After the Storm

My An Arkie's Faith column from the July 5, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

A light drizzle began to fall as I pulled out of my driveway into the inky blackness of the early morning. The headlights of my S-10 pickup struggled to pierce through the veil of darkness. It was 4:30 A.M., and once again, I was driving to De Queen to pick up a load of windshields. For the last week, my early morning trips to pick up glass had been an almost daily occurrence. 

As I headed south out of Mena, the light drizzle turned into heavy rain. Soon the rain was falling in sheets instead of drops. So much rain fell that the highway began to flood. The visibility was abysmal as wave after wave of rain seemed to crash to earth. The windshield wipers slapped at the rain in a vain attempt to keep the windshield clear, but it was a losing battle.

The rain was relentless as I drove on into the night. Water rushed through the ditches like a mighty river, flowing over driveways as the culverts were overwhelmed with more water than they could channel away. My head hurt from the tension of peering into the darkness and trying to see the road. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight that I had to remind myself to relax. But then I would hit another patch of water on the road, and the stress would return.

The sky is tar-black and vengeful, with large clouds moving toward me. Suddenly, out of the blackness, came streaks of bold light, illuminating the highway. The wind whipped up into a frenzy, shrieking and rocking my little pickup. While the rain fell in great sheets, lightning flashed around me, followed by loud cracking booms. 

As I drove, white-knuckled, into the storm, I thought about how miserable it would be to load the windshields onto my truck in the pouring rain. I wasn’t looking forward to getting drenched to the bone. But as I neared De Queen, the thunder and lightning stopped. The rain changed from a deluge to a more moderate rain as it let up enough so that my windshield wipers no longer had to be on high, furiously trying to keep the windshield clear. I was thankful for the reprieve. 

By the time I reached my storage unit and began loading the glass onto my pickup, the first light of dawn was pushing the darkness away. The rain has subsided to a light drizzle, and everything smells very clean and fresh. There is a peculiar scent to it that I can’t really describe. My attitude has changed from one of fear and apprehension to one of gratitude and wonder.

With my truck loaded with glass, I pulled back out on Highway 71 and headed back to Mena. The early morning light is turning everything golden, and I am energized by the start of another beautiful day. Steam rises slowly from the grass meadows and the ponds. It rises eerily and drifts mist-like towards the heavens. Through the trees, I can occasionally catch a glimpse of the fiery reds, oranges, and yellows of the sunrise as I look to the east.  

I keep hoping to get a better look at the sunrise because the colors that I can see streaming through the trees are spectacular. As I round a corner, I am greeted by a view that takes my breath away. I pulled my pickup to the side of the road and got out to soak in the glorious beauty of the sunrise. 

Brilliant golds and oranges light up the clouds that not long ago were drenching the landscape with torrential rains. The greatest artist in the universe had created a beautiful canvas for me to see. I pulled out my phone and snapped a couple of photos. The image was so vivid that it stayed with me all the way home.

As I drove away from the magnificent scene, I thought about how my attitude had changed in the hour from the time I had previously driven past this location. I had gone from being worried about the weather conditions and getting soaked to basking in the glory of the Creator and his creation. 

It seems like a day doesn't go by that someone doesn't talk to me about the condition of the world. With the recent world events, people seem very nervous. I must admit that I have my concerns. Fear and worry seem to dominate many people’s thoughts. 

In the past few years, I have noticed that the people I have talked to who have been the most worried are Christians. Many of my Christian friends are sure that doom and gloom are right around the corner. I can't believe that God wants us to live that way. In 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (VOICE), Paul wrote, “And now, dear friends, may the Lord of peace Himself grace you with peace always and in everything. May the Lord be present with all of you.”

