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MONDAY THOUGHT 6/30/08

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a person who had no hope? I think there’s nothing more frightening.
 
One encounter that still haunts me more than two years later was a 30-second meeting one bitter cold winter morning in Minneapolis with a beautiful young lady who approached me for money. Her eyes had a dull and vague emptiness, beyond terror or caring, as if certain that it (pick your own “it”) was never going to get better or go away. I gave her $5, told her to go home and told her God loved her. I wonder if she’s alive today.
 
My point:  I don’t know how to save the world, and there are days I can barely save myself.  But I believe that we are here for a purpose, and maybe, just maybe, the brief moment we share hope, offer encouragement or just take the time to care may be that brief moment that makes a difference in someone’s life.  God bless and enjoy the opportunities God gives us every day to serve Him. — jri
 
“[Y]ou can spend your life any way you
want, but you can spend it only once.”
        –    John C. Maxwell
               (Thinking for a Change)

FRIDAY THOUGHT 6/27/08

Christian Lite?
 
Every organization has members that join just because it looks good on their resumes.  I call them phantom members.  I think it’s the same with church, people who say they believe in God (how comforting for God) and can name their church after a little thought. I call them Christians Lite. 
 
No, I’m no Jesus Freak, but I get the impression that God wanted more from us than just a membership card to His club.  I think He wanted us to get involved, make Him the center of our lives, not just a Sunday morning obligatory visit to the rich uncle (the one we’d better be nice to, because we just might get his estate someday).
 
My point?  It’s not to walk the streets carrying a “Repent Now!” sign, but to maybe to get involved, give a little back and maybe, just maybe, take a little time to get to know — and maybe, just maybe, even enjoy — the company of that rich uncle, as well as some of the other cousins that show up to feast at His table this Sunday. — jri
 
“Whatever our gifts, education, or vocation
might be, our calling is to do God’s work
on earth.”
        –    Bruce Wilkinson
               (The Prayer of Jabez)   

THURSDAY THOUGHT 6/26/08

Tough Enough
 
Sometimes it’s not good enough just to be good enough, or even to have a good plan.  I’ve known people — including myself — who have been hammered on and hammered down at times by everything from financial setbacks to relationship upsets, to debilitating physical health problems to their own creepingly painful and dark mental battles.
 
In the end, sometimes one thing is all they have: stubborn determination and toughness, coupled with a belief that as the tide climbs ever higher, it must and will eventually recede again … eventually. 
 
My point:  Sheer, pure stubbornness does have its place.  If you’re going through tough times, by all means, plan, think, pray and map you way out.  But at the same time, just hanging tough and toughing it out is sometimes the only strategy you may have.  Good luck.  — jri
 
“If you are going through hell, keep
going.”
        –    Winston Churchill

TUESDAY THOUGHT 6/24/08

Hitting a Spiritual Wall
 
Yesterday was one of those days when even my gnarly brother would have run for cover.  Faith be damned!  I was fed up and ready to collect on some long overdue (in my opinion) debts God owed me.  I was tired, felt like a chump, desperate for one of those mega-miracles that (in spite of my own words) I wanted and needed NOW!  In short, I smacked a wall, and I smacked it hard.  I wanted no excuses.  I wanted no compromises.  I wanted God to pony up for all my loyal … well, all my loyal something.  Payment time!
 
Oops.  Damn these clay feet!  I forgot who was the one calling the shots, forgot that if my faith was really all about being honest and about faith, I was in for a dime, in for a dollar, in all the way.  No exceptions; no excuses.  So, this morning, with a few sheepish mumbles, I paid up instead, with my apologies to God for being such a … well, you fill in the blank. 
 
My point:  We’re human.  We fail.  We get tired and we get frustrated.  Lord, sorry for being such a donkey.  Now, what did you have on my list to do today?  Oh, yeah, I forgot:  Your will, your way, your time frame.  Works for me.  Thanks.  — jri
 
“The Lord will indeed give what is good,
    and our land will yield its harvest.”
            –    Psalm 85:12

MONDAY THOUGHT 6/23/08

MegaMiracles
 
I get a kick out of the pretty little miracles — flowers blooming, moonlight flowing across Lake Michigan, the turning of a few jugs of water into some fine wine for a friend’s wedding — you know, the routine stuff.  And I confess my favorites are the whisper miracles — the gentle voice of our Lord as he reminds us He’s there and watching over us.
 
