Lessons Learned--or not...

So I'm back after a six week absence from writing.  Over the past few weeks I've considered blogging several times but didn't for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that my heart just wasn't in it. I didn't feel like taking the time to write out what I was thinking about. It's not like I didn't have things to say--I just didn't feel like taking the time to figure out how to say it.  If you've been reading for very long, you might think that it sounds strange since I usually just start typing and let the words flow.  What you read is pretty much the same as what you would get if we were conversing one on one.

The difference is -- in conversation there is additional communication that is hard to convey in writing. Facial expressions, body language, tone, speed...all of these things are non-verbal ways of adding to the meaning of the actual words.  These same things allow us to sense when somebody didn't actually get the same meaning from what you said that you intended for them to get and you can begin to make corrections.

And then there are the times that I just say what I think and it is offensive to people.  That can happen in conversation almost as easily as it does in writing.

That happened a couple of months ago as I expressed some frustration and then had to go back and delete part of a post and make some defense of why I said what I said.  I have to admit that part of that really ticked me off (and still does a little bit). After all, this is my blog. Read it if you want. Don't read it if you don't.

Okay...so maybe that's unreasonable.

I do want people to read my blog. I want to get feedback about the things that I've written.  And I don't expect everybody to agree with everything that I write.  As a matter of fact, I expect that there are plenty of you that don't agree with me most of the time. I often say that I'm a moral conservative, a political moderate and a social liberal.  Given that description, I'm sure to offend most people at one time or another.

I know a bunch of people that say that's not possible. You can't be a moral conservative and vote for a democrat.  You can't be a moral conservative and be for healthcare reform. You can't be a Christian and vote for anybody that's not a Christian. And on and on...

Did I mention that sometimes I offend people?

So, while I may try to be less offensive, I'm not sure that I'll succeed.  I'm pretty sure that if I'm going to keep from offending people, I'm going to have to stop writing.  In certain situations, I am really not all that concerned about offending people. There are times when we do what has to be done or say what has to be said and people are going to take offense.

One of the things that I wrote in defense of my previous post was, "I realize that it is a fault of mine that I have become less concerned about offending those that are more mature Christians--secure in their salvation, and more concerned about reaching those that are lost and securing the spiritual foundations in our young believers. I need to be more purposeful in doing the latter without the offense."


I'll keep writing...and I'll try to be less offensive.


John
As a side note:  I started writing this afternoon with a post that would have certainly offended some people...maybe I'm learning...or maybe it will keep for another day.

The First Post of 2011

Okay, so I'm cheating on this one...

This is my part of several e-mails between all of my siblings.  The names are of siblings, in-laws or relatives. I'm sorry that you are not privy to the other letters, but they are not mine to share.

If you have some suggested reading material, feel free to comment with your thoughts.  Generally speaking, I read more nonfiction than fiction, and would like to read more of the classics.

Here are my opening thoughts for 2011:

So I end 2010 at the same weight as I started it...bad in that I really need to lose some of this weight, good in the sense that I'm also pretty level for the past few years. (weight-wise) 

This year I will continue in battle with the idea that I posted on facebook--‎"The more weight you'd like to permanently lose, the more of your lifestyle you'll need to permanently change" -- Dr.Yoni Freedhoff

I'm doing well in already reducing portions and no seconds (except the roast at Theresa's this weekend was really good and worthy of a small second helping!)  I'm bringing less food to the midshifts, and I'm drinking more water, less diet soda.  We'll see how it all pans out.

Although I'll be eligible to retire 1 year from this Friday, three years of no raises and a thrift savings account that tanked may keep me working a little bit longer...it's time to really start crunching the numbers and see what retirement income will be and figure out what additional income will be from ministry and magic.

One other consideration--I've found an accredited Bible college that waives tuition for bi-vocational pastors and I have been told that as a bi-vocational evangelist I would qualify for their program. They are located in St. Louis and I could do all of my work online. If I continue working until I get my bachelor's degree, I could do it for the cost of books. I think that if I work right through it I can do it in about 18 mos.

I want to do more reading this year.  I received The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde for Christmas and am looking forward to reading it. True Gritmakes the list because of the movie remake and conversation with Mike G. Last Days of the Late Great State of California is another Mike G recommendation that sounds pretty interesting. I'm reading Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus--that's a year long project along with daily readings that will put me through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice this year. The Qu'ran also makes the must read list for 2011.

All in all, life is pretty good.  I'd like to eat out less in 2011 and invite people over more.  I'm really considering a garden this year, but know that it is more work than it seems it should be.  

Last year I threatened Rick Rohman that I was going to crash his Fourth of July get-together and he said that was impossible because I have a standing invitation.  Maybe we should plan on a family crash and make it a joint reunion/dad's birthday/4th of July bash with the Rohman clan.

Just a thought...

I'm still greatly impressed and somewhat humbled that you all traveled so far to be with us for Aaron and Jenny's wedding this past summer.  I wish that I could have spent more time with you but trust that you all had plenty of time to visit with one another.  We'll be traveling to Chicago in May for Jenny's graduation but don't know if the schedule will allow us time for visiting.  I would like to make the trip with time to stop in Chillicothe and/or Bolingbrook at some point this year. As Theresa mentioned, you are all among my favorite people. As a family, we are truly blessed.

My simplest of goals is to be happy.  There isn't really much that just ticks me off anymore.  In fact, it's much more likely that I will be the one that ticks somebody else off by being brutally honest or just not knowing when to keep my mouth shut or my pen capped.  Apparently not all of the Hill traits are virtues!

Love you guys!

And here's to a healthy and happy 2011 for all of us!

John

The Christmas Story

Merry Christmas!



