According to historical record, the shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes. On August 27, 1896, soldiers by land and sea from the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate engaged in battle. The British Navy took the day - or should I say .026 of the day.
Very few events of significant importance occur in just over half an hour. However, in our clock-watching culture, life is measured in minutes. Minutes constitute hours, hours constitute days, days add up to weeks, weeks add up to months, and months combine to make a year.
Followers of Jesus Christ can benefit from a look at those measures. We can use the various components as guides for our self-evaluation of how well we live our everyday, Ordinary Lives for Christ. We can use them, specifically, as markers of progress as we ask introspective questions.
- Did I really listen well to my spouse / friend / child over the last few minutes?
- During the last hour, did I treat others as I would like to be treated?
- Today, did I spend time praying?
- Today, have I read my Bible?
- Did I give my best at work this week?
- Did I make time for rest this week?
- Did I serve someone else this week?
- This month, have I actively engaged in church?
- Did I stick to healthy living this month?
- What did I accomplish last year?
- What have I accomplished so far this year?
- Have I grown in my relationship with God this year?
These are some of the near-countless helpful introspective questions one may ask.
When you finish reading that last sentence, go use the next 38 minutes well. (I don't suggest war!)
#ordinarylives
On Saturday, my wife and I will head to Sky Harbor International Airport to board a plane bound for Anchorage, Alaska - our home. We will do so as a pair.
A few days prior, we flew to Phoenix as two of a trio. 
We flew to Arizona with our daughter; we fly from Arizona without her. She will remain in the state to begin her exciting journey at Grand Canyon University.
As our oldest child, she is the first with whom we will share this experience of leaving home. None of us know the specifics of what the next steps of this journey entail; nevertheless, we trust that the future is bright with opportunity and will be full of learning curves.
Vonda Kay and I prepare to send our daughter on this next great adventure with our blessing and full support. While I do not yet know, in entirety, what our just-before-the-returning-flight words of wisdom will be, I do know that I will repeat two bits of wisdom which are well-known to her.
1) Be safe.
2) Make good choices.
I realize that the former can be taken too far. We do, after all, enjoy life when we take some risks (i.e. sky dive, eat a new food, hike a new trail, be the first to say "hello"). Nevertheless, a father feels better after saying those two words to his daughter.
The latter piece of wisdom, however, cannot be taken too far. In fact (and I tread lightly here - not wanting to put words in His mouth), I think one could summarize God's commands to Adam, Eve, Cain, Abram, Moses, Deborah, David, Solomon, Peter, Martha, Thomas, you, and me with that three-word phrase . . .
Make good choices.
When you make good choices, you will . . .
- love the Lord your God
(Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37)
- love your neighbor as yourself
(Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39)
- pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness
(1 Timothy 6:11)
So - jump out of a plane, eat raw eel, climb that mountain, be brave - as you will. But always remember - be safe by making good choices. Whether you are headed to college, moving to a new state, picking a career, dating, married, young, old, or in-between - remember to . . .
Make good choices.
#ordinarylives
Dale Carnegie provided suggestions to his readers regarding relationships. He aimed to enhance his readers' influence and success.
Life is made up of relationships. How we view the relationships in our lives matters.
- Do we love for love's sake?
- Do we care out of true concern?
- Do we see connections as means to an end?
- Do we sustain only the relationships that best benefit us?
Peter, the Disciple, wrote about relationships. In doing so, he highlighted love.
When he wrote those words, certainly his mind pulled up the memory of his lakeside chat with Jesus. Earlier Peter, through his three-fold denial, sinned against his Lord. On the beach, Jesus restored Peter by, likewise, highlighting love (see John 21). We observe that when Peter wrote of love covering a multitude of sins, he wrote out of personal experience.
A great value of relationships is the way in which they pull focus from self. When our view of relationships is healthy, they cause us to focus on others and to care for them.
Peter learned that living for and loving Jesus was, in large part, about loving others. As you live for Jesus, love others by treating your relationships as they should be treated. Value relationships for relationships' sake.
#ordinarylives
Celebration of Life. This week, people of Rabbit Creek Church as well as other friends and family will gather to celebrate life. We will gather to remember the life of a dear friend and church member. Notice that we will congregate with a focus not on death but on life. Because of Jesus, we will celebrate life rather than mourn death.
Our friend trusted Jesus. John, chapter 1, tells us that the Word, who is Jesus, is God and that He became flesh. This same God who willingly came to earth to save people from their sin, said these words - "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." The one we remember this week experienced those words. He is in the presence of the Lord. God did not and will not leave nor forsake him.
Christ's love does not bow to any force, power, or person. Christ's love is for all who will believe in Him and His way. Christ chose our friend and our friend chose to follow Christ. Our friend found a solid place of rest and security.
Christ died on a cross because of sin that He never committed. That sin was ours. 
But death did not have the last word. Christ walked out of the tomb where He was buried. Christ is not dead and neither are those who place their faith in Him. Christ calls you and offers security and rest and if you truly respond, nothing you face in this life will ever be strong enough to pull you away from Him.
If you believe and follow Jesus, you can say along with Hosea, the prophet, and Paul, the apostle, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
#ordinarylives
Very few events of significant importance occur in just over half an hour. However, in our clock-watching culture, life is measured in minutes. Minutes constitute hours, hours constitute days, days add up to weeks, weeks add up to months, and months combine to make a year. 
