It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks, especially in terms
of meeting the commitments to this blog, and “The
Sparrow’s Perch.” I think I have a
damaged Cat-5 cable to our router at the church, and have been unable to pursue
a solution to it largely due to lack of finances. I’ve had the time, but very little work over
the last week. I’M NOT WHINING. These things happen over the course of our
lives, and in each time of distress or struggle, we can choose to be blown
away, or we can move ahead in Christ Jesus.
He is my source, even in famine or pestilence. Actually, it is when all is well that my
faith is tested. When the work of my
hands is prosperous, and I take my ease, the pleasures I’ve bought begin to
crowd out my time with the Lord. No, I don’t want to stay on the edge of
poverty, but I do want the Lord to bring me into a place where his gifts and
favor are given back in equal measure to a blessed life. I want to live in that place where my walk is
consistent no matter how wealthy or how poor I am. So, to make a long story short, this blog is
written from my Tablet. The tablet is
not cooperating due to a conflict with the keyboard and the blog editor. Every time I capitalize, I have to hit the
shift button again and wait till it goes back to input mode. Needless to say, this blog will be
short.
We finished studying chapter seven of Bond of Brothers and
discussed our God given appreciation of beauty.
Last week I asked the men to find one thing of beauty to talk about,
other than their wives. Talk about an
interesting session. For those of you
who are ‘spiritual purists’ the
discussion was surprisingly devoid of ‘Sunday School’ answers. I fully expected them. I expected someone to say; “I think the Lord
is beautiful.” DUH! So do I.
Let’s work harder than that, and we did.
It quickly became apparent that a good portion of us, like sunrises and
sunsets. A good cup of coffee, a
beautiful sunrise, and a man is sent into appreciation heaven. Our lives move at such a hectic pace and are
overloaded with so many modern conveniences, a simple sunrise can bring us to
tears. Maybe our wives would be
surprised to know how many of their men find this simple pleasure rewarding.
Things that are beautiful:
A well formed horse, feeling free and alive.
Sunsets and sunrises,
A sonogram of a father’s first child
A classic car
The Sound of a V8 motor with glass packs
Young people in abandoned worship,
Wild animals being themselves
The beauty of the Universe as beheld through the Hubble Telescope
Despite what the media, and Hollywood would have you
believe, men are capable of appreciating the beauty of the world around
them. Our appreciation for beauty is for
more than a gorgeous woman. We were made to appreciate and worship the
creator of all life and the creation he made.
The heart of a man can be stirred to depths of wonder at the innocence
of a newborn child, the purity of those for whom life has purified their hearts
with endless innocence. We are able to
see the beauty within the voices of children singing in choirs, the life in a
painting, movie, or the words written in a book. We are enthralled at the discipline and
strength within the body of well trained athlete.
Men are in awe of honor, and deeply appreciative of the
beauty all around them. We have to raise
up a new generation of men who break away from the perverted idea of beauty and
embrace true beauty.
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