Christians like Cheese. I should have typed the word "are" between Christians and Cheese. Let me explain.
There is a day in June which provides the Green Bay Packers and other residents of Wisconsin an opportunity to celebrate. Somewhere along the way, a keeper of calendar dates declared June 4th National Cheese Day.
While Americans eat just over half as much cheese per year as the French, 34 pounds per person does sound a bit excessive. I eat my share of the national average - mainly through the regular consumption of Anchorage's Moose's Tooth pizzas. (They're amazingly tasty!)
If you want to begin making plans for a 2020 Cheese Day celebration, the folks at www.holidayscalendar.com provide this advice . . .
"If you want to celebrate National Cheese Day, then all you have to do is enjoy cheese in one of its many forms. You can have cheese soup, a cheese sandwich or maybe just some cheese ravioli. Maybe your idea of a good time is having some cheese on crackers or eating a cheese pizza. How you celebrate this holiday all depends on your personal preferences."
Cheese.com identifies 1829 different types of cheese. Notice that whether one eats Aged Gouda or Zwister, one eats cheese. All cheeses from A to Z are types of cheese.
While I am mentioning numbers, I will shift from the topic of cheese to the matter of Christianity. The keepers of statistics, whomever they may be, identify the total number of Christian denominations at over 33,000. Notice that whether one attends an Anabaptist church or a church belonging to the West Syriac Rite, one attends a church.
While not all who attend church truly follow Christ, many do. Therefore Christians of any of the 33,000 denominations, whether living in Afghanistan or Zimbabwe, share the identity of a Christ-follower.
Just as Cheddar and Brie taste different and are presented in differing ways, Congregational and Baptist churches vary in style and nourish distinct "tastes." Despite their differences, both of the former are still cheeses and both of the latter are still Christian churches.
As you gather with friends to enjoy the great variety of cheeses from Aged Gouda to Zwister, perhaps you will choose to eat a grilled cheese sandwich or spoonfuls of cheese soup. All are cheese.
As you gather at church with other Christians to celebrate Jesus, remember that Christians who meet in a church different than ours, still gather in a church. All are Christ-followers.
#ordinarylives
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
There is a day in June which provides the Green Bay Packers and other residents of Wisconsin an opportunity to celebrate. Somewhere along the way, a keeper of calendar dates declared June 4th National Cheese Day. 
