Have you ever tried to picture what it was like when God created the world? I see God in worn and faded overalls, down on His knees in the dirt, prodding the soil with a hand shovel and shaping creation with His fingers.
I love gardening: I assume I get that from my Father.
Meanwhile the Psalmist explains creation differently. “By the word of the Lord” --- the stars and heavens were created, reports the Psalmist. So God was not shaping matter with His hands; instead He was literally speaking creation into being. (Psalm 33:6)
God breathed; God spoke. In the moment of His speaking, God’s Divine words tumbled out into empty space and the stars were born. Planets began their orbit and the energy of matter began spreading out in a beautiful array, in all directions.
I’ve heard a lot of explanations for creation. Big bang. Matter colliding with anti-matter until (luckily for us) there was no anti-matter left. Then matter colliding with matter until an azalea bloomed, a fish swam and an elephant bellowed.
Instead of placing my faith in explosions (exactly what blew up, and what made it blow up, and how did it get there to blow up?) I am more than content to picture a Creative God breathing and speaking. From the words of Moses to the words of David to the words of Jesus I am content to believe in my Creator and my Lord.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Lessons from Woody
We knew we couldn't keep him forever, but we held on as long as we possibly could. Our good friend and writing mentor, Dr. Sherwood Wirt, has finally departed our San Diego Christian Writers Guild (which he founded) in favor of a higher calling.
Woody Wirt was our friend (here's Woody at 93, with David, attending and teaching at the guild's annual fall conference in Rancho Bernardo) and our mentor in writing and life. We learned so much from his wise example!
Woody taught us humility. He authored 42 books in his lifetime, and was working on book #43 when he passed away. We've seen the notes; that next book would be wonderful just like his others. Our favorite from the entire group? His translation of St. Augustine's "Confessions" which is titled "Love Song." Although the book is out of print, find it where you can and simply enjoy. Augustine's prose may have been beautiful; Woody's is gorgeous. Yet despite all his success in publishing, Woody was approachable and humble, patient with beginners, never condescending or proud.
Woody taught us intellectual curiosity. At age 97, even just before his death, Woody was learning -- learning -- learning. He was always learning! Woody was the last journalist to interview C.S. Lewis before Lewis died; out of those notes Woody wrote articles and taught courses about Lewis. Woody's wide-ranging intellectual curiosity covered all things Christian, many of the great periods of history, anything about words and writing.
Woody taught us personal integrity. Woody was the pioneering editor of Billy Graham's magazine called "Decision." The magazine grew out of Woody's interviews with Billy Graham and his subsequent involvement in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Woody traveled the world with Graham and his team, always modeling the highest standards of personal character and personal integrity. Billy Graham surrounded himself with men of exceptional talent: Dr. Sherwood Wirt was one of those men!
Woody taught us the virtue of humor. Positive, encouraging, and always filled with zest for life, Woody survived the death of his first wife, whom he deeply loved, and yet kept his love for life. Eventually Woody married again -- he is survived by his wonderful Ruth, who has cared for him with such tender love in Woody's later years. Woody was always quick with a punch line, quick with word play, quick to laugh! Any interaction with Woody involved a great deal of laughter: Woody knew the value of fun.
Ten books and dozens of articles into our rookie season as authors, our lives have been hugely impacted by Woody Wirt's personal example, his wisdom about words, and his extended ministry through our guild. It's hard to imagine writing without Woody -- but we know he's in heaven's library right now, either reading or writing.
Woody, you continue to inspire us!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Light Snow, Good Friends & Caribou Coffee
Light snow dapples our rented RAV4 this morning; God TP'd our Toyota with his own special blend. Don't worry about us: we'll scrape through this somehow...
We're scraping snow off our frosty hood in the Twin Cities this weekend. It's the world premiere of our new book: The Soul-Mate Marriage: The Spiritual Journey of Becoming One. This book has our voice, our life, our soul in it --- this book is what happens when you work with marriages for 25 years, you pay attention, and you stay awake.
We stay awake with Caribou Coffee, our favorite, available here and in Chicago, plus a few of our most frequent airports. We're lifting a few frothy cocoa mugs this weekend to raise our spirits; we love Caribou! Sadly, Caribou have not roamed in the Pacific Southwest for many years; we lament their absence.
