Scabulous

 

John Koenig's The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows has given the world a word that deserves acceptance and celebration.

scabulous  -  adj. proud of a certain scar on your body, which is like an autograph signed to you by a world grateful for your continued willingness to play with her, even if it hurts. (From scab + fabulous)

Paul must have been feeling a little bit scabulous when he wrote in Second Corinthians 12:9, "He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

It makes me think of Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "Remember Your Chains":

Remember your chains

Remember the prison that once held you

Before the love of God broke through

Remember the place you were without grace

When you see where you are now

Remember your chains

And remember your chains are gone

Truth is...Like Jacob's limp from having wrestled with God, what some people would call a weakness or a flaw, others can appreciate as a reminder of a life lived with bravery and strength.

So Much Life!

 

2022.05.14  -  Saturday, 8:42 AM  -  Pacem in Terris Hermitage & Retreat Center, Isanti, MN

Sitting on the screened-in deck, I hear a woodpecker tapping away. There he is! Directly in front of me, about 30 yards to the east, intermittently hammering its beak into a  -  what?  - a birch tree?

A squirrel bounces from a pile of leaves to a fallen limb. A cardinal flies off on a mission. A smaller bird flits from tree to tree. A dragonfly finds its way back to the shore of the lake.

And the sounds!

In addition to the tapping of the woodpecker, there is a symphony of chirps, tweets, whistles, honks, and quacks. The leaves are rustling, both on the ground and in the trees.

A strong breeze wakes up and swoops through the woods as if to say, "Here you go, gang! Something fresh for your morning!"

So much life!

And this is just in the two or three acres I can physically see. There's a whole world of this going on "out there."

It's like birds. I'm aware of a fairly limited list of bird species. Let's see...eagles, hawks, condors, vultures, woodpeckers, robins, sparrows, cardinals, bluejays, hummingbirds, crows, and owls. Twelve kinds of birds. That's pretty varied. But wait. What about ducks, geese, pelicans, penguins, peacocks, ostriches, emus, falcons, finches, and pheasants?

What about the fact that there are over 11,000 different kinds of birds?

So much life!

And don't get me started on insects or bacteria. That's a whole other miniature universe.

So much life!

And humans account for such an invisibly small slice of the pie.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...Psalm 8:4: What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

On Indecision

 

From Ulysses S. Grant by Brooks D. Simpson.

"That winter James Rusling, a colonel in the quartermaster's department, caught his first look at the hero of Chattanooga [Grant] and was disappointed. Here was no shiny general with brass buttons, sash and sword, but a rather common-looking man, just like 'a country storekeeper or a western farmer.' The general was 'evidently intent on everything but show.' But when it came to giving orders, Grant came alive, his 'clear and penetrating eye' and set jaw suggesting that he could 'dare great things, and hold on mightily, and toil terribly' in pursuit of his objective. He might be a man of few words, but 'he knew exactly what he wanted, and why and when he wanted it.' Nearly every night the general could be found using the telegraph to keep tabs on his command (and the enemy), as he pondered the next move.

"Once, the colonel approached Grant with a requisition order authorizing large expenditures. Briefly reviewing the report, the general gave his approval, catching the colonel by surprise. Might the general want to ponder the matter a little longer? Was he sure he was right? Grant looked up. 'No, I am not,' he responded; 'but in war, anything is better than indecision. We must decide. If I am wrong, we shall soon find it out and can do the other thing. But not to decide wastes both time and money, and may ruin everything.'"

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...There really are only three options: Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way.

What Are You Leaning On?

 

When we moved to our current house in May of 1995, we had to tidy up the back yard a little bit. There was a stray railroad tie that we weren't sure what to do with, so we leaned it up against a maple tree "for now".

Now, these many years later, we couldn't put that railroad tie anywhere else, even if we wanted to. The tree trunk has grown around the end that was resting on it and has even lifted the railroad tie off the ground as the tree stretches toward the sky.

Truth is...A person could draw more than one lesson from this little parable, and you are invited to do so. For me, it shows the importance of what I choose to lean on in life for stability and balance...because eventually, I will not only be leaning on it, I will be part of it. Praise God that when I lean on Jesus, he accepts me as his own and brings me closer to the Father.

Ever Wonder Why You Were Born?

 

Right off the bat, let's get a clear understanding of what I'm talking about. I don't mean how were you conceived or the reasoning behind your parents' desire for a family. I do mean, what significance does your life have, lived with your choices and motivations and passions. What is the grand-scale purpose of your existence on Planet Earth?

Consider the following chart.

If you really love something and the world really needs it, that constitutes a personal mission for you.

If the world needs something and you get paid for doing it or supplying it, that is a vocation.

If you are great at something and are getting paid for it, that is your profession.

If you really love something and you are great at it, that can be considered your passion.

But when all of that comes together into one thing; when your vocation, profession, passion, and mission find a single point of focus...that can be considered your purpose.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...a purpose-driven life is so much more than a book title. To live in harmony with how God has wired you up will bring satisfaction to you and practically everyone you come in contact with. It is a union greatly to be desired.

Everybody Stars in Their Own Story

 

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, by John Koenig, is a "dictionary of made-up words for emotions that we all feel but don't have the words to express." I'm currently borrowing it from my youngest daughter, but I may need to buy a copy for myself.

It's the kind of book that you can't just sit down and read through. Each page...or even just a part of a page...needs to be sat with for a bit and allowed to simmer.

My interest in this book was solidified because of one word that appears in the introductory section.

sonder: the realization that each random passerby is the main character of their own story, in which you are just an extra in the background.

When I read that, my jaw dropped and my eyes grew wide.

It really shouldn't have been such a revelatory moment. I mean, for a long time I have certainly felt like I was starring in a movie about me. Why shouldn't everyone else feel the same way about themselves?

Then my daughter directed me to the following video created by Koenig, and I knew I needed to read this book.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Even though the word didn't exist at the time, I first experienced sonder during my first mission trip to Panama.

Our small group had parked our van on one end of a slab of asphalt that served as the neighborhood basketball court. We hung a sheet on the broad side of the van to use as a movie screen to show The Jesus Film. In preparation for the movie, and to help gather a crowd, our Panamanian hosts led a time of worship.

Then it hit me. Even though I had grown up in a church that emphasized mission work and I knew in my head that God's love applied to every people and every language group, I still had a feeling that God was paying particular attention to wherever I was and whatever I was doing. But standing there listening to worship songs that I couldn't understand a single word of, I realized that Yahweh was right there, enjoying every note.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...He's got the whole world in his hands.

The New Testament in 50 Minutes

 

Previously on Truth Is... we traveled through thousands of years of Middle Eastern history, thanks to Jeff Walling, getting an overview of the main point of the collection of writings that has come to be known as the Bible; specifically, the Old Testament.

This week, let's do the same with Walling's quick flyover of the New Testament.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is... It's not too hard to understand. It's not a bunch of made-up googily moogily. It is the grand scheme of time unfolding so the world will know that God loves forever.