Dental Floss -- The Joe Graber Way!
Monday, February 21, 2005
Flossing Can Change Your Life (As an update to the immediately preceding post)
I went to the dentist today for my semiannual torture session. Judy, the hygienist, marveled at how great my teeth looked. She said she only found one area of build up. The dentist said everything looked great and to keep up the good work. I told Judy that I have never heard that from a dentist before. Actually, for the first time in my life, I had brushed my teeth every day and flossed every day between visits.
Later, I wondered about what made me change and begin flossing my teeth. What was it that really led to my change of action? For some reason, I’ve begun to care, but I can’t put a finger on the decision or the point at which I knew that I’d become a militant flosser.
I feel myself changing in other areas, but I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe it’s aging. Maybe it’s the work of the Lord in my life. Maybe it’s just that I’m wearing down. I’m not sure.
I went to the dentist today for my semiannual torture session. Judy, the hygienist, marveled at how great my teeth looked. She said she only found one area of build up. The dentist said everything looked great and to keep up the good work. I told Judy that I have never heard that from a dentist before. Actually, for the first time in my life, I had brushed my teeth every day and flossed every day between visits.
Later, I wondered about what made me change and begin flossing my teeth. What was it that really led to my change of action? For some reason, I’ve begun to care, but I can’t put a finger on the decision or the point at which I knew that I’d become a militant flosser.
I feel myself changing in other areas, but I’m not sure what to make of it. Maybe it’s aging. Maybe it’s the work of the Lord in my life. Maybe it’s just that I’m wearing down. I’m not sure.
Physician…heal thyself?
I’ve been haunted this last week with the question of my own ability to change those things that I hate about my own life.
I have looked into the lives of a number of struggling people, and I see the repetition of sin, bad choices, the need for personal gratification, the lack of real commitment to make real change, the exchange of resolve with rhetoric, and the morphine of starting over again and again and again. I was complaining to God about the lack of true grit in the people.
His response to me was typical. He immediately brought to my attention three pits of destruction in my life. He asked what I had done to resolve these three areas of sin, lack of discipline, bad choices, and lack of commitment. He said that I’ve talked about….
I have been reading Flannery O’Conner’s The Violent Bear It Away, and in the book, Tarwater is unable to escape the driving downfalls in his life. He fights with all that is in him to overcome his condition, but he is unable to alter the life that he lives. It is a story of shocking failure. It is a story that makes us feel smaller. Every step along the way, Tarwater regrets his condition and his actions…just like I do…
Regret is not repentance.
I’ve been haunted this last week with the question of my own ability to change those things that I hate about my own life.
I have looked into the lives of a number of struggling people, and I see the repetition of sin, bad choices, the need for personal gratification, the lack of real commitment to make real change, the exchange of resolve with rhetoric, and the morphine of starting over again and again and again. I was complaining to God about the lack of true grit in the people.
His response to me was typical. He immediately brought to my attention three pits of destruction in my life. He asked what I had done to resolve these three areas of sin, lack of discipline, bad choices, and lack of commitment. He said that I’ve talked about….
I have been reading Flannery O’Conner’s The Violent Bear It Away, and in the book, Tarwater is unable to escape the driving downfalls in his life. He fights with all that is in him to overcome his condition, but he is unable to alter the life that he lives. It is a story of shocking failure. It is a story that makes us feel smaller. Every step along the way, Tarwater regrets his condition and his actions…just like I do…
Regret is not repentance.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Less can be More
Shishak took the temple treasures from Rehoboam. He took all the gold ornaments and especially the gold shields used by the guards. Rehoboam responded quickly and decisively. He had bronze shields made to keep up the appearances. In fact, the bronze shields were stored away for safe keeping unless their bright bronze shields presenting them to the king. As he left, they hurriedly returned them safely to their storage room.
God knows what his children can handle and how faithful they will be with different things. For instance, I would not be faithful with a million dollars at this point; therefore, I don’t have it. Is that a blessing or a curse?
