harbarger theory: there's always a "now what"

harbarger theory: there's always a "now what"

One of the dirty little secrets about pastors is that we're usually exhausted by the time Easter's over. The whole process of getting ready for these powerful and holy times of worship like Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, SONRise Service and, of course, Easter worship services tend to wipe ... us ... out. At least ... it does to me.

It sort of reminds me of what the Disciples went through after that first Easter ... but maybe theirs had a LOT more confusion and more overwhelming.

Their Lord ... their Messiah ... their inspiration ... their everything had died. He was gone. They had no idea that he was coming back. He was just ... gone.

Then ... he CAME BACK!!! Can't you imagine what was buzzing about in their brains? Wha?? How can this ...? I can't believe ...! I'm not sure they could have even finished a sentence. At the same time ... life was going on.

So, the question came percolating up. What's next? How do I live now that my Lord has resurrected? In their case, they changed the whole world, spent their life at it and then gave their lives for it.

In my case, what do I do next? Where do I lead next? What do I throw the weight of my attention to? How do I spend my time? What gets my attention?

Hmmmmm. Good questions. I know where I want to go in general. I want to be an even better husband and father and son. I want to lead the church I serve where it needs to go next. I want to continue to try to figure out how to find life balance between ministry, family and personal time. I've never been good at that last one. But maybe .... maybe not!! = )

In the end, my "now what" is to live a life that is reflective of the resurrection. You know, second (and third and fourth and fifth and ...) chances. Treating all people as if they are worthy of the the Son of God giving his life for them ... without exception. Making reconciliation a lifestyle, not a task. Finding joy in the darkness, peace in the storm, love in the loneliness. My 'now what" is to focus on sweating the big stuff and focusing my life on what God declares is important.

What is your "now what?" How will you live out the Resurrection? How?

Dieting Stinks!

harbarger theory: shortened games and potholders make for a lousy way to live

One time, a skinny sports-loving kid told me that all I have to do to lose weight is to just eat less and exercise more. As most confirmed big guys would do (well, the less violent ones, anyway) I just gave him "The Look" and walked away.

But, then I thought a LOT about his suggestion and came up with an analogy that might help him understand why dieting and exercise is a problem for guys like me.

Since he LOVES sports (and I mean lives, sleeps and breathes sports!), I used it as my focus.

I told him that dieting was like being able to only watch SOME football games, but not all. And not that many of my favorite ones. AND, when I did actually get to watch a great game, I could only watch it to somewhere between half-time and the end of the third quarter. And then, I could NEVER know the outcome of the game. Or the stats. Or anything else. No matter HOW MUCH I wanted to know more. I could not ever, ever know anything else. And that would be the ONLY way I could EVER watch a ballgame again.

Then (since exercise is SO much fun), at half-time, I would get the opportunity to knit potholders! yea. i'm so very, very excited. really. woo. hoo.

Yep, for a Foodie and a guy who likes to be active, but hates to exercise ... dieting and exercise is like watching half a game and knitting potholders.

I hate it. But, then again ... I'm an adult and it's time for me to get healthy (and by healthy, I mean thinner and in better shape!). So, I'll deal. That's what adults do. We do what needs done.

But, for all you athletic types and you thin types ... pipe down. At least, until you start watching only half-games and start knitting a whole boatload of potholders. For the next few years.

I know this sounds harsh. But, we fat foodies do get a little tired of being told how to lose weight by people who have never had to do so. You don't get it. This is taking away one of our great loves and replace it with something we don't like. So, until you walk a few miles in our fat shoes, you just won't understand. But, don't worry ... we're still jolly fat fellas!!!!!

harbarger theory: shortened games and potholders make for a lousy way to live

Size Matters!

harbarger theory: it's good to be big.

I'm not the biggest guy. I'm not the strongest guy. Not by far. But ... I am a big, strong guy. I like knowing that I can pick up, shove or move pretty much whatever I want. Sure ... not everything. But, pretty much anything.

I love being that guy! I love knowing that I can help people do what needs to be done. When I belay climbers or high rope course participants, I love knowing that I can do it whether I am tied in or not. I love knowing that I can do lots of things like that.

But ... I've gotten too big. I've proved that you CAN have too much of a good thing. Although I LOVE good food, apparently I eat too much of it. Although I love being a big guy, I am way too big. About 33% too big.