But I also get a true hoot — a Fourth of July fireworks blast — out of those just-in-time MegaMiracles, the against-all-odds cliffhangers: the parting of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army in hot pursuit; the deal that comes out of nowhere to save the business or keep the mortgage from defaulting with two minutes on the clock; the sudden appearance of the well when Hagar and Ishmael are absolutely sure to die of thirst; the conquest of the Promised Land in spite of reports that it is peopled with tough giants living in well-fortified cities; the flying in of fresh meat on the wing each and every morning to go along with the crop of manna (yeah, but no butter or barbecue sauce).
 
My point?  I sometimes think we forget that God is an AWESOME God, just a tad bigger than life, who (and this is only my thought) seems to get a kick out of sitting back and watching as life piles up impossible, cannot-win odds and then saying, “Hey, watch this, you unbelievers.”  So, if you really want to trust in God, don’t bet that the sun will rise in the east in the morning or that your petunias will bloom, but that when He says He will take care of you — without excuse or exception — He will do just that, and He will do it in His inimitable, just-in-time style.  Enjoy the day and a world filled with God’s miracles. — jri
 
“Then God opened her eyes and
she saw a well of water.  So she
went and filled the skin with water
and gave the boy a drink.”
        –    Genesis 21:19

The Silent Bells of Lawler, Iowa

I wish that I could blame my buddy, George Timlin, who had a knack for getting me into trouble when we were kids. A year older than me, he always created ideas or endeavors that were fun but all too often led to a bad ending.

Truth be told, however, this one was on me.

The custodian at Mt. Carmel Catholic Church of Lawler, Iowa in 1955 was Billy Cutsforth. George and I liked Billy because he would allow us to ring the church bells at noon if we were around. The small bell had a skinny rope and was to be pulled nine times for something called the ‘Angelus.’ This was immediately followed by the big bell which was to be rung twelve times and had a rope that was strong enough to lift an eleven-year-old up in the air a few feet. It was great fun to pull those ropes and announce to the little town of five hundred souls that lunch time had arrived. We didn’t understand that it was actually one bell tied to some type of clapper system. Had we known, the following disaster might have been averted.

On this particular day it was my turn to pull the small rope. As twelve-year-old George waited his turn for the big one, I began to wonder what would happen if we pulled them both at the same time but said nothing to him.

“…six…seven…eight…nine.” I was finished.

My friend began his portion of the gig by dutifully tugging on his rope when I began to say aloud, “I wonder what would happen if…”

But for some reason, I didn’t finish my sentence. Instead, in the middle of George’s sixth ring, I simultaneously pulled on the skinny rope.

Bad move on my part.

Suddenly there was silence. Sickly deadly silence. Deafening silence. Painful silence. Ear piecing silence.

I looked at George.

George looked at me.

We both looked to make sure that Billy Cutsforth was not around and did the most logical thing we could think of—run for home as fast as our little legs could carry us! I’m not sure what George did when he got to his house, but I hid under my bed and prayed for a miracle.

It has been fifty-two years since the unfortunate incident so I can’t recall all the sordid details of crime and punishment. I mostly remember that the Mt. Carmel Church bells in Lawler, Iowa did not ring for at least two weeks, my nick-name for the rest of the summer was “Dinger,” and we were never asked to perform that coveted chore again. Most importantly, I know that if I had not impulsively pulled that rope when I did, I would have missed out on a wonderful adventure to share with my grandsons.

What does that tale have to do with you?

Simply this: I’ve never gotten over being curious about people, new ways of doing things, technology, and just plain STUFF. And, frankly, I hope that you never do either.

You may break a church bell or two with your curiosity, but you will never be bored and may just come up with a way to do something better, more fun, for less money or easier.

The contributions you can make by being bold and adventuresome in your daily tasks will be well worth the risks. Pull on that rope. Take a chance and don’t be dissuaded by an occasional failure. You can always run home and hide under the bed.

In the meantime, I’ve gotta figure out a way to blame Timlin for those busted bells.

FRIDAY THOUGHT 6/20/08

To Be Human…
 
I walk my dogs without leashes, and I love to watch them meander, sniff and tear across the open fields.  But I’ve also trained them to come to heel on command (Rocky the Boxer on my left, Toni the Goldie on my right) when cars approach or other people are near. 
 
