Joel Stiff's Adventure

 

We miss a lot in life.

We are very focused on what it takes to get everything done that needs to be done.

In the process, we miss much of the world.

This is the view from the balcony of our cabin this week. It is an amazing view to us. We rarely see things like this in person.

I wonder how many of the people who live here fail to notice it anymore. It is just a part of the landscape.

I know I do this where I am from. I live in an area where there are many beautiful things. But I drive past them in a hurry to get where I need to be to do what I need to do. 

Some would respond cynically to my statement that in Flint there are many beautiful things. This just reinforces my point.

The first casualty is the beauty around us. Our surroundings and what they hold.

The second becomes the people in our lives.

I have wondered how two boys in Columbine, Colorado could build bombs and formulate a plot to massacre their peers without someone noticing. 

There were people around. They just didn’t notice these boys.

Situational awareness is one of the things taught in the classes that prepare a person to carry a firearm in public. Noticing what is going on around you. Who is around and what they are doing. Being aware of a possible danger.

I lack that sometimes. The awareness of all that is going on around me.

It is represented in the husband who “uh, huh’s” his wife from behind the newspaper while she is trying to talk with him.

It is the mother who responds, “That’s nice” to her son who just told her he is having trouble in school.

It is our kids who miss the deer crossing the road because they are watching Frozen for the twelfth time on their ipod.

People who fail to notice the things going on around them grow old and ask, “When did this happen?”

It happened when you weren’t paying attention.

Maybe the things we are giving our attention to aren’t worth exchanging for what we are missing.

We all need them.
This week mine is taking place in the Rocky Mountains with some Archie comics, Longmire novels and my beautiful wife.

 

Today is my ninetieth post in as many days.

In my own humble opinion, some have been good. Some have been ok. Some have been terrible.

The best batters in baseball hit around .300. That means that they only get a hit one out of three at bats.

Two-thirds of the time they fail.

They are the best because they consistently get up to bat.

You never succeed if you don’t step in the box and swing the bat.

 

1. Ask God for it – James 1:5

2. Read the Bible

3. Watch what other people do and see how it turns out for them.

4. Make your own mistakes and learn through the reproofs of life.

 

The life of Joseph in Genesis is an interesting one.

He is the favorite of his father and given a beautiful coat.

He is hated by his brothers for it.

He is given dreams by God assuring him of prominence.

He is thrown into a pit and sold as a slave.

He earns great trust and position from his master.

He is falsely accused of rape and imprisoned.

He runs the prison as a prisoner and helps a butler.

The butler forgets about him and he spends two more years in jail.

He interprets a dream for pharaoh and saves many people.

 

Life is like that. Up and down.

Joseph’s ups were pretty high and his downs were really low.

The one consistency in Joseph’s life wasn’t his circumstances, but it was his attitude.

No matter where he found himself, he determined to make it better.

 

My wife, Shannon, posted a very wise truth that I told her I was going to steal and use tonight.

We share a victory with someone and their reaction is not as exuberant as we would expect.

We are excited and they are less than impressed.

We give all the details ad nauseum and they yawn.

We cannot believe the miracle that has taken place and they shirk it off as coincidence.

If we aren’t careful, this can frustrate us.

We want them to feel what we feel.

We want their level of excitement to match ours.

But if their journey hasn’t been the same, their thrill won’t be either.

Someone who hasn’t seen the transformation will never be as thrilled as the one who was a part of it.

 

A running theme in the Bible is that amazing things are accomplished by the underestimated.

People that refuse to go along with the crowd.

Small groups of people.

Jesus had twelve disciples.

Gideon won a battle with only 300 men.

Noah and his seven family members repopulated the earth.

Enoch walked more closely with God than any other person.

Following the crowd is a waste of time and leads nowhere you want to be.

Overcoming the fear of standing out is the key.

 

We are remodeling the house next to our church for a new staff couple.

Today I was putting in the sink and vanity.

My dad was in the other room working.

I was quite amazed at the infrequency with which he poked his head in to check on my work.

Once I had everything installed and water was running freely he asked, “Did you seal those plumbing connections?”

I responded with an expression that communicated my lack of concern for leaks.

He has seen this look before.

Some time passed and I opened the doors to ensure the bottom of the vanity was still dry.

There was a quarter sized puddle of water.

I wiped it up certain that it was condensation due to the humidity.

Time passed and I checked again…..more condensation.

I have mentioned my penchant for over tightening.

So I gave the connections another quarter turn. Nothing broke, thankfully.

I’ll check in the morning to see if any more condensation has formed.

I’m sure it’ll be dry.

My dad, on the other hand, isn’t so sure.

 

You wouldn’t like the people He chose to spend time with.

Mark 2:17: When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

“Hey, you will not believe who I saw Jesus with the other day. I’m pretty sure we are going to be looking for another church.”

 

 

Why do we celebrate mothers?

We celebrate them because they serve us.

Jesus said that the servant is the greatest of all.

He didn’t say that they would be great, He said that they are great.

Serving is greatness.

That’s why our moms are great.

If you aspire to greatness, go do the stuff your mom does.

Go serve someone who can offer you nothing in return.