The Thermostat Battle

Have you ever had a battle over the thermostat? I’ve done it for years at home because Tami loves freezing me out of our house whereas I like having a nice moderate temperature. Tami is 68-70 and I’m at 72 in the summer and 70 in the winter. We’ve learned how to function in our house with this system because whoever is by the thermostat changes it to what they want.

Now, the battle of the thermostat is also at the office, and today it had me laughing. As most people know, I do not handle cold weather well, so I like the office at 72.  But I can function fine if it’s a little warmer.

All that to say that we all have the temperatures that we like for the room we are in. In the same way, there are temperatures that we like in our spiritual lives. Some of us like it hot—bring on the heat and challenge me—while others are happy with where they are and don’t want to feel the heat. I’m not really comfortable with confrontation, but I understand that the Bible is very confrontational. I have to see myself as a sinner, I have to see how I’ve fallen short, and when I do things that are sinful or destructive I need to be called out and challenged by either the Holy Spirit or by a Christian who loves me. I hope you know that I love each of you! I love you enough to do the tough thing, to call you out if you are living in rebellion. 

A Trip to the Dentist

Since last October I have been going through the process of having a new tooth implant put in. What I thought would be a short process has turned out to last months. I think that the end is in sight, but I’ll find out in two weeks. So what does that have to do with my blog today? Well, today I had to go and have more work done, and I’ve come to enjoy going to see my oral surgeon. Oral surgery has come a long ways from when I was a kid and it is not a bad experience to me.

They begin by giving me laughing gas to relax me. I’m the type of person that gets talkative when I start to relax, so I become very chatty with the nurse assisting the surgeon. After I inhale the laughing gas for about five minutes, the doctor comes in and asks how I’m feeling, knowing full well that I’m feeling pretty good by now. Then a large cotton swab with a numbing agent is placed on my gum to numb it before he begins injecting the numbing medicine to numb my mouth. By the time he is finished with the numbing injections he could repeatedly punch me in the mouth and I’d never know it. Good stuff! Lol. Now I’m ready for the dental work to be done.

After about 15 or 20 minutes the work was complete, and I never felt one bit of pain or discomfort during the entire process. As he was working on me today I was thinking that this dentist could do anything he wanted to the inside of my mouth, and I’d never know it until later in the day when all the numbing medication started wearing off. I’m in a state of totally trusting that he has my mouth’s best interest in everything that he does during this procedure.

That brings me to the lesson that I learned today. As I go through life I can become numb to things in the world that go against what the Bible teaches me. I can begin to fall into the lie that the Bible really doesn’t mean what it says because it was written during a different period of human history. And when I begin falling into that lie I find myself living a life that is not pleasing to God. I can’t allow myself to become numb to the truths found in the Bible but instead must resist the attempt of society to redefine my faith. It may be uncomfortable because people are going to think you are a Christian fanatic, but you’re not here for the approval of man. The only words I look forward to hearing when this life is done will come from Jesus Christ: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” 

Celebrating Life!

Today is a day of celebration because we are celebrating life: the birth of a new granddaughter who by God’s grace will bring us years of laughter, joy, and wonderful memories. Haven Grace is planned to come into this world at noon and she will be welcomed into two families who will love her and spoil her. Yes, there will be the tears from falling and skinning a knee, or the times when we will worry because she doesn’t feel well, but I know there will be many times we sit back and just watch her as she enjoys growing up. My biggest prayer for our new granddaughter is that she is healthy all of her days, learns about the love of Jesus at an early age, and asks the Lord to be her Savior. We are so blessed to have two beautiful granddaughters – PaPa and MiMi are proud grandparents!

Just as we are ready to celebrate this precious new life coming into our family…we are celebrating the life and legacy of Tami’s grandmother, Velma Lebsack. Last week the family was informed that Tami’s 98-year-old grandmother was not doing well and is not expected to be with us much longer. Tami and I made a trip down to Granbury to see her last week along with the rest of the family. We are going to grieve when she passes away, but not in a bad way. Our grieving will be because we will miss her… but we will also be celebrating her life, as she has left a wonderful heritage and legacy for her family. Grandma Lebsack has lived a full and wonderful life that is worthy of celebrating.

I met Grandma Lebsack when Tami’s dad came to pastor the church that I grew up in. He was an only child, so once he accepted the position as senior pastor of the church it didn’t take long for his retired parents to make their way to South Bend to check out the new home. Her grandparents always sat in the same seats whenever they would visit. They stayed in a small apartment that the church had on the property, so it was easy to run into them. Both Grandpa and Grandma Lebsack were preachers… so I often had the opportunity to listen to her preach and teach. She was an amazing preacher and teacher. She was loving, easy to talk to, a great listener, and an unbelievable baker. Once I got into the family she taught me how to make her famous cinnamon rolls!

