according to jeff

I’m reclining in bed, looking out the window, watching the wind blow the newly leafed-out willow tree branches. Lu is sitting in the rocker, reading the just-delivered latest edition of World magazine. Bethany is next to me, working on homework, though I think she’s really spending more time playing Draw Something on her iPhone. We are together, even though not constantly interacting. There is power in presence.

I’m then reminded of those who will come for a visit, and be content with merely looking out the window with me. No grand philosophical discussions, no constant conversations, no entertaining or being entertained, just a desire to be together. While others might think that a waste of time, I know what you are really saying is, “I care enough that I’m content to just share the same space for a while.” There is power in presence.

And then I wonder, is God like that, too? Must I fill time together with reading the Bible, praying, meditating on the Word? Or is there a satisfaction that comes from merely being together, sharing an occasional thought, looking out the window, watching the wind blow the newly leafed-out willow tree branches?

Yes, yes, I think there is.

I received this tweet from a business acquaintance (@kapurcell):

“wanted to tell u. Friend led person to Christ with your Romans road app this month.”

How awesome is that! Praise God!

I think he’s referring to this app for iPhone / iPad / iPod touch.

Faithful readers probably already know that for the previous year or so, I’ve been maintaining two blogs: this blog, and a blog related to my cancer diagnosis and treatment (http://cancer.accordingtojeff.com). I don’t mention the other blog much. I figure if you’re interested, you’ve probably already found it.

However, every now and then, I put something there that I hope more people will read. Such is the case with an article that I wrote earlier today. It’s titled “Lord, who would we go to?” and I hope you’ll read it.

A few days ago, in a previous article I wrote:

If you haven’t yet heard (or have forgotten already), former St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols has left the Cardinals to join the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, being wooed away by a contract valued at 254 million dollars over the next ten years and perhaps other as yet unknown motivations.

Some of the “other as yet unknown motivations” are now becoming a little clearer, based on a St. Louis Post Dispatch article by Joe Strauss, which includes extensive quotes by the former St. Louis Cardinal star.

“I don’t want to talk about negotiations. But to tell you the truth, it wasn’t about money. I’m going to die saying that, because it wasn’t about the money. It was about the commitment. It was about the way he made me feel. [Angels owner] Arte [Moreno] made me feel like he wanted me to be with the Angels forever. He doesn’t want me to be 37 years old and have to go somewhere else. It was a commitment. It was something I expressed myself, and I kept expressing during the conversation that I didn’t want to go somewhere else, that this was going to be my last contract. And whether people want to believe if it was about the money, I can’t control that. … [Moreno] wasn’t talking about the 10 years. He was talking about life after Albert Pujols’ career. That was something that touched me. It pushed me to my decision.”

Read the full article here

So, it’s not about the money. It’s about the feelings. During the negotiation process, Albert didn’t feel wanted by the Cardinals’ ownership or management, so he went somewhere where he would be wanted.

I understand wanting to feel wanted and appreciated, but surely the city of St. Louis and the vast majority of fans showered Albert with adulation and appreciation. Stan the Man stated publicly that all he wanted for Christmas was for Albert to be a Cardinal for life, voicing the desires of many fans. And it wasn’t enough?

“I wanted to play somewhere where I was wanted, so I took a pay cut to play for them” is an easier sell than “I wanted to play somewhere where I was wanted, so I took the offer worth more than $4 million more per year.” It makes it hard to swallow that it wasn’t about the money.

Yet, I’m willing to swallow it. Somehow, this became an emotional decision for the Pujols family. We fans thought that emotion would be on our side, encouraging Albert to pass on more lucrative offers and be a Cardinal for life.

Instead, it looks like Albert may wear an Angels cap into the Hall of Fame.

Tim Tebow is a fascinating guy.

I am glad to see him achieve success on the field with the Broncos, confounding the professional talking heads.

I also enjoy reading articles on the subject. Here’s one at the Wall Street Journal.

As I recently wrote on Facebook, “I’d like to say I’m feeling a vague dissatisfaction with Albert Pujols, but it’s not very vague.”

If you haven’t yet heard (or have forgotten already), former St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols has left the Cardinals to join the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, being wooed away by a contract valued at 254 million dollars over the next ten years and perhaps other as yet unknown motivations.

Bernie Miklasz, of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, sums up some of my disappointment in a recent article. Bernie writes:

I’m genuinely saddened by Pujols’ departure because I wanted to believe that he’d be different, that he would stay, that he would fully appreciate what he had here. Cardinals fans and Pujols simply adored each other for the last 11 years.

I sincerely wanted to trust Pujols when he offered this testimony during a 2009 interview: “Do I want to be in St. Louis forever? Of course. People from other teams want to play in St. Louis, and they’re jealous that we’re in St. Louis because the fans are unbelievable. So why would you want to leave a place like St. Louis to go somewhere else and make $3 million or $4 more million a year? It’s not about the money. I already got my money. It’s about winning, and that’s it.”

