An Easy Word Problem

I have always loved words but I have hated "word problems" since early high school math class.  But here's an easy one--that even I can solve!

If you spend $1.10 on a baseball glove and ball, and the glove cost $1 more than the ball, how much did the ball cost?

See?  I told you it was easy!

What?  The ball didn't cost ten cents?

Two things I've learned from this:

1.  I still hate word problems.
2.  The obvious answer is not always the correct answer.

What Did You Mean When You Said That?

A couple of weeks ago my buddies Mark Waldrep and Warren Head pulled off our first Wild Game Dinner at Crossroads Church.  It was a blast!  A national champion Turkey caller, Doug Benefield, who lives in Sharpsburg did a demonstration, a guy named Billy shared his story that inspires hunters to be safety conscious and Gary Miller shared the gospel.

The week prior to going my son, Harrisen, was all geeked up about going--couldn't wait.  I didn't know why but I thought that it was cool that he was interested.

While we were standing in line to get our wild game--elk, rabbit, and duck he whispers to his mom:  "Hey, when are we going to play those wild games?"

Now I know why he was so excited!

Adventure Lesson of the day:

Communication is crucial!  You cannot assume that you are speaking the same language.

Comprende compadre?

Storm Report

What did you think about that storm the other evening?

All of the sudden the wind gusted, the rain flew sideways, lightening and thunder were seen and heard simultaneously.  It really was wild for a few minutes!

It hit our house at about the same time that I needed to leave to pick up my son from a birthday party.  Tracie, my wife, said she'd go, but I manned up and said, "No, I'll go.  You don't need to be out there in this weather!"  (Can you hear the sound track to a super hero movie playing in the background now?)

So, I get in the vehicle and before I can get out of my driveway I notice that the huge dead Red Oak that I'd been waiting to see fall because I didn't want to cut it up, fell.  Fortunately, it didn't fall across the driveway and I was still able to maneuver around it with minimal effort.  But when I turned to go down the next section of our driveway my path was blocked by a pine tree that I could not move, could not go around, and could not drive over.  So I ran back to the house, changed clothes and grabbed my chainsaw.

Now, I grabbed my small chain saw because it is lighter and I had a pretty good sense that it would start when I pulled the rope.  Though I would be a few minutes late, I could still make it.

When I get back to the downed pine tree the rain is still falling, but not nearly as bad and my neighbor who is trying to come home is on the other side of the tree trying to figure out what he's going to do. I pull up and step out of the Pathfinder with my chainsaw like a cowboy in a dismounting his horse with his shotgun at the ready.  (Now there's cowboy music on the soundtrack playing behind the action).  We make short work of the pine tree and we're both on our way.

I get a mile down the road only to have my way blocked by a bigger pine tree, and there's no one around. I have a choice to make:  do I backtrack and take a longer way to my destination or do I cut my way through.  There's no one around, but I figure I've got a new chain and plenty of gas/oil mix, I'll just get to work. (Now there's some classic music--maybe some Chopin--playing in the background, because this is art in motion.)

As I begin to cut open one lane of the road some other guys stop and begin to help by dragging the pieces I've cut.  But now I'm a little embarrassed about the size of my chain saw.  I feel like I need to explain to these guys who are out there that this isn't my "real" chainsaw that I have a Stihl Farm Boss that is my heavy-duty, man-saw. But my little green Poulan does the job.  We open a lane and we're all on our way.  (The soundtrack is straight from the end of the movie Tombstone that shows Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Virgil and Morgan Earp walking down the street with a steely look in their eyes.) I'm pretty sure I'm walking in slow motion.

It was an adventure and here's what I noticed:

1.  On the way there are going to be obstacles.  Some you can go around, but others you have to cut your way through to the other side, and your cutting through helps others get through too.

2.  If you're on a mission, like the one to pick up your son, nothing is going to stop you.

3.   The Poulan with a sharp chain is better than a Farm Boss with a dull chain.  And it certainly better than having no saw at all. I was ready.

Unexpected: Excited and Exclaiming

Scene 3: Luke 1:57-66

Lizzy was pregnant with child and Zeke was pregnant with prophecy.  From the seed of truth sown by Gabriel nine months prior, a Word from the Lord was growing in his heart; he could hardly contain himself.  He silently wondered when he would be able to speak again.  

The day finally arrived for Lizzy to give birth.  Anticipation filled the air as all of their family and friends came to wait for the child to breathe his first breath.  They loved Lizzy and Zeke more than they could express.  They knew the heartache and disappointment that had been their companion all these childless years and now they were standing ready to join in the celebration of this new life.

After several hours of waiting and listening to the sounds of birth, the midwife emerged from the home with a gleam in her eye and Zeke by her side to declare that a son had been born and with the words barely out of her mouth the crowd erupted with cheers and praises for the Lord.  He had indeed done as he would say he would do! 

Mary, three months into her own pregnancy sat pensively on a stool at the edge of the birthing room looking into the eyes of the only other woman who had the slightest understanding of the magnitude of what was taking place.   They exchanged knowing glances and Mary’s quiet resolve and faith grew stronger.

