June 10

The Shape of a Tool

Hi. It’s been a minute, or two, or three… This week I’ve been working on a yard DIY project, a paver and stone walkway. I cleared the path by removing the old walkway and edging the grass to accommodate the new pavers. Of course, the path has to be flat and level. I tested it with a paver. It was pretty flat, except for the edges. When I was working on it this morning I discovered the reason why. You see, the shovel that I used is not completely flat. The edges are curved. Shovel with curved edges, well, you get ground with curved edges. That reminded me of a poem I wrote more than twenty years ago. I went looking for it and reread it. The experience with my shovel reminded me that I need to take a closer look at the tools that I am using every day, today and tomorrow, and how I am using them. After all, the tools that I use in life will dictate the path that I take (how about that for a segue…wink wink).

Here is My Little Toolbox:

I have a little toolbox, with everything I need
I carry it wherever I go, wherever life will lead
My toolbox never fails me, it always helps me through
So many of life's problems, when I don't even have a clue

Whenever I'm in trouble, I search for the right tool
For me to look outside my box, makes me nothing but a fool
I look until I find it, because I know it must be there
I know that when I find it, the answer will be clear

Sometimes I use my toolbox, to help someone in need
No matter who they are, no matter their faith or creed
Sometimes the tools I use, are frowned upon by others
But that's OK by me, for they still are my brothers

The more I use my toolbox, the more I understand
That on my own I can do nothing, without God's helping hand
I know that with my toolbox, all things in life are possible
Because the tools are God's words, and my toolbox is the Bible
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January 30

My To-Do List

Hi. It’s been a while. But that’s because I don’t like to write just to write. I wait for inspiration and one never knows where that might come from, or when. Yesterday my wife, humorously, told our son that I had my week planned out. She explained about our “Weekly Planner” on the refrigerator and that I had it filled with substitute teaching, tennis, and pickleball, something for each day of the week. She said, again humorously (I think), that she did not see herself on that list. Although she exaggerated just a little bit, she was not wrong.

Early this morning I went to one of my “Bible websites” to do a little reading. I saw an article titled “10 Key Bible Verses on Time” and decided to get into it. One verse was James 4:13-15:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

This verse brought my attention back to the “Weekly Planner” on our refrigerator door. I was reminded of a couple of things. First, any one of us can take verse 4:13, i.e., “today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”, and fill it with our own “to-do list,” like so: “this week I will go substitute teach a couple of days and play tennis and pickleball.” Well, that’s not all I will do, but you get the picture. Second, as the cliché goes, I am not getting any younger. Here is another key bible verse in the article: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty…” (Psalm 90:10-12). I am 63. Need I say more? “A mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes…” (James 4:14).

Without judging anyone, what’s on your “to-do list” (written or otherwise) this week? This month? This year? Whatever it is that you have on that list, please keep James 4:15 in your heart and mind: “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” I know I need that reminder from time to time.

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November 3

Strangers or Angels?

Yesterday morning, I went to Wawa to get lunch.  As I was coming out of the Wawa, I saw a gentleman walking towards the entrance.  He was an older man and was walking a bit slow.  When he saw I was holding the door he tried to hurry up.  I told him to take his time, not to rush.  As he entered the Wawa, he thanked me.  Then I saw someone else walking towards the door.  I thought I heard this second gentleman yell out my name, Eugene!  I heard the first gentleman respond.  I said to the second man, did you say Eugene?  He said yes.  Then I realized he was calling out to the other guy, not me.   I asked the first gentleman if his name was Eugene.  He said yes.  I exclaimed “wow, that’s my name!”  He chuckled and extended his hand, saying “it’s a pleasure to meet you, Eugene.”  I shook his hand, and we all had a good laugh.  It was a funny moment, but also a very pleasant exchange. 

As I drove away, thinking about this encounter, with a smile on my face, I remembered the following verse from the Bible:

Continue to love each other with true Christian love.  Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Hebrews 13:1-2

Yesterday morning I held the door for that gentleman.  I mean, it is something I aim to do when the opportunity arises. 🙂 This time, however, I held the door for another Eugene.  I had a good laugh, totally unexpected, with Eugene, and the other gentleman.  Together we shared a very pleasant moment.  Who knows how the rest of the day went for the other two fellas.  Hopefully they had a good day.  I did. 

I am no angel, and I don’t know whether either of the other two fellas were angels, but I’d like to believe that – for that very brief moment – angels were in our midst.  And that, my friend, is a rare moment, one to treasure.  So, yes, “don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.” 

