I am kind of a world traveler. I have lived in Korea, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Tokyo, Canada, Afghanistan, India and USA.
I remember when President Kennedy was assassinated, watched the first human walk on the moon, Alaska became a state, President Kennedy & Martin Luther King were shot, and the first human walked on the moon.
I remember when the first Star Wars movie came out, 900 religiously misguided humans committed suicide in Guyana, when Microsoft was "invented" and the Ayatollah Khoumeini took over Iran, kicked out western companies (employers) and returned his country to the dark ages.
I WAS THERE WHEN MOUNT SAINT HELENS BLEW. I remember when the Berlin Wall fell, the Internet was created, the first warm-blooded animal was cloned (a sheep) and the Hubble Telescope was launched - all in the 1980s.
And you?
The scripture for today, May 15 (5/15), is Ecclesiastes 5:15 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carryin his hand.”
As most people enter their senior years, they finally understand this verse. In their youth, they struggled to get jobs and status and things. Some accomplished it and some didn’t. But in the senior years….
when health is gradually declining….
the world is passing them by….
and they are sitting in their chair most of the time….
….the main thing people look back on is what difference they made in their world, and how they did or did not help people important to them.
Often in their senior years when their income goes down and they are living only on a small pension, and they are unable to keep their big house, and fancy car, and impressive stuff, they realize they are still the same person inside regardless of what they own.
Ask a senior what they want for a birthday present. It is not likely to be things. It is likely to be time spent with a loved one. Time: So precious.
The scripture for today, May 14(5/14), is2nd Corinthians 5:14a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“For Christ’s love compels us….”
Jesus died both physically and spiritually in our place! (Remember when he said God had forsaken him?) He knew we couldn’t come back from either one on our own, so he did it for us. Such terrible things he went through for us!
Love is powerful! It causes us to do things for someone we love that we never wanted to do and never dreamed we could do.
How powerful is your love for Christ? Do you share the love of Christ with others? 1st John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casts out fear.”
You must reach out to people who think Jesus will ruin their fun, or has too many rules, or could never forgive them, or wouldn’t stop a tragedy from happening to them. If not in person, tell them in a note, a phone call, email, even a song. There are ways. Reach out.
You can and you will, for Christ’s love compels you!
Today is my birthday. Me getting born was quite an adventure. First, I was almost born in the basement when my mother was shoveling coal into the furnace that cold May morning in Michigan. She rushed (waddled) upstairs, my aunt staying with us called the doctor (yes, we had a telephone in 1940), the doctor came, then I came.
Butttt, when the doctor asked my mother how she felt, she replied, “I feel awfully full.” After a few moments, the doctor told her she had another one in there. He induced labor, and an hour after I was born, my twin brother was born, precisely at 8:00 AM. We were our mother’s Mother’s Day gift.
Many years after that when my brother and I would argue, he would say he was older than me because eight was a bigger number than seven.
What was it like having a twin? We were never bored. We always had someone to play with. I called him KeeKee and he called me KayKay. It wasn’t until we were in college that people started asking us if we were identical. Duh?
Me, age 17 with the big hairKenneth, age 17 & so handsome
We had a lot of the same freshman college courses, so walked to the classes together. But everyone thought we were dating. So we agreed for one to walk in front of the other and pretend we didn’t know each other.
One convenient thing about having a twin in college is that I put his picture in my dorm room, and he put my picture in his dorm room. Then, when one of our friends said, “Oh, isn’t s/he cute! Is s/he your boy/girl friend?” we would smile and say, “No, s/he is my brother/sister. Would you like to meet him/her?”
After graduation, we went our separate ways the rest of our life except for times of visiting each other. I would tell people it was easy to tell us apart: He was the one with the beard.
Me in 1967 during the Viet Nam War when I was 27
What has life been like these 77 years? Not anything like I had dreamed it would be. I have had my share of unimaginable ups and unbelievable downs like anyone else. What held me together was remaining a faithful Christian through all those ups and downs. Dreams? Among others, I think my two greatest dreams were to be a missionary and to write.
Well, I went to Korea for awhile between college semesters, and there seemed to always be roadblocks to returning. But I have tried to stay in touch with the missionaries there these nearly sixty years since. And I have taught and converted quite a few Muslims through World Bible School and World English Institute. So I guess I became a kind-of missionary after all.
As for writing, my first book was begun when I was 17. I finished that book when I was 60. But it was no accident. I started by writing parts of the life of Christ and showing them to my girlfriends. Pretty soon they were saying I should write a book about him. I said, “I’m too young. I need to do a lot of living before I can come close to truly understanding what Jesus said and did among people.” Through the years I’d get the MS out and toy with it, then put it back in the closet. But I kept my promise to my young self and my girlfriends and finished writing it when I was 60. It included 100 people Jesus met and struggled with.
