Posts Tagged: death

“Summer Haiku: Of Thunderstorms and Breathing”

On June 19, 2019 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Watching thunderstorm,

Boiling over western woods;

Child rapt in wonder.”

NPR is having a summer haiku fest.  I sent in the above.  It is based on a real event, which recurred many times during summers when I was growing up.

I used to love watching thunderstorms as they approached.  I would stand outside, near the door, so that I could dash in if the lightening got too close or when it started raining.  I would watch as the black clouds boiled up over the woods to the west of our pond.  If there wasn’t too much (or any) lightening, I would watch as the rain marched through the field beyond the pond, and then across the pond and the pasture that was close to our house. I would try to wait until the last possible moment, and then would run into the house.  Those were wonderful—indeed, sacred—moments.

I had a bad spell yesterday evening.  Couldn’t breathe.  I’ve been on blood thinner for years, but blood thinner doesn’t necessarily destroy the clots.  Blood thinner hopefully keeps the clots from getting too big or numerous, but it does not keep my body from producing them.  Every now and then, apparently, one of them breaks loose.  My lungs seem to be the favorite target of these little internal critters.  I’ve been diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms on two separate occasions.

It is scary to not be able to breathe.  However, to be breathless in wonder is a sacred moment.

Perhaps death is like that.  Perhaps, if I take a childlike attitude toward death, I will be able to watch it boiling up, with breathless wonder.  If I begin to breathe again, I go back to my usual tasks, glad to be alive.

But, if I am not able to breathe for a longer period of time, and the storm fully breaks over me, I will stand still and still stand, like a child in rapt wonder.

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“Repurposing Strawberries and Weaknesses”

On June 15, 2019 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

A good friend of mine and I were chatting on the phone, going over our needs for the day, and praying.  I mentioned that I was going to clear out my strawberry patch, and turn my strawberries into compost.  “They’ve done their duty.  Now, they will be repurposed as compost, and worked back into the soil.”  I think that I was comforting myself by framing this as “repurposing,” rather than grubbing out my strawberries.  Sometimes, you have to steel yourself to say goodbye to something or someone you love.

When my friend prayed over the phone, he took my composting deeper, making it about more than strawberries, and thus, much more profound.  He said something to this effect: “LORD, please help us to root out our weaknesses, and repurpose them as compost.”

Yes!

Our weaknesses may have once been our strengths, but (like my strawberries) it may be time to repurpose them.  The time has come for something else.

Of course, one day we will all be ready to become compost, won’t we?  Embalming and burial in a coffin will slow the process, but will not prevent it.  A cheery thought, isn’t?

But even while we live, there are things in us that need to die.  It helps to think of even those things as being repurposed.  There are many things in all of us that are bad.  There is nothing that can’t be used for a good purpose.  Figuring out how is the work of a lifetime.

What can you repurpose?  Why not start right now?

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“Bait or Poison?”

On May 3, 2019 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer


A good friend of mine is struggling with an invasion of ants.  This is not unusual this time of years.  She and her husband have put out lots of ant bait, but it is taking a while for all the ants to get the message that they are not welcome.

She wasn’t sure if the “bait” was working or not.  I commented that it takes some time.  And then I added, “They call it bait, but it’s really poison!”

Immediately, my mind went to James 1:12-15.

“12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (English Standard Version)

Apparently, people in James’ day (about two thousand years ago) were prone to blaming God for their evil.  Imagine that!  I’m sure glad that we don’t do that these days!

James is very mathematical at this point;

Desire                                     Sin                                             Death    

And it’s something we do to ourselves.

Of course, we wouldn’t (hopefully) do this on purpose.  We don’t necessarily start out desiring our own death.

And, of course, not all desires are wrong.  But when we indulge wrong desires, or even right desires excessively, we set the chain in motion.  Like the ants in my friend’s house, if we take the bait, we have taken the poison.  We can call it bait, but it’s still poison.

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“SO MUCH JOY!”

On August 9, 2018 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

Some days, there is so much joy!  Not all days.  But many.

Joy in the fact that the semi-final softball game was rained out this morning.  Not that I didn’t want to play.  I just rejoice because the rainout is a fact.

Joy in weeding the flower bed with my sweetheart, even though I forgot to wear a belt, and my shorts were in constant danger of falling down.

Joy in writing a blog about mental noise.

Joy in looping Rich Mullins’ song “Calling Out Your Name.”

Joy in the breeze outside.

Joy in my puppy sleeping on my lap, as I write this post.

Joy in the goldfinch outside my study window.

Joy in having lived.

Joy in living right now.

Joy in thinking about my own death.

Joy in getting the paperwork together for donating my body to U.C. Medical.

Joy in looking forward to Heaven.

Joy in this planet.

Joy in my wife making gumbo for our dinner tonight.

Many years ago, a friend said to me, “You know, I think you have more joy than you know.”

Yes!  And now, I know!

Readers, may you be joyous today!  And may you come to enjoy your joy, and to know that you are in joy!

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