I do believe that we are living in the last chapter of Earth's history, but I am puzzled by many of my fellow Christians. Does God want us to worry? In Matthew 6:31 (AMPC), the Bible tells us, “Do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?” “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33,34 (NKJV) 

I saw something the other day that puzzled me. I was in a Christian bookstore and saw they had Christian worry stones for sale. According to tradition, a worry stone is a smooth, polished stone that, when rubbed, is believed to reduce one's worries and add a sense of calmness. When the stone is rubbed, the negative energy and worries are supposedly transferred into the stone, and you are left calm and peaceful. I don't think worry stones are what Christians need to reduce their worries.

Gentle Reader, In Isaiah 41:9,10 (NLT), God tells us, “I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Whatever storm you may be going through today, God has promised to be with you and promises you a glorious sunrise when the storm is over. 

The Murnau Incident

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 28, 2023, issue of The Polk CountyPulse

The public address system on our train car crackled to life, and a scratchy voice announced, "nächste station, Murnau." "That's our station," I said to my wife and sister as I got out of my seat and started getting our luggage. Each one of us had a suitcase and a backpack. I grabbed my wife's and my sister's luggage and gave it to them. They headed for the train doors while the car was still moving. When the train came to a halt, I was grabbing my luggage off the overhead rack.

With my suitcase in one hand and my backpack in the other, I rushed down the steps from the train car to the doors. My wife and sister stepped onto the train platform as I ran for the door. There was one man between my travel companions and me. I stepped toward the door but was suddenly jerked back as the straps of my backpack caught on the railing beside the two steps down to the door. I turned around to free my backpack as the door closed. I frantically pushed the open-door button, but the doors would not open. In a few seconds, the train started moving out of the station.

Through the glass panes on the train door, I watched as my wife and sister stood on the platform, and I moved away from them on the train. "I can't believe that just happened," I thought. "What am I going to do now?" 

I have been traveling through Germany with my wife and sister for the past week. When I planned the trip, I researched the German rail system and decided we would travel by rail. I purchased rail passes that allowed us to take as many journeys as we wanted on Deutsche Bahn trains. We had already used our passes to travel from Frankfurt to Hannover, Hannover to Berlin, and Berlin to Erfurt. 

Today we were traveling from Erfurt to Oberammergau. After changing trains several times, our last change was in Murnau, where we would get the train to Oberammergau. But instead, I was still on the train headed to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and I had the rail pass with me. My wife and sister were stranded at the train station in Murnau, and I needed to figure out what to do.

As I thought about my options, I remembered the advice I had read on the blog Brian's Guide to getting around Germany. "Make sure you are ready to jump off when the train arrives at your destination-- remember that at some stops, the train only stops for a minute or two. If you're not ready, you may end up taking an unscheduled diversion to Germany's Timbuktu. As the train pulls into your station, be standing at a door, and when the wheels grind to a halt, open the door and leap off. To open the door, look for a green button. As the disembarking passenger, you have the right-of-way over people trying to clamber aboard but be prepared to shove your way through any Teutons who aren't minding their manners."

"Well," I thought, "here I am on an unscheduled diversion to Germany's Timbuktu." I took out my phone to see where I was going and my options. My friend Bernd had taught me how to use the Deutsche Bahn app, and I quickly found that the next stop was in the small town of Ohlstadt. If I got off the train there, I could board a train back to Muranu in a little over an hour. "That is my best option," I thought. A few minutes later, I stood in front of the train door with my luggage in tow as the train stopped in Ohlstadt. I quickly pushed the open-door button and, a few seconds later, stood on the deserted platform beside the train, watching it leave the station. 

No one had boarded the train, and I was the only one who had disembarked. I looked around at the surreal scene. The train station was a small shelter beside the train tracks with several benches. I sat down and took a moment to look at my surroundings. I was in a beautiful small town in the Bavarian Alps. Fantastic mountain views surrounded me, but I couldn't take the time to appreciate the beauty around me in every direction. I had to figure out what to do.