After Tami and I got married, when Grandpa and Grandma Lebsack visited us they would take over the kitchen and cook for us. I’ll never forget the time Grandma came to watch our kids when Tami and I took a vacation to celebrate our 20th anniversary. She was a widow by then and in her mid-eighties, but she didn’t hesitate when we asked if she would watch Krystal and Caleb (15 and 10 years old). The kids loved her and the church helped out, but it was a special time when Krystal and Caleb really got to know their great-grandmother. When we returned, Krystal made us promise that she’d never have to ride with Grandma driving a car ever again (another story for another time – ha!).

I could go on and on about Haven Grace and Grandma Lebsack, but I was just reminded of how quickly life comes and goes. Celebrate every aspect of it because you never know what tomorrow holds. And celebrate it by passing down the faith that has been passed down to you. Grandma is a spiritual pillar of our family and that same faith she has was passed down to a son, his daughters, their sons and daughters, and now to the fifth generation of children. What a great legacy!

Play Date With Brynley

I don’t think there are many things better in life than experiencing the joy and laughter of a child. Last night, since we were iced in, we invited Krystal, Justin, and Brynley over for dinner. They live less than a mile away and wanted to get out of the house for a little while. When they arrived we were waiting on dinner to finish cooking and Tami was busy with some project, so I asked Brynley if she wanted to play. With a big smile and excitement in her voice she said, “Yes!” So I asked if she wanted me to bring some toys into our family room or if she wanted to go to her play room. The play room! She took me by the hand and led me back to the room where we keep her toys. She opened the door and we walked in, ready for some Papa and Brynley time.

The first thing we did was sit at her drawing table and write. I spelled my name and Brynley’s name then had her try doing the same thing. I had a wet paper towel to clean the white board, and she was prompt to point out spots I missed. The fun we had drawing and writing was priceless. After that we had to go play with her barn animals. Brynley has a little barn with stalls for the animals, and when you open their gate the barn makes the noise of that animal. So we made sure that every animal was in the right stall. The ‘neigh,’ that’s a horse to us and is Brynley’s favorite animal, the pig, the sheep, the cow, and the chicken. We laughed at the animal sounds coming out of the barn and moved the animals around like we were really out on the farm.

From there it was on to her doll house. I’m so glad I know how to spell it because apparently I don’t know how to pronounce it! Lol. Last weekend at the Couple’s Breakaway I read a question with the word doll in it and only Jennifer Brasnick understood what I was saying. My sister wasn’t in the room when this was going on, so when she came in they asked her to say the word, and she said it identical to me. Anyway, back to my play date. We played with Brynley’s doll house that had a daddy doll, a mommy doll, a Brynley doll, and a Haven doll. Haven is Brynley’s little sister who is going to be born next week!

Those few moments of quality time with Brynley are so special because she normally wants her mommy or Mimi. But it was just us two having some alone time, and even though she will forget about our play date in a few days these times will always hold a special place in my heart. Just as that time with Brynley was so special, I know that Jesus is just waiting for special alone time with me. He wants to teach me how to follow His Word, how to enjoy His wonderful creation, and how to just be filled with joy because all I want is to be with Him for a special time.

Why Such a Hurry?

Last week we celebrated Valentine’s Day and I set up a nice romantic meal for Tami and myself. We don’t go out to nice places often, so I wanted to make it special and made reservations at a favorite place where we hadn’t been for a few years. I really like the anticipation of the evening where Tami gets all dressed up and I do the best with what God has given me.

One of the fun aspects of our dates is that Tami always tries to figure out where we are going to be eating. In my sermon on Sunday I told how she will just start asking questions about where we are going and won’t stop. She knows how to read my face and knows when she chooses the right restaurant just off my expression, so this year I was determined not to let her know where we were going to eat. I simply refused to look at her while she would interrogate me about our plans. She kept saying “Look at me!” but I held my own and didn’t buckle. Finally the night of our date arrived, and I totally fooled her and took her to an unexpected place and proudly surprised her.

This leads to the point of the story. If I’m going out to a nice restaurant with my wife looking all fancy and dolled up, I don’t want to be done with dinner in 30 minutes. Normally Tami and I will sit and talk, and we tell the waiter or waitress that we will let them know when we are ready to order. We settled in and got our drinks, and we were both really hungry so we decided to order our appetizer. We’ve learned from past experience that we shouldn’t give our whole order because it will be out way too fast. Our waiter pushed to get our whole order and assured us time and time again that he would not put in the next course until we were finished with the course we were eating. Yes, I buckled and gave our whole order. Sure enough, it backfired. As soon as we ate the last of our appetizer our salads were at the table. We were halfway through our salad and a gentleman brought out our entrée and was setting it down when I explained that it’d be nice to finish my salad before my entrée was sitting on the table. He apologized and took our food back to the warmer. I’m sure they didn’t cook a new, fresh order for us.

