Don't Look Back...

Do you remember the movie, "Duel?"

Released in 1971 as a TV Movie, and then later as a full-length theatrical film, it starred Dennis Weaver (of "Gunsmoke" fame).  Weaver drove his Plymouth Valiant while being stalked on a lonely dessert road by the mysterious driver of a large tanker truck.

It was a great flick.  If you haven't seen it...or haven't seen it in some time...you should check it out.  It holds up well as a quite terrifying movie-long chase scene.

Warning:  After watching it you may find yourself glancing more often than usual in your car's rear-view mirror...to see if something scary is gaining on you.

Famous Negro Leagues pitcher, Satchel Paige, among his many humorous and insightful quotes, has this one: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."

When you look back, what's gaining on you?
Guilt?
Shame?
Lost and/or unresolved relationships?
Fear...of sickness, death, loss, being found out, losing control?

Yeah, me too. We all got that "stuff" called baggage that we drag around behind us...and every now and then it seems like some or all of it is gaining on us.  Damn!  It makes a tanker truck look pretty tame, by comparison.

Now, beyond owning up to the fact that I have baggage just like I suppose everybody does, I sadly have no magic cure for how to deal with the "stuff" that appears in our rear-view mirrors from time to time.  I ignore it sometimes...maybe you do too.  I try to soften it a bit with all kinds of mind-tricks sometimes...maybe you do too.  I swear at it out loud (or under my breath when I am with others) sometimes...maybe you do too.

So, I went to a couple of big-shots in the world-of-living-decently...perhaps their wisdom will help us keep from dragging around any more "stuff" than we have to...and perhaps their wisdom will make it possible for us to not add to the "stuff" we are already dealing with.

First, from Pope Francis' "10 Tips for a Happier Life."
-Live and Let Live.
-Proceed Calmly In Life.
-Be Giving of Yourself to Others.
-Respect and Take Care of Nature.
-Stop Being Negative.
-Work for Peace.

And, from the Dalai Lama's "21 Rules for Living."
-When You Lose, Don't Lose the Lesson.
-Follow the Three Rs: Respect for Self; Respect for Others; Responsibility for All Your Actions.
-Learn the Rules So You Know How to Break Them Properly.
-Open Your Arms to Change, But Don't Let Go of Your Values.
-Live a Good, Honorable Life. Then When You Get Older and Think Back, You'll Be Able to Enjoy It a Second Time.
-Be Gentle with The Earth.
-Judge Your Success by What You Had to Give Up in Order to Get It.

Lastly, some more from the great pitcher, Satchel Paige.
-I never rush myself. See, they can start the game without me.
-Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common.
-How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
-You win a few, you lose a few. Some get rained out. But you got to dress for all of them.

Somewhere in the wisdom and wit of these three outstanding gentlemen you may find some tid-bit (or two, or three) that will help you deal with the "stuff" you are dragging around; maybe you will find something to help with not adding to that "stuff."

Hope so.

Its What Comes After Advent That Really Matters...

I serve a church that has in place a Worship Design Team.  This group of people sits with myself and the other pastor of the church about once a month or so, to think out-loud about upcoming worship experiences, offer suggestions and direction, and assist with pulling the whole thing off.  What a gift!

This Advent Season the WDT and the pastors have set off on a course that includes The Announcement (of Jesus' impending arrival), The Journey (by Mary to Elizabeth's home, and by Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem), The Birth...you get the idea.

And thru it all we are reminding ourselves that Advent provides a Hopeful way of looking at our world...and our life together.

The time leading up to That Birth way back when and half a world away from where I sit today, had Mary and Joseph running the gauntlet of census takers, tax collectors, beggars at the city gate, not to mention bedding down in an animal barn...where That Baby arrived.  Not much Hope involved in that scene...obviously, the Hopeful way of looking at our world...and our life together...comes after Advent. 

The Grinch is most likely the character most of us run into during each year's Advent (run-up to Christmas). 

Too little joy...you're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

Too little money to purchase the required number and type of presents...you're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

Broken family ties...thanks, Grinch.

Etc.

This year the Grinch has one helluva gauntlet for us to run in our run-up to Christmas:

Ferguson, Missouri.

A chokehold death in New York City.

ISIS.

Guantanamo remaining open for "business."

Global poverty and hunger.

Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Xenophobia...and a whole lot more -isms and -phobias.

Etc.

Like I said earlier, the Hope comes after Advent.  A Hopeful way of looking at our world...and our life together...comes on the way back home after paying respects to That Baby born in a barn.

It comes when we finally realize that That Baby was born into existence for all of us:
Believers and Non-Believers.
Kings and Shepherds.
Do-Gooders and Sinners.
Women and Men.
The Perfect and the Imperfect.
Those who Succeed and Those who Fail.
Those who hold on to a Grudge for dear-life and Those who Freely Forgive.
Those who are Myopic and Those who see the Big Picture.
You, and Me, and Everyone Else.

A Hopeful way of looking at our world...and our life together...comes when it dawns on us that
God loves us universally!
God loves us unconditionally! And,
God loves us constantly!