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May 11

The fridge that wasn’t there

Every morning (ok, almost every morning) the first thing I do is get my wife a glass of OJ and put it on her night table. She really appreciates that! This morning I walked to the kitchen and turned towards the fridge, but the fridge was not there! No, I was not dreaming. This morning we are having a new fridge delivered and we had the old one taken away last night. I chuckled when I turned to the fridge and, half asleep, reached for the door, finding nothing there. So, I went to the basement to our small fridge and got my wife her OJ.

As I type this, sitting in the dining room, I am looking across where we have certain family pictures. There are pictures of my father-in-law and mother-in-law, God rest their souls. About six months ago my mom passed away and we placed her picture alongside. I miss her so much! Just last week my dad passed away and we added his picture to the “memorial.” My heart is sad. Both my parents gone in a matter of months. I am 62, however, and blessed to have had them for as long as I did.

Not to compare a missing fridge to missing parents, but it occurred to me that there is something worth noting. The fridge was there every single morning. Every morning I would reach out to it. Every morning I would open it’s door. But this morning the fridge was not there. I could not reach out and open it’s door, although I did reach out. This morning, the fridge was no longer there.

My parents are no longer here. I am not able to go to them. I am not able to reach out to them. I am no longer able to “open their doors,” the doors to their hearts and minds. It was so much a part of my life, being able to do that. It was the most natural thing to do. There might not be anything more natural in life. And the thing is, unlike my fridge, I am not waiting for new parents to be delivered.

My message to kids of all ages is to enjoy your parents. Always reach out to them and look to open the doors to their hearts and minds. The day will come when you will no longer be able to do that. When that time comes, you will feel like you are dreaming or like you are half-asleep. You will want to reach out to them, but they will no longer be there. Love them, cherish them, and be there for them, now, while you can.

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September 16

My True Weight

Earlier this week I had a colonoscopy. My first one was ten years ago. One of my sisters asked me how many pounds I lost with the prep. That reminded me of a post from an old website I had and thought I would repost it here, with some minor edits.

As I walked through the wilderness of the world, I came to a place where there was a den. There I lay down to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. In my dream I saw a man clothed with rags, standing by a path with a book in his hand and a great burden upon his back. His face was turned from his own house, which stood nearby. I saw him open his book and read, then begin to weep. No longer being able to control his feelings, he broke out with a mournful cry, saying, ‘What shall I do?’

[Pilgrim’s Progress – In Today’s English, John Bunyan – Retold by James H. Thomas (©1964, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago)]

Recently, I heard about a congressman tweeting that he underwent a colonoscopy.  I asked myself “why would anyone want to tweet about that?  Then I had my own.  I know, not something you really want to hear about.  But, believe it or not, I have a positive message.  So, back to my story. I was getting ready for the procedure; I did all the prep work the day before and very early the next morning. It occurred to me to weigh myself.  I was curious to know how much I weighed after the “cleansing.” I weighed several pounds less than my most recent weight. I went to my wife and told her that I now knew my “true weight.” 😃

In the above quote from Pilgrim’s Progress we find Christian, a character carrying a heavy burden on his back. He felt the extra weight!  He felt so weighed down by the burden that he could not move as quickly as he wished towards his destination, the Celestial City.  The burden was in fact a handicap.  How does Christian unload this burden?  When asked by Worldly Wiseman “Whither bound in this burdened manner?” Christian replies: 

Burdened indeed, as much as any poor creature can be.  And since you ask, I am going to that little gate yonder before me; for there, I am informed, I shall be directed in the way to be rid of my burden.

Pilgrim’s Progress, id. at 19.

We oftentimes go around carrying burdens, some heavier than others, weighing us down.  We all bear them in different ways. We meet people along the way, much like Christian does in Pilgrim’s Progress, who either give us additional burdens to carry or who help us carry or ease our loads.  But do we ever find anyone who actually relieves us completely of our burdens?

In Jesus Christ we find that extremely rare opportunity: 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus wants to unburden each of us and free us from whatever it is that weighs us down, the stuff that keeps us stuck in the mire:

Now, I saw in my dream that just as they ended this conversation they came near a miry slough that was in the middle of the plain.  Being careless, they both fell into the bog, which was called the Slough of Despond.  Here they floundered for a time in the mud.  Soon Christian, because of his burden, began to sink. 

Pilgrim’s Progress, id. at 17.

What burdens are you carrying that are causing you to sink in the mire?  Jesus Christ can show you “the way to be rid of [your] burden.”  He can help you find your true weight.