Eight days later Zeke and Lizzy took their son to be circumcised as a symbol of their dedication to raise him to love the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength.  They would wholeheartedly embrace Moses’ teaching in Deuteronomy 6:5.  It was on this day that the couple would also go public with the name of their son.  Most assumed that the couple would name him after his father and call him Zeke, Jr. but Lizzy stood resolutely before the crowd at the altar and declared:   “He will be called John.”

The dedication was not following standard procedure.  A confused priest turned to Zeke to see his response to what Lizzy had just said.  Zeke motioned for his writing pad and to everyone’s astonishment wrote, “His name is John.”  And when he had turned the tablet for everyone to see his tongue was loosed and he began to speak, praising God and prophesying that this boy would prepare the way for the Most High, the Messiah.

News of this dedication spread quickly around the town and the region.  People couldn’t stop talking about it for years and wondered aloud the future of this child.

Unexpected: Startled and Silenced II

Scene 1 (continued)  Luke 1:13a-22 

The next words startled (scared) him more than the first:

“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.”

To himself…

Oh, that prayer?  He heard that one?  I didn’t even have words for that prayer.  I’m not sure I was even supposed to pray that prayer in here? 

“Did you just say that I was, I mean Elizabeth will, I mean…are you saying  that we are going to have a child?!

“How can I be sure of this?  I am an old man and my wife is well, along in years. (Even old Zeke knew not to call his wife “old.”)

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not be able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

And as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared.

Stunned he knelt there for a bit trying to comprehend what he had just seen and heard.  He had seen that, right?  He had heard that, right?  That was real!  I’m not dead, am I? He re-lived the moment over and over—remembering every word that was spoken—he would never forget.

He backed out of the inner room to find that he had been in there much longer than was typical. While he was in there, word had spread that the priest had not yet come out.  The crowd grew.  Something must be happening in there. Would they pull out a dead priest? 

And then the bell rang, he was alive and he was on his way out.  What would he tell them—the anticipation built and when he appeared they were silent!  But so was he!  He couldn’t speak.  He tried but his vocal cords and mouth would not work. So, he made signs attempting to tell them what had happened.

The people did not understand everything, but they knew this:  He had seen a vision!

Unexpected: Startled and Silenced--Part 1

Scene 1:  Luke 1: 5-13a

He had waited his whole life for this day and it came a bit unexpectedly. Zechariah was a priest from the lineage of Abijah and his wife was also a descendant of Aaron. For two weeks each year his family line was responsible the incense offering that was to be burned twice a day, in the morning and evening, as prescribed by Levitical law.  The fragrant incense was burned on the altar made of acacia wood, overlaid with pure gold, in the Holy of Holies before the Ark of the Testimony; and it was to burn day and night as a continuous offering before the Lord. Since he was a priest in the line of Abijah, there was a remote possibility that at some point in his life he would be selected to prepare and burn the offering, but it would be a once in a lifetime kind of thing.  Miraculously, on this day, the lot fell to him—today he would serve before the Lord. 

Once his ritual cleansings were complete it was time to enter in to offer prayers and burn incense.  He was overwhelmed with the responsibility—he would be considered “rich” by his relatives hence forth because of this honor. He took a deep breath and entered. It was indescribably beautiful, sacred, mysterious and awe-full. Zechariah reverently lit the incense and the smoke began to rise—a fragrant offering of praise to the Lord; he had never smelled anything so pleasant.

Suddenly aware that he was not alone Zechariah’s entire body convulsed as he was startled by a presence in front of him, to his right. As he raised his head to look at the altar he saw him—bright, shining, massive, strong, not of this earth, but real.  He couldn’t speak (it wouldn’t be the last time) but Gabriel, the angel did with a soothing and commanding voice that sounded like a multitude.

All of the people gathered outside awaiting for Zechariah to emerge but he did not.

What was going on in there? This was unusual—out of the ordinary; he had been in there too long.

Back inside…

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.” 

Which prayer, he thought?  My prayer for our people to be free?  My prayer for the forgiveness of sins of our people?  My prayer for the Messiah?

Unexpected: Scared and Submissive II

Scene 2 (continued)  Luke 1:33-38

I would have sat in silence…for a while! I can envision myself with a blank stare trying to recover any semblance of meaning and reality. 

Gabriel has just proclaimed the whole message—the time had now come for God to reconcile the whole world to himself and bring in a new reign a new king—an eternal kingdom that would never end! 

I’m not sure if Mary fully comprehended all that she had just heard, and who could blame her!  But she did get this part: You will be with child and give birth to a son—and she had one question—and a very logical, earth-bound, reasonable question:  How will this be since I am a virgin?

And that very logical, earth-bound, reasonable question deserved a logical, earth-bound reasonable response, right? 

Gabriel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

I have a hard time understanding and comprehending what that means, now—with 20/20 hindsight—how in the world did Mary “get it?”  The Holy Spirit had not come yet!  What do you mean “overshadow me.” 

Her otherworldly response:  “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”