John

Pieces of Christmas #12: Welcome to Our World

This is another Christmas song that is making it's way to my "favorites" list.  It is not a Christmas carol or a Christmas hymn. It is more like a Christmas prayer...a conversation with our Savior.

2000 years ago, there wasn't much fanfare at the birth of Jesus.  Oh, to be sure, there were angels that made a proclamation to shepherds and later there were wise men that travelled a great distance to bring gifts, but there was also the evil king that wanted this young child killed and was willing to kill all of the young boys in the area to make sure that he was killed.  Not what you would call a great welcome for the child that would become our Savior!

Today our need for a Savior is as great as it ever was.  I think of this song as a long overdue welcome to our Savior...and maybe a bit of an apology that we didn't make it right the first time.

Here in the Midwest, it is just a few hours into Christmas Eve. A light freezing rain is starting to fall and it should turn to sleet and maybe snow later in the day. I've enjoyed posting these Pieces of Christmas...my own twelve days of Christmas' posts.  I hope that you have enjoyed reading them and watching the associated videos.



Merry Christmas
John

Pieces of Christmas #11: The Power of Christmas (part 2)

If you didn't read yesterday's post and watch the associated video, you need to do that now.
Click here.

This is a song that tells the story.



John
YouTube link

Pieces of Christmas #10: The Power of Christmas

This is one of my favorite Christmas stories.  It is not a story about the Christ of Christmas.  It is a story about the Power of Christmas and of the Peace of Christmas.

The King James Bible translates Luke 2:14 to read: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men."
Later scholars have believed that this is better translated to mean: "...peace on earth towards men of good will." or "...and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests." NIV

Often times men of good will find themselves at odds with each other due to circumstances that seem to be out of their control.  Perhaps governments or religious beliefs, perhaps social status or even languages or customs cause misunderstandings between people that would get along just fine otherwise.  And so, peace is difficult to find. Sometimes it seems that if we could remove ourselves from the situation, we would find much of ourselves in those that oppose us.  There are often more similarities than differences.

This story took place almost a hundred years ago...Christmas, 1914. It took place on the front lines of a war that was ravaging the countrysides all across Europe...World War I.

For nearly two days, soldiers from opposing armies set aside their weapons, buried their dead, exchanged gifts of cigarettes and food, sang Christmas carols and enjoyed the Peace of Christmas. 

But then, governments imposed their wills once again.  The truce ended and the war resumed.
If only the Power and the Peace of Christmas could have their way in the hearts of men of good will every day of the year. The world would be a much better place.

My wish for you this Christmas is Peace. 
If you are grieving or in despair, I wish you comfort...and Peace.
If you are struggling with family or finance, I wish you contentment, prosperity...and Peace.
If the pressures of life are becoming too burdensome, I wish you rest...and Peace.
What ever your struggle, I pray that you will pause from the battle long enough to experience the Peace that can only be found in the Power of Christmas.

Enjoy the story...enjoy the Peace of Christmas.



Tomorrow...the song that was inspired by the story.

John
YouTube link

Pieces of Christmas #9: Mary, Did You Know?

It must have been very unusual for the young girl that was the mother of Jesus.  On the one hand, this was a baby like any other baby.  On the other, there has never been another baby anything like Him.

Everything about her pregnancy, from the angelic announcement to the immaculate conception, was unusual.  The timing of the birth was inconvenient. The angelic proclamation to the lowly shepherds was unheard of. This birth was different.  This Child was different.

This is the Savior! He is the Messiah.  He is the Christ--the Christ of Christmas!



John

YouTube link

Keep Looking Up

I hope that God blesses you with clear skies tonight.

It isn't too often that we get to see a total eclipse of the moon.  At just after midnight tonight (CST) in the first minutes of the 21st, the shadow of the Earth will begin to pass over the moon.  I have always found the night sky to be full of extraordinary events that point to the evidence of an Intelligent Designer...that point to a Creator...to God.

When I consider your heavens,  the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 
what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?


Psalms 8:3-4

It is an awesome thing to watch the design of our solar system in action. This total lunar eclipse will take place on the same day as the winter solstice for 2010, another one of the grand events of our solar system.

I hope that you take the opportunity to witness the lunar eclipse if you are in an area that will allow you to see it.  All of my North American friends will be able to see it if the sky conditions permit it.

I love this stuff.

I have taken our family on a day trip to put us in the path of total annularity for the last annular eclipse of the sun visible from the Midwest.  I have had Chris wake the kids up in the middle of the night on a school night to witness spectacular meteor showers.  I've posted about some of these things in the past. I post this now that you might take advantage of the knowledge and witness the rare event in the night sky.

John

Pieces of Christmas #8: Taking the Message to the Mall

What a grand surprise these lunch time shoppers received as a choir breaks into this rendition of The Hallelujah Chorus, bringing the message of the birth of Jesus into the mall's food court---



John

Thanks, Bandit.
YouTube link

Pieces of Christmas #7: Sunday Morning Sermon

I imagine that there are few people that think about Christmas as they read through the second chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians--especially through these verses.

For me, this is the very essence of Christmas.  So often we find ourselves contemplating His great love for us through His suffering on the cross.  We relate to the pain and suffering of the Man Jesus much easier than we relate to the love of God.  We point to the suffering and the sacrifice on the cross and think of how much He loved us. Rarely do we think of the sacrifice at the cradle (or manger, if you prefer).

Christmas is a joyful time for mankind--and it should be.  But I think that this is the place where the real sacrifice takes place.  Here is a post from last Christmas that will serve as the basis for my Christmas sermon at church Sunday.  I realize that it is not your typical happy, joyous kind of Christmas message...unless, of course, you remember that the sacrifice was made for you!

Merry Christmas,
John