Although I LOVE being active, I hate exercise. Walking, running, cycling, etc in circles or even on the bike path with no where to go bores me. I HATE being bored. Again, too much of a good thing.

But, here's the thing. It's time for me to grow up and start doing the right thing ... even if I don't wanna. I don't need to stop eating good food. Just less of it. However, I DO need to start exercising regularly.

Buuuuut, I don't waaaaaaannnnnaaaa!!! (that's the sound of me whining) Harbarger ... suck it up. Do what needs to be done and lose a third of your big guy body weight. It's time to start now and change your life!

So ... I started today. My young son challenged me. He said that he's going to run a mile a day for the next 40 days. He challenged me to walk a mile for the next 40 days. He really worked at selling me. But ... to be honest, walking one mile is not really that much. So, I started today. But, I walked 2 miles. On a snowy bike path. In the cold. In the gloaming darkness. (I've always wanted to write "gloaming darkness!") It felt good. I liked it.

Will I continue to like it? Who knows. But ... I need to start not caring if I like it or not. I just need to do it because I need to do it. It's the thing to do.

So, I am. Just for complete disclosure, on January 4, I weighed 301.4. Next stop? Under 3 bills. When? Whenever. But I will get there. Last stop? 2 bills. When? Who cares. But. I. will. get. there. I will.

harbarger theory: it's good to be big

harbarger theory: christ is not in any danger of being left out of christmas!

The irrascible Joe Blundo wrote a great article in the Columbus Dispatch about Christmas. Among his many wonderfully pithy (and I'm not writing with a lisp here), he challenges this silly modern idea that Wal-Mart cash register clerks are ruining Christmas for the whole world. Poppycock!!

As a Christian, I claim Christmas as a holy season in my life. As a pastor, I claim Christmas as a REALLY busy season in my life. As a shopper of gifts both well-thought through and bought in haste with dubious taste (hey, that rhymed!), I find Christmas a fun time to give to others. I could care less what the weary ones who check me out say to me. Instead, I offer a cheery Merry Christmas to THEM!! After all, if this season is MY faith's season, then it should be MY responsibility to share the cheer, don'tcha think?

I've said it before, people like Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh would become flaming liberals tomorrow if it paid better and Howard Stern would become a moralistic high grounder tomorrow if it paid better. These guys are not true believers ... they are opportunists who are cashing in on the conservative fear that is bandied about so freely and act as breeder reactors for the anger that seems to be simmering.

My friends, be gentle and loving to the weary retail clerks. They work way too many hours for way too little money. Be generous to people who are confused about what to say in this season for fear they may offend. If Christmas be your holy season, then proclaim your joy to all around. After all, isn't this what witnessing is SUPPOSED to be about? We proclaim the joy of our faith and what better opportunity than this season where people's heads are already turned Christ's way?

As the old carol sings, "O come let us adore Him! O come let us adore Him! Christ, the Lord!" Merry Christmas ... Happy Holy-days ... Feliz Navidad ... May the joy of the One birthed this season be yours forevermore!

harbarger theory: christ is not in any danger of being left out of christmas!

For God's Sake!

harbarger theory: God is not limited by our ignorance.

I saw an article in the paper (Assoc Press article in the Columbus Dispatch) about Dale and Leilani Neumann who were convicted of reckless homicide for "praying" their child to death.

Let me say from the get-go that I fervently believe in miraculous healings and curings. They happen. But, they are EXACTLY that ... miraculous. If I (or you) could call down a miracle at our whim, then they would NOT be miracles. We call that a skill, not a miracle. If a plumber can fix a leaky pipe, that's not a miracle, that's a skill. If a carpenter can saw a straight line (while that may be a miracle for ME), that's not a miracle, that's a skill.

Miracles happen OUTSIDE the control of humans and OUTSIDE the normal processes of our planet. Miracles are ... MIRACLES!!

We are blessed by God to have amazing medical facilities and equipment and knowledgeable medical personnel to use them. That is a gift from God!! We have medicines and therapies that can literally heal and cure people. Those are gifts from God!!

While I believe that God does the healing, God might choose to heal my flu through medicines and medical intervention ... or through a slow healing process ... or by a whiz-bang miracle. But, all of those are God's intervention, just via different avenues.

