Going Hungry

The rain hits the top of the car in a rhythmic pattern like the sound of war drums. He reclines the seat and closes his eyes. His mind races with the days events. The last year has been a whirlwind of mistakes. Lawsuits fill the air and tonight he sleeps in his car, no money for a hotel.  

Jim is the CEO of a major manufacturing company. This is not his first business. So why is it failing? Economics would tell you the economy is bad. Business guru's would say poor business decisions. I think he took his eye off the prize. You see, we all make bad decisions in life. We are all going through tough economic times. So why is this man failing where others succeed? We have to look at what we serve and the hand that feeds.

I once had to dog sit for a neighbor when I was young. The rules were simple, feed and water the dog daily. I would go over before school and after school, fire up the hose and fill the water bowl. Then I would get the giant back of dog food open and scoop some into Bears bowl. Bear was a big Chow/ German Shepard mix. I didn't really trust that dog, but he was always happy to see me, well almost always. One day, I filled his water dish and bend over to fill his food bowl and he snapped at me. His large white teeth ran down the side of my face like a straight razor. If I had a beard at he age of 10, he would have had half of it in his mouth. I quickly sprung back and landed in the crab crawl position back pedaling as fast as possible. He didn't stop and lunged at me again. Lucky for me he was on a thick chain, tied to a post 3' in the ground. Stunned and scared I hurried home. I didn't tell anyone about what happen, but I didn't feed Bear for two days either. You see, Bear didn't think about what he was doing. Maybe he was having a bad day, or just missed his family. Or maybe he was just a jerk (most likely answer). Either way, he bit at the hand that fed and the food stopped coming. 

Jim is no different. When things got good, when things were great, he lost sight of where the food was coming from. He forgot who provided for him and he took his eye off what was important. He stopped obeying and tried to write his own rules. Much like Bear, Jim thought he could have his way and still get paid. It doesn't work like that. Sure, there are many successful non-believers out there. They never served God, so their money and success doesn't come from Him. It's when you know God, and your successes are great that you must remember: "A man can only serve one master." We all have masters. Something in our lives that takes precedence over all other things. Money, Sex, Drugs, Family, Success, and the list goes on. One thing in your life takes that role. What is it? Is it God? Is it Jesus? Or is it money, fame, lust, or greed? Out of all those things mentioned, which do you believe has the greatest long term potential? 

We all struggle to find inner peace, joy, and contentment."Money can't by happiness". You know who said that? Me either. Obviously a very wealthy person. How else would they know? 

~Caleb

Stranded

Ice crystals pelt your face like needles. You turn and scrunch down into your jacket, trying to find a place the wind can't reach. You've been here before, it all seems so similar. Realizing the wind and sleet are unrelenting you take up your course again. Walking head-long into the beating and blistering weather. It's the dead of night and you didn't notice the black ice. Your windshield had become coated in a thick blanket of frozen water rendering your windshield wipers useless. "Only a few more miles to go" you say to yourself as you push the accelerator, straining to see the road. Soon you're in a flat spin, your car careens into a snow bank deep into the left ditch. You can't stay there, and it's only about a mile to the house. This road is rarely traveled, chances of getting picked up in the day are slim, let alone at 11pm. You forgot your cell phone on the kitchen counter.

The wind hasn't backed down in the last quarter mile. The good news is, you can't feel it anymore. Muttering under your breath with each step closer to home you replay the events that lead up to this moment. You'd had that dog for 10years. He was a true member of the family. When you noticed he couldn't stand earlier this evening you picked him up and put him in the back of the car. With weather on the horizon you rushed him into the vet hospital. Unfortunately old age and kidney failure were a deadly combination. By the time you arrived at the hospital, he was gone. Passed away in the back of the car alone. How were you going to tell the family?

It figures, because nothing has been going right. Two weeks ago you were laid off because the contract on your work expired. One week before that, your grandma died. Now this. He was a good dog. You can't help but feel bitter and angry. The weather was really blowing in now. Looking out the window of the hospital the vet-tech is asking how you want to proceed. You look back at her with a glare and say "just burn him" and walk out the door. Heart broken, spirit torn, and emotionally exhausted you get in your car.

