Tag: Attitude

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Actively Listening Can Enhance Your Writing

In my opinion, learning to actively listen can make us a better writer. Let’s look into it.

In her book, Listening: Its Impact at All Levels on Reading and Other Language Arts (1979), Sara Lundsteen said, “Listening is the foundation for speaking, which is the foundation for reading, which is the foundation for writing.” She taught that since listening is a foundation for writing, active listening can further enhance the author’s writing. I want to follow up on that.

Actively listening to others – rather than passively listening, or interrupting – can increase our vocabulary. An increased vocabulary allows us to give people in our stories a wider range of expression.

Actively listening to others can teach us how others think. Learning how others think allows us to create a greater number of characters, with wider intellectual capacity, and more complex personality. That, in turn, can give us the potential for a more complex and a much more interesting story.

But actively listening also helps us personally. I found that when I learned how to actively listen, without interrupting, I began interacting on a more mature level, and people began asking for my thoughts and opinions. By listening, I gained a broader audience and became a better writer.

Listening will help you too, and help you to …

Write Creatively.

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Working Together

I was sitting in my office in Lemon Grove, California, looking out the window. I was waiting for the next person I was going to interview, and watching for the next trolley to rush past. I had about 10 minutes and was also wondering what my next article would be about.

About that time, the trolley came barreling past. If they don’t stop for passengers, they are going 45-50 miles per hour here. During the weekend, only 2 cars run in tandem, but during the week, 3 cars run together. I walked outside to take this photo.

I began wondering about which one is either pulling or pushing, but then I observed the power system. Each car was receiving its own power from the electric cables above the cars. I suddenly realized that each car – the 3 of them connected together – was pulling its own load. And I had to write about it!

I tell you, inspiration happens in the most unusual ways and at the most interesting times. Always try to be alert as you go about your day, and capture those fleeting thoughts, those inspirations that rush by like the trolley cars. Even though connected together, each car was pulling its own load.

In like manner, each writer must make his or her own progress, but we at P&L Publishing & Literary Services can connect with you and assist you in your pursuit of publishing your book. We can take the complexity out of the process and make your pursuit of excellence easier.

Feel free to connect with us at https://plpubandlit.org/ and click on Formatting Services for more information.

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Thinking God’s Thoughts

In August of 2006, our daughter asked me, “Dad, will you write a poem for Timothy’s and my wedding?”

“Yes, but I’ll submit it to you for approval before finalizing it.” The first verse was from Rebecca’s point of view; the second from Timothy’s viewpoint; and so on throughout the poem.

When Rebecca showed it to Timothy, he exclaimed, “That’s amazing! Your dad said it exactly the way I would have said it. How did he do it?”

Rebecca responded, “Dad mentally climbed into your shoes. He knows the sound of your voice, he knows how you think, and imagined what you would say. Then he simply wrote what you probably would have said.”

In another situation, I worked for a man at a scientific laboratory for about eight years. I wrote many of his reports and memos, and conducted other business in his name. Rarely making editorial amendments, one day he asked me, “How do you write my reports in my ‘voice’ so fluidly? It seems as though you read my mind. How do you do it?”

I told him: “I know the sound of your voice, I know your work ethics, and I’ve watched you make decisions. Therefore, I mentally climb into your shoes, imagine what you would say concerning the situation, let those thoughts flow through my mind, and write what I hear.”

My father passed from this life in February of 2010, but I can still tell you what he would think and say in various situations because I know him intimately.

I hope you readers understand that I don’t have any special ability uncommon to the rest of you. You all can do the same thing. How?

You must know how the other person thinks. You must know how he or she sounds. You must know the person’s values and how the person reacts. Very simply: you must KNOW the person.

Jesus provided the best example of this concept. Having originally come from heaven (John 1:1-3), He knew the Father intimately. Jesus diligently sought the Father’s counsel and He always remained alert to the Father’s thoughts. Jesus knew and shared God’s values, ethics, compassion, etc. Because of that, every time Jesus spoke, He told others what God’s desires were.

In reality, we can also know God’s thoughts and apply His solutions to many of our problems in life. And if we employed that same concept with our friends and family members, we could generally avoid or settle most of the interpersonal problems that come our way.

So, how do we mere humans think God’s thoughts? I am glad you asked.

