“You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back.” Motto, Massachusetts Humane Society

On the island of Nantucket there is a museum dedicated to celebrating the unique maritime heritage of the island. Located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast when maritime travel was in its heyday, Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. There have been over 700 shipwrecks in the area dubbing it as the “graveyard of the Atlantic.” Contained within the museum are artifacts and stories of those who sailed, and those who risked their lives to rescue those whose ships were sinking. I have never visited Nantucket, but I would like to someday. As I was reading about the museum one story stood out, and I want to summarize it for you here. It is the story of the Massachusetts Humane Society.

Formally established in 1786, the Massachusetts Humane Society was concerned about the needless deaths resulting from shipwrecks and drowning and wanted to find ways to save lives. From the outset, it focused on recognizing the selfless lifesaving rescues and preventing such tragedies. Volunteers would spend hours at a time in huts that overlooked the ocean watching for any ship that might be in peril. They stationed equipment at certain vantage points to be ready at a moments notice to go and attempt rescue. This heroic group of volunteers adopted the motto, “You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back.” Soon, other groups like the United States Life Saving Association, and the United States Coast Guard, joined the efforts to save lives. For a while, the volunteers and the paid workers worked side-by-side risking life and limb to rescue, but in time that would change. Barriers would start to form between the groups. The volunteers started to make statements like, “We don’t have the right training, or equipment;” and, “Maybe we should let the professionals do this”; and later, “Why should we risk our lives volunteering when they are the ones getting paid?” This group once dedicated to selfless lifesaving rescues quit watching for ships in peril. They quit going out to help with rescues, and lost their purpose. A few members of the group still meet today, but not to save lives, to have fellowship. It is interesting to me how things change…

This year our school theme is focused upon Servanthood. When we talk about servanthood, we mean more than just doing work for someone else. After all, people who are not connected with Jesus can serve. People can do good deeds for others, but that is not what we mean by servanthood. People can also serve out of wrong motives—to gain self-worth, to call attention to themselves, to alleviate guilt, etc. Serving from wrong motives is not servanthood. True servanthood flows out of a deep friendship with Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit as a result of an abiding in Christ (John 15:5), producing spiritual, eternal fruit in becoming more like Jesus. Yet sometimes barriers stop people from serving. My hope is that we will be able to begin to live 1 Peter 4:10-11 this school year, and that we will not lose our purpose.

Thanks for reading.

We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5(NCV)

When I last wrote, I began to tell about an exhilarating experience I had this past summer that involved water. Here is the rest of the story. Previously, I had left off with water streaming into the room with only my thumb trying to stop the flow. As I began to yell for help, I soon realized that no one was around to hear me. There are times when being alone is great, this was not one of those times. Water was beginning to fill the room. I had to do something. If only I could get the water shut off, but the shutoff valve was downstairs. I had no choice…I had to make a run for it. I let go of the pipe, and in a split second, water was hitting me squarely in the chest. Startled I jumped up and went for the door. As I ran out into the hall, I shot a glance back into the bathroom. The water jet was so strong it was spraying the wall six feet away like a pressure washer clearing a path. I leaped jumping down our steps nearly crashing through the wall at the bottom of the stair. My middle son met me at the doorway and asked what was going on. All I could say was, “Get the shop-vac!” I turned every valve I could find, but the water would not stop. Ryan immediately started using the shop-vac trying to minimize the mess, but now the water was running under the baseboard through the walls and coming out into the carpet in the basement. Finally, I found the valve that turned off all of the water, but there was still at least three inches of water on the bathroom floor, and who knows how much that had seeped through the walls down into the basement. What a mess that all started with a small insignificant drop of water.

Have you ever been caught off guard? Sideswiped? In a position where instead of controlling your thoughts and frustrations you were controlled by them? This was definitely one of those times for me. What do you do when times get the best of you? Max Lucado writes, “Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions. Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum. Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime. Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse. Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery. Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement. Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.” My plumbing problem started as a small drop of water that within minutes turned into a uncontrollable flood. You do not have to be a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote. You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. You can also exercise thought permission. Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others? Absolutely! Philippians 4:8 helps me stay focused, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (RSV). Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us. Fill up on the good things, and take stock of the negative…make it become obedient to the authority of Christ, and those watching will learn to do the same.

Thanks for reading.

“The grass is greenest where it is watered...carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be.” Robert Fulghum

How has your summer break? I hope you have been able to enjoy some vacation time. I took some time off and was determined to accomplish a few tasks that I had neglected around our house. Making a trip to the dump, cleaning up around the yard and house was great, and I was happy with the way my tasks were quickly being eliminated. Two days into my stay-cation having already accomplished a majority of the projects, I had in mind; I was suddenly given a new and unexpected project. Accidently, I found a few drops of water under one of the sinks in the main bathroom of our house. Not a lot of water mind you, but whenever you find water in a place it should not be, it is never a good sign. After a bit of investigation, I decided that I would try to tighten the fittings and see if this would solve the problem. The problem appeared to be solved at first, but later that same day I found more water. While attempting to check and re-tighten the fixtures and supply lines, my wrench slipped and whacked the hot water supply line. The 50-year-old line snapped like a twig and my little water problem was now a flood. Water was gushing out of the pipe at a tremendous velocity. I was a bit stunned at first, but quickly realized my predicament as water crashed into my chest and face. I instinctively put my thumb over the hole partially slowing its progress.

Surprise! Do you like to be surprised? I know… it depends on whether you are the “surpriser” or “surprisee.” I think it might be safe to say that we do not mind surprise when it is our doing, but to be surprised by something unexpected is usually not something the normal person enjoys or desires. Surprise often means adjustment (hopefully you were not so surprised that you need to change your clothing). Whenever something changes, it can often push us in the area of trust, and you might find yourself asking many questions like: Why is this happening? Why now? What were they thinking? Why me?

How do you handle change? Change is an essential element of life itself, yet we almost instinctively resist it. During this day and age, change is happening so quickly most people do not have the luxury of adapting gradually. The future belongs to those who anticipate change and have a plan to respond to it. We can never expect to control change, but we can control our response to it. The first thing to remember is that with every change someone experiences a sense of chaos. People experience anxiety with change even with the most thoughtful and careful communication about it. Even if the change is in the best interest of everyone involved. Therefore, a key to remember is to be open and flexible. Cultivate a habit of remaining open-minded and adaptable trying to see the benefits rather than becoming upset and frustrated. Remain calm, take a deep breath, relax, and assess the situation as objectively as possible. This can best be accomplished by asking open-ended questions. The critical issue in dealing with change is having control. Most of our stress and unhappiness comes as a result of feeling out of control. The only thing you have complete control over is your conscious mind. So take control of your thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5 and Romans 12:1-2). Turn your thoughts to focusing on the One who gives peace (John 14:27). Trust in His character for He cares more about you and your situation than you can even realize (Matthew 6.25-34). We are about to start a new school year. We will face many changes, and together, with the Lord’s help, we will face the changes and remain in unity.

Thanks for reading.