Are You Joyful?

Yesterday I put in 12 hours at work. It was one of those "Monday on a Tuesday" days. I was consistently busy.

I also received a wonderful compliment from a visitor to our office. After helping her with a number of technology-related issues, she said I was very "joyful". She went on to say that she had noticed me throughout the day that I was always joyful.

Whether I am home, work, or whatever I may be doing, I try to have a positive attitude. I try to see the sun above the clouds. It's not easy especially when you are surrounded by negativity. Fight off the fog of doubt and despair and be joyful.

Lastly...

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need." (Romans 12:12-13)

Chuck Norris On World Net Daily

Chuck Norris is now writing columns for World Net Daily.

Here is his first column... "A force of 1"

Norris has a wonderful way of incorporating wisdom in his stories, especially since he came back to our Lord.

Enjoy!

HT: Tim Ellsworth

Medical Update

Thank you all for your concerns over my broken big toe. Now for an update. Hint: This is why I am NOT a doctor.

After taking some nudging from my wife, I went to an urgent care clinic to have an x-ray done on my left foot. So, on Saturday morning, I stumbled out of bed at 6 a.m. to be the first in line. All went very well.

As I signed in, the front desk nurse asked me what I did. I told her about tae kwon do class, a week ago Thursday, and kicking the bag wrong. There was just a little pain. She then asked why I waited so long. I simply told her that I'm a male. We're very stubborn. She laughed as I waited for the doctor to call me back.

The preliminary nurse called me back to check my weight, vital signs, and ask me why I waited so long with a broken toe and possibly a broken foot. I gave her the same answer, "It really isn't that bad. My wife told me to have it checked, since I'm a diabetic, and blah, blah, blah." Something was said pertaining to stubborness and being a male, but I forget. Anyway, she, too, laughed as I waited for the doctor.

The doctor comes in, and after mild chit-chat about male stubborness and not listening to my wife when I should have, she grabbed my foot and proceeded to play the little piggy game with it. "This little piggy...". Okay, that really didn't happen, but it sure felt like it. After a few minutes of examining my foot, she believes it isn't broken. But, to be on the safe side, she orders an x-ray.

After about ten minutes, and several foot x-rays later, the doctor gave me the news: I don't have a broken toe or foot. I have a severe contusion. In layman's terms, I jammed the heck out of it. She (the doctor) was amazed that I didn't break it with all the bruising and swelling. I was discharged with instructions to elevate and ice-down my foot, along with taking ibuprofen every 8 hours as needed, and listen to my wife.

Lessons learned:
1. Listen to wife to avoid "nasty stares" and snap-kicks to the butt.
2. Pull toes back when kicking a bag of any type. As John Vesia mentioned, pads are preferable, but I need to learn technique first.
3. Go back and study number 1 again.

Injuries...

I am not one who is prone to injury. I've never broken a bone and never torn a ligament. I'm a blessed man.

Last Thursday, though, God humbled me with a broken big toe. How? During Tae Kwon Do class, I was instructed to do a left front kick to the heavy bag. "No problem.", I thought. I was having a wonderful lesson: My kicks were snapping and powerful. My punches could've knocked out a heavy weight fighter. I was relaxed and not as stiff as previous classes.

But I forgot one key component with my left foot; I forgot to pull my toes back. So, I slammed my big left toe into the heavy bag with as much power as I could muster. Yes, it snapped like a twig. At first, I thought I had jammed my toe and kept on with the class. By Friday, it was black and blue all over.

And through it all, I've laughed. I even sparred on Friday night, with a broken toe, and had fun. I'm thankful to a God who teaches us, in small lessons, to "lighten" up when trials occur. Besides, laughter is the best medicine.

In Defense of John Eldredge

Not that John Eldredge needs defending. He's got tons of detractors who fault him from his theology to his definition of "man"hood. And yet, he also has a large following. I have read five of Eldredge's books:

Wild At Heart
Waking The Dead
Epic
The Journey of Desire and,
Captivating

All of which were wonderful and I've used them for bible studies and applications in my own life. I've met people who have attended his conferences and loved them. Yet, there is always someone who just doesn't seem to 'get' it.

Eldredge uses a lot of imagery and metaphors for his works. For that matter, so did King David, Solomon, and Jesus. All of whom want us to draw closer to God the Father. Contemporary writers such as C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton were the same way.

So, why the disparagement with Eldredge? Is it due to his brash contempt for 'dead' Christians or churches full of bobble-heads? His remarks against fool-hearty, know-it-all Christians, perhaps?

Allow me to point out Scripture that clearly confused a Pharisee through the use of imagery:

John 3:
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Gee, just imagine the look on Nicodemus' face when he heard this from Jesus.

Using imagery and metaphor is nothing new. Through all of Eldredge's works he NEVER takes away from who God the Father and Jesus the Christ was, is, and always will be. Maybe though we should do as James mentions:

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

John Eldredge and his wife, Stasi, stand firmly in doing the work Christ has laid before them. Are we?