Time

The gift of money is soon forgotten, but the gift of time is eternal. Go give someone a gift. :o)

-Lane Ormerod

Well, it has been some time since I last recorded a blog entry. I could probably name several reasons for why I haven't recorded anything on my blog, but what would that accomplish? I've written much, just not in this particular venue.

As many of my friends now know, I have returned to school. It has thus far been an exceedingly rewarding decision, though not without its cost. I feel enriched as a result. While reflecting on that thought alone, I am eternally grateful to my wife and children for having provided the necessary motivation to return to school. 35 years ago, enrichment would not have been an adjective I would have used to describe education. But know, a little wiser, it is a wonderfully exciting and thought provoking experience.

Our nation is in the midst of an economic crisis. At least that is what the "experts" say. I have to admit, I feel it when at the register of my local grocer. Or while at the pump filling my Ford F350 4x4 crew-cab long-bed pickup truck. Who ever thought it would take almost 150 bucks to fill the tank? Certainly not me. Or should I say, I never really thought that far ahead.

What will it cost me a year, or two, or ten, or twenty from now? How many of us really consider the future and how we will endure it?

As I look back on my life over the past 35 years, I am appalled at the waste that I now recognize in hindsight. Sure, gas & groceries cost more now than they did then. However, had I invested (or at least put into savings) more of the money that I so frivolously spent on important things like extra televisions, or newer vehicles, or all those exercise videos, I would be far better prepared for the inevitable future that awaits every generation.

Here's a little advice from an older man: Buy less groceries. Drive less. Turn off the television and read a book, or better yet, read a book to someone else. Rediscover the joy of slowing down. Rediscover the freedom of less.

I am often asked what is it like having so much homework. Or, don't you miss having time for extra stuff like watching TV or hanging out, or, whatever. My response is simple - "I get to do all that homework... it so much better than TV." Sure I miss all the time I used to spend with others, but in reality, there is time for that too. I just have to be more deliberate about the choices I make so that I can accomplish what is important, whether that be fostering relationships or self improvement through higher education.


The Apostle Paul said it like this: 11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 Thess 4:11-12 (NIV)

So slow down. Simplify your life. Find something you enjoy doing. Learning is a great choice, as is walking a dog, or stroking a cat. Whatever you choose, allow it to be something other than trying to maintain a lifestyle of excess, which unfortunately is what our culture has deceived us into believing is the norm.

Of course the occassional motorcycle ride is always a joy...vroom... vroom. :O)

What am I doing here?

Have you ever asked yourself? What am I doing here?
Well, my friend, you're not alone.
All of us at one time or another go through periods of doubt or regret. Fear, unfortunately, finds its way into our hearts at a young age, and like a hereditary disease, it is not easily overcome. So ingrained is it in our everyday way of thinking, that when we see one who has overcome their fear or exhibits little or no sign of fear, preforming acts of fearlessness, we think them demented or delusional! In fact, fear is so effective at what it does that, we're become a society that fears not being afraid!
It has been argued that one would be wise to have a "healthy amount of fear" in certain situations, for instance, fearing a ferocious lion, or perhaps traveling at an uncontrolled high rate of speed, or even, fear the Lord. However, in those situations, is one expected to be afraid to the point of loss of bodily or emotional control? No. Fear in these situations is best described as applied wisdom. Attempting to understanding a thing, then observing appropriate boundaries, that might be a definition of "healthy fear".
None the less, we still find ourselves, from time to time, straining to move from day to day. I know I do. So what is one to do? The answer is found in a little letter to a group of struggling believers in Rome.
In Paul's letter to the called out in Rome, he describes the kind of relationship we as believers in Christ Jesus, share with our Father.
Romans 8: 35-39 (NIV)
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So then, what is one to do when feeling despondent, gloomy, or desperate? Look to heaven, Listen to the Spirit, and know that you are embarrassed by a loving Father waiting to comfort you, both with His love and the arms of fellow believers, then go ahead and take a shot at life. As flawed beings we may not always hit the target. So what! Triumph and joy are not determined by how many times we hit the target or get it right, they are found in the trying.