Absent from Minneapolis for so long, we are reminded of what we miss about this frozen forest: Caribou, Byerly's, Target, the Vikings, and fond memories of what once was Dayton's. What's not to love?
Speaking of love: it's these people. We've spent this weekend surrounded by close friends, kids of friends, friends of kids, friends of close friends. Friday night was a blur of handshakes and autographs and camel's breath. (Yes, there was a live petting zoo behind us, and a reptile pit nearby.) Saturday was more of the same, but only after sleepy Scandinavians were awake.
Awake this morning before church, we're dazzled by the sight of snow, counting our blessings that this massive metro area contains so many of the people we most value, cherish and treasure. Our hearts are here; where is Tony Bennett when we need him? We left our hearts in....Minneapolis.
Minneapolis is a multicultural igloo, beautiful and varied, a place where the term 'melting pot' would first be preceded by a long discussion: what the heck is 'melting'? Talk freezing up here: then we know what you mean.
Here's what we mean: we miss this place: not the snow, not the traffic, not the road construction which apparently guarantees permanent employment (it never ends). Just the people. Small and large, all shapes and sizes and races and colors and languages. If we made a gallery of our favorite faces we would frame these! Here are the people we love and here is a culture we understand and celebrate.
Celebrating 30 years of an amazing and God-blessed marriage, we know for sure we aren't worthy of these friends and their families. Yet as winter marches in with relentless Norwegian fury, we're slowly rolling out with our hearts freshly warmed for the season ahead.
Ahead of us: many more roadways. If only we could take the grandkids along, just like we took them to Burger King on Friday -- laughing and joking, pretending to be lost in a neighborhood we served for a dozen of the best years of our lives. If today there are fewer lost kids in that neighborhood, then perhaps those 12 years mattered for eternity.
About eternity: we believe there is a plan for our lives, and we believe we are following that plan. We are not perfect, not always right, sometimes mixed up with our culture and customs instead of authentic faith. But we are, on this frosty Minnesota morning, moving consistently in the direction of what we truly believe: that there is a home for us in eternity, around whose hearth we hope to see all of these faces, plus many more.
From the journey....Dave & Lisa
We're scraping snow off our frosty hood in the Twin Cities this weekend. It's the world premiere of our new book: The Soul-Mate Marriage: The Spiritual Journey of Becoming One. This book has our voice, our life, our soul in it --- this book is what happens when you work with marriages for 25 years, you pay attention, and you stay awake.
We stay awake with Caribou Coffee, our favorite, available here and in Chicago, plus a few of our most frequent airports. We're lifting a few frothy cocoa mugs this weekend to raise our spirits; we love Caribou! Sadly, Caribou have not roamed in the Pacific Southwest for many years; we lament their absence.
Absent from Minneapolis for so long, we are reminded of what we miss about this frozen forest: Caribou, Byerly's, Target, the Vikings, and fond memories of what once was Dayton's. What's not to love?
Speaking of love: it's these people. We've spent this weekend surrounded by close friends, kids of friends, friends of kids, friends of close friends. Friday night was a blur of handshakes and autographs and camel's breath. (Yes, there was a live petting zoo behind us, and a reptile pit nearby.) Saturday was more of the same, but only after sleepy Scandinavians were awake.
Awake this morning before church, we're dazzled by the sight of snow, counting our blessings that this massive metro area contains so many of the people we most value, cherish and treasure. Our hearts are here; where is Tony Bennett when we need him? We left our hearts in....Minneapolis.
Minneapolis is a multicultural igloo, beautiful and varied, a place where the term 'melting pot' would first be preceded by a long discussion: what the heck is 'melting'? Talk freezing up here: then we know what you mean.
Here's what we mean: we miss this place: not the snow, not the traffic, not the road construction which apparently guarantees permanent employment (it never ends). Just the people. Small and large, all shapes and sizes and races and colors and languages. If we made a gallery of our favorite faces we would frame these! Here are the people we love and here is a culture we understand and celebrate.
Celebrating 30 years of an amazing and God-blessed marriage, we know for sure we aren't worthy of these friends and their families. Yet as winter marches in with relentless Norwegian fury, we're slowly rolling out with our hearts freshly warmed for the season ahead.
Ahead of us: many more roadways. If only we could take the grandkids along, just like we took them to Burger King on Friday -- laughing and joking, pretending to be lost in a neighborhood we served for a dozen of the best years of our lives. If today there are fewer lost kids in that neighborhood, then perhaps those 12 years mattered for eternity.