I checked the train schedule once again. It would be an hour before another train arrived. I pulled up my maps app and clicked on the transit button. I found the app very useful in navigating the city streets of Berlin and Erfurt and checked to see if there were any options here in the Bavarian countryside. I saw that in ten minutes, there was a bus going to Murnau. But to my dismay, the bus station was on the other side of town from the train station. I decided to try to catch the bus.

I started walking as fast as possible with my bad legs, backpack on my back, and suitcase bouncing down the cobblestone streets. I can't imagine what people were thinking as they saw an older man with a backpack and suitcase half running through their sleepy little town. I reached the bus stop with a minute or two to spare. I had just enough time to snap photos of the incredible scenery surrounding me. As I boarded the bus, a sense of relief washed over me. It was going to be okay. I would reunite with my wife and sister in a few minutes.

That evening as we walked through the quaint town of Oberammergau, I thought about the day's adventures. Our journey started by walking from our apartment to a tram stop a half mile away, where we took the tram to the Erfurt Hauptbahnhof. We took the train to Munich, where we changed to a train headed to Murnau. After the Murnau incident, we finally arrived in Oberammergau at about five o'clock.  

 

Gentle Reader, in Revelation 22:11 ISV), the Bible says, "Let the one who does what is evil continue to do what is evil. Let the filthy person continue to be filthy. Let the righteous person continue to do what is right. And let the holy person continue to be holy." This scripture is a dire warning regarding death and the end times. 

People who reject the gospel do not receive a second chance for salvation if they die. Eternity does not change anyone's status. The person who dies in an unsaved condition will be unsaved throughout eternity, and the saved person will be saved throughout eternity. Someday it will be too late for the unsaved to change their destination by repenting and believing in Jesus. Don't let the doors close on you before you can change your destination.  

The Tour Guide

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 21, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

A light rain fell as Sergio drove the bus from Munich to Schloss Linderhof. I watched out the window as the Alps came into view. I had heard about the Alps all my life, but seeing them was a magical moment. The palace is nestled in a valley at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. The views as we drove there were magnificent.

Schloss Linderhof was the favorite home of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. He built the palace on the site of his father's old cottage and finished it in 1878. King Ludwig was intimately involved in the design and building of Linderhof, sometimes to the extreme irritation of his architects and artisans. He lived at Linderhof for over seven years. Ludwig was a recluse, often refusing to see to matters of state. He dined alone. Ludwig installed a "magic table" that could be lowered and raised to and from the kitchen. His servants cooked and served meals without ever coming face to face with the king.

King Ludwig was inspired to build Schloss Linderhof by his hero, the French Sun-King, Louis XIV. Traces of the Sun-King's Versailles palace are all over Linderhof's grounds. After touring Schloss Linderhof and the fabulous grounds, including a large reflecting pool and fountains, incredible gardens, and even an artificial cave and lake, we returned to the bus and headed to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

As we drove through the winding mountain roads, our tour guide, Bernd, filled us in on the story of King Ludwig II. He ascended the throne upon his father's death in 1864. Ludwig was only 19 years old, and his first year as the king did not go well. The shy young king soon left Munich and went into his beloved mountains in the Bavarian Alps. In 1868 Ludwig began a building campaign. Much of Ludwig's fame is associated with his castles: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, and Herrenchiemsee. 

King Ludwig died mysteriously at age 40 when his body was found floating in Lake Starnberg. He spent most of his reign absorbed in a fantasy world at the expense of affairs of state. When his castle building caused the virtual bankruptcy of the Bavarian state, his ministers accused him of insanity and deposed him on the grounds of mental illness. They had him committed to the custody of Lake Starnberg Castle. 

The day after his imprisonment, Ludwig was found dead in Lake Starnberg. He disappeared while walking and was discovered a few hours later. The death was officially declared to be suicide by drowning, but the circumstances of his death remain open to question. Ludwig was a strong swimmer, and the water was less than waist-deep where his body was found. There was no water found in his lungs at the autopsy.