You can see the porch light in the distance. It fades in and out with each gust of snow and ice. You can't feel your legs. Each step takes more and more effort. Exhausted, you fall to your knees. With frozen tears you look up to the sky. Wanting to believe in something, you softly whisper for help. It's not so much physical as it is spiritual. You're broken. It's been one thing after another, too much too fast, and much like the vehicle in the ditch your life is out of control. Looking down at the snow and ice covered road you notice your shadow. You never heard the truck pull up behind you, and you didn't recognize the driver. "Need some help?" the stranger asks with a smile. You can only muster a nod. "Get in" he says. Climbing in to the warm cab of the truck a sudden rush of peace falls over you. "called a buddy o' mine"..."well have your car out of the ditch in a bit". You don't say thank you even though you want to. As he drops you off in front of your house,  "Who are you?" you ask. "A friend. We'll drop your car off once we getter pulled out, now go inside and get warmed up." With that,  the truck drives back off into the storm.

The next morning you look out your window to see your car sitting in the drive. There's a paper under the windshield wiper. "Probably the bill" you think out loud. Walking out to your car in pajamas and slippers you slide the note out from under the blade. It reads:

Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. For those who ask receive, those who seek find, and those who knock it will be opened.

~A friend~

This time, the tears weren't frozen....

~Caleb

Fruit

There are many different types of fruit in this world. Apples, oranges, peaches just to name a few. There are tropical, berry, and exotic fruits but truthfully they only fall into one of two categories. Good fruit, and bad fruit. I'm not talking about if you like the taste, I'm referring to the fact that sometimes even a healthy looking tree just produces bad fruit.

You walk into an orange orchard, lush and green. The ground is soft and the morning dew still dripping from the leaves. Strolling down a row of beautiful orange trees standing 25' tall on either side. About every five feet or so is a new one, tall and true, strong and beautiful. Then you notice a gap. There's a missing tree, they were all so perfect until now. What happened? You ask the farmer working the land, he says "bad fruit" smiles and walks away...

You see, a tree is know by it's fruit and a good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree gets cut out, like a weed. The farmer didn't want to waste the water on it. What do you produce? Do you spread gossip or become "two faced" with people? Do spread positive words, encouragement, and love? Because a good tree is known by the good fruit it produces, it is nurtured, watered, taken care of by others, and a bad tree...well you know.

There is no future in negative talk, bad attitudes and gossip. There is no joy in hate, and no happy ending for the pessimist. Produce good fruit and you will never be cut out. Produce good fruit and others will reap benefits of your labor. Produce good fruit and you won't leave a bad taste in peoples mouths after they meet you. I'll talk to you soon, I'm gonna go get an apple. 

~Caleb

If It Takes Just One

He had a 91.9% quarterback rating. 450 completed passes for 4700 yards and ended the 2010 regular season with a record of 10-6. One year later the team ended its regular season at 2-14. I'm referring to Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts. A Neck injury in 2010 kept him out of the 2011 football season. He was there general, the leader of the offense. He called the plays on the field, dismantling the opponents defense. One by one he would pick apart their secondary limiting his mistakes to a handful all year. Everyone knew he was a valuable player. That the Colts would never be the same team without him. However, no one expected the contrast to be so great. So the question is...Can one man (or woman) make a difference?

We walk through life wondering how we can make a difference. We search for ways that we have made a difference to put on a resume or to pat ourselves on the back. But what difference have you made today? Have you changed someones life today? With each decision we make on a daily basis, we impact the lives of others. Weather that is a positive or negative impact is up to you. We don't have to be NFL quarterbacks to lead. We don't need to be in politics to make a difference. And we certainly don't need to make or donate millions to show that we have made a difference. Sometimes all it take is a smile, a handshake, or a hug. Most of the time it just takes time. Taking the time out of your busy day, to purposely and intentionally make a positive impact in someones life. (again...bring cookies)

They may not write a book about your life. You probably won't set any records or be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Truthfully though, I would rather leave behind a legacy of love and understanding, greater than all the ink in the world could put down in black and white. So, it starts today...we've all got work to do. 