About eternity: we believe there is a plan for our lives, and we believe we are following that plan. We are not perfect, not always right, sometimes mixed up with our culture and customs instead of authentic faith. But we are, on this frosty Minnesota morning, moving consistently in the direction of what we truly believe: that there is a home for us in eternity, around whose hearth we hope to see all of these faces, plus many more.
From the journey....Dave & Lisa
Monday, October 13, 2008
My Next President
My next president will be imperfect, like I am. He or she will make mistakes: mistakes of judgment, mistakes of timing, mistakes of direction, and a few random stupid mistakes also. I expect a president to make mistakes: I think it shows character when he or she admits them. All of us make mistakes.
My next president will need my prayers, just like the current one does. Scripture reminds me (and I need the reminder) to pray for those in authority. Our current president, whose term in office began with a terrorist attack on our nation, is closing his term by facing perhaps the greatest global economic challenge of this generation. Prayer helps presidents: prayer helps us all.
My next president will be immediately loved by some people; immediately hated by others. He or she will face an immediate chorus of criticism, sarcasm, political satire, and late-night-talk-show-jokes. If he or she is a person of faith, this criticism will be especially intense and often mean-spirited.
My next president deserves my respect, whether I voted for him or her, or not. The media’s constant criticism of a president has the powerful effect of lowering respect for my leader: I must not only ignore this largely mindless chatter, I must rise above it and realize that anyone who leads a great nation is worthy of my respect, regardless of his or her political views and personal values.
My next president will lead the nation where I was born. He or she will take actions that he or she believes will advance the safety, security, prosperity, and well-being of this nation. Good people can disagree on how best to achieve these goals: my next president will pursue our nation’s advancement.
My next president will have my support. God knows, he or she will need it. Regardless of whether I vote for the person who becomes my next president, when the election is over my president will have my support, my respect, and my prayers. That, as I understand it, is the key to good citizenship.
My next president will need my prayers, just like the current one does. Scripture reminds me (and I need the reminder) to pray for those in authority. Our current president, whose term in office began with a terrorist attack on our nation, is closing his term by facing perhaps the greatest global economic challenge of this generation. Prayer helps presidents: prayer helps us all.
My next president will be immediately loved by some people; immediately hated by others. He or she will face an immediate chorus of criticism, sarcasm, political satire, and late-night-talk-show-jokes. If he or she is a person of faith, this criticism will be especially intense and often mean-spirited.
My next president deserves my respect, whether I voted for him or her, or not. The media’s constant criticism of a president has the powerful effect of lowering respect for my leader: I must not only ignore this largely mindless chatter, I must rise above it and realize that anyone who leads a great nation is worthy of my respect, regardless of his or her political views and personal values.
My next president will lead the nation where I was born. He or she will take actions that he or she believes will advance the safety, security, prosperity, and well-being of this nation. Good people can disagree on how best to achieve these goals: my next president will pursue our nation’s advancement.
My next president will have my support. God knows, he or she will need it. Regardless of whether I vote for the person who becomes my next president, when the election is over my president will have my support, my respect, and my prayers. That, as I understand it, is the key to good citizenship.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Raising Great Kids On Your Own
Are you raising a world champion?Pictured at left is another great kid who was raised by a single parent. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was raised by his mother after his parents divorced. At age 9, unable to pay attention in school, he was diagnosed with symptoms of ADHD.
Let's face it: parenting isn't easy! Especially if you're all alone to raise your children.
Here's the good news: You can raise world-class kids, people who go on to high achievements in sports, medicine, entertainment, government and many other kinds of leadership. We've been learning from successful single parents, literally around the world, about what it takes and how to get there from where you are.
The best of what we've learned from today's successful single parents is right here, in a brand-new book that is just releasing this fall. The title is "Raising Great Kids On Your Own" and it's selling at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Target and in many other stores. You can also purchase it on-line at Amazon through a link along the left side of this blog.
Stressed-out while raising kids on your own?
Worried that your children are disadvantaged?
Your children can go on to achieve greatness, with your help. Just ask Michael Phelp's mom!!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
FIREPROOF Your Marriage: Here's How
This fall our newest book arrives (see cover at left) and we're so blessed to be speaking and teaching in connection with new movie "FireProof."We've seen "FireProof: The Movie" three times, and it just keeps getting better with each viewing. This fall we're out on the circuit speaking, teaching and training married couples --- as we've done since February 1982.