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May 15

Closing the Door

I was at Home Depot recently. I bought some two-by-fours, mulch and a few other things. I loaded up the SUV, but the liftgate would not close. It would slowly go down but start back up once it hit bottom. I figured it was the two-by-fours, so I pushed them in, which was a bit challenging with the mulch on top. I pressed the liftgate button, but, again, the liftgate did not close. I moved the driver’s seat up a bit and pushed the two-by-fours, but same result. I moved around the mulch bags, same result. Anyhow, I realized that what was preventing the liftgate from closing was my granddaughter’s stroller that is usually there by itself, but that I had to move in order to get the other stuff in. I moved the stroller a bit and, wham!, the liftgate closed.

This little experience made me think of times in our lives when we want to “shut the door” and it does not close. We want to shut the door on a bad memory, a bad habit, an unwanted attitude, or a bad relationship. We shift things around in our minds, our lives, in order to accomplish that, but the door does not close. We try moving other things around, but the door still does not close. If we keep working at it, eventually we move the right pieces, in our minds or in our lives, and get the door to close. Wham! Done! We have closed the door on that bad memory, bad habit, unwanted attitude, or bad relationship. Just one thing…if that thing, whatever it is, comes knocking, do not open the door!

As Christians, we pray for God to help us close certain doors, doors representing pain, loss, grief. We also pray that God opens doors for us. Revelations 3:7-8 speaks on this very subject. It is so powerful! Meditate on it. 

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you 
an open door that no one can shut. 
Revelations 3:7-8

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September 7

The Move

Johnny: “There is nothing to be nervous about, alright? Just relax, be cool, when the time is right, make your move.”

Miguel: “Move, what move, I don’t have a move, what’s my move?”

[From the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai (2018) that continues the rivalry between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence begun in the 1984 film The Karate Kid]     

In my basement there are many trophies on display.  All except for one belong to my children.  My one trophy is the 102 lb. Wrestling Champ that I won in 1976 when I was in eighth grade. I remember winning that trophy like it was yesterday. I was wrestling a more talented and stronger competitor.  He had me beat in points.  It was getting late in the third period and I knew that I had to do something.  I knew that the only way I would win was with a pin.  So, I looked for my opportunity, and I made my move.  I stepped around him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and took him down, onto his back.  We were near the edge of the matt and he tried to jimmy his way off – out of bounds – to force the referee to break us up.  I pressed as hard as I could against his chest, knowing full well that this was it; I would not get a second chance.  I closed my eyes and kept pressing his back onto the matt.  Then I heard the sound all wrestlers love to hear – unless it is their back against the matt – the sound of the referee’s hand hitting the matt.  The next thing I knew, my hand was raised in victory!  I remember how excited I was, jumping up and down!  It was awesome! 

I tell this story because it reminds me that sometimes all you need is that one move.  The one move that will turn it all around and allow you to raise your hand in victory.  The one move that no matter what has happened until then, you come out on top!  You can find yourself in need of that move in sports, work, and in life in general.  You might need to resort to the one move that can make all the difference, the one move that will make you jump up for joy!  That is what Daniel Larusso did in The Karate Kid when – with one leg injured – he used the “Crane” stance to win the match!  So, let me ask you, what is your move? 

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July 22

The Bully 

He was so much bigger, and so much stronger
I was small and scrawny
Light as a feather and of sleight build
And he was quite brawny

For some unknown reason this kid didn't like me
He let me know every chance he got
By punching me in the face and stomach
And often by taking a cheap shot

In the projects he was a known bully
I was his favorite target, I guess
As much as I tried to avoid him
I could not, oh what stress! 

I grew up, got out of the projects
Went to college, then to law school
Practiced law not far from home
I always thought that was so cool

One day in front of my office
A man walked up to me
Asking if I could help him out
And, to my surprise, who did I see?

It was the bully, with a disheveled appearance
He recognized me, saw my name on the front door
I gave him a few dollars, and he walked away
I felt badly for him, not scared as before
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July 18

In for Two, Out for Life 

It was only two hours, but it felt like forever
I was so scared in that cell, cried my eyes dry
There was only a bed and a toilet
That's the who and the where, and now for the why

I saw the look in my mom's eyes
When she looked at that dress
She really wanted it, that much I knew
But she could not have it...unless

You see, we were a poor family, seven kids
On welfare, food stamps, and all
Living out in the projects
I was just a kid, who liked to play ball

I decided to make my mom happy
So I tucked the dress under my shirt
But I did not get very far
'Cause the store cop was very alert!

He took me by the hand
Around the corner to the local pen
Put me in a cell, with the bed and the toilet
I had stolen before, but never again

Those two hours in that cell changed my life
They caused me to think, to promise myself
That I would do more than play ball
I would instead reach for a book on the shelf





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