Rehoboam was not strong enough to be faithful with a gold ordained temple, and the Lord saw to it that he didn’t have to be. Rehoboam was exceptionally faithful with a bronze ordained temple, and God blessed the nation with peace for nearly his entire reign.
I know that I would make a god out of television; so, I don’t have one. I would make a god out of nice cars; so, I don’t drive a car that I can’t walk away from at any time. Wouldn’t it make sense that God would care for us in that way as well?
Thomas Jonathan Jackson, (i.e., Stonewall Jackson) once said that he didn’t use tobacco in any form. Why? He found that he liked it too much.
Shishak took the temple treasures from Rehoboam. He took all the gold ornaments and especially the gold shields used by the guards. Rehoboam responded quickly and decisively. He had bronze shields made to keep up the appearances. In fact, the bronze shields were stored away for safe keeping unless their bright bronze shields presenting them to the king. As he left, they hurriedly returned them safely to their storage room.
God knows what his children can handle and how faithful they will be with different things. For instance, I would not be faithful with a million dollars at this point; therefore, I don’t have it. Is that a blessing or a curse?
Rehoboam was not strong enough to be faithful with a gold ordained temple, and the Lord saw to it that he didn’t have to be. Rehoboam was exceptionally faithful with a bronze ordained temple, and God blessed the nation with peace for nearly his entire reign.
I know that I would make a god out of television; so, I don’t have one. I would make a god out of nice cars; so, I don’t drive a car that I can’t walk away from at any time. Wouldn’t it make sense that God would care for us in that way as well?
Thomas Jonathan Jackson, (i.e., Stonewall Jackson) once said that he didn’t use tobacco in any form. Why? He found that he liked it too much.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Minimum Wage
Sorry, but I forgot about the Governor's minimum wage proposal. Instead of raising the minimum wage to $7.15 an hour let's raise it to $100 an hour and it will take care of all our problems. Of course, it will cost $40 for a loaf of bread and $500 a month for cable, but who cares.
The minimum wage paid in society is and will always be strickly a matter of economics. The relation of wages to prices will never be influenced by government mandated wage increases. Government can manadate wages, but prices will just follow.
The truth is that by increasing minimum wage we actually increase the gap between the wealthiest wage earners and the poorest wage earners...but we'll leave that for a later expose'.
Sorry, but I forgot about the Governor's minimum wage proposal. Instead of raising the minimum wage to $7.15 an hour let's raise it to $100 an hour and it will take care of all our problems. Of course, it will cost $40 for a loaf of bread and $500 a month for cable, but who cares.
The minimum wage paid in society is and will always be strickly a matter of economics. The relation of wages to prices will never be influenced by government mandated wage increases. Government can manadate wages, but prices will just follow.
The truth is that by increasing minimum wage we actually increase the gap between the wealthiest wage earners and the poorest wage earners...but we'll leave that for a later expose'.
The World is Run by Idiots
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I once worked in the Michigan legislature. The first thing I learned when I went there was that the little protective halo that I had, the idea that someone somewhere actually knew what was going on, was a false halo and false assumption on my part. Let me examine a couple of ideas in Governor Granholm’s speech last night.
First, she wants to amend the constitution in order to borrow $2 billion from our children to invest in research. She says that she’ll create 72,000 jobs by investing the $2,000,000,000. So the state will be paying approximately $54,000 per job after finance costs. All this proposal does is create a welfare program for college grads. And the best part? Our children and grandchildren get to pay for jobs long since gone with the wind.
Second, the Governor is perpetuating the myth that the major impediment to college is financial. I know absolutely destitute, poverty stricken people who are able to go to college (through grants and loans). I know of single mothers who are able to attend. When I was at the University of Michigan getting my MBA (which I paid every single dollar of), there was a single mom in the program. She ended up dropping out. Not for financial reasons mind you. By her own account, she would stay up all not instant messaging on AOL and therefore not get her work done. The problem has to do with what is inside of people not how much money they have, and $1,500 more for college isn’t going to make a difference.
