Stories and other stuff

I don't understand everything that happens in my life.  I don't think I'm supposed to.  I was reminded of this today from a little booklet called "Our Daily Bread" the church provides its members.  It's a daily devotional book. Today's was important to me.  The passage talked about whether or not things that happen in life are bad or good.  The material in the book is copyrighted so I can't share with you the exact words, but if you have a minute you can read it yourself by clicking  here . We can't understand every reason things happen in our lives.  For some things, I don't think there is an explanation we as human beings can understand.  Sometimes, things just aren't what they appear to be.  This is a lesson I've learned the hard way in life.  These days, I don't judge or make assumptions.  I ask questions.  Sometimes I just have faith that God knows the reasons why and that's good enough for me.  I guess that's wha...

How do you answer the question "Who are you?"  When someone you know changes a great deal, it's hard to understand, especially if you don't have a good understanding of the reasons for the change. If the readers so choose to follow this  link , part of the why for the dramatic changes so many see but don't understand will become evident. When people face suffering, they have one of two options; they can turn toward God, or away from Him.  Sometimes in an hour of despair, the Good News presents itself and those that choose to follow the Good News are transformed into new beings in Christ.  Sometimes this transformation is radical, sometimes, just noticeable.  What kind of past a person had before kind of dictates the dramatic appearance of this transformation to others. The story of the Apostle Paul demonstrates what a dramatic change Christ can have in a person's life.  Saul, before Christ appeared to him, was dedicated to persecuting Christians and t...

I laugh quite a bit these days.  My life is good and getting better by the day.  Sometimes I laugh when I see something random and my reaction to it is "REALLY?".  It's a good thing because it's out of happiness. Today though, the wife made me laugh.  I, being me, have to tell you a couple of stories, to tell you the one I want to tell you. I've always had to have the "best".  I don't know why and I think I've talked about it before.  If I had the money and saw something I wanted, it was mine.  It was a habit Wendi tried to break me of, by implementing the 24 hour rule.  Anything over $10 was to be thought about for 24 hours unless it was a clearance item and we had a need for it.  It helped some, but not a lot.  I spent like there was no tomorrow because I never stopped to think about tomorrow. Next story:  I used to drive Wendi nuts with cash.  If some was laying around on the counter I always assumed it was mine, wheth...

I live on the West side of Mount Ogden, about three blocks west from where the homes end and the wilderness begins.  From my backyard, I have a pretty good view of the part of Mt. Ogden that's not developed to the top where the TV towers are.  It's a breathtaking view if you like mountains and I do, so it works out well. A few minutes ago, I ran to the store which is down 36th Street from my house.  I say down because it's downhill.  Mt. Ogden slopes from the rough, jagged peaks to a downhill slope.  From the bottom of 36th Street, where the store I went to is located, the view is pretty different.  From that perspective, you see just how BIG Mount Ogden really is.  It only looks about half that size from my back yard. Perspective adds a lot to, or in some cases takes away from what we see.  It's in the perspective of how we look at things that we make our decisions on what we see.  From my backyard, it's easy to say Mount Ogden really is...

Yesterday, I talked about following where the Lord takes me.  I think that's easier for me than maybe someone else because I hit my bottom and when I started listening to the Lord, things in my life started getting pretty good.  Notice, I said "my" bottom, and not THE bottom.  I had a long way to go to hit "the" bottom.  Fortunately, the Lord blessed me with people in my life who helped me and the ability to recognize that if I didn't do something, it was going to really start to head to "the" bottom. It's easy, but as with all things, I'm not exactly perfect in this.  I'm willing to follow but found myself questioning the Lord about this a bit ago.  In the first place, who am I to question HIS perfect plan for me?  I asked out loud, but directed to the Lord, "are you sure about this?"  It wasn't out of a lack of faith nor a want to follow His will, but a lack of understanding.  I don't know "why". That...

Hi Gang.  Welcome to a snowy Monday morning edition of the blog.  Hope everyone had a good weekend.  How 'bout them Seahawks?  Wouldn't it be funny if a team with a losing regular season record (7-9) made it to the Super Bowl? Unfortunately, I missed Saturday's playoff games because I had to work.  Too bad about the Colts.  The next time the Jets play the Colts ought to be really interesting. Well, today's blog is about following.  It's something I learned at an early age in the military.  To be a good leader, you first have to learn to be a follower.  This week's theme seems to be about trusting in, and following Christ.   I'd like to share with you my pastor's blog entry about Jesus being Lord over our lives.  It's an important message . I mentioned this last week.  I told you I made a conscious decision to follow the Lord and I pretty much let Him take me through life these days.  Instead of my trying to tel...

