A real poser.

Take a look at this kid's face.

What kind of look is that? To me he looks puzzled. I wonder what he's stumped about. Someone must have asked him a real poser, but the look in his eyes says the question was terrifying.

Life can be that way too. One day you think you have everything sorted out and then, wham! A puzzling, nagging thought enters your mind and you don't know what to do about it. Should you forget about it? Should you take action? What will happen either way? If you take action, will you regret it? If you don't, will you regret it? Will you mess things up? Will you tell someone else about it? Will you lose credibility in the process? Will your faith stretch and become an example for others? 

The biggest questions of all: Where did the thought come from? Did it come from your own heart or did God pose it? Is it something you want, or is it something you were destined for? Is the thing you want also the thing you were destined for?

Any person who wants to advance in life will experience these kind of posers. That's because they aren't satisfied with the status quo. They realize that life is short and they only have a small window of opportunity to take hold of greatness. 

So, what should we do when ideas and visions pop into our heads?

First, we should ask God for His wisdom. Second, we should ask appropriate people for their wisdom. Finally, if there are no red flags, we should take action and step forward. Even if it all turns out to be a failure or never comes to pass, we can at least say we took the risk and tried. And, we can always try again if we wish, until we succeed. One thing is for certain: If we never try, we will never succeed, and we will never know if that puzzling, nagging thought was something we were destined for.     

The Love of Galadriel

Galadriel

'Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibilnâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dûm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone.' She looked down upon Gimli, who sat glowering and sad, and she smiled. And the Dwarf, hearing the names given in his own ancient tongue, looked up and met her eyes; and it seemed to him that he looked suddenly into the heart of an enemy and saw there love and understanding. Wonder came into his face, and then he smiled in answer.

He rose clumsily and bowed in dwarf-fashion, saying: 'Yet more fair is the living land of Lórien, and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth!'  —THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE MIRROR OF GALADRIEL

What beautiful language to describe the melting of hatred through the generosity of praise. J.R.R. Tolkien has given us yet another scene we can all benefit from. It is the lesson of Christ — to 'love your enemies.' 

There is power in love! Power to transform the most stubborn of evil persons into a good friend.

If we could only be like Galadriel, we might be surprised at how many who would respond like Gimli. Yet, we are afraid, too fearful to say anything complimentary or sympathetic to those with whom we have profound disagreements. We are so caught up in our differences and deep seated emotions against them, that we will not allow ourselves to be charitable. God help us! What a foolish trap to be stuck in.

Let us break free! Let us open up our mouths and permit understanding to roll off our tongues. May our words be sweet. May we offer a smile to counter the sadness and gloom of our enemies. Let us gaze into their eyes and let them see that our hearts are bigger and purer than they had imagined.

Wouldn't it be wondrous?

An Unexpected Journey

On December 14, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will arrive in theaters. I have been looking forward to this film all year, believing that it will be one of the greatest movies of the year. Peter Jackson did a fantastic job with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings stories, adapting them to film and exposing the world to the professor's most beloved cast of characters. The third film, The Return of the King, was for me, emotionally rousing. Even my wife teared up in the end when Frodo and Sam are overcome by exhaustion on the side of Mount Doom. The Ring had taken a tremendous toll on Frodo and his best friend Sam talked to him about home.

Sam: Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?

Frodo: No, Sam. I can't recall the taste of food... nor the sound of water... nor the touch of grass. I'm naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil... between me... and the wheel of fire! I can see him... with my waking eyes!

Sam: Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!

It was a beautiful picture of friendship, endurance, and fighting for the restoration of uncorrupted times. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the lesson will be about courage and maturity. Bilbo Baggins, comfortable in his hobbit hole in the Shire, will venture out into the Wild on a quest. But he won't be alone. He will be accompanied by a band of dwarves, but he'll also have the wise Gandalf coaching him.

I call this blog, "Advancement Points," because I believe we all need to get out of our comfortable holes and go on a journey. That is how we mature and become everything that our Creator intended for us to be. The good news is, like Bilbo Baggins, we don't have to go alone. We have a wise teacher - Jesus Christ - who will guide us if we'll listen, and he'll even come to our rescue once-in-awhile! I know this, because that has been my life. God called me away from my family and home when I was a teenager to pursue His purposes. I said "yes," and it has certainly been a grande adventure!

If you go to the movies to see the film, enjoy the story first and foremost. That's what J.R.R. Tolkien would want. Then, go and buy the book and read it. He would want that even more! But, he also believed the power of mythical fairy-stories lies in the fact that they speak to the listeners (and viewers - in this case) about their own lives. Look for the good lessons and the values that shine through. With Tolkien's stories, it's really not that hard to do. But, if you would like some great book recommendations to help you sort through the lessons, try the following resources:

Finding God in the Hobbit by Jim Ware
A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible by Ed Strauss
A Hobbit Journey by Matthew Dickerson

Finding God in The Lord of the Rings

Many of my closest friends know that I am a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. I am very excited about the new Hobbit movie trilogy coming out by Peter Jackson. The first movie will be here December!

A few years ago, my wife bought me a book called Finding God in The Lord of the Rings by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware. I thought I would share an excerpt with you...

"What's the matter, Mr. Frodo?" said Sam.
"I am wounded," he answered, "wounded; it will never really heal."

