If someone has a deep
theological question, they usually don't think "I gotta call Robb." If my
middle schooler has a math question she goes to her mom, not me.
I do
have the ability to make people laugh and I enjoy doing it, even if it is at my
own expense. I was not voted valedictorian of my senior class, I was voted
class clown.
In high school my tenth grade year, I was in a large class
for "study hall." This was an over sized room with twice the number of kids as
the average class. My track coach was the teacher and we got along well, but
he ran a pretty tight ship in study hall. I do not remember what got me
laughing one day, but I could not stop. What started as a small snicker, soon could not be contained even with my head down.
I was called up to the
teacher's desk and he informed me I needed to stop. I failed, and he called me
to his desk again. The third time he said, "if you laugh again you will have to
go the principal's office." I said o.k. and returned to my seat.
It was
not but a few minutes later, I lost it! I was laughing so hard I could not see
straight. My face was blood red and tears of laughter were coming out of my
eyes. The teacher just pointed to the principal's office. I still to this day think he wanted to laugh but he hid it well.
I can remember
leaving the class trying to hold it in. I got about 10 yards down the hall from
the class and could not hold it any longer. I laughed so loud the class could
easily hear me and I immediately heard the whole class break out in laughter. The principal asked me why I was there and I told him I could not
stop laughing. He had me sit in a chair and told me to try and keep it down and
go to my next class when it was time; he had bigger fish to fry. I think that
is the only time I was ever sent to the principal's office.
Another story
comes to mind. This is definitely one
that was not funny at the time and can still make you cringe. My brother was
fighting stage 4 melanoma and was traveling from Lexington, KY to Duke
University for treatments on a regular basis (Cancer puts UK and Duke basketball
in perspective).
In walking distance to Duke hospital is a hotel where a
lot of patients stay. My brother and I were sharing a room, he had an
appointment the next morning. For some reason I thought it may be funny to
sneak out of my bed as he was about to fall asleep and sound off a huge blow
horn that sounded like a semi was in the room laying on the horn.
As you may
guess, he did not see the humor in that idea immediately. As I look back, I
hope those rooms had thick walls and the sound was contained. Scott and I have
actually been able to laugh about that many times since; so the laughter did
come, it was just delayed.
That story does not represent what I am
talking about when I mention a strength sometimes being a weakness (though some
could argue that and have a strong case).
On the positive side, I have
been able to make people laugh during every day life; be it at work, church, or
with family and friends. However, humor has allowed me to bring some light to
very dark situations as well. When I was laid off from work I was able to bring
humor into conversations and let people know I was o.k.. I was able to make my
brother laugh on some of those long car rides to Duke. I have been present when
a dear friend was knocking on deaths door and been able to lighten the load for
his family, if only for a few brief seconds in miles of darkness. Those are
moments for which I am thankful. I will often pray and ask God for what
to say to a spouse that has a sick loved one or help in finding the right words
in a difficult time. Often it is serious and not the time for humor. However,
many times God answers with "be yourself they want Robb not C.S.
Lewis."
I enjoyed reading in Sam Shoemaker's, Under NewManagement, that
a good witness needs humor. He states it is good to have "the awareness that we
do not have all the answers, and are sometimes pretty poor at living out the
ones we have. Humor, especially when directed at ourselves, is the best way to
let people realize that while we take our religion (I would change this to our
faith), very seriously, we do not take ourselves seriously at all!"
He goes onto say "it counteracts
the "stuffed shirt quality" and he asks "How many of you still have a sneaking
suspicion that religion and humor don't mix- that you can be humorous until you
mention God, but then you must be solemn? This is heresy- but there are
thousands who believe it, and by their solemn piety drive people away from the
stream of life!"
So when do I feel like humor is a weakness for me?
When someone has a serious question, a worry, a concern that they want to
share and I go for a quick one liner and a laugh. When the person actually needed
a sincere ear. Humor comes quick and easy for me. I can mistakenly take the
easy road and try to make humor the fix all for every situation.