In our lives there are areas where we have to take control. I have to take control if I’m going to have a vibrant relationship with Christ. I have to take control if my family is going to follow the path that God has for us. I have to take control if I’m going to be effective as an employee at my job. The world will try to tell me what to do and how to do it, but I need to be obedient to the voice of the Lord and His Word that teaches me how to live. When the world says “act this way,” I must make sure it lines up with God’s plan, and if it doesn’t then I send it back. You have the power to take control in your spiritual journey with Christ; will you?

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you it took our waiter 45 minutes to cash us out so we were there for almost two hours.  What a date!  

Have to Love Hanging Stuff

Late yesterday afternoon I arrived home ready for a nice dinner and some time to relax from a busy day that included working out just before I came home. When I went to freshen up, Tami followed me, looking excited about something. When I asked why, she informed me that she was eager for me to hang the new decorations she had purchased that day.

I knew that dinner had to be prepared, dishes done, and pans hand washed. I told her that there was a lot to do and that it’d be better if I waited until Friday when I was off work. Tami told me that she wanted it done right after my shower, so I knew that I would be hanging things in a short time.

It’s not that I mind hanging things, but I prefer to do it at a time of my choosing, when I’m alone so I can take breaks or relax if I get frustrated because things are not going right, and when I’m not coming off a busy day. So, needless to say, my excitement level was far different than Tami’s. When I entered our family room I saw that I was not just hanging one shelf but two, almost side-by-side. Each would have to be hung level with the shelf next to it, but they were a funky shape so that made it more difficult. Also, the notches where the screw heads would hold up the shelves would have to be calculated into the measurements.

All said and done, the project was accomplished and it all looks nice. The hanging process brought stress and caused me to not be the most patient of men. I don’t think I said or did anything that I’d be ashamed of, but why do I allow such a simple thing to frustrate me? I know Tami, and I know she is enjoying her home, so you’d think that I’d just relax and do the project. Unfortunately I get the same way in my spiritual life. I’m a person who likes routine and I know my routine. When God starts messing with my routine, it creates stress in my life that I don’t want; however, I need to remember that God isn’t there for my comfort but to teach me how to be a better man. That means stretching me by tossing in a project or activity that I may wish to avoid but will learn through: learning patience, trusting Him, and doing whatever I’m asked, when I’m asked—not to make my life easier, but to make me stronger!

Not Into Back Pain

Last weekend, Tami decided to search for something in our attic even though I assured her it wasn’t there. I knew that she would never be able to get up in our garage attic, so I went up for her. Such a loving husband! Lol

While searching in the attic I figured it was a good time to start throwing away stuff that we have not used in years: old VHS tapes, broken suitcases, damaged Christmas decorations, and some other things. As I was tossing them down into the garage I confirmed what I knew from the beginning—that the item Tami had me searching for was not in any of our attics. As I was getting ready to climb down, I thought of one other item I should get out. It was a luggage carrier that mounted to the top of our car, and it had been in the attic for 10 years. We no longer have the car and with an SUV we have no use for it. I began pulling and trying to work it through the rafters. Then it happened, something I’d never done before and hope to never do again: I pulled a muscle in my lower back, and it stopped me from doing anything else.

I’ve heard from people who’ve done this but never imagined that I would someday experience it myself. I guess I’ve entered a new phase of my life. Somebody needs to tell Tami so she’s easier on me. I climbed down the ladder, put the carrier away, went into the house, and sat in my chair. The more time passed, the stiffer my back grew, and I was soon walking around like an old man. I took pills, sat with a heating pad on my back, and even slept a few hours on the couch to get comfortable. It’s been four days, and every day it’s getting a little better, and I’ve learned that I will not do something like that again.

Going through that experience got me thinking about my spiritual life. Am I aware when I do something that brings harm to my relationship with Christ? Do I know what conviction is and understand that it’s there to help me stay healthy? When I do harm to my spiritual walk, do I take the proper steps to get back to the place I need to be with the Lord—like on my knees at an altar or in the Word? I may need to talk to a pastor or somebody I highly respect spiritually. My physical body will recover because I’m being careful and nursing it back to good health, but I need to make sure that I’m taking care of my spiritual wellness in the same way.