us into Atlanta at 4 on a Friday afternoon. 

Made it safely to Cullman, Alabama just north of Birmingham. What is that strip coming across the telee? "Winter storm advisory....high winds...ice...snow..." No. Yes. You've got to be kidding me. "Now, breakfast is from 6 - 9. Check out is at 11." Perspective. 

Thankful to go by all the vehicles in the ditches and guardrails. Especially over all of those water overpasses. Glad to make it home safely and to be equipped as a youngin' to drive in that type of weather. Others. Oblivious. "Look at how pretty the shiny road looks." 

Limited chaos. It would be easy to complain but my heart has been heavy regarding my brothers and sisters in the Ukraine, in Belarus, in Crimea, in China, and in Saudi Arabia where 80 people were just publicly executed today. I'm guessing you didn't get that on the morning news. 

Imagine living life, going about your routines and then suddenly being thrown into utter uncontrollable chaos. 

Ukraine. Imagine no home. No idea where you will live...without your husband...without your father and brothers. Limited food. Limited toiletries. A traffic jam in the midst of a torrential downpour...I-75 every day but far worse.  Watching life as you know it be destroyed. Chaos. Desolation. I just can't imagine. May God have mercy.

I know that Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars until the end, but it feels like were there. May God have mercy.

After all, I paid $4.29 for my last fill up.

Perspective. 

The Prodigal

 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!

 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' (Lk. 15:17-19 NIV)

I didn't grow up in a highly liturgical church. I can't really recall getting some dirt on my forehead for any particular religious purpose. It was mainly a daily event for a country kid. So, being exposed to Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday services has been a blessing. From Methodist to Non-denominational to now Presbyterian and of course Eastern Orthodox through my higher educational studies...I have come to appreciate the coming together of community to go on an adventure together, yet, separate. 

I am always drawn to Luke 15 at this time of year:  the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son. Jesus goes after the lost...lost unsaved and lost saved. I often consider myself the latter. 

I love the Lord Jesus dearly but there are times that I just feel lost. If I were honest...most of the time. I keep myself busy with ministry to hide it...to suppress it...to not die from it. It might be because of my own waywardness or because of demonic oppression - as tends to happen at this time of year - either way, it is an unpleasant place to be. 

Deb and I will be presenting a song for Ash Wednesday service called "Song of the Prodigal." It reflects my heart well. (Words and music by Jo Boyce) 

"I love you, Lord,
and I still don't understand why I betray you Lord
Is it part of someone's plan for me to be this child

who runs away

even when I know its best to stay? 

I need you, Lord, 

So I'm reaching out my hand for you to save me Lord.

Please take me back again

I'll try to stay this time, I pray this time, I won't stray this time. 

Because when I'm close to you, I'm where I should be. 

Each day giving praise to you

I know there is no better place to live than in your grace. 

But I still leave you, Lord

and go walking my own way,

I don't deserve you, Lord, 

So, for these three things I pray: 

the time to know you, Lord

the strength to serve you, Lord, 

the will to stay...here...Lord."  

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...to stay...here...Lord."

Your son.