This new book brings the count to ten --- ten published books, not counting the pile of rejection slips, the two novels, and the amazing PK book that no publisher believes "has any market." It takes a lot of rejection and patience to get 10 books in print.
No whining here: our body of work has now grown to 10 published books from four publishers! God is good.
Seven of our ten books are available for purchase right here on this blog, from boxed links to Amazon's always-open superstore. So sorry Amazon doesn't have our new book's cover posted yet. Coming soon; meanwhile click the link and pre-order the book today!
Thanks for stopping by our blog; thanks for reading this post. Now would you please say a prayer for new movie "FireProof" and also say a prayer for our new book "The Soul-Mate Marriage" --- both of these brand-new resources have been designed to rescue marriages and to help couples find lasting, lifelong, committed relationships.
From the journey ---- David & Lisa
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Washing Feet
When I finally finished my homily, the groom grabbed a chair. He brought it under the tent, placed it in front of his bride and offered her a seat. She sat.
He knelt down in front of her, grabbed a basin and a towel, and washed her feet, installing clean white sandals for her (she walked the aisle barefoot as she arrived).
When he was carefully and tenderly done, he took his place on the chair and his bride washed his feet, installing similar clean white sandals for him.
They stood up together, we began the exchange of vows, and the wedding service continued. But from that moment on --- two of us had cleaner feet. And all of us had witnessed a gentle moment in a private relationship between two servant-hearts that were uniting as one.
They leave tomorrow for their honeymoon: they're heading to a third-world country and all of us will be surprised if they don't find ways to serve and minister while there.
Meanwhile, we're just returning from Lanesboro, Minnesota -- Amish Country -- after performing wedding #350 for us. And despite what you might think, after three-hundred-plus weddings, every one of the services has been unique; each homily crafted for each couple, never anything generic.
Even after this many weddings, each one resonates as an individual, identifiable ceremony.
Yes we did a wedding in Switzerland. Stone chapel. No sound system or electricity.
Yes we did a wedding on an island in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. No plumbing.
Yes we've done weddings in most of the 50 U.S. states and in many other world areas.
Yes we've done weddings for every sibling within a family circle; but one at a time. :)
Yes we've done a wedding (just one so far!) for someone whose parents we married.
Our wedding march continues. Driving away from the rolling hills of southern Minnesota, we turned off the stereo and just talked. Thirty years together and we still haven't run out of things to talk about, laugh about, and explore for our future.
Heading away from wedding #350 we are moving forward, excited about God's direction for our lives and glad to be following Him, honoring Him, serving Him.
We are definitely imperfect, but we're moving in the right direction....
He knelt down in front of her, grabbed a basin and a towel, and washed her feet, installing clean white sandals for her (she walked the aisle barefoot as she arrived).
When he was carefully and tenderly done, he took his place on the chair and his bride washed his feet, installing similar clean white sandals for him.
They stood up together, we began the exchange of vows, and the wedding service continued. But from that moment on --- two of us had cleaner feet. And all of us had witnessed a gentle moment in a private relationship between two servant-hearts that were uniting as one.
They leave tomorrow for their honeymoon: they're heading to a third-world country and all of us will be surprised if they don't find ways to serve and minister while there.
Meanwhile, we're just returning from Lanesboro, Minnesota -- Amish Country -- after performing wedding #350 for us. And despite what you might think, after three-hundred-plus weddings, every one of the services has been unique; each homily crafted for each couple, never anything generic.
Even after this many weddings, each one resonates as an individual, identifiable ceremony.
Yes we did a wedding in Switzerland. Stone chapel. No sound system or electricity.
Yes we did a wedding on an island in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. No plumbing.
Yes we've done weddings in most of the 50 U.S. states and in many other world areas.
Yes we've done weddings for every sibling within a family circle; but one at a time. :)
Yes we've done a wedding (just one so far!) for someone whose parents we married.
Our wedding march continues. Driving away from the rolling hills of southern Minnesota, we turned off the stereo and just talked. Thirty years together and we still haven't run out of things to talk about, laugh about, and explore for our future.
Heading away from wedding #350 we are moving forward, excited about God's direction for our lives and glad to be following Him, honoring Him, serving Him.
We are definitely imperfect, but we're moving in the right direction....
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