The other day, I crossed paths with a woman heading down the driveway from a garage sale and across the street to her car.  I stopped in the street and called in the dogs, who heeled, but watched eagerly for a chance to go greet her.  She smiled and, seeing that I was keeping a distance until she passed, said to me, “You can come on.”  When I replied, “They’re good dogs, but they don’t always behave as they should,” she smiled and, as she got in her car, reminded me, “That’s true about all of us, isn’t it?” 
 
My point:  That simple reminder gave me an instant attitude adjustment.  We’re all just human, doing the best we can and, with God’s help, that’s just fine.  Enjoy this beautiful gift of a day. — jri
 
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners — of whom I am the worst.”
        -    St. Paul
               (1 Timothy 1:15)

THURSDAY THOUGHT 6/19/08

The Family of God
 
I spent last evening at an impromptu gathering of wonderful people.  As a ragtag collection of couples and individuals wandered in the door — some connected by blood, some old friends, some new friends just waiting to meet, ranging in age from two to 86 — the joyful dynamic of people laughing and eating and standing around the kitchen (though there was plenty of room elsewhere in the house), was pure, positive fun.
 
We shared grandchild stories, cancer fears, silly jokes, even an RPS (Rock-Paper-Scissors) tournament between aunt and nephew, as good people let down their guard and, as my grandmother would say, just enjoyed.  Great fun.   
 
My point:  It’s the same with a faith community, and why we “do” Bible study, mingle at coffee hour, pray for our friends, drop off a casserole or drive a church member to a doctor’s appointment,  and — oh, yes, of course, most of all — why we go to church to celebrate together in this wondrous breaking of bread with God and friends as members of the Family of God.  Pure joy. — jri
 
“For where two or three come together
in my name, there am I with them.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               (Matthew 18:20)
 

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 6/18/08

God’s Gifts

Ever bake bread?  I don’t believe it will ever work — that the mess of flour, eggs and that supposedly live stuff called yeast (yeah, right) will all come together and produce this fantastic result.  But it happens.  It’s kind of like faith. 
 
As a Christian, I try to put it all in God’s hands … blind faith that He is in charge of all things.  As a bull-headed entrepreneur and positive thinker, however, I keep thinking I can do it all … through my own abilities.  Hmm.  Maybe, just maybe, it’s a combo of both God’s direction and my hard work and sweat.  After all, any talents and abilities I have (and, yes, the ingredients of each day) come from God.  I just try to assemble it all according to the recipe.  How it actually works isn’t my business or problem. 
 
My point?  Work hard and do what you believe is right and decent.  But then give it time to let God’s hand finish it up.  And enjoy the results, even the times when they don’t turn out exactly as hoped for and expected. — jri
 
“Believe in yourself.  Have faith in your
abilities.”
    –    Norman Vincent Peale

TUESDAY THOUGHT 6/17/08

What Do Men & Woman Want?
 
Fifty years ago, I saw women who were afraid to speak up, who thought it was their job in marriage to be silent and long-suffering.  It left many men out there alone and on their own, often indifferent to a woman’s views.  Then, about 25 years ago, I began seeing women who had become demanding, overbearing, way into self-centered self-expression, who thought a man’s focus should be on their needs.  It left many men feeling uncertain, angry, secretive, wondering what they needed to do to please their women.
 
Today I am seeing a wondrous combination of men and women who feel free to speak their minds, but who have learned to respect their own and each other’s opinions and views.  Most of all, I see men who understand that strength, steadiness and patience are what most women really want, value and respect.  As a result, I see more and more couples who are bold, outspoken and independent, responsible for themselves as individuals but supporting each other emotionally as true partners. 
 
My point:  It seems to me that marriage (in fact, every relationship) is not about dominators or whiners, or one person trying to please the other.  It is about being independent enough to self-sustain, but caring enough to share and support each other.  So, enjoy and respect each other.  — jri
 
“A hesitant man is the last thing in the
world a woman needs.  She needs a
lover and a warrior, not a Really Nice
Guy.”
        –    John Eldredge
               (Wild at Heart)
 

MONDAY THOUGHT 6/16/08

I am blessed.  I am not lucky or fortunate (those imply happenstance or coincidence, as if there were no God).  I am blessed.  And by the way, I’ve been accused of being one of those privileged white guys, the type born with all the advantages.  That’s true, kind of, but my privileges included a double-header divorce history, massive financial setbacks following decades of 60-hour sweat equity, and the “advantages” of being able to start over from scratch … twice.  Such privileges!
 