However, the reality is- it's not. I actually enjoy the sincere moments. I leave those times thanking God he used me in those situations but it is not my
natural instinct.
Are you blessed with the ability to speak and communicate well? If so, are
there times you should listen?
Are you a good
listener? If so, great! I think this one is in demand; but are you
at times quiet when you know God is calling on you to speak?
Are you
great at saying"yes"? Is God sometimes telling you
to say "no" and be still?
Are you smart and a great
teacher? Sometimes you may need to be the student and be open to learning. When
can your strength become a weakness?
I was the head coach of a basketball power house. The
team name was even intimidating- "the Hurricanes."
It was not a college
level program, or high school for that matter. No, the Hurricanes were part of a 7 year
old "Upward" Basketball team. At "Upward" everyone is a winner.
Anyway,
that is neither here nor there. This is not a basketball story, this is a story
about living out your dream. This is a story about opening the door when
opportunity knocks.
This was a church league that usually had a volunteer
give their testimony or devotion at the halftime of each game. I was asked to speak.
The
basketball teams left the gym and went down stairs during the halftime to strategize. Thus, the
mighty Hurricanes and their assistant coach went downstairs with the victim of
the week and their coaches.
At this point, I need to set the scene. The
place is packed! This is a gym with two games going on at the same time. So we
are talking ten players per team, four teams. As I am given the microphone, I
look out at the crowd of roughly 80 people!!! This is a mixed bag of some kids, parents and grandparents, but the majority in the 35-40 age range.
I will have
to admit, I got a little nervous. Should I do it? Should I do it as I planned
it in my head? I was thinking "I should have rehearsed, I'm not ready"...you
know how the devil plays tricks with you when it is your time to shine! I
walked to mid court, and let the packed house know I was getting ready to do
something I always wanted to do. I got mainly blank stares in return, but I
closed my eyes as I brought the microphone up to my mouth.I crouched
down in a rocker stance and yelled "Shot to the heart and your to blame
darlin," I held the mic out to the crowd and.....got a stunned couple
seconds of silence, a few snickers, AND......about 10 brave souls sing "you give
love, a bad name."
It was great! "Be a rock star" checked off the "to do"
list.
If this does not make any sense to you; this was a popular song by
a band called Bon Jovi back when rock stars made hair spray manufactures
catrillionaires. Bon Jovi still tours today, thus I must stay ready if they need me.
Lily couldn't watch
After living out my dream through song, I then had to
somehow tie these lyrics in with an appropriate message. "Shot to the heart,
and your to blame darlin, you give love a bad name."
There are petty,
mean, selfish, obnoxious, prideful, inconsiderate, people in this world; and I
am just talking about those of us that call ourselves Christians. We are a
broken people, who fall very short on our own, and are grateful for God's grace.
Sometimes to the non-believer and believer alike, we give love a bad name, we do not do God any
favors.
As the saying goes, if you find a perfect church don't join it,
because you will ruin it.
I am not saying we don't get it right
sometimes. However, I am very thankfull for God's grace given to me. I am also
thankful when I remember to apply grace to others versus being judgemental.
I closed with "As believers, we are a imperfect people, worshiping a perfect
God."
I then drove home with my family, no groupies in sight.
Washed Anew started out of Kelly and I wanting to remember our daughter Lauren's
decision to follow Christ and her baptism date. We wanted to
celebrate this annually and for her to remember this time in her
life.
Kelly and I soon realized we did not even know our own
"dates."
I had a manager a few years ago who had everyone that reported
to him make a time line of their life. Then one by one, someone would get up
and discuss the important events in their life that they chose to share. Due to
time constraints of the meeting, and me being "new," I guess, I was the only one
looked over and never got to share mine. However, no need to dwell on the
past, I am over that now, let's move on (I should have seen the writing on the
wall for the lay off).
