Here's what I think

Which is a totally stupid title for a blog post, because what is a blog post other than what the author thinks? That's the point, right? Here's what's been rattling around in my noggin, and now you get to read it. That is the definition of blog. So, on to what I've been thinking.



This may take awhile, my brain has been stuffed full with thoughts. Some interesting (interesting to me, anyway), some silly, some serious. It's a whole mishmash up in there!



First, let's start with Charley. The dude is fantastic. Who's Charley? Why he's only the newest member of our household. A sweet boxer boy we got from Mulligan Mutts rescue. He is magnificently cute and wonderfully smart. I will hear no arguments on this. Ok, well, I have heard the argument from the cat on this point. His position is that Charley is a big, dumb oaf. A big, dumb oaf determined to lick him like a lollipop. And since he has no desire to be licked like a lollipop, he stays as far away from Charley as he can and detests him with every furry fiber of his little kitty cat being. But the cat is the only one in the house who doesn't like him. The rest of us are pretty taken with him.



I could bore you with all the cute things he does, but new pet owners can be just as obnoxious as new parents when it comes to sharing unwanted details about how their pet/baby is the best pet/baby that ever lived. Cuter, smarter, funnier, destined for better things than your pet/baby. So, I will just share one small detail. (Humor me here) When we go for our early morning walks, he looks into every storm sewer along the way. Every. Single. One. I'm not sure what he's looking for, but watching him staring down into the storm sewer, his brow furrowed in concentration, his ears perked up, his body half backing up, half leaning forward-I'm curious, I'm wary-makes me laugh. Hopefully there aren't any C.H.U.D.s down there. Lard. I never thought of that possibility until JUST NOW! AHHH! No more dog walking for me. I don't want to be eaten by some Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller. Nope. Not a good way to start the day.



What's that? Do I have a picture of him? Why yes, I do. Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable, I've got a whole album full. Nah, just messin' with you. Here's one of my favorites. By the way, he's named for the famous pugilist Charley Burley. If you don't know who he is, go here to read about him. http://http//charleyburley.com/index.htm And truthfully, he already had the name Charley. I just googled famous boxers named Charlie, and that's what appeared. It makes for a good story though, oui?

Let's see, what else is going on...



I really can't remember any other thing. The whole idea of cannibalistic humanoids wandering underneath my subdivision has chased all the thoughts out of my head.



Oh wait, here it is. And it has nothing to do with dogs or C.H.U.D.s. Unless C.H.U.D.s are God's retribution on city slickers.



Let's talk about folks who say that natural disasters are God's way of punishing folks. I'm gonna get all churchy on you here, so feel free to exit this post now if that isn't your thing.


Let us all open our Bibles to the 9th chapter of John.

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."



Bad stuff happens in this world. Really bad stuff. Sometimes it affects just a few people, sometimes it affects thousands. Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanos, mudslides, droughts, floods-all natural disasters that can kill thousands of people and leave thousands more homeless. We hear about them and we look to the sky and raise our hands to heaven and ask, "Why?" We want an explanation. We want the world to make sense. And it just doesn't. Being weak and frightened, we want to rule out the possibility that something similar could happen to us, so we blame it on the wrong-doing of the people suffering the tragedy. "Surely these were people who deserved this. I on the other hand am living right. I don't have to worry."


And then in John, chapter 9, Jesus says, (and I paraphrase here. What audacity! Paraphrasing the Lord!) "Nope. Has nothing to do with sin and everything to do with showing the work of God." And the work of God, as far as I've been able to cotton, is love. "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" Galatians, chapter 5" The only thing. The ONLY thing.

Bad things happen, that is the way of the world. And in responding with love to those bad things, we are doing the work of God on earth. We are called to be the light to others foundering in the darkness. Whatever form that darkness takes.


The horrible earthquake in Haiti is not some divine retribution. If God deals in that kind of retribution, I need to go outside and wait for the lightning bolt.


The next time you want to rail at the Almighty, screaming, "Why?" Ask yourself if it is an opportunity that God is giving you to spread the light of His love.


Thank you and we will now sing hymn 342 and pass the plate. Amen.