As we neared Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bernd told us that it was possible that at the next intersection, the Polizei might ask us to take a detour that would add an hour to our trip. Ten miles away, at Schloss Elmau, the G7 summit was underway. Leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S., and the U.K. were meeting to discuss global economic governance, international security, energy policy, and the response to the war in Ukraine.

When we arrived at the checkpoint, the Polizei escorted our bus to our destination instead of making us detour around the area. As the police cars escorted us with lights flashing, our tour guide, Bernd, leaned over and told me, "See that nice BMW? You should convince the Mena police department to get some of those." As more police cars joined us, I said, "You're getting more important, Bernd." He replied, "No, It's because of you." He said, "The Poleizei say, these Mena people, they need special observation."

Throughout the ten-day tour of Germany in June 2022, Bernd was our tour guide as our group of fifty Americans visited many Reformation and WWII sites. We spent many hours on the bus as we traveled from place to place. He and I became good friends as we visited on the bus. My Daddy and I sat in the seat directly behind the driver, and Bernd sat in the seat across the aisle. When he wasn't talking to everyone on the bus over the P.A. system, Bernd and I would talk and learn about each other's lives.

When the tour ended, Bernd and I exchanged personal information and promised to keep in touch. I was surprised when a few months later, I received an email from Bernd telling me he was coming to Texas and would like to see me and learn more about Mena.

We had a lovely time hosting Bernd and his wife Marion in our home. It felt surreal to have a new friend from Germany visiting us here in Mena. I told him my wife and I had planned a trip to Germany the following year. He was excited about the idea and spent much time explaining the German transit system and showing me all the different rail pass options. He said that when we came to Germany, we must stay with them for a couple of days at their apartment in Hannover.

Earlier this month, my wife and I and my sister headed to Germany for our summer vacation. Our first stop was Hannover, where Bernd met us at the train station, and we took trams and a bus to his home. For the next two days, we had a personal tour guide who showed us all of the sights in Hannover and took us to the village of Gehrden. After Bernd saw us off at the train station on our way to Berlin, he kept in touch for the rest of our trip, offering us local insights. My friendship with Bernd made my vacation even more special.

Having a tour guide for a friend makes things so much easier as I travel in a foreign country. As we travel on life's path, we all can have a tour guide for a friend. The Bible says, "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13 (NIV)

Gentle Reader, God is not just a guide who points us to a path. He isn't just a person we ask for directions when we've lost our way. He doesn't just hand us a map and walk away. God is a guide who makes the plan, directs our destination, and journeys with us. He walks with us every step of the way and wants us to follow His lead day by day. "The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" Psalms 32:8 (NLT) It is lovely to have a tour guide as a friend.

Rainbow Cheerios

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 14, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

When my granddaughter was young, she would ask to listen to "those southern stories" when she rode with me. She was referring to a podcast called Tales from the South that I liked to listen to. The podcast features true stories written and told by the Southerners who lived them, in front of a live audience. One of her favorite stories was "Rainbow Cheerios" by Paul Strack. When she asked if we could listen to southern stories, she often added, "Can we listen to the Rainbow Cheerios story?" 

Paul starts his story by saying, "Cool – You have Rainbow Cheerios!" He explains that on the night of April 26, 2011, tornadoes hit the Mayflower, Arkansas, area. His 13-year-old daughter learned that the tornado destroyed her friend's house.

He asked the family, "What can we do to help?" The family needed someplace for their teenage daughters Rachael and Taylor to stay for a few days. Paul recounted, "With three teenagers of our own, and a 10-year-old to boot, we have a pretty good understanding of the adolescent attitude. What was odd and completely unexpected was the positively bubbly, effervescent attitude that these two brought with them. And to have this attitude after immediately being displaced was nothing short of remarkable."

When Paul told them how sorry he was for their loss, Taylor replied, "Oh well, what are you gonna do? It's just a bump in the road." Rachael quickly chimed in, "Yeah, they will bulldoze our house, and we will get to rebuild. And anyway, Mom finally gets to get her new carpet." He couldn't believe their positive attitude.