In the end, Pujols went for the money.

(Read the entire article here.)

So, I’m disappointed that now, a few years after stating the above, when push came to shove and the millions were being offered, the millions won out.

You might think that’s a little harsh, coming from some one that’s never turned down a 5 million a year raise. However, while the scale is somewhat different, I have turned down more money in favor of other lifestyle choices. Like Bernie, I was hopeful that Albert would, too, especially in light of his own comments on the subject. But he didn’t, and that disappoints me.

Some have suggested that Albert’s pride was wounded by the negotiating process and tactics. That may be. We all know what it’s like to have our pride wounded. Sometimes our pride then encourages us to go somewhere where “we’ll be appreciated”. I hope that this wasn’t the case with Albert.

The situation reminds me of three biblical truths.

1. Money is not the goal, and stuff doesn’t bring satisfaction. Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15 NIV)
    
2. Pride is a problem. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought (Romans 12:2 NIV), Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves Philippians 2:3 (NIV).
    
3. I am not the judge. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls (Romans 14:4 NIV).

As I reflect on Albert Pujols “defecting” to the Angels, I am reminded that I should be more concerned about applying these principles to my life, than being disappointed when I don’t perceive these principles being applied in another’s life.

So, as Albert Pujols joins the Angels, I send him off with these words: “May you continue to be generous with the world’s riches, may your testimony be strong, may you abound in Kingdom treasures, and, yes, I’m disappointed to see you go.”

My Sunday morning Bible study class at church uses the LifeTruths curriculum from LifeWay.

Our lessons these past few weeks have been especially good. We’ve been studying and discussing some incidents in the life of Moses that we can learn from. We started in Exodus 3 (Moses’ call), jumped several years to Exodus 32 (the people made a golden cow), and then jumped ahead some 40 years or so to Numbers 20 (Moses is frustrated with the people again, and disobeys God). These lessons have provided wonderfully practical applications for us. After all:

• Who of us hasn’t felt inadequate to tackle a big assignment from God?
• Who of us hasn’t been slightly moved by a story, but much more strongly moved by personal experience?
• Who of us hasn’t experienced speaking or acting rashly?

These lessons have provided a swell platform for discussion.

“The goal of the Church is to influence culture through good works. Good works are things that benefit others who are in need, for which God gets the glory. We need to be known for the good works we do. … Compassion is part of our DNA, and churches are closer to the needs of the people. No other national entity can bring eternal value into temporal reality.”
— Tony Evans
Bible Study Magazine, Nov & Dec 2011, page 13

RIP, seriously? Christians, put on your thinking caps. Isn’t it too late to wish the deceased to rest in peace? Isn’t that whole RIP concept misguided, misleading, and made-up? Well, isn’t it?

Banish “RIP” from your vocabulary.

Keelan may agree. Read Spiritual Loopholes.

Asked by a London newspaper in 1908 what’s wrong with the world, G.K. Chesterton answered simply – “I am.”

— As read in World Magazine, May 7, 2011, page 24

“Providence is wonderfully intricate. Ah! You want always to see through Providence, do you not? You never will. I assure you. You have not eyes good enough. You want to see what good that affliction was to you; you must believe it. You want to see how it can bring good to the soul; you may be enabled in a little time, but you cannot see it now; you must believe it.”

Charles Spurgeon
Quoted in World Magazine, April 23, 2011, page 84

I’ve been bald for about a month now.

While there are some advantages, such as not needing to pack a razor or comb when I travel, I’d have to say that I miss my hair.

…

Click here for the full article.

An article from the Saturday, February 19, 2011, edition of the St. Louis Post Dispatch tries to tackle the biblical implications of Albert Pujols’ contract negotiations. It does a fine job introducing differing opinions and providing food for thought.

As contract talks broke down between Albert Pujols and the Cardinals this week, St. Louis baseball fans began nervously asking themselves a host of questions.

He’s a Cardinal for life, right? He would never pull a LeBron, would he?

Wrigley? He likes winning too much, doesn’t he?

But a particular group of Cardinals fans — made up of those who share Pujols’ faith — was asking a different kind of question. What does holding out for the largest contract in the history of baseball say about Albert’s Christian testimony?

For the entire article, click here.

Last night before bed, I was reading from Psalm 139 (the text of next Sunday’s sermon) and from Romans 12. The closing part of Romans 12 really stood out to me.

  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.
  Do not be wise in your own estimation.
  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
— Romans 12:14-21 (NASB)

After reading this passage several times, I was once again (this isn’t a new thought) struck with how much easier it is to read the Bible than to actually consistently follow its teachings.

Amidst all of these instructions, one particularly jumped out at me. How wonderful that the Holy Spirit helps as we read to understand and apply (and convict)! In this case, He helped me see that I need God’s help to better fulfill one of these instructions.