I am blessed with one amazing thing: faith!  That means whenever I screw up or get screwed, I believe each is an opportunity to learn, grow, take a few more humbling, stumbling steps along the broken road of my faith journey, every once in a while coming up with an “Oh, now I get it!” bit of understanding.  My blessings are every breath, every day — good times and times I’d just as soon take a detour around. 
 
My point:  Just ask for and accept the blessings God chooses to send us every day.  We don’t have to spell them out (one Mercedes, two cancer cures, one tax refund check).  All we have to do is say, “Lord, I ask for your blessings this day.”  Then take a big sigh, rejoice and enjoy your blessings. — jri
 

“To bless in the biblical sense means to ask
for or to impart supernatural favor.  When we
ask for God’s blessing … we’re crying out for
the wonderful, unlimited goodness that only
God has the power to know about or give to
us.”
        –    Bruce Wilkinson
               (The Prayer of Jabez)
 

Recommended reading:  The Prayer of Jabez, suggested by a friend in Florida, is a small but amazingly powerful book about faith and God’s awaiting blessings.  It takes about two hours to read, but it will be two hours well spent.  God bless.
John R. Ingrisano

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 6/11/08

The Saint of Second Chances
 
I have a new hero.  Oh, I still love St. Peter for his impetuous, brash style.  But thanks to Father George Hillman, dear friend and vicar at my faith home, the Episcopal Church of Christ the King and Holy Nativity, I have become familiar of late with St. Barnabas, who I would describe as the saint of second chances. 
 
Barnabas seemed like a man of gentle faith.  Not only did he put his money where his mouth was (selling his land and giving the money to the apostles — Acts 4:36), but he also seemed to always give others the benefit of the doubt — willing to check out and accept the early stories of the changed Persecutor-Saul to Apostle-Paul, or to stand up for Mark, even though he had abandoned Paul on one occasion. 
 
My point?  No point today, except that as a man who has been blessed with many second chances, I am delighted beyond explanation to find a new “friend” in Barnabas, who now has a special place in my heart.  May all of us someday be known, as he is, as a “Son  [or Daughter] of Encouragement.”  God bless.  — jri  
 
“He was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and faith.”
        –    Acts 11:24

TUESDAY THOUGHT 6/10/08

America’s Funniest Miracles
 
What do you think?  Could this be a great TV show or what?  I believe in miracles.  I see them every day.  God just drops them in our laps and it is our choice whether to see them or not.  The funniest miracle that ever happened to me took place about four years ago.  I was walking along a path, stressed out and overworked and I said, “Lord, slow me down.”  Not ten steps later, I hit a hole and broke my ankle.  Nothing too serious, but it caused me to slow down, think through my actions … and laugh aloud over the next few weeks about being careful for what I ask.
 
I think Jesus also saw the humor of some miracles.  Telling the mourners to be quiet, the girl is just sleeping.  Or, my favorite, calling Peter out of the boat and just knowing he was going to blow it and sink.  (Can’t you just see a purse-lipped smile creeping across His face?) 
 
My point:  I know God has a joyful sense of humor.  (Remember, He did create giraffes and human beings.)  So, I guess my point is that we should just enjoy the miracles that surround us each day — from our setbacks to our children’s antics to our many blessings.  — jri
 
“Then Peter got out of the boat, walked
on the water and came toward Jesus.
But when he saw the wind, he was
afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,
‘Lord, save me!’  Immediately, Jesus
reached out his hand and caught him.
‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you
doubt?’”
        –    Matthew 14:29-31

MONDAY THOUGHT 6/9/08

Finding Joy in Your Job

I used to believe we should “love what we do.”  In other words, buckle up and knuckle down.  That is how I raised my family and built a solid lifestyle over the years.  I wasn’t always thrilled, but I did get great satisfaction from the results. 
 
Lately, with fewer responsibilities,  I have begun making a pleasant transition to “do what you love.” This includes trying to find a way to make a living doing “things of value” that benefit others and that, just as important, bring me genuine joy as well.  It is a slow transition, but the real benefit is that I have found that I tend to enjoy and love almost everything I do — that which I must do and that which I want to do. 
 