The following day at breakfast, Paul heard Rachael exclaim, "How cool!" Rachael repeated – "How Cool! You guys have Rainbow Cheerios!" In the podcast, Paul explained, "We often buy our more popular cereals in bulk and empty the contents into plastic containers so they stay fresh. (No, my own Fiber One is not one of these.) But we often do buy Fruit Loops. You know, those sweet and sugary rings full of all the colors of the rainbow. Cheerios have the Honey Nut version, the Frosted version, and the Banana Nut version, and now even the Multi-Grain version, but no rainbow version. Except through the eyes of Rachael."

Two days after a tornado destroyed her house, she could still find complete joy – in a bowl of multicolored cereal. Her attitude reminds me of the admonition found in James 1:2 (NIV); "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." James explains, "You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:3,4 (NIV)

We are to consider the troubles we are going through pure joy, not because the trouble is pleasurable, but because it helps produce patience. At least one good thing is happening to us in the middle of our situation. Our suffering is more than just pain. God has a purpose, and that purpose is always good. "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan." Romans 8:28 (VOICE) We can consider all things joyful because God is working in all situations, even the most painful, for our salvation.

When we have trouble, sorrow, and grief in our lives, we must be able to look to the future to find joy. Jesus is our example. "Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor." Hebrews 12:2 (VOICE)

Joy is more than just feeling good. Joy has to do with accepting our present circumstances and having a positive attitude. Our positive assessment is that God is still in control of our difficult circumstances, and in the end, all things work together for our good. "When my worry is great within me, Your comfort brings joy to my soul." Psalms 94:19 (NLV)

Charles R. Swindoll writes, "The single most significant decision I can make today is my choice of attitude." Suppose you let negative attitudes such as anxiety, envy, anger, or bitterness dominate your mind. In that case, those attitudes will lead you to make decisions that negatively affect your life. But if you choose with God's help to have a positive attitude, your life will become positive.

In 1988, Singer-Songwriter Bobby McFerrin recorded the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy," The lyrics say, "In every life, we have some trouble. But when you worry, you make it double. Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy now." Whenever you have trouble, avoid reacting negatively. You can't control situations or people, but you can choose how to respond.

Our attitudes are an outward display of what's taking place in our hearts. Although enduring problems with a smile and pure joy in our hearts can be difficult, doing so helps us become stronger and opens the door for an attitude transformation. The only thing we have to lose by choosing a positive attitude is a negative attitude.

Gentle Reader, "Be joyful because you have hope. Be patient when trouble comes, and pray at all times." Romans 12:12 (NCV) "I heartily recommend that you pursue joy, for the best a person can do under the sun is to enjoy life. Eat, drink, and be happy. If this is your attitude, joy will carry you through the toil every day that God gives you under the sun." Ecclesiastes 8:15 (VOICE) So, what will you do when you hit a bump in the road? Where do you find your Rainbow Cheerios?

Conductor Tom

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 7, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The older Chevy van pulled into my driveway as I installed a windshield. The van's owner, Tom, climbed out of the van and came over to talk with me. He had a problem with the windshield and wanted to see what we could do. We discussed the issue and scheduled a time to work on the van. Tom was very friendly, and we visited for a few minutes after scheduling the work. As we talked, Tom told me he had spent thirty years as a conductor on the Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads. When he spoke about his job as a conductor, it was apparent that he loved it.

When he was ready to leave, I told Tom I had a gift for him. I gave him a copy of my latest book. The book's cover features a photo by Whitley Lind Photography of a Kansas City Southern train traveling on the tracks at the Mena depot just before sundown. I thought that he would like the photo, and he did. As he left, Tom thanked me and said he would see me for his appointment in a few days.