~Caleb

For What It's Worth

Everything has value in some way. It may be next to worthless to one person but be exactly what another was looking for. Items that get thrown in the trash or left in the attic for years are later brought to life and valued in the thousands. I have a friend who visited an auction and spotted a curious looking model. It was a "Moon Bus" they made them back in the later 60's or early 70's. It was thought that in the not so distant future we would all be buying tickets for a vacation to the moon. There were even design flaws to the model, making it impossible to finish completely. Needless to say that model didn't last that long and was quickly discontinued. At the time the models were generally worthless, people threw them away, parts got lost, kids buried them in the backyard with the idea to dig them up later...(where did I bury that thing?). Anyway, my buddy bid on the "Moon Bus" and he got that item with some other items for the grand total of $75. Not extremely cheap for a model from 1969 that he had no idea about. Soon enough he had it up on an online auction. Four days later he sold that model for $750.00 plus shipping. I think if the person who put that model kit in the pile of junk at the local auction would have known it was worth that much, they would have treated it better. I guess sometimes things are worth more than they appear.

Have you ever had that happen? Maybe it was an old lamp, or a dusty painting, or maybe a person... Sometimes we judge a book by the cover and assume because someone doesn't have expensive clothes or drive a nice car that they aren't worth much. That they are trash. We drive by a man standing on the side of the road holding a sign that says "Anything Helps, God Bless" and we think to ourselves. "Lock the doors" or "Get a job bum". Does he really have less value than you or me? If I was born into a family that was very wealthy and from a young age had a massive amount of entitlement, though I didn't have to work for any of it. Am I worth more than you? In some eyes, yes. In my eyes no. Our worth starts within. You need to have self worth, and be willing to stand by it. Character as some would call it, is more important than reputation. To me your reputation is worth a plane ticket, because you can go somewhere different and change it. However, your character is priceless. It's defined by the actions you take when no one is looking.

So help define your character today. Who are you? Are you a person you throws a painting away without regard because it has a little dirt on it? Or will you treat everyone like a priceless work of art? You know what they are worth. Same as you... Everything.

~Caleb

Incandescent

Be green and save some green! That's what Sam was thinking when she picked up that 4 pack of fluorescent light bulbs. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference. She continued gathering the other items on the list, proud of herself that she is so environmentally savvy. Getting home she pops open the box of new bulbs and thinks of all the money she'll be saving, how much better it will be on mother nature and how nice it would be to finally get rid of these old yellow bulbs! Sam flicks off the light and reaches for the old bulb. What happened next was to be expected. So why didn't she expect it?  

Sam is a smart girl. She graduated top of her class in college and has been promoted at work for her excellent problem solving skills. I know it seems trivial, changing light bulbs. Think about it though, have you ever wanted to get rid of something old in your life?(Not your husband or wife. They may be old but they mean well.) Maybe a bad habit or a eating disorder. Only to find after trying to quit cold turkey or crash dieting, that you smoke more now than you ever did before and put on 10lbs! Why? Simply put, too much...too fast. Sam should have let the light bulb cool down slowly. She should have taken her time and let nature take its course. When we try to rush things, bad stuff is sure to follow. (I have a few ex-girlfriends as proof).

So, Sam learned from her mistake (after soaking her fingers in ice water for 20min). I hope you won't make the same mistake she did. Next time you go to swap out some of the old light bulbs in your life, make sure you let them cool off first. Otherwise you might just end up getting burned... 

~Caleb

Gum

It never fails. Walking down the sidewalk of a busy street, minding your own business when you realize you just stepped in someones already been chewed gum. Dragging your foot along the concrete in a circle like a dog looking for a place to poop, you start muttering all the things you would do to the person who left this little deposit for you to find. The gum works its way deep into the waffle of your shoe tread. So you sit down on a bench and use a stick to slowly pry out the unwanted sticky substance. The entire time you wonder how someone could be so careless, inconsiderate, and rude. Not to mention lazy! I mean, there's a garbage can every 50 feet. Well, you finally get all the watermelon scented gunk off your shoe and your back moving again. What a pain...but wait, Maybe we can learn from this as well.

Have you ever dis-guarded your unwanted waste into the path of someone else? Has it ever happened where something you said, or wrote, stuck to someones heart like gum to a shoe. When we spit fire from our lips without any regard to where it lands someone gets burned. When we spit gum from our mouths make sure its in the proper place (or just swallow it). It's better it takes 7 yrs for you to digest it than for your poison to infect others. Think about how you felt that day you stepped in that gum. And that was just a couple minutes of your time to get cleaned up. When we spread hate, or trash talk, or speak untruths about others, it sticks a lot longer (and it's harder to remove).