First, you have to know that God is real. Second, you have to know God intimately. And unless God, Himself, appears to you in a vision, the primary way you will know Him is by studying the Bible – God’s revelation of Himself to humankind.

We find insight into this concept in 1 Corinthians 2:13-16. The Apostle Paul was teaching about spiritual matters relating to our relationship to Jesus. He said,

“13 When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who are not Christians cannot understand these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. 15 We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can’t understand us at all. 16 How could they? For, “Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?” But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ” (NLT).

That last phrase is the key: “We (Christians who obey the Lord) have the mind of Christ.” That is, we can learn to think along the same lines as Jesus thinks because studying the Bible helps us to think more like God. But there is an added benefit: thinking more like God enables us to understand Scripture more accurately. Then, of course, more accurately understanding Scripture helps us to know the Lord more intimately, and to progressively think more like Him.

We can learn to think God’s thoughts. That was God’s plan when He created Adam and Eve. When we think like someone, we can become like that person. And that’s what God wants of us – to become more like Him. (Read Ephesians 4:13.)

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What’s on Your Mind?

One day when I was 12 years old, dad asked me, “What are you thinking about?”

“I was just remembering the trip you and mom took me on when I was five. We went to Yosemite, and we watched the fire fall from the top of the cliff.”

“You remember that? Seven years ago? Can you tell me about it?”

I surprised dad with all that I remembered. About driving through the park, where we camped, and the park ranger talking with the visitors. Then at nine o’ clock at night, the ranger hollered to the men up on Glacier Point, “Let the fire fall!” And when the rangers up on the cliff began pushing the burning wood and hot coals over the edge, it looked like a glowing waterfall.

I found out later that the men on Glacier Point couldn’t hear the ranger; everything was timed.

“Why don’t you write about that vacation?”

“Dad, I hate writing, and my handwriting is terrible.”

“A typewriter can fix your writing, but only you can fix the desire to write. Writing will be important to you someday, so you may as well start now.”

He told me to get a sheet of paper and a pencil. I did. He then said something funny. At least it seemed strange to me. “Make the pencil move and make the lines mean something. Start with today’s date, and the name of something you are interested in. You can even write about watching the fire fall.”

I knew the day’s date, and dad knew I loved kittens. “I have an idea, write what you like about kittens.”

That didn’t make me like to write, but I enjoyed talking about cats. So dad is the one who jump-started me in my writing career and the desire to study the Bible. But it took several more years and a few more nudges to get the ball rolling.

My seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Beharka, and my college history professor, Dr. J.C. Holsinger, are the two who propelled me into studying history. When I realized that I could merge history with the Bible, I came alive.

Years later, friends and acquaintances began asking me questions about history, the Bible, science, a few other topics, and I discovered that I enjoyed writing my thoughts to share with them. In time, my writing became a teaching tool.

How about you who are reading this note? Have you thought about writing? No, you don’t have to attend a Dale Carnegie writing course, attend the university, or take an online writing class. But someone – could be your children, grandchildren, church friends or social club – is interested in you. Someone is interested in what you’ve experienced, what you’ve learned, who you are inside. You are important.

You don’t even have to join a writers guild, although that could help. My wife, Carol, said for decades that she wasn’t a writer until she finally accepted my challenge. She agreed to write about something and let the guild members read it. Guess what? She wrote it very well, they enjoyed it, and encouraged her to write more. It surprised her to no end when she won a $200 award in a writing contest.

Your experiences, your world-view, your outlook on life can help others learn how to face a challenge, learn how to overcome a problem, even learn how to enjoy life. Someone needs to hear from you, and you can start with getting a pencil … no, let’s come up to date. You can start with turning on your computer, typing your name and date, and the name of something you’re interested in.

What’s on your mind? Write about it. Encourage others with your thoughts. You are more important than you think you are. And if you need help or have questions, you can contact me through the connect page. Have a great week.

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Valentine’s Day

As a child in elementary school, Valentine’s Day wasn’t a big event for me. In third grade I liked a girl named Nancy. However, I didn’t like her very long because when I told her I liked her, she kicked me. End of liking Nancy.

The down-side of Valentine’s Day in elementary school was that the teachers wanted us to give Valentine Cards or notes to everyone in the class, and that was a bummer: I didn’t even know most the kids in class.