It had been two years that day since Frodo received the terrible wound in the dell under Weathertop.

A new year came, and Mr. Frodo continued to conceal his pain with great effort. Until one day, entering Sam's study with a look of finality, he invited his dear companion to accompany him on another journey. Uncle Bilbo Baggins had reached his 131st birthday, surpassing the Old Took, and the two would travel to Rivendell for a visit. "I wish I could go all the way with you," came Sam's reply. But they knew he could only go part of the way. A new father, Sam knew that long adventures were a completed chapter in his story.

While preparing to go, Sam was presented with the book begun many years earlier. The book, in which Bilbo and Frodo tell tales of the parts the hobbits had played in the downfall of the Lord of the Rings, was now nearly complete. "I have quite finished, Sam," said Frodo. "The last pages are for you." It was now clear to Sam what was happening. Mr. Frodo was finalizing details as he prepared to leave Middle-earth along with other Ring-bearers. He had received a mortal wound during his quest, and the sad reality of his departure was at hand. Approaching the place of their separation, a tearful Sam spoke.

"But I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done."

"So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."

Great sacrifice was necessary to defeat evil. Frodo had been chosen to carry a load none other could bear and fulfill a task none other could endure. Though Frodo was only one of many who had given up something for the greater good, none had suffered such direct confrontation with darkness or remained as faithful when tormented by the terrifying, possessing power of wickedness. Such was his role, to lose so that others might gain. And so, by completing his scene in the story, Frodo Baggins also performed the most heroic part.

Redemption. What a beautiful word! The lost regained. The ruined restored. The sick healed. The broken repaired. The enslaved set free. Wrong made right again. The deep yearning for God finally satisfied by the restoration of goodness!

But redemption can only occur after evil is defeated. Freeing captives requires entering enemy territory. Giving life may mean facing death. The paradise of peace is often secured through the hell of war. In every instance, someone must be willing to give up his or her self for the sake of others. Someone must be a hero.

The essence of every heroic act is self-sacrifice... From soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from tyranny to a frightened hobbit willing to destroy the Ring of Doom, every heroic act is a reflection of the ultimate hero in history, Jesus Christ. He left the respect and comfort of his rightful place for one reason: to redeem you and me from evil. He faced death to give life, endured sorrow to restore joy, confronted hate to show love. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross to pay for our redemption. He was chosen for a burden none other could bear and a task none other could endure. In his words,

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)

And in the words of one he redeemed,

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

And in the words of the jubilant song our story reveals,

"You were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. . . . Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:9-12)

Someday, the rightful King will once again sit on the throne. All will be as it should be. In a strange twist of providence, our joy will be greater for having endured sorrow, turning even the intentions of evil into a greater good. And when that day arrives, the song of all ages will culminate in a chorus of redemption, a redemption made possible because the story includes a hero willing to sacrifice himself. Someone who was, in the words of Frodo, "willing to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."

Abjure

Studying vocabulary is something most people haven't done since high school. And yet, words are wonderful, powerful, and advance our communication ability in so many ways. Being a pastor, most of my time is spent writing sermons for my congregation, but I also spend a fair amount of time writing adventures for The One Ring roleplaying game along with additional rules and helps for players of the game. It brings me great joy!

When I write, I keep a tab on my internet browser open to www.thesaurus.com. It's one of my favorite sites. Writing in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien is extra challenging though - if you really want your stories to sound like the professor's, you've got to learn his words...but that is a subject for another post.

Write Well, Speak Well, 2005 Houghton Mifflin

Last year, I was yard-saling with my wife and I stumbled across a vocabulary book for 25 cents. "You can't go wrong" for that price, so I picked it up. (I first heard that saying from my father-in-law and it has proven true.) Today, I want to share a word from the book: abjure.

abjure

1. To recant solemnly; renounce or repudiate: Here and now, I abjure my violent temper. 2. To renounce under oath; forswear: The prisoner abjured his previous state. 

RELATED WORDS:
noun - abjuration
noun - abjurer

We all make mistakes, but one of the hardest things to do is abjure them. Mom first taught us how to say, "I'm sorry," but it has proven to be a tough lesson. Yet, when we renounce our poor behaviors or attitudes with sincerity of heart, it can unlock the door of our isolation chamber and restore the relationships we should have been enjoying all along.

I want to be an abjurer and practice abjuration even in the little things. So, to all that I've ever been off-putting, I abjure my egotism and impatience. I pray to do better the next time we communicate.

Escape Your Routine

Everyone needs something that takes them away from their normal routines of work. This is important so that they can re-create themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It also helps them to escape the danger of tunnel vision. When it comes to happiness and vitality, I don't believe leisure is an option - it is absolutely necessary!

So, the question is: What takes you away from the grind and the stress?

The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild

As for me, I am in love with games; board games, card games and roleplaying games to be precise. Especially roleplaying games. They energize me and fuel my creative urges. They bring friends into my home and allow us to bond through cooperative storytelling.

You may call me a geek or a nerd who needs to get a life, but you would be missing a great point about me. I AM full of life because I am ALSO a gamer. What are you ALSO?

If you want to advance toward a healthier, happier, and more interesting life, escape your routine and enjoy other interests.