Third, she wants to quick train people in various professions which have a high demand right now. Now, I can tell you that I really don’t want the unemployed person who can’t hold down a job at Burger King working an IV into my arm at the hospital. It is a generalization I know, but she generalized as well. In general, the unemployed right now are unemployed for a reason. And its not because their so clever. So, the Governor is going to make them nurses and construction workers. They have been unfaithful with a little so she’s going to make them ruler over much (pardon the Biblical allusion).
It is amazing how clever they think they are, but most of these politician are second rate, half-wits at best.
Well, that’s my first “political” rant on this blog. It was a long time coming, and I’ll try not to bore you again with one for a long time. It’s just that when someone starts picking my pocket, especially for hair-brained schemes, I get a little agitated.
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but I once worked in the Michigan legislature. The first thing I learned when I went there was that the little protective halo that I had, the idea that someone somewhere actually knew what was going on, was a false halo and false assumption on my part. Let me examine a couple of ideas in Governor Granholm’s speech last night.
First, she wants to amend the constitution in order to borrow $2 billion from our children to invest in research. She says that she’ll create 72,000 jobs by investing the $2,000,000,000. So the state will be paying approximately $54,000 per job after finance costs. All this proposal does is create a welfare program for college grads. And the best part? Our children and grandchildren get to pay for jobs long since gone with the wind.
Second, the Governor is perpetuating the myth that the major impediment to college is financial. I know absolutely destitute, poverty stricken people who are able to go to college (through grants and loans). I know of single mothers who are able to attend. When I was at the University of Michigan getting my MBA (which I paid every single dollar of), there was a single mom in the program. She ended up dropping out. Not for financial reasons mind you. By her own account, she would stay up all not instant messaging on AOL and therefore not get her work done. The problem has to do with what is inside of people not how much money they have, and $1,500 more for college isn’t going to make a difference.
Third, she wants to quick train people in various professions which have a high demand right now. Now, I can tell you that I really don’t want the unemployed person who can’t hold down a job at Burger King working an IV into my arm at the hospital. It is a generalization I know, but she generalized as well. In general, the unemployed right now are unemployed for a reason. And its not because their so clever. So, the Governor is going to make them nurses and construction workers. They have been unfaithful with a little so she’s going to make them ruler over much (pardon the Biblical allusion).
It is amazing how clever they think they are, but most of these politician are second rate, half-wits at best.
Well, that’s my first “political” rant on this blog. It was a long time coming, and I’ll try not to bore you again with one for a long time. It’s just that when someone starts picking my pocket, especially for hair-brained schemes, I get a little agitated.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Caricatures
Every great novel is more than a good story. It is a tool to convey the author’s philosophy, ideas, or point of view.
In his book England, England, Julian Barnes asserts through one of his characters, Sir Jack, that on the whole people prefer replicas to the real thing. In museums, replica art tends to attract more people for longer observations than the real thing. People tend to prefer the reconstituted, even in ideas and history. History tends to be reduced quickly to caricatures of the original very quickly. Who was Julius Caesar really? Who was George Washington really? As human being we tend to subtly create new characters from the ashes of the real thing.
I see this when I perform a funeral. The caricatures begin within moments of the person’s passing. We remember this or that and others reinforce it. Pretty soon a person’s 80 year life is boiled down to: She loved her family, knitting, Thursday night bingo and taking care of the pets. Is this really what she was all about?
We also do this with the Bible. We fill our minds with suppositions about what the Bible says. We hear other people’s suppositions, and we make them our own. We accept cultural norms and read the Bible through the eyes of the world around us. In America we accept as fact things like: choice is sacred, democracy is a God ordained form of government, and the love of God trumps all of His other facets (i.e., His hatred, his jealousy, and His vengeance).
As an example of caricature, I had someone tell me after a funeral the other day after a funeral that I preached, “Well, she’s with God, and that’s where we’re all headed.” I thought, “Not necessarily all of us.”
Every great novel is more than a good story. It is a tool to convey the author’s philosophy, ideas, or point of view.
In his book England, England, Julian Barnes asserts through one of his characters, Sir Jack, that on the whole people prefer replicas to the real thing. In museums, replica art tends to attract more people for longer observations than the real thing. People tend to prefer the reconstituted, even in ideas and history. History tends to be reduced quickly to caricatures of the original very quickly. Who was Julius Caesar really? Who was George Washington really? As human being we tend to subtly create new characters from the ashes of the real thing.