In fifth grade, I liked Mrs. Wells. She was the only person in school to whom I wanted to give a card. When mom took me to the 5ȼ – 10ȼ store (we called it the dime store), I bought the usual bag of cheepies for the class, but found a good one for Mrs. Wells. I waited until no one was looking, and quickly put the card on her desk. None of the other kids knew what I had done until Mrs. Wells called me up and gave me a hug.

Have you ever been embarrassed to tears and elated up into the clouds at the same time? That was me.

Fast forward eight years.

In college, I met a girl named Carol Ann Winton. Okay, you probably figured it out. Yes, she has been Carol Ann Linzey for over 57 years now. Back in 1964-1966 when I saw her across campus walking to class, I broke into a run to walk with her. Just being with her pumped joy into my life! It still does!

In 1965, Valentine’s Day was on Sunday, I was eighteen years old, and Carol and I were attending SCC (Southern California College: now Vanguard University of Southern California). I remember thinking: “If Carol accepts my invitation to the Valentine Banquet, I’ll know that she is the girl I will marry.” So, nervously, I asked her.

Guess what? She didn’t kick me and I was elated. Yes friends, she accepted. I was thrilled to tears but not embarrassed; and for the first time since I was in fifth grade, Valentines Day was a special event.

Our wedding was on August 22, 1966—my 20th birthday anniversary.

I would be lying if I said we never had a problem. We are human beings with minds of our own, wills of our own, and our own stubbornness. But through the years the stubbornness in both of us has worn down because we wanted to love each other.

Did you read that last sentence? We WANTED to love each other.

The meaning is this: we were young and loved each other with an immature love. But because we made a dynamic commitment to each other, and expressed that commitment to the church, to our friends, and to God, we worked through the problems.

And listen: because we wanted to love each other, we learned what it meant, what it took, and how to do it. Learning to truly love isn’t easy, and it is not a 50-50 emotional split. It requires that we put our pride aside, release our stubbornness, and go out of our way to help our mate, even if we don’t want to. And it works both ways. Therefore, our early love matured into true love – the love that surpasses emotion.

In 1969 while working at Boeing Aircraft Company in Everett, Washington, one of my workmates had just become divorced – for the 3rd time. As we were discussing marriage, he said, “I’m sorry for you: you’re trapped and can’t have any fun.”

“You’ve got it wrong.” I responded. “I can go out with anyone I want, go wherever I want, and go whenever I want.”

“You’re full of it! How do you get away with that while being married?”

“My wife is the person I always want to go out with. We go everywhere together, and we always have fun.” That embarrassed him, or angered him, and he walked away.

We’re working on our 58th year now, and I’ve never been sorry that I married her. That is a true statement. And in our upper 70s now, we still have fun being with each other and travelling together.

Please understand: we haven’t always been happy with each other, but we never forget that we love each other. We stay together, work through the issues, and the happiness always returns. Happiness and emotions are fluid, but our love is solid. That way there is never a breach in our marriage.

One more important factor in our marriage must be mentioned. Both of our lives are anchored in a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God is the lubricant that keep our marriage gears running smoothly. We both put our highest priority in living for Jesus, and our second priority is living for each other. Both those priorities reinforce our love for each other.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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The $5,928,000,000 Debt

Jesus emphasized mercy in the story of the unmerciful servant which is found in Matthew 18:23-35 (KJV).

Therefore, is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Ten Thousand Talents? That sure sounds like a lot of … something. What is it?

There are three ways to think of the word talent.

The first thought is a skill such as playing a musical instrument, playing a sport, or learning a craft. But the servant couldn’t owe the king anything like that.

Another concept is weight. Various charts give different weights, one of which says a talent is equivalent to 85.5 US pounds. Therefore, 10,000 talents is equivalent to about 855,000 pounds, or 427.5 tons. For comparison, an early version of the Boeing 747 aircraft weighs about 435 tons. The servant couldn’t owe anything like that, either.

So, let’s look at it historically from the days Jesus walked the earth.

In 30 A.D. a day’s wage was a Roman denarius, sometimes called a pence or a penny in the Bible, and the laborers worked all day long with no overtime. A single talent was 6,000 denarii, or pence, which was 6,000 days’ wages. If you do the math, you find that was a man’s pay for about nineteen years.