I have consistently been amazed over the years of reading the Bible, that it seems that Jesus NEVER healed this person like any other person he healed. They were ALL different. Amazing!! God loves diversity and abhors boredom!

So, why do we (and I'll count myself in with these whack-jobs!) try to FORCE God to do stuff OUR way and OUR way only? Why? Hubris, I believe. We want to show the world ... show ourselves? ... show God? ... that we can control God. We want "God In A Box!" Hubris, that's what that is.

Neumanns (joel harbarger) ... shame on you and, indeed, your child's death IS on your hands. You claim to trust God, but only if God will work YOUR way in YOUR timing and for YOUR consequences. Who do you/we think you/we are, anyway??

We need to learn the deep lessons of letting God be God and knowing our place. And our place is lower than the angels and a little higher than cocker spaniels (but not every day, I suspect!!).

For God's sake, let's take the blinders off and let God be sovereign over the cosmos and let's stop trying to muck it all up!!!

harbarger theory: God is not limited by our ignorance

Appearances Are Deceiving

harbarger theory: objects in the mirror really ARE closer than they appear!

In the past few months, we have been witnesses to some appalling behavior, haven't we? First, we have people coming to Town Hall Meetings and, in some cases, screaming hysterically at congressfolk. Now, granted, sometimes they NEED to be screamed at, but isn't that why we vote them into and out of office? Isn't the voting booth the most effective way to get our point across? I think so.

Adding fuel to the fire, we have Joe Wilson, an elected representative to the US Congress (albeit a guy who is a Son Of The Confederacy and fought hard to keep the Confederate Flag as a herald of his home state of South Carolina ... [note to self - find a way to convince these knuckleheads that the Civil War has ALREADY been fought!]), yelling out in the middle of a speech by a sitting president to a joint session of congress! Holy moly!

Finally, we have Kanye West, whose money and popularity has made him think that we care what he thinks! He crashes the stage to make a stupid statement about something that matters to a few, but completely sucks the joy out of a moment for the honoree. Some days, Beyonce gets the lauds and some days Taylor Swift gets them. That's the way the MP3 crumbles. Ya know?

But, more importantly, we have somehow opened the door for people to forget that we should be civil to each other. Should we disagree? Sure. Should we voice our disagreement? Of course. Should we be hateful, disrespectful and immature about it? I should hope not!!

Some have laid the blame at the feet of people like Jerry Springer, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity or the myriad Rant "Journalists" out there. I'm not willing to go there. They may encourage it and model it, but my behavior is MY responsibility, good, bad or ugly.

Therefore, let us covenant together that we will disagree openly, vigorously, but respectfully and in ways that are appropriate for adults. Like the Apostle Paul, let us put away childish things and ways and become adults. Let us learn new ways of discourse that produce more light than heat and more respect than self-righteousness.

It's time to grow up, America!!! There are big issues at stake. Put on your big girl panties and let's talk ... and listen.

harbarger theory:be careful what you pray for

harbarger theory: be careful what you pray for ...

We always prayed that our kids would be people who are strong, independent and world-changers. We raised them to have wings.

Dang it ... sometimes you get what you pray for!!!

Our son is doing wonderful things at his work and with the men and boys that he coaches. He works hard and plays hard ... and OH, SO independent. He's a good friend. He's a role model. He's the kind of guy that other guys want to be. As for the wings ... he lives in California. We live in Ohio. Some strong wings there, eh??

Our daughter is doing exciting things in her life as well. She is now in her last year (or so!) in college earning her baccalaureate degree in two majors. She spent a semester in Japan and succeeded in so many ways. For a pale, sorta redheaded appalachian girl, she's become kinda japanese, now!! In a month or so, she'll be heading to Beijing as a reporter for a couple weeks!!! She and a friend started Winter Camp at Camp Otterbein. She has friends ... I mean REAL friends with people all over the place. As for wings ... she goes to school in Missouri, but, I think she'll be a citizen of the world. Talking about strong wings!!

God answers prayers. Always. And sometimes, God says, "OK ... you asked for it!!", and we get it. We got it.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Well ... sometimes we would, but it's our fault!!! We asked for it, didn't we?

harbarger theory: be careful what you pray for ...