Ken, c. age 57, in US Sub-marine Corp
It took me another 13 years to get it published. That was four years ago. Ten days from now I am going to be pitching They Met Jesus to nine Hollywood producers and screenwriters to turn my 80 chapters into a weekly TV series. If it is accepted, it will be another three years raising money, hiring, building, and screenwriting to get the first episode out. I will be ~ shall I confess? I will be eighty by then.
But that’s okay. Between finishing the eight books of They Met Jesus and now, I have written thirty-eight other books ~ both non-fiction and fiction (and have bunches more in my head). If God wants me to keep writing, he will keep my mind fresh and my body reasonably healthy. May I accept with grace whatever shall be.
One final thought. Since teaching the Bible to so many Muslims (6000 so far) and encouraging them when they lost jobs, were beaten, had their children taken away, were hauled into court, were threatened with imprisonment and death, I have thought much about my own earth leaving. Shall the student be braver than his teacher?
When I was younger, I used to pray for “a quiet hour in which to die”. But I do not do that anymore. Now I pray, “Let my dying have meaning.” Let it be my last gift to the world ~ that I stood up for Christ and let his enemies destroy my earthly body rather than renounce him.
So, now, I come to the end of my musings on this, my 77th birthday. My wish for all of you who have read through this whole thing is a special understanding of your eternal soul ~ yes, eternal. And that death is life ~ if you belong to HIM. May we all face our “life-taking” some day with boldness and jubilation.
I may live another twenty years. But, I’m putting the angels on notice. Attention angels. Are you ready? I’m getting closer….
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The scripture for today, May 13(5/13), is 1st John 5:13f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is theconfidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
What a wonderful and comforting promise: The God of the universe, the Creator, the King of all kings hears you!
Of course, it must be “according to his will.” Well, how are you supposed to know God’s will? By a feeling deep in your heart? Feelings are fickle. But can there be another way? Of course. It’s simple. Just read his very words to you in the Bible.
The Bible is full of examples of people who did right and who did wrong, to help you see the consequences of good and bad decisions. The Bible is also full of God’s advice to you. Proverbs is one of the books that is full of such advice. Read the Bible. You do not have to guess what God’s will is.
What about asking God’s will whether you should move to this place or that, whether you marry this person or that, whether you take this job or that? Perhaps all your choices are good. God has also given you free will. Always remember, no matter what you choose, “ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord and called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Is church a list of programs, or a set of traditions, ceremonies and pageantry? Does it really matter what style of music you have, or whether or not the preacher (by whatever name) wears robes, a suit or jeans? Is it possible to worship without candles or a certain type of décor? Do we choose a church because of its youth group, its seniors’ ministry or its bowling league?
That is what I mean by how we “do church”.
Ah yes, the most powerful force in the modern church: The way we’ve always done it.
As I pointed out in the last post, church as a movement changes lives for Christ while the church as an institution maintains the status quo.
Many of the things in this category are matters of personal preference. When I am at home, what I may prefer gets some attention, but in the Body of…
The scripture for today, May 12(5/12), is 1st Kings 5:12 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him.”
God makes a promise of wisdom to Christians today. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Amazing! God doesn’t sit around and tell certain people, “You really messed up. Your life is full of turmoil. Now you come to me expecting me to fix it for you.” No, God does not throw our faults in our face. It’s no use dwelling in the past; that is history. He is ready and willing to provide guidance for the present and future, the now and later.
How do we know God’s wisdom? We surely do not have to guess. He has everything he wants us to know in his word, the Bible ~ examples of people who did and did not mess up their lives, and words of advice. All we have to do is open it, and ask God to help us understand it and apply it.
The scripture for today, May 11 (5/11) is 1st Peter 5:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
God has the power to do more for you than you ever dreamed. He can take you in new directions in your life; arrange for you to meet wonderful people; provide the ability to overcome not-so-good things in your life.
All you have to do is ask. Perhaps more than once. Perhaps many times. But he wants you to ask. Why?
Parents sometimes tell their children “no” the first time they ask for something. Maybe it’s because the child needs to find out for him/herself how badly s/he wants it. It’s in the asking that they find out. So God waits for the request. Sometimes the request never comes. And so the blessing never comes.
Remember, God has the power. He may have something special in mind for you.
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You will be delighted how Mefiboset woos, rescues, then escapes with his intended across the desert on an eccentric camel. The other books you win will be just as much fun.
Just go to the link below and FOLLOW ME on Amazon and BookBub. (Look for my name in the two short lists.)
“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.”
The scripture for today, May 14(5/14), is 2nd Corinthians 5:14a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
It took me another 13 years to get it published. That was four years ago. Ten days from now I am going to be pitching They Met Jesus to nine Hollywood producers and screenwriters to turn my 80 chapters into a weekly TV series. If it is accepted, it will be another three years raising money, hiring, building, and screenwriting to get the first episode out. I will be ~ shall I confess? I will be eighty by then. 
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
“The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him.”
“To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