10,000 talents were the wages for about 190,000 years. If a person today earns $15 per hour for 40 hours a week, the wages for 190,000 years would be approximately $5,928,000,000.

Would the man in Jesus’ story ever be able to pay off that debt? No. Jesus told the parable to show how deeply indebted mankind is to God because of sin. It is impossible for us to pay that debt. Therefore, God, in the form of Jesus, had to settle the debt for us.

Let’s return to the story at verse 25. When you see “a hundred pence,” remember that is almost three month’s wages.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 

So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Jesus painted quite a picture! The compound message revealed a harsh consequence for not forgiving someone. But let’s think about what happens in real life today.

We often get caught up in finding fault, or become blinded in the emotion of a problem, and we can’t see straight. We think we’ve been defrauded, or our rights have been violated, and we want vengeance. Although we’ve made mistakes and have been forgiven, we still demand justice and retribution related to others.

However, Jesus made it clear that since God forgives us of the impossible debt we owe Him, we are asked to forgive others of the minor debt they owe us if we want to continue to grow in our relationship with God.

How would we fare if God demanded justice from us? There is no way we could make it right with God. We would be judged and sentenced to be punished forever. But in the greatest act of mercy in the history of mankind, Jesus is willing to forgive us.

1 John 1:9 tells us that all we need to do is sincerely confess our sin and ask God to forgive us. But a stipulation related to our pardon is that we extend mercy to others. That’s an integral part of Christianity – an essential part of forgiveness – and we cannot ignore it. It’s a dynamic factor in the process of becoming like Jesus.

[An excerpt from chapter 5 in the book: Truth not meant to be Hidden.
Visit: https://www.amazon.com/Truth-not-meant-Hidden-Becoming/dp/B0BRYWHZDS

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Be a Blessing to Society

Karl Marx once said, “People without a heritage are easily persuaded.” That is true, but why?

Do you remember watching Fiddler on the Roof or reading the book? When Tevye was asked why he does things in a certain way, he responded, “Tradition.” Tradition and heritage are anchors that help people know who they are. They give people stability and a sense of worth.

Thinking back on Karl Marx’s statement, one of the reasons our culture has been changing so rapidly is that our heritage, our values are being stripped away, and people are losing their national and spiritual identity. One of the ways to keep our identity is to read about our history. Another way is to write about our own personal history – including our family history and family values.

So, I encourage you to read and write. Read books that build character and emotional strength. And when you write, write creatively. At the start of this new year, determine to be a blessing to society.

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Happy New Year, Friends

On December 31, 2020, Carol and I spent a quiet New Year’s celebration together. It was relaxing because from 2008 through 2022, we had been home on December 31 only five times and on the road ten times. Hey, I just realized that we’ll stay home this year, too. YAY1

Several friends asked, “Can’t sit still, can ya?” My response is normally, “You find no moss under my wheels.” For example, in 2021 we drove over 29,000 miles and almost 21,000 in 2022.

It’s well-known by our families, friends, and those who read my articles, that we enjoy living in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. All cities, towns, and villages have their problems, but we’ve found this town to be one of the most pleasant places we’ve ever lived. With that in mind, why do we “hit the road” so often?

One quick answer is: our five kids live in five different states, and our siblings are spread out from the West Coast to the Mississippi Valley. We enjoy visiting them. We also have the privilege of preaching and teaching in our travels.

A second answer is: we enjoy seeing God’s creation first-hand. Seeing nature in books and on video is great. But nothing beats driving through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, seeing the Space Needle in Seattle, WA, the amazing Oregon Coast, Puget Sound in the great northwest, Niagara Falls, the red granite beaches of Maine, the snow-white beaches of Siesta Beach in Florida, seeing Yellowstone and Yosemite National Parks, and HUNDREDS of other places.

We also enjoy seeing the marvels of man’s creation, such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the 605-foot tall Space Needle in Seattle, and the 630-foot tall Arch in St. Louis.

Historic sites such as the Yorktown, Virginia battlefield, the Gettysburg Battlefield, and Pearl Harbor cause me to stop and contemplate how different life might have been if the political and military tide had turned the other way.

The third answer is: we’re getting older, and some day our travel days will be over. So let’s travel while we can.