Tom drove the Chevy van to my shop for his appointment two days later. It was a dreary, drizzly day, and had rained most of the morning. I told Tom that because of the rain, I would be unable to seal the windshield on his van, and we would have to reschedule. Even though I could not work on his van, Tom stayed and visited. He said he enjoyed my book and had a gift for me. Tom gave me a DVD of a song titled "The Conductor," written and performed by Sherry Lovan. The song came about from Tom's writing while he was on the railroad. Sherry wove his words and story into a beautiful song.

While visiting, I asked Tom about his duties as a conductor. As a kid, I always liked watching a freight train go by and waiting for the little red car to appear at the end. I knew that the conductor was in that little red caboose. But today's trains don't have a caboose, so I didn't realize they still had conductors. Tom explained to me that the conductor reviews schedules and shipping records. They ensure that cargo is distributed evenly along the train and maintain communication with the train's engineer and traffic control personnel. The conductor monitors any equipment issues or mechanical problems, arranges for repairs, and stops when necessary. Tom said forcefully, "The engineer only drives the train, but the conductor controls the train. He is the boss."

Tom's words made me think about the Christian life. The old song, "Life Is Like A Mountain Railroad," came to me. "Life is like a mountain railroad. With an engineer so brave. We must make this run successful. From the cradle to the grave." Sometimes Christians teach us to let God be the engineer in our lives. But I don't think that is a good analogy. The song's metaphor is a better one. We are the engineer in our lives. We are the drivers. God has set us free to drive our own lives. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

If God has given us the freedom to drive our lives, what part does He play? If we are in charge, does that leave God out? Tom's explanation of the conductor's job is also a good explanation of God's role in our lives. "The engineer only drives the train, but the conductor controls the train. He is the boss." God wants us to drive, but we must remember He is in charge. On a train, the conductor ensures cargo is loaded, unloaded, and accounted for properly. He is responsible for the train, the freight, and the crew. The conductor coordinates relationships among the railroad, the shipping company, and the engineer. He must know the train schedules for the railroad to coordinate the loading and unloading of freight. Communicating these things with the engineer is also crucial since the engineer moves the train from one stop to the next.

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13 (NLT) God has given you the freedom to drive your train. Sometimes we look at someone who has made bad decisions and say, "Their life is a train wreck." God has given you the freedom to be the engineer of your life's train, but we need to remember that God is the conductor. In Psalms 119:44,45 (NCV), David wrote, "I will obey your teachings forever and ever. So I will live in freedom, because I want to follow your orders." Living in freedom and then wrecking the train because we won't listen to the conductor isn't much freedom.

Gentle Reader, everyone craves freedom, but what is freedom? I once heard a preacher say, "Freedom is being able to do what you please without considering anyone except your spouse and your kids, the company and the boss, neighbors and friends, the police and the government, the doctor and the church." In human society, chaos results if we consider just our interests. We are the engineers of our life, but we need a conductor. Don't kick the conductor off your train. "Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God." 1 Peter 2:16 (NCV)

Neighbors

My An Arkie's Faith column from the May 31, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

"Wow, that looks great," I thought as I pulled into the driveway. For the last week, Jason had been building a short retaining wall across the front of our property to create a boundary between our front yard and the street, along with flower beds in front of our house. The stone blocks were replacing old landscape timbers. It was nice to see the project completed.

All the old landscape timbers were stacked in the backyard, and I thought about what to do with them. Could I get anything out of them? Would anyone be interested in buying them? Maybe someone I knew had a use for them, and I would give them away. I would need to do something with them after the holiday weekend.

The weather over the weekend was beautiful, with warm temperatures and sunny skies. It was perfect for driving my 57 Nash Metropolitan convertible. We drove the Metropolitan to Papa's Mexican Café on Sunday, meeting family for lunch. I took photos of my granddaughters in the Metropolitan when we finished eating. 

After leaving Papa's and going to Wal-Mart, we headed home. When I pulled into the driveway and got out, I heard someone calling my name. I looked up and saw that it was Tim, my next-door neighbor. He was at the end of the cul-de-sac and asked if I could come to help them. I walked to the end of the street to see what he needed.