Hoping you have a blessed day-

- Uncle Lane

Friends and the Great Beyond.

Ya know, sometimes this world has a way of really reeking havoc with your emotions. Circumstances are always changing and that in itself can sometimes be an unsettling thing. Know doubt each of us experiences times of height and elation. Then during others we feel as if we are in the pit of despair.

Whether it be on the top of the mountain or the bottom of the pit, we all seem to reach for one thing; a friend.

Friends have the amazing ability to either lift us out of the pit or boost us on their shoulders so that we might attain heights we never thought imaginable.

Praise be to the GOD our heavenly Father, Jesus His amazing Son, and the Holy Spirit who lives and breaths within us - cuz brother or sister, I got friends.

A pair just celebrated an anniversary, their 15th. Not long ago another celebrated their 64th. Another called to share the sound of 3000 voices lifting up their praise in song at the Pepperdine Lectures. Another pair is traveling home with tear filled eyes to lay to rest a beloved sibling. Another delivered his first public testimony about how faith in the Lord Jesus has transformed his life. Another is home renovating his yard. Another is letting me help restore a car. Another plays beautiful music to me. Another occasionally rubs my back to sooth my tension. Another has shared my bed for these past 22 years (yes I know she's my wife, but she is also my friend). Yet another chose me, encouraged me to live a life of love, then bore my sins to the cross of Calvary.

My apologies for all those who I did not mention. I could spend the rest of the day, scratch that, the rest of my life describing the people who daily encourage me and lift me up. I just wanted to say thanks. Thank you to all who have loved or befriended me. It means a lot.

Time, distance, and circumstance often prevent us from being with the ones we love. Though cellphones and the world wide web have made the world a smaller place, they are nothing in comparison to the life that awaits us on the other side.

I long for that place where time and space hold no power. Instead we will with one heart and one voice be eternally united in loving grandeur in the Great Beyond.

Until then my friend, I will miss you dearly as long as you're away.

In Christ our Lord

-Uncle Lane

John 15

13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

It's all about me...and my friends (thats you)

So I thought I would do something a little different today. Thus far I have tried to limit my writings to spiritually minded stuff, you know, more about the Christian walk than about me. I had purposed a while back that no emphasis on me would be the best way to ensure I didn't screw up presenting the message about Him (Jesus). Over time however, it occured to me that He (Jesus) sent us out into the world to tell others about Him (Jesus). So if He sent us, there must have been a purpose behind sending us instead of just hanging around Himself on earth for the rest of time (He could have you know).

Soooo, this one is a little about me, a pictoral glimpse into my life, who I am, what I like to do, that kind of stuff. Just a little something to share with you.

As the Lord wills I will have other inspirational thoughts in the future. For now, enjoy the few photos and may the Lord our Great God bless your life as you live it in pursuit of Him.

-RangerLane.

Why?

So, it's been a while since I've written anything for my blog. I've been busy with a new project that is pretty much taking up all of my free time. Free time, since there is no such thing that would be a great topic for discussion - perhaps another time. What has motivated me to write today is a question I asked myself while driving to work this morning.

As I was turning the corner on my daily commute listening to the announcers for Public Radio beg for donations in much the same manner that they do every fund drive, their plea was interrupted by a special news bulletin. It seems that the University of Washington is hosting a 5-day seminar whose purpose is to "reconnect our brain to our heart" as they pursue a discussion on Kindness, Compassion, and Civic Responsibility and to promote the Seeds of Compassion campaign. To help bring attention and moral validity to the event, the UW arranged to have the Dalai Lama flown all the way from Tibet to be the special guest speaker. It is a sold out event with One hundred and fifty thousand people expected to participate. The event will be held in a variety of locations and venues across the UW campus and Seattle. The appearance of the Dalai Lama is no doubt the cause for a great amount of intrigue and curiosity. Security has been increased on campus and around Seattle. The news even showed video of the Dalai being transported by armed escort to his temporary residence. It feels like the whole city, no let me rephrase, the whole city has been effected by his arrival. And that is what has brought about my quandary. WHY?