I meant to post this blog earlier in the week.  It was written on December 30, 2011, on the outbound leg of my trip.  For the younguns' I embedded a link to the Western Airlines birdie on youtube.  Instead of champagne, he's getting pizza, but you'll get the idea. My first experience with flying was as a boy flying to California aboard Western Airlines.  Western Airlines is defunct.    Delta took it over a couple of decades ago, but I digress. My mother bought my sister and I new clothes for the flight.  She insisted we dress up for the trip.  Of course this was the decade of the ‘70’s.  A little bird on the tail of the aircraft during TV commercials, holding a glass of champagne, assured us that Western Airlines was the oooonly way to fly.  I have a good memory for dumb stuff. People dressed up for the flight. Today as I write this, I’m at 31,000 feet, headed to an undisclosed location.  I ran away from home.   I can’...

Shortly before I left my job at the ol' Air Guard last year, the idea of solving problems during our morning standup meeting took on kind of a pilot toned theme.  When there was an issue, our commander would ask us what we could do to bring the issue in "for a landing". Well, it's been that kind of a week on the blog.  Lots of things, each building on the other, from the moment I got home from my undisclosed location, to a pretty great way to end the week.  I started out with talking about being ashamed of people for their lack of any kind of empathy or concern for their fellow man.  On Tuesday, I asked if the theme for the week was going to be breaking the chains of the past to soar in God's plan.  I added a few comments here and there to that blog post that I thought were applicable to the post throughout the week; two of them from my Facebook page (be sure to send me a friend request if you'd like to see it for yourself).   On Wednesday, I asked if it...

I think by now it's pretty evident I'm not shy about sharing my faith with you.  Today, I'm going to share someone else's story with you.  His name is Ted Williams.  You may have heard his story but if not, you can read it  here I hope you find the comments inspiring.  I did.

This little post is for my friends: First, I spoke with the wife today.  No baby yet.  Soon, though.  That's her news to share and when she shares it with the world, then I'll share it with you.  The blue reference was not a "blue for boys" reference. It's something else. What I want to share with my friends is this, from the Bible: Galatians 5 (NIV) Freedom in Christ  1 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.  2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus ne...

I had this whole big rant written about how our society has changed since the 1960's. I read it and didn't like it.  Instead, I'm just going to point out a thought and ask the question again. The thought:  If we know what's right and wrong, where did those things come from if there is no God? Now the question again:  Is it too much to ask: For people to be courteous to each other? To disagree without being disagreeable or finding fault? To accept the message without trying to brutalize the messenger, even if we just disagree? To have a little empathy with those whose struggles in life are different? To help someone out without expecting anything in return? To accept that we just may be the one that is wrong about something? To accept a little difficulty in life without flying off at the handle? To remember that we really are all in this together and show some compassion for our fellow man? To understand we're all human and when people make small mistak...

I talk a lot about how my week seems to run in themes.  I don't know if it's a theme for the week or just the day but it's been twice today, both random, but the same message. The message in part is about spreading your wings as a Christian and being willing break the painful chains that hold you to your past.  I found this article when I was looking for a bible quote to share with the wife.  I knew what the verse said but couldn't remember the verse number, so I googled the words.  in the article, the author kind of describes what God does to new believers to reconcile their pasts so they can move forward.  It was an interesting read, based in part, upon the verse (Luke 9:62) I was looking for to send Wendi today. After I read the article and it set me thinking about the path I was on.  I wondered if I was missing something.  Am I on the right path or is this part of the journey just to be able to let go of the past?  I'm certain as I can hu...

Hey gang! Hope you're having a good start to the new year.  I know I am. Today's blog is about resolutions and it's going to be short.  I have a nice story I wrote a couple of days ago and will post it later on in the week.  I'm borrowing a computer this morning and the story I have is on Herbie, so it'll have to wait. Anyway, this little story about resolutions is going to pick up where I last left the blog, which is at Luke 9:23 and is half of my resolution for the new year:  " Then he [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (NIV) The words just kind of jumped out at me the other day.  There are two important parts of this... the first one is the part about "deny themselves".  For me, that means putting away the things I wanted, letting go of some things, and putting others first.  This is an important, yet very difficult lesson I've learned.  I ha...

