6 AM Happy Hour

I went to talk with my Creator, but His creation got in the way.

Jesus knew how to get away from distractions (Mark 1:35). He rose before the pre-dawn hue. He found a “desolate place” (Greek for no cell coverage). He pulled up a rock and Jesus the Son communed with Abba the Father.

No distractions. No disciples texting him. No crowds pulling on his robe. No mother asking him to play bartender. Every now and again Jesus got away to get it together. So when I came to the state named after the Spanish word for “mountain,” I planned on following the footsteps of Jesus. For the past week, every morning, I’ve woken up (admittedly the sun was up – it rises just a tad bit early in the Northwest), put on the boots, and hike up the ridge. I walk past the buffalo preserve, through the old apple orchard, say “good morning” to the neighbor’s black lab, and then head up to the top.

If Palestine had been in Montana, this is where Jesus would have stood. I turn to the left and see Glacier National Park peaking through a gap in the mountains. I turn to the right and Flathead Lake spreads out like a blue blanket. Brian the son starts communing with Abba the Father.

Then they come. Not my kids. Not a cell phone ring. Barely visible black creatures from the abyss. I swat one away. Back to my conversation. Then another. “God, thank you for”…splat. Neon signs light up my arms, “Free drinks.” It was the 6 AM happy hour.

I don’t know if mosquitoes met Jesus on his mountain, but I realize it’s not just the demanding distractions that get in the way; even creation itself interrupts. The rocks may cry out praise to God, but the mosquitoes only thank God after they’ve imbibed.

Jesus helped in the drafts of Deuteronomy. So He knew, “From there you will seek the Lord and you will find Him, if you seek him with all of your heart and all your soul (Deut. 4:29). I like the first part of that verse. I find Him when there’s no noise, with cup of Joe in hand, nice views, but He vanishes with the first mosquito. In fact I throw a little blame back on God, “If you hadn’t created mosquitoes, then I could have sought you!” Whether it’s flying blood-suckers or flying emails, my heart and soul get derailed so quickly.

So the next morning I put on the hiking boots determined to seek my Father…but I spray on a bit of cologne d’OFF.

118 Seconds

“I know what you’re thinking about right now,” said Susan, my dental hygienist while wielding the automatic plaque scraper of death, “From here on out you’re going to floss.”

I wanted to let her know I did floss regularly: every night before my regular six-month check up. But it’s hard to talk with a sandblaster in your mouth.

The dentist forces me into New Years Resolutions every six months, “Next time it will be different…” But something always comes up, like the desire to get to my pillow 118 seconds earlier (for those of you floss-challenged folks, that about how long it takes to clean your chompers).

And it’s not like I despise flossing. But when you’re trying to beat your wife into bed so you don’t have to turn out the lights, every 118 seconds count.

So little by little plaque starts advancing. I believe the wounded plaque general regroups his soldiers after the dentist and says, “We lost a lot of brave men today. You hung on through the scraping, but once she pulled out that sandblaster, we were lucky to cling to these gums. But we know this guy; he’ll eventually stop using the white whip. Then we’ll resume our attack, millimeter by millimeter. WHO’S WITH ME?!”

“Little” is a big word in Scripture.
“A little leaven spoils the whole batch…”
“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands and poverty will come upon you like a robber.”

If Peter had gone to a dentist in the Bible he probably would have heard, “Oh ye of little flossing…” (some scholars think "Get thee behind me," was because of bad breath)
Blessed are those who floss for they will receive mercy from Susan.
Beware the false flossers, for they will be cast into the place with weeping and gnashing of teeth (an obvious early reference to the six month check up).

You know the old phrase by Susan Burke (Edmund’s sister, also rumored to be a hygienist), “All that is necessary for plaque to triumph is that good people do not floss.”

A little goes a long way, for good or bad. 118 seconds is not that much of my day. But I’m tired. I’ll do it tomorrow. Ever notice how easily a few tomorrows’ turns into a few weeks, months, and then wonder why my power floss the night before has little effect.

Something’s happening little by little in our hearts and relationships:
- a little time away or with God
- a little conversation with or without our spouse
- a little time indulging or divulging an addiction
- a little time to ignore or influence a child, a friend, a neighbor

I bet when your check up rolls around you get “Good Flossing” stickers. So maybe plaque’s not gaining ground in your life, but what is? Little by little, let’s start some new habits…I’m starting one tonight...WHO’S WITH ME?!

P.S. Please don’t send me floss. I have plenty of boxes after the last 10 check ups.

What I Learned from a Pirate

Nate Larkin, author of Samson and the Pirate Monks sailed into town this week. After a Saturday seminar with the guys and a Sunday sermon on Samson, I jotted down a few thoughts.
• Manhood requires brotherhood. One of my favorite lines from the book, “while Jesus does offer a personal relationship to every one of his disciples, he never promises any of us a private one.” The “self-made man” may have a fat portfolio, but he is skinny on relational capital. Only one truly matters.
• We are both pirate and monk. The reformers called it being sinners and saints. There’s something wild in us, pushed too far, becomes trouble; and there’s something spiritual in us, pushed too far, becomes self-righteousness. We must keep the pirate out of wild waters and the monk out of the ivory tower without losing the authenticity of both.
• “What are you doing? What are you thinking? What are you thinking of doing?” Love that line of questioning. The other one you’ll hear me ask guys now is, “So what is the one thing you didn’t want to tell me.”
• Meetings aren’t for everyone, but brothers are. Samson groups may not float your boat, but I’d wager all of us need a Silas. As a church I would love to see Samson meetings pop up from the grass roots. But I believe from the top down we need to identify who our “and” guy is. If you’ll look through Scripture you’ll see authentic men had “and” guys. David AND Jonathon; Peter AND John; Paul AND Barnabas; Barnabas AND John Mark; Paul AND Silas. King Saul had no “and” guy. Samson had no “and” guy. Whose you’re “and” guy?

Guys – I know I didn’t snatch up all the gold doubloons from this weekend. Share your best nugget from the weekend in the “Leave a Comment” section. Or we’ll swing ye up on the yard arm…