When I arrived, I saw that my neighbor, Phil, had gotten his riding lawn mower hung up on some exposed tree roots. At first, Tim and I tried to lift the mower to free it, but it was much too heavy. I thought about the landscape timbers in my backyard. Maybe we could use one of the timbers to pry the mower off the root.

I walked back to my house, chose one of the timbers, and carried it back to where the mower was stuck. Tim and I placed the timber under the mower and heaved on it but could not dislodge it. As we pushed on the timber, it snapped in two. I thought about going to my shop and getting my floor jack, but before I did that, we tried another approach.

Placing one of the timber halves in front of the wheel on the stuck side, we attempted to drive up on the timber, raising the height enough to dislodge the mowing deck. But when we tried, it would kick the timber out instead of driving onto it. I took the second half of the broken timber and, finding a root I could pry against, was able to hold the timber in place, and the mower crawled onto the timber, breaking free.

As we helped Phil back on his mower, I thought about how lucky I was to live in my neighborhood. I have wonderful neighbors who are always willing to help each other. As I was thinking about how blessed I was, I thought about a story in the Bible about neighbors.

"Then an expert on the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to get life forever?" Jesus said, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" The man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind." Also, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Jesus said to him, "Your answer is right. Do this and you will live." But the man, wanting to show the importance of his question, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Luke 10:25-29 (NCV)

Who is my neighbor? It seems like an easy question. For me, the answer would be someone who lives on my one-block-long street. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of neighbor is "one living or located near another." But Jesus did not define neighbor this way.

When God commands us to love our neighbor, who is he talking about? God's people have asked this question for thousands of years. For the nation of Israel, the assumption was that the neighbor was a fellow Israelite who shared the same faith practices. They would eat the same foods and live according to the same laws. While the neighbor may disagree on some things, the neighbors' fundamental beliefs and practices would be similar, if not the same.

I thought about my neighbors on my street. They look very similar to me and have beliefs close to mine. That is what a neighbor should be. It is easy to love your neighbor as yourself when they are wonderful people with similar looks and beliefs. But Jesus did not endorse this understanding of loving your neighbors.

When asked, "Who is my neighbor," Jesus told the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. You know the story. A priest and a Levite, church leaders, see a fellow church member who has been beaten and left by the side of the road. Both leaders see the man but do not stop to help. In contrast, a non-believer stopped and helped the church member. As a supposed enemy of the church, he was the last person expected to help. But he had great compassion for the person in need and helped him even though it cost him a lot of money.

Who was the neighbor? Was it the church leaders, or was it the non-believer? When Jesus asked this question, "The expert on the law answered, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Then go and do what he did." Luke 10:37 (NCV) Your neighbor is the person God calls you to love despite your differences of opinion and life choices. According to Jesus, your neighbors are the ones who may be hard for you to love, yet they are the very ones God is calling you to extend mercy to today.

Gentle Reader, we all have neighbors. I hope the neighbors on your street are as wonderful as mine. But Jesus taught that our neighbor is anyone in need of our help. It doesn't matter if they have the same beliefs we do. It isn't easy to show compassion to someone so different from us in opinions and lifestyle. That's because we identify that person as an enemy. 

But Jesus shows us that loving your neighbor shows love and compassion without strings attached, even for a perceived enemy. "My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring." 1 John 3:18 (NCV) Let's ask God for help to love our neighbor, to open our eyes to see the people around us and care for their needs. 

Building Renovation

My An Arkie's Faith column from the May 24, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The rain beating down on my shop's metal roof was so loud that conversation wasn't possible. The downpour was so heavy that I could not see the highway in front of my shop. A flash river was running down my driveway. Water streamed from the ceiling in several places in the shop bay where I was trying to work. "I hope this downpour will be over soon," I thought. But it wasn't over soon. The deluge continued. After hours of hard rain, an inch of water was on my shop floor. 