I see this when I perform a funeral. The caricatures begin within moments of the person’s passing. We remember this or that and others reinforce it. Pretty soon a person’s 80 year life is boiled down to: She loved her family, knitting, Thursday night bingo and taking care of the pets. Is this really what she was all about?
We also do this with the Bible. We fill our minds with suppositions about what the Bible says. We hear other people’s suppositions, and we make them our own. We accept cultural norms and read the Bible through the eyes of the world around us. In America we accept as fact things like: choice is sacred, democracy is a God ordained form of government, and the love of God trumps all of His other facets (i.e., His hatred, his jealousy, and His vengeance).
As an example of caricature, I had someone tell me after a funeral the other day after a funeral that I preached, “Well, she’s with God, and that’s where we’re all headed.” I thought, “Not necessarily all of us.”
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Kill the Mocking Bird
Many rulers believed in Jesus. However, they wouldn't admit it publicly because the Pharisees would have thrown them out of the synagogue. They were more concerned about what people thought of them than about what God thought of them.
(John 12:42-43)
We serve (i.e., we are the slave of) whoever’s opinion of us we are concerned with. Perhaps we serve ourselves, perhaps some heathen relative or cow-orker (it’s a Dilbertism), or someone of the opposite sex that we’re trying to impress. There are probably a few temporal benefits to pleasing others, but the benefits of pleasing God are eternal.
I run in to Christian after Christian (perhaps I need quote marks around those two proper names) who believe in God but who are quite willing to continue heedlessly in open sin and rebellion with little thought about the consequences. Then I stop and look in the mirror…Dope! I do the same thing just different vices.
Many rulers believed in Jesus. However, they wouldn't admit it publicly because the Pharisees would have thrown them out of the synagogue. They were more concerned about what people thought of them than about what God thought of them.
(John 12:42-43)
We serve (i.e., we are the slave of) whoever’s opinion of us we are concerned with. Perhaps we serve ourselves, perhaps some heathen relative or cow-orker (it’s a Dilbertism), or someone of the opposite sex that we’re trying to impress. There are probably a few temporal benefits to pleasing others, but the benefits of pleasing God are eternal.
I run in to Christian after Christian (perhaps I need quote marks around those two proper names) who believe in God but who are quite willing to continue heedlessly in open sin and rebellion with little thought about the consequences. Then I stop and look in the mirror…Dope! I do the same thing just different vices.
Love Will Keep Us Together
I remember when we moved into our home outside of Big Rapids, way out in the country. I remember that dad had taken a job where he started an agricultural store/office in Reed City for Allegan Pipe and Supply, and as an entrepreneur, dad ended up working from before dawn ‘til after dusk many times. Twelve hour days were the norm for him, and I can remember as an 8, 9 and 10 year old hating him for never being around. When he was around he built a shed out back. He built a deck, a new driveway, planted a tree line, dug a pond, and remodeled the basement. I remember him putting in a new well by hand. I tried to help with that. I guess what I really remember tonight is all the sweat.
Mom worked hard too. She always canned, sewed, and took care of us kids and the house. I remember shelves and shelves of canned fruit and vegetables…hundreds of jars of beans at a time. Mom took care of the two runt pigs that we raised, and then she cooked them after we got the meat back from the butcher. Mom would work all day taking care of us kids, cleaning the house, doing laundry, shopping, and so on. Then, after dad got home, mom would go put on Home Interior parties to make extra money on the side for us to survive.
I remember dad, mom, and us three boys getting caught in a snowstorm in the little hatchback, Dodge Colt, and getting stuck about every 50 feet for miles as we tried to get home. I remember that every Christmas we got something awe inspiring. I remember one year I got a BB gun, and I thought it was the same kind as the neighbor kids (I was wrong.). His was junk, and so I was totally unimpressed. I think today how I would feel if a kid of mine reacted as I did that day…it was crush me.
