The Ripple Effect

One of the great things about story telling is that it leads the mind to create even more visions of the story itself. I think that is why Jesus of Nazareth told so many stories. It engaged the people at the time and even after the story is over. I call it the ripple effect. Once the object hits the water, the ripple begin.

For example, have you ever consider how the man who was helped on the side of the road was affected by the kindness of the Samaritan. When the injured man went to pay his bill for the time he needed to recover, he was told it was paid in full. Do you think he looked at Samaritans differently? Do you think he might have looked at strangers in need with different eyes? Did the compassion of the Samaritan begin a ripple effect? I pray it did!

Or what about the day after the great feast given for the Prodigal Son? Did the son work with the Father? Did he look at his world differently? Did he extend compassion to his older brother? I hope the party changed the whole community!

Or what about the real life incidents of Jesus' life. Do you think the woman who was caught in adultery was a changed woman? Did she look at men differently because of the man who showed her what compassion and love really were? Did she give to someone else the grace and love shown her? The Scriptures itself tell us nothing more about this woman. Her story is unfinished.

And what about you and me? Do we take the time to give to the world around us what we have received? Is our faith changing the world around us? What could our world be like if we were to show one act of kindness, mercy, and grace that created a ripple?

You see Jesus wanted us to know that love begets love. Love creates love. Grace gives more grace. The ripple can begin with you and me.

Do not believe it? Try it. It will change you and your world. Love does that. Let's ripple the world with love!

Graduation is a Marker!

It is graduation time. It is one of those markers in life that needs to be marked well. For young adults it is a time of ending one portion of life and moving on to another. For parents it is a time of realizing that all of the efforts have finally paid off!

Each year I offer some nuggets of wisdom for graduates hoping that it is helpful for the transition in life.

Your parents are going to become wiser over the next few years. Don't be surprised.
That faith stuff that you thought was so irrelevant and boring will get you through the parts of life when nothing else makes sense.
It is never too late to say, "I'm sorry".
Summer vacations will be filled with this thing called "a job"--if you have not found one, you will need to do this quickly.
True friends will show themselves over and over again.
Spend time on the positive side of life. No one enjoys the presence of a whiner.
While you might look "cool" the night before, the offerings made to the porcelain altar the morning after are not cool.
Drink less alcohol. You will rmember what you do, have more fun, and never experience the previous nugget.
Keep your word or no one will believe you.
If you can not say anything good, say nothing. Your mother was right.
Spend your time and money on things that give long term returns.
Dirty clothes and body odor are not your best friends.
A stranger is a friend that you haven't made yet.
Kindness is the nectar of life that attracts many.
Potty mouths are not as popular nor liked as much as they think.
Dance as much as you can, even if you are not a good dancer. Laugh more--at yourself.
If you have a grandparent praying for you--surrender. God listens to grandparent's prayers all the time. If you don't have one, find one!

One of the golden nuggets of memories that I have is my father's hug and tears at the graduation that I received my doctorate. It represented many things to both of us! I hope that you have great memories and celebrate with all of your graduates!

I think God loves to see God's children celebrate!

The World Needs Mothers!

The woman confessed, "I wanted a mother. My mother wanted a best friend. We both suffered greatly from our missed opportunity."

One of the struggles in human life is that we all want to be liked. We want to be affirmed. Being a parent, especially a mom, means that you will have to decide which is most important. Is it more important for your child to like you or for your child to have a mother? It is my prayer that you choose the latter. Too many moms today try to be their children's best friends when their children need a mom!

Your child will have many other friends. They will have only one mother.

The best definition of successful parenting that I have heard is to work yourself out of a job. It is a tedious balance of holding on and letting go. Ultimately if you succeed, you have let go.

The other major decision that a mom has to make is whether to give greatest value to this world or to the world of the unseen--the spiritual world. A mom teaches her children the faith by example and by word. A mom teaches her children that the gift of eternity is the greatest gift. It is the gift that is characterized by love.

This mother's day celebrate. Maybe you were fortunate to have a mom who gave you the greater values in life. Maybe your mom struggled. Maybe even your mom was a failure. Even if your mom was not the greatest mom in the world, you can find something to celebrate. Then you can give yourself to giving to the children of the world the best things in life.

A successful business man was once asked what made him what he was. His answer was, "My mom was a mother who gave me the vision and touch of love,--God's love--then she let me go!"