My point:  It is not the work that is either joyful or burdensome, but our attitude towards it.  Enjoy what you do and it will become something that you enjoy doing.  — jri
 
“Moreover, when God gives any man wealth
and possessions, and enables him to enjoy
them, to accept his lot and be happy in his
work — this is a gift of God.  He seldom
reflects on the days of his life, because God
keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”
        –    Solomon
               (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20)

THURSDAY THOUGHT 6/5/08

Jesus Christ, CEO
 
Jesus was a lousy businessman.  I mean, He had a one-of-a-kind product, but He just gave it away, never charging a nickel for curing dread diseases and raising the dead.  His marketing plan consisted of wandering aimlessly around a backwater province with a staff He probably underpaid and who had no idea what their titles were or what they were supposed to do.  I don’t think He even ever passed the hat after one of his stop-a-clock sermons.  (Imagine Jesus as a head of the Church Fundraising Committee!)  But He blew it.  Missed opportunities!
 
A couple of appearances on Oprah and He could have been rich and famous, maybe even franchised The Miracle Business.  (Thursday special: Buy One Healing, Get One Free! No Rainchecks.) But He died with nothing, just a few garments and a handful of supporters, few enough to count on the fingers of each hand.  No, He could have taken Pilate aside, made a side deal by curing a tooth ache or shrinking an ulcer, and gotten off with a tongue lashing and maybe even a bag of goodies.   He could have retired at age 33 to a villa by the sea, made an appearance now and then to keep the royalties rolling in.  But, nope, He blew it.  
 
My point:  Christ gave it away.  No profit or gimmick.  He was the genuine article.  He did it all to profit us, not Himself.  So, celebrate and enjoy this amazing gift … and share it with those around you.  No charge.  — jri
 
“And he directed the people to sit down
on the grass.  Taking the five loaves and
the two fish and looking up to heaven, he
gave thanks and broke the loaves.  Then
he gave them to the disciples, and the
disciples gave them to the people.  They
all ate and were satisfied….”
        –    Matthew 14:19-20
Thanks for the opportunity to share my daily ramblings with you.  No charge!  And on that note, even though my material is copyrighted (why, I really don’t know), please feel free to share my ramblings with others.  I think Christ would be okay with that.  Thank you and God bless. — John

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 6/4/08

I’ve been trying to write about the joys of vengeance half the night.  (Something to do with catharsis.)  When I first heard that a couple that had cold-bloodedly profited from my long-ago suffering — had stepped in to share in a feeding frenzy to finish ripping out your heart — and was now going through a rip ‘n tear divorce of their own,  I was elated.   
 
I so wanted to gloat when I heard the news — to gloat for myself and for all of us who have been spit upon, put upon, put out, put down, looked down upon, used, abused, and screwed into the ground like an auger. I wanted to call and say, “Oh, I am soooo sorry to hear that,” and try not to giggle.  But even that was pretty thin gruel in the end.  Darn!  (I really mean Damn! Damn!  Damn! but I’m trying to watch my language.) This Christian forgiveness stuff can be painful at times.
 
My point:  I think (or at least I hope) we’re at least allowed to occasionally enjoy it when our enemies get a good smiting.  Yeah, I know, then we have to forgive them.  Darn!  Darn!  Darn! — jri
 
“Merciless is the judgment on the man
who had not shown mercy; but mercy
triumphs over judgment.”
        –    St. James
               (James 2:13) 

TUESDAY THOUGHT 6/3/08

Got pain?

Just a quick reminder, in case you forgot:  Life is tough, sometimes challenging, occasionally downright brutal.

That’s how we grow, how we become stronger, both physically and spiritually — by running those ten miles, by pumping iron, by sticking with a tough project, by working through a difficult relationship … by just surviving sometimes. 

Enjoy this day and all its challenges. Without them, life would, quite literally, become empty over time. — jri

“Anything in life worth having is worth
working for.”
    –    Andrew Carnegie

MONDAY THOUGHT 6/2/08

All in!
 
I enjoy poker.  I’m lousy at it, but I enjoy it.  Under one version of the game, Texas Hold ‘em, when a player has a really good hand, he or she declares, “All in!”  That means all his or her chips on the table are bet.  It’s a total commitment that can either win the tournament or send the player into the Losers’ Lounge.
 
That’s kind of how I feel about faith.  It’s a commitment, where I believe we need to put our (spiritual) money where our mouth is.  The risk is in how much we believe and trust that God knows what He is doing.  He either offers us the winning hand … or all that we believe is just a lot of feel-good hot air. 
 
For my way of thinking, it’s a pretty safe bet.  All in!  — jri
 
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure
hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he
hid it again, and then in his joy went and
sold all he had and bought that field.”
        –    Jesus Christ
               (Matthew 13:44)