I’m now almost the age my dad was when I first started driving the car, and as I look back I’m amazed at how these young kids raised a family. Although I never knew it at the time, we lived below the poverty line most of the time until I got into high school, but we never seemed to want anything.
My point is that marriage is largely about blood, sweat and tears. It’s more about finding someone to be your partner through these trials than finding the best romancer or the hottest chic. My advice: pick someone you can rely on. I did. Well, she’s hot too.
I remember when we moved into our home outside of Big Rapids, way out in the country. I remember that dad had taken a job where he started an agricultural store/office in Reed City for Allegan Pipe and Supply, and as an entrepreneur, dad ended up working from before dawn ‘til after dusk many times. Twelve hour days were the norm for him, and I can remember as an 8, 9 and 10 year old hating him for never being around. When he was around he built a shed out back. He built a deck, a new driveway, planted a tree line, dug a pond, and remodeled the basement. I remember him putting in a new well by hand. I tried to help with that. I guess what I really remember tonight is all the sweat.
Mom worked hard too. She always canned, sewed, and took care of us kids and the house. I remember shelves and shelves of canned fruit and vegetables…hundreds of jars of beans at a time. Mom took care of the two runt pigs that we raised, and then she cooked them after we got the meat back from the butcher. Mom would work all day taking care of us kids, cleaning the house, doing laundry, shopping, and so on. Then, after dad got home, mom would go put on Home Interior parties to make extra money on the side for us to survive.
I remember dad, mom, and us three boys getting caught in a snowstorm in the little hatchback, Dodge Colt, and getting stuck about every 50 feet for miles as we tried to get home. I remember that every Christmas we got something awe inspiring. I remember one year I got a BB gun, and I thought it was the same kind as the neighbor kids (I was wrong.). His was junk, and so I was totally unimpressed. I think today how I would feel if a kid of mine reacted as I did that day…it was crush me.
I’m now almost the age my dad was when I first started driving the car, and as I look back I’m amazed at how these young kids raised a family. Although I never knew it at the time, we lived below the poverty line most of the time until I got into high school, but we never seemed to want anything.
My point is that marriage is largely about blood, sweat and tears. It’s more about finding someone to be your partner through these trials than finding the best romancer or the hottest chic. My advice: pick someone you can rely on. I did. Well, she’s hot too.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
A Messianic View of the Ministry
Jesus called the apostles and said, "You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone.
(Mar 10:42-44)
I used to think this passage was Christ instructing us on how to become a great Christian or a great minister, but as I read it today, I saw it as a warning. It doesn’t say that if we become a servant to others we will become great, but it says that our ambition will make us a slave to others.
The more personal ambition I have or the more I crave personal glory or personal gratitude or personal recognition as a minister the more I subject myself to the whims of the people. This approach ensures that I jump when anyone calls. I’ll run to the hospital. I’ll run to pray with someone. I’ll end up having my time dictated by others because I want to be loved and admired by them.
When I place the kingdom ahead of myself and my own feelings or ambitions, I no longer subject myself to the whims of the people, but I subject myself simply to the will of the Lord. I redirect praise and credit. I encourage and empower others to ministry, and they get the glory for serving others. I decrease, and the Lord increases.
Jesus called the apostles and said, "You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. But that's not the way it's going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone.
(Mar 10:42-44)
I used to think this passage was Christ instructing us on how to become a great Christian or a great minister, but as I read it today, I saw it as a warning. It doesn’t say that if we become a servant to others we will become great, but it says that our ambition will make us a slave to others.
The more personal ambition I have or the more I crave personal glory or personal gratitude or personal recognition as a minister the more I subject myself to the whims of the people. This approach ensures that I jump when anyone calls. I’ll run to the hospital. I’ll run to pray with someone. I’ll end up having my time dictated by others because I want to be loved and admired by them.
When I place the kingdom ahead of myself and my own feelings or ambitions, I no longer subject myself to the whims of the people, but I subject myself simply to the will of the Lord. I redirect praise and credit. I encourage and empower others to ministry, and they get the glory for serving others. I decrease, and the Lord increases.
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