Some times if we choose to dispose of the "gum" in the right place, and maybe not chew on it for such a long time. We find that our jaws aren't as tired and others shoes aren't so sticky...

~Caleb

Blessings In Disguise

He speeds up in the left lane as if being chased by a chupacabra. Quickly he swerves over in front of you to avoid on coming traffic and the slows down to a comfortable 55mph. Hitting the steering wheel and saying some choice words you weave in your lane trying to find a glimpse of light to pass this guy. You're late, and before this yahoo pulled in front of you, 70mph felt slow, now you can't tell if the car is even moving! Frustrated and beaten, you slink back into your seat and take a sip of your drink. No use fighting it now...then just over the hill you are cresting sits a state trooper with his radar gun pointing straight at you. Wow...that could have been bad.

We've all had it happen. Something in life that we foresee as a major pain in the butt turns out to be the best thing that happens all day. I could sit here and name all of the things that bother me in any given day, but if I look at each happenstance as an opportunity to see the blessing (or just take a lesson in patients) the day goes much better.

Next time you drop your phone in a puddle, stain your favorite pants, or lock yourself out of the house, try to use the situation to meet someone new, take a break from the rush, or reflect on whats really important. Was I in a hurry the morning that guy pulled out in front of me? Yes. Did he save me from an $80 ticket. Absolutely. So, thank you stranger, sorry for what I said about your mom.....

~Caleb

Snow...

Beautiful and soft, white a pure. Not exactly what comes to mind when living in Iowa during a snow storm. However, after taking a second glance at snow, I think we can all learn a little something from these frozen water crystals.

It comes down quietly, sometimes when we least expect it. Catching us off guard, throwing off our daily routine. We react in many different ways. Some buy copious amounts of water and beef jerky for fear of being "snowed in". Others slip and slide there way to work trying to set an all time speed record for "how fast can I put my Mazda in the ditch". If this isn't your first winter in Iowa then you have no excuse. Snow in Iowa is like death and taxes. This blog isn't so much about what snow is... but how much it's like another "s" word in our lives.

It creeps in quietly, most times when you least expect it. Catching you at your weakest moment. Throwing you off your moral course. With something so simple as a little white lie, foul language or dirty joke. It piles up slowly and secretly. Until we look through the window into our souls (or back yard if we are still talking about snow) to see piles and piles of it. I'll use the word sin, because it best describes what I'm trying to say. If you are not a Christian, look at it as "morals" or lack there of. I see it everyday, with good people, moral people. Sliding down a slippery slope of sin and taking everyone around them with! The car of life lost its moral compass and is in a flat spin down the icy highway. Make no mistake, there are children, friends, family members who are watching and learning from your example. What do you do? How do you stop? 

First, recognize that there is "snow" in your life that could use some good old shoveling. Then lay down your pride and ask a neighbor for help. (I would suggest bringing cookies with you.) We all need to remember we are not in this alone. You are not alone... Though it may seem that the only thing showing at your house is the tip of the chimney. I promise, there are plenty of shovels...I'm holding one, and I know someone who has a snow blower and some ice-melt. 

God Bless

~Caleb 

The Fence

Some times we look over it and think of how nice it looks over there. Other times we sit on it and dip our toe onto the other side. Some of us realize before ever getting to the fence that appearances are not always what they seem. The grass is always greener on the other side.

The main problem with fences are that the transition isn't always black and white. Or brown and green if we are still talking about grass. Sometimes the lines are blurry and we get caught up in trying to live on both sides. you can't have your cake and eat it too. Right? Well, kinda. 

The truth is, no one really knows if the grass is greener or if its been spray painted to cover the yellow spots their neighbors dog left in it. Weeds or pee stains aside, I think the main lesson is contentment. In today's society we have so much we take for granted. Take the simple computer in front of you. 15 years ago, computers in households were rare. Our children are subject to new electronics like cell phones and game consoles at an alarming rate. If it wasn't made yesterday, it's old. Media tells us that if we don't have the latest phone or the newest t.v. that our lives will be incomplete. Even the government gets involved and says if we don't keep buying "stuff" our economy will fail and we will all be living in cardboard houses in 6 months. 

So, take a second glance at what you have without worrying about anyone else. The richest people in the world have the one thing we all want. Joy and peace. Those start with contentment. Lets make a pact to be content everyday with the little things and we'll move up from there.

Peace be with you

~Caleb