My question isn't why has the Dalai Lama caused so much interest. Rather it is why is there a need for his presence or for the University of Washington to host such and event, one whose purpose is to bring attention to the need for more kindness, compassion, and civic responsibility in our community and world.

Many profess to be followers of Christ. They call themselves Christian. They go to church occasionally. They put money in the collection plate as it is passed. They may even have a fish symbol on the back of their car. They may even participate occasionally in community service oriented activities. So if they're Christians, and if our country is predominately christian (as the polls and census suggests) why is there a need to bring heightened awareness to things like Kindness, Compassion, and Civic Responsibility? Shouldn't one be able to assume that those are qualities of people who profess to be "christian"? And if the majority of Americans are christian, shouldn't kindness, compassion, ans civic mindedness be adjectives used to describe us? The answer lies in one of two camps as I see it. Either the world has a skewed impression of Americans or we as Christians aren't doing a very good job of being "Christ like".

More on that another day. For now I'll just let you chew on it for a while. In the mean time, live your life in such a way as to cause others to call you a Christian.

Shalom

September 10, 2007 I wrote about this really cool guy I know. His name is Hutch. He's been undergoing this radical tranformation, one that can only be accomplished as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - God in us.

Take a look at what he emailed me just the other day.

The following is an excerpt from "The Hutch Tribune". It is a testimony to how faith in the Lord Jesus can bring focus and purpose to one's life.

So here is the 411 on the down low of my little book, sermon, novel, hutchisms, or whatever you like to call it. This just a preview or in the book world... introduction:

I don't know about you, but playing the game of Life is one of the toughest challenge I have ever faced. One day you are up top looking down and then the next your on the bottom looking up. In the midst of being on the bottom scrounging for survival it turns out to be my finest hour. Thank God for church and friends because if I didn't have the tools to face the battle I would have been dead along time ago. Who ever said a person can't change is full of crap. I'm living proof and so are alot of other people. Christopher Reeve, Winston Churchill, Paul, Solomon, and the list goes and goes. Ever since I quit drinking and nicotine, I have been set free charging the gate and taking names. It is not easy I struggle everyday. I told myself I'm going make this goal and stick with it. It has been a month! and I'm stronger than ever! I'm passionate about God, life and my job! All I needed was God, goals, will power, and friends, I call it the big 4. GOALS: godly objectives assures lassting success. Did you know? We learn new things everyday. Everytime I learn something new everyday I get more excited about it because it helps me grow. I'm not at the top, but not on the bottom, I'm in the middle. But I like the view and it is looking sweet dude!! We are meant to do great things! It is not all about working 9 to 5. God gave us arms, legs, and a mouth to speak. USE IT!!!!!! You don't have to be a rocket scientist or have a degree to serve God's will. "In his heart a man plots his course but the Lord determines his steps" Proverbs 16:9. I have this tattoo for many reasons, it outlines my life, it starts conversations, and it looks cool. I don't know what is up the road. Everyone asks me what are going to do for a career, these past 7 years I have been struggling with that question. I do have a career.... it is called Serving God and he is always hiring.

Life is not a journey to the grave

With the intention of

Arriving safely in a pretty

And well preserved body,

But rather to skid in broadside,

Thoroughly used up,

Totally worn out,

And loudly proclaiming,

WOW !!!! What a ride!

-Erma Bombeck

God bless you all, I love you, and I see you up the road.

Shalom,

Hutcharooski

Encouragement. Focus. Purpose.

WOW! What a ride!!!

I leave you today with this simple instruction first given to Timothy by the Apostle Paul: "Preach the word."

Now go and do likewise.

In Christ our Lord,

RangerLane