OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Monday, August 07, 2006

Clif’s Blog was closed yesterday.

Except for a few days vacation, I have only missed writing a blog two or three times. When that happened I received inquiries wanting to know where the blog was.

Yesterday was Sunday. When I was a kid, everything closed on Sunday. “Closed up tighter than a jug.” No groceries were bought, no gas was sold, and no prescriptions were filled. You had to plan ahead or you went without.

Then one day a few grocery stores and gas stations started staying open. It was front page news! That’s all anybody talked about for awhile. We debated whether or not the owners would end up in hell. We argued that the customers would probably go to hell too. As a teenager I didn’t have a clue. It looked like to me that we might all go to hell.

It wasn’t long until everything was open on Sunday. Hell? Maybe. But who cared, we had never seen it. It probably was just something made up by preachers to scare people.

Oh, by the way, back to why I didn’t write a blog yesterday. It had nothing to do with yesterday being Sunday.

I forgot!

PETE THE LITTLE, WIRY, ROMANIAN

Saturday, August 05, 2006

He was scheduled to arrive between 10:00 and 12:00 A.M. He came between 1:30 and 2:00. He burst into our home like a summer monsoon in Scottsdale. He talked, talked some more, worked, played music, sang, and left talking.

Pete was supposed to be at our home for about two hours. He stayed five.

We didn’t mind having him but we were trying to leave for dinner.

Finally, he was leaving. He saw our piano. He said I will play for you. He played music from Dr. Zhivago and of course music from Romania.

We have had other workers in our home this week beside Pete. They didn’t talk much and when they did it was in Spanish (which I don’t understand). They didn’t sing, and they didn’t play the piano. They may have danced, but I didn’t see them. I think they were too tired to be entertaining.

Thanks for coming by Pete. Better late, than never!

PILGRIM HEART

Friday, August 04, 2006

Darryl Tippens is provost of Pepperdine University where he is also professor of Early Modern Literature. He is the author of essays on literature, film, spirituality, and contemporary culture. Darryl has written a book, Pilgrim Heart, The Way OF Jesus In Everyday Life, which will bless your life.

This book invites readers to consider afresh the way of Jesus in light of practices that have proven to transform lives for two thousand years. These include friendship, Sabbath rest, hospitality, confession, forgiveness, listening, discernment, singing, creating and experiencing the arts and telling stories.

A long time friend recently gave me a copy of this good book. When I began to read it I was lifted up and then cast down. I found it easy to read, but hard to live out the message in everyday life. After reading a few chapters I had to sit it aside and a do some soul searching. It’s easy to preach about Jesus, but not so easy to live like him.

After a few days I picked up the book to resume reading. The inscription on the inside cover caught my eye: To my best friend, Clif. I am now reading again with renewed enthusiasm. It’s good to have best friends. Two of mine are Jesus and Paul Covey.

You should read this book and then give a copy to a friend. You both will be blessed!

DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME, BOYS AND GIRLS

Thursday, August 03, 2006

“There’s no fool, like an old fool.”

The old man got into the recliner on his knees facing the back of the chair. As he was leaning on the back of the chair talking to the person in the next room, he put all of his weight on the back of the chair and it reclined sending him forward toward the floor. Miraculously he was able to recover before he went headlong onto the stone floor.

Accidents happen like a storm over Arizona. Out of the blue they come and sometimes they are devastating.

Why did the old man climb into the chair on his knees, looking over the back instead of reclining like he should? Who knows? “There’s no fool, like an old fool.”

And I thought I could ride the bucking bull at Harold’s Corral.

FAILURE

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

From My Reading:

“I’m continually amazed with my own failures. But the wonder of it all is that God keeps working on me and through me anyway. I’m convinced He’s worked more through my failures than my successes. I’m so grateful the Bible is packed with failures who became champions of the faith: the Peters, the Davids, the Moseses, the John Marks, and the Jonahs. Their stories show me that God isn’t looking at our achievements, but at us—and that even my failures can be used for His ultimate glory.”
Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat

MISSED MY CALLING

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

I thought the message was clear: “Go be a preacher!”

It’s hard to believe I could have missed it so badly. The message must have been: “Go be a plumber!”

The plumber came to my house today. He was from Christian Brothers Plumbing. After he quoted me the price for the job I wanted done, I heard the message clear as crystal: “Brother, you missed your calling.”

Oh well, I’m sure I received more joy from preaching than I would have plumbing.

But on second thought, maybe not. Those Christian Brothers looked pretty happy on their way to the bank.