In his book "Under New Management", which was
first published in 1966, Sam Shoemaker wrote "I know how important it is to
begin. Before a child can grow, he must be born. Before we can grow
spiritually, we must be "born again". Growth is gradual; birth is sudden. It
takes a long time for an oak tree to grow to maturity; it does not take long to
put an acorn into the ground, knowing that the dampness and chemicals go to work
at once to break the shell that the new life may begin."
He goes on to
say "Of course, everyone does not get started in the same way, but everyone
needs to get started".
For me personally, I am a preachers kid. I have
been baptized as an infant and as an adult. I trace my decision to follow
Christ back to a "Profession of Faith" I made when I was eleven years old.
However, I remember several occasions as I left the house as a teen my dad
saying with a laugh "just don't tell them your last name"....I was obviously not
an instant oak tree.
To be honest, I don't think most people that know
me today would describe me as an oak tree. I am a major work in progress, but I
am "Under New Management".
I walked in the kids bathroom last week and
noticed the sign of "rules" on the bathroom counter. Our son Connor is wedged
between our two daughters as our middle child. Apparently, he had not been
meeting his sister's standards for bathroom etiquette (which I think includes
using the restroom when they are not at home and NEVER EVER #2, that is for the
another bathroom or the backyard).
If you can't read the sign his little
sister Lily wrote, it reads:
Bathroom rolse (pretty sure she means "rules")
1. don't stink up the
bathroom! 2. When you are going to the bathroom, turn on the fan! 4. Light
a candle, not fubrez! 5. Don't clog up the toilet! 6. Wash your
hands! 7. Please follow the rules.
You will notice that rule #3 must
be understood, no need to list it.
Relationship vs. rules. God wants a
relationship with us vs. us trying to follow a list of rules we think will make
God happy. Think of a relationship you cherish? Do you want to spend time with
that person? Do you make that person a priority even when you are busy? Do you
enjoy getting to know that person better, ask questions, etc...
Do you
ever look back to the beginning of your relationship with this special person?
How you met? Where you were? Who introduced you to each other? How much
closer you have grown over time? Were there times you did not feel as close to
that person? Why? Do you celebrate an anniversary?
God wants a
relationship with you. If you are new to your relationship with Christ, I
encourage you to make a point to remember this time. If you are in a
relationship with Christ that spans many years, I encourage you to reflect back.
Do you know the date? Who was important in helping introduce you to Jesus?
Have you thanked them lately? Did you thank them at the time? When did you
feel the closest in your relationship with God?
I encourage all of us to
be intentional in our relationship with Christ.
This site deals a lot with "remembering" and "celebrating".
Do you know where you were October 15th, 1988?
If you are a sports fan, you might remember that it was game 1 of the World Series. Kirk Gibson was not expected to play due to injuries in both legs. However, with his team down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Kirk Gibson came in to pinch hit against Dennis Eckersley. It became one of the most memorable moments in sports history.
I was at a birthday party watching the game. I was a student at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. I share this story on Valentines Day, because I met a girl named Kelly at that birthday party. Kelly and I dated for several years, and this June we will celebrate our 20 year wedding anniversary.
Where were you on that Saturday in October, 1988? If you would like to relive that great sports moment, please click on the link below (or maybe you have no idea what I am talking about because you are not a sports fan, or you were not even born yet)...click the link below and experience it for the first time...and then picture me with a mullet...
Welcome to the first official "Washed Anew" blog post! Kelly and I met to
decide how we wanted to get the word out about the web site. After a heated
discussion, we decided to NOT pay the 3.7 million and run a "Washed Anew" Super
Bowl Ad. In the last two years, those Super Bowl commercials have just gotten
too expensive for the everyday person.
So we are relying on YOU!!! Please
help us spread the word, we would much appreciate it! Please check out all the
website has to offer, and LIKE us on Facebook! I can assure you the web site
has been thought about and prayed about for several years. Thank you very much
for your support, help spreading the word, and your prayers!