As we travel, we take thousands of pictures to document where we’ve been and what we saw. We’re grateful for digital photography because that’s a lot less expensive than the film we bought in the past. We often get our pictures out (on computer or other devices) and through our memory, we take those trips again.

The ability to remember amazes me. When I get to heaven, I want to ask God how He created memory. But I think He’ll simply say: That’s My secret.

As I mentally gaze on our blessings this past year, I read that approximately 3,273,707 people died in 2022 in the United States (around 69,163,777 worldwide), others have gotten sick, many have lost homes and businesses due to pandemics, government mistakes, the natural flow of economics, ongoing wars, and natural disasters. But sickness, wars, governmental problems, business failures, and all the other problems and catastrophes have been going on since shortly after Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. As we read in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”

The emphasis is: there’s nothing new under the sun. We have modern means of traveling, conducting war, studying, and getting work done, but the essence of life hasn’t changed throughout man’s history. Sickness, death, and all other problems related to life on earth will continue until Jesus stops it. And He will return one day.

But if He doesn’t return soon enough, I will die too. I don’t know by what means, but I will die, and the thought doesn’t bother me at all because death is part of life, and I know where I’ll go – to heaven to be with Jesus.

In the same concept as midnight on December 31 starts a new year, or a baby being born starts a new life, when my traveling days are over and I breathe my last on earth, I will start a new year, a brand-new life in heaven. It’s part of the Christian’s cycle of life.

However, as badly as I feel for those who have been hurt by various events on earth, I feel worse for those who die while not believing in Jesus Christ. We can start over after a catastrophe on earth, but when we die without faith in Jesus, there is no recovery. Think about it.

And I do wish you a Happy New Year.

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Birthday Celebrations

Two of my sisters and two of my children were born in November, so let’s talk about birthdays.

You all know the song, “Happy birthday to you.” It’s normally sung as a cake, with lit candles, is brought into the room or placed on the table. Someone hollers “make a wish,” then the birthday-kid – or adult – blows the candles out with one breath. I’ll admit, it’s difficult to get them all with one breath if there are more than 25 on the cake, or if they are trick candles.

Have you ever heard of those? Trick candles usually have magnesium dust in the wick. After the person blows out the candles, a glowing ember reignites the magnesium, and that reignites the residual wax in the wick. I know the trick to blowing them out – and keeping them out – with one breath, but I won’t tell.

Once when 35 candles were on my cake, it set off the smoke alarm!

Happy Birthday, cake, ice cream, presents, noise … where did it all begin? The answer will reveal why some Christians, Puritans as well as contemporary individuals, don’t celebrate them. They consider the festivity as pagan. They saw it as evil, arrogant, and ego-building.

It seems that birthday celebrations began in ancient Egypt. The date of birth was viewed in conjunction with astronomy, hoping “the stars” might predict their future. Also, a Pharaoh re-established his birthdate to when he became Pharaoh, because that’s when the people viewed him as a god.

The ancient people thought that demons were especially active during major events in our lives, so they made loud noises to scare them away. During new year festivities, the noise comes from guns, fireworks, and other means. For birthdays, noisemakers of many types are employed. But they also thought joy and happiness warded off demons, so gifts were given to make the person happy.

Candles might have come from the Greeks as they honored the goddess Artemis. They were lit to glow like the moon, which was a symbol associated with that goddess.  

Various cultures counted birthdays differently. For example. In June of 1969, we spoke with Chief Eagle of the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. In the past they didn’t think of years; they counted winters. (The Sioux call themselves the Lakota or Dakota – which means, Our People.)

It appears that the birthday cake, as we know it today, was first invented in Germany for their Kinderfeste, or Children’s Festivity. Creamed ice – I said that correctly – was known as early as the second century B.C. But ice cream might have been invented in the mid-1700s A.D. It’s said that President George Washington spent $200 for ice cream in the hot summer of 1790.

The original tune for “Happy Birthday” was written in 1893 by two sisters (Patty and Mildred Hill), both Kentucky school teachers. Their song was called “Good Morning To All,” and was sung by the students each school morning. But when a child had a birthday, the sisters substituted the lyrics Happy Birthday To You.

September 9 and October 5 compete as the most common birth date in the United States, but February 29, on the calendar every fourth year, is the least common birth date in the world.