By the time the rain ended, nine inches of rain had fallen. Rainwater flooded the floor throughout the shop. I knew that my old shop building had several leaks, but it had never flooded before. I realized that I was going to have to get my roof repaired. But we did not have another heavy rainfall for a few months, and I put it out of my mind. It was the year 2020, and it seemed that there were always more pressing things. 

In November of that year, I had the roof replaced. Hearing the rain on my new roof and no leaks in my shop was delightfully satisfying. While I was reading the book of Ecclesiastes, I found this little gem; "When you are too lazy to repair your roof, it will leak, and the house will fall in." Ecclesiastes 10:18 (GNT) "That is a little bit too close to home," I thought.

I started working on my cold, drafty shop in the spring of last year. The building was old and needed updating. In several places, the ceiling had fallen. Some of the siding had rotted away, and you could see outside. The old, ill-fitting garage doors left significant gaps. I would stuff old blankets into the cracks to try and keep some heat in the shop. It wasn't easy trying to keep the shop warm.

This winter, I worked in a warm, dry shop. After replacing many rotten studs and installing new insulation and siding, the project was complete with new garage doors and foam sprayed on the ceiling. I decided to continue the shop renovation this spring by repairing and remodeling the office and bathroom. 

When Terry began the project, he immediately ran into problems. Every wall was out of square and out of plumb. I jokingly told him, "The original builders must not have had a square or a level." The project proceeded slowly as he dealt with the compromises necessary to deal with the poor original construction. 

When Terry had completed the walls, he and his dad began laying out the tile floor. They did a masterful job of laying the tile to look square even though the rooms were out of square. Watching them work, I thought of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 3:10 (VOICE). "Like a skilled architect and master builder, I laid a foundation based upon God's grace given to me. Now others will come along to build on the foundation. Each serves in a different way and is to build upon it with great care."

Whoever built my shop all those years ago was not a skilled architect or master builder. Whether new construction or renovations, building is a process that requires vision, planning, investment, and time. You must know what you want to build, prepare plans, and use proper construction tools and methods. If you don't, anyone who has to work after you will have problems.

The same principles hold true as we build our lives. "Without the help of the Lord it is useless to build a home or to guard a city. It is useless to get up early and stay up late in order to earn a living. God takes care of his own, even while they sleep." Psalms 127:1,2 (CEV) God wants us to be builders, but without his help, we will do a poor job.

If we try to build our lives without his help, God asks us, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? Tell me if you know. Who set its measurements? Surely you know. Who stretched a measuring tape on it? On what were its footings sunk; who laid its cornerstone." Job 38:4-6 (CEB)

Jesus explained the importance of building correctly in Luke 6:47-49 (CJB) "Everyone who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them — I will show you what he is like: he is like someone building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the torrent beat against that house but couldn't shake it, because it was constructed well. And whoever hears my words but doesn't act on them is like someone who built his house on the ground without any foundation. As soon as the river struck it, it collapsed and that house became a horrendous wreck!"

Here are three areas of construction God has assigned to us. First, the Bible instructs us to build up ourselves spiritually. "But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ." Jude 1:20 (MSG)

God also calls us to build up the church. "Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church." 1 Corinthians 14:12 (NIV) Today, too many Christians seem to be tearing down the church instead of building it up.

Finally, God wants us to build up each other. "Don't let any unwholesome words escape your lips. Instead, say whatever is good and will be useful in building people up, so that you will give grace to those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 (NTE) "So support one another. Keep building each other up as you have been doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (VOICE)

Gentle Reader, are you fulfilling your responsibility as a builder? Are you building up your spiritual strength, Jesus' church, and the people God has placed in your life? "As others build on the foundation (whether with gold, silver, gemstones, wood, hay, or straw), the quality of each person's work will be revealed in time as it is tested by fire. If a man's work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded." 1 Corinthians 3:12-14 (VOICE) With God's help, you can be a quality builder.