To my readers: I'm taking a few days away from the blog.  I do this from time to time.  In the past, it's been because I needed the time to get my head together.  Not so this time.  I'm working on some things and thoughts are kind of rolling around in my head like a box of ping pong balls that have been dropped to the floor.  They're just kind of bouncing around everywhere and I'm just waiting for the balls to quit bouncing before I pick them up. I have a few stories to share, but they're not finished stories.  Life this week is kind of like watching a really good movie and having to pee.  We've all been there before.  Do you leave the movie and go or just hold it?  Well, the "movie" is really good this week, so I'm just going to hold it. If I don't make it back to the blog for a few days, treat this as your invitation to share your story, your New Year's Resolution, or whatever you feel like sharing. I will give you a clue abou...

You just never know what's going to happen at Christmas.  It's been a rough year for the Coops.  I wasn't really in the usual holiday mood, although I've had the Christmas Spirit more than I ever have before in my life.  I know that doesn't make sense.  I have joy in my heart but I didn't have any real happiness about Christmas.   That all changed this afternoon.  I was minding my own business when it happened.  Something just kind of caught my eye, and it was love again at first sight.  When I first saw her, my heart started racing.  My excitement level went way up, and I got butterflies in my stomach.  She's beautiful, smart, and makes a great cup of coffee.  We had our first "date" this evening and I can tell you, it's a match made in heaven! Before you either get angry (wife!) or think "here we go again", I'm in love with my new coffee maker!  My mom gave it to me for Christmas and my sister hooked me up the the little co...

Gang, I came across this article on CNN.com, and it's a must read.  These folks, in my humble opinion, get it! The article can be read by clicking here Merry Christmas, readers!

I wrote a little blog about putting the "Christ" back in Christmas for today, but I took it down because I wanted to do a bit more research on the origins of the holiday.  I was in a bit of a hurry and I'd heard something on the radio yesterday that kind of countered a point I'd made about the history of the Christmas tree. I had some errands to run today.  Last minute grocery shopping etc... As I came home, I thought about my little blog post while listening to the news about an increase in holiday spending and holiday travel.  I thought about the impact Christmas makes on our society and wondered this: What would the world be like if we didn't have Christmas? First off, there would be no "Santa Claus", because St. Nicholas would not have led the life he did because there would be no Christianity.  There would be no "Good News" to share.  How different would the Bible be because there would be no prophesy of the Savior's coming?  Vat...

I posted a while back some information about how we know when God talks to us.  One of the ways He does this is by sometimes using other people.  What I learned yesterday in church made me realize that sometimes other people can be an answer to someone's prayer as well. I don't want to especially share the story, but I do want to talk about how we, sometimes unknowingly, make such a huge difference in someone's life by a small act.  The things I'm talking about would be things like donating a small can or two of food to a food drive, or by donating a used coat to a clothing drive.  Sometimes these small things we do can be an answer to a prayer for the persons on the receiving end.  Things we sometimes just take for granted can mean all the difference in the world to someone else.  The story shared in church during our Joys and Concerns time, and reinforced by the pastor, using something most of us take for granted, like a box of ramen noodles to illustra...

I have two stories to share today. If you know me, you know I just wouldn't be me if I didn't tell you a story before I get to the stories I want to share with you today, so here goes. The first Sunday morning worship service I attended at First Baptist Church in Ogden, the topic was about who we'd invite to our table to share a meal.  I don't recall the exact words but I do remember the concept because this is a lesson Wendi taught me our very first almost Thanksgiving meal together.  Yesterday, we had a Christmas dinner at church.  June and I sponsored a table for the dinner, which means we were in charge of place settings and decorations for that particular table.  I'm so pleased we made that commitment.  We used Wendi's beloved Christmas China and shared a delightful meal with 6 people I didn't know very well.  Four of the people I knew by sight.  Two of the gentlemen sing in our church choir.  One other attends our church regularly.  O...

I told my mother the story about the baby sock on Saturday.  As I was talking to her on the telephone, I realized something.  I sounded like a lunatic.  I know that.  All day, I've been waiting for the guys with the white coats and jumbo sized butterfly net to show up and ask me to come along quietly. The thing is though, this really happened.  Just like all of the other random stuff that happens I've written about.  It doesn't make any sense to me either.  I suppose it depends on what your outlook on life is.  I think believers in Christ have an easier time accepting the stories I've shared.  My friends who aren't quite where I am with their faith are a bit more skeptical.  Sometimes, I'm a little concerned I'm not coming across as "all there" as well. In fact, I wrote a blog about asking myself if I'm nuts (November 16) and I find the answer today is the same as it was on that day.  No, no, I'm not. I just sound crazy. ...