The majority of American children celebrate birthdays with a cake topped with lighted candles. Most families use candles to represent how old a person is. When the cake is set before the guest of honor, he or she is supposed to make a wish without telling anyone what it is. After making a wish, he or she tries to blow out the candles. If all the candles go out with one breath, it is believed that the wish will come true.

Birthdays are celebrated more for children than for adults, unless it’s a milestone birthday such as 21, 30, 40, 50, 75, or 100. But have you ever thought about why we even bother to celebrate birthdays? Very simply, it’s a time for friends and family to come together and rejoice with you, to tell you how much you mean to them. Or to congratulate you for surviving another year.

With so many people hurting, feeling rejected, or unimportant, celebrating their life and honoring them is a wonderful way to express your love to them, and tell them how much they mean to you. It doesn’t need to cost much, but it’s important to show your family and friends that you care.

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Be Ready for Surprises

Carol and I have an exciting life. We often don’t know from one day to the next what we’ll encounter – whether we’ll enjoy the events or be disappointed that we got out of bed. However, we understand that every day and in every situation in life, we have choices about how we’ll respond to circumstances. Sometimes events may be planned, but often they seem to pop up out of the blue. But we choose to respond in ways that honor the Lord.

For example, I wanted to visit my brother in California who was having health problems. Stopping for the weekend to visit with a dear, life-long friend who is a pastor, at 5:30 on Saturday evening, the pastor asked, “Would you be willing to preach for us tomorrow?”

I could have reacted with, “This is too short of a notice. I need more time to prepare.” But that’s not how God works. God had a plan in mind for both the church and for me, and I didn’t need much time to prepare. God had already been preparing the message in my mind and heart.

Another example developed as we were planning our route west from Albuquerque. Snow was forecast for Flagstaff, and pulling a trailer uphill in snowy weather is not my idea of safe traveling. So, we decided to take the southern route through Las Cruces, NM, and west through Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona.

However, we found out that God guided us in choosing the southern route because another friend who lived in Mesa had passed away. Her husband, Bill, called and asked if we could be with him at the home-going ceremony which would be at 10:00 AM on Monday. We agreed and arrived in Mesa on Saturday and stayed with Bill through the weekend.

Arriving at the cemetery at 9:30 AM on Monday, we interacted with Bill and the other family members, but the pastor hadn’t arrived yet. Finally, at 9:55 AM, I asked Bill, “Where’s your pastor?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? You’re him.” Surprised, I asked if he had an agenda. He said, “You’re it.”

I turned to the funeral director and asked him about his agenda. He responded, “I was told you’d have it.”

Again, I could have complained about not being informed beforehand. But if we are truly followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, our lives and schedules are in His hands, and He has the freedom to guide our paths. That eliminates a lot of potential stress.

I took a deep breath, sent up a quick prayer, and reprogrammed my mind. Four minutes later we began our Celebration of Life service. It didn’t take any time for preparation because God was in charge, and Jo had been Carol’s and my friend since the early 1990s. I opened the meeting with prayer, then related an interaction with her when I was music minister where she played trumpet in the orchestra. Other friends who had known Jo since the 1980s were there, along with Jo’s husband and family. They, and others, added stories from their past. We truly celebrated her life, and it seemed like it was all planned.

Guess what? It WAS all planned – in the mind of God.

When a surprise springs up in front of us, all we need to do is ask the Lord for guidance. God likes that, and always has an answer. He’s in charge, and all we need to do is communicate with Him and be ready to obey.

That reminds me of another interaction many years ago.

In 1978 when Carol & I, with our 3 older kiddos were getting ready to relocate from New Mexico to Oklahoma, an older pastor in Albuquerque gave me this admonition:

“Gene, don’t open your own doors. You, and others who are like you, have a tendency to open doors that God doesn’t want open. Keep your hands off the doorknobs. Let God open the doors for you, but be sure to go through the ones He opens.”

“May I try the doors and see if they’re unlocked?”

“You may lightly push – with one finger. But keep your hands off the knobs.”

I’ve lived by that rule and God has led in wonderful ways.

Many surprises await us, so trust God for His guidance. Psalm 28:7a says, “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.” Be ready to obey, and enjoy the surprises.