Category Archives: Making a Difference

April 23, 2024 · 4:47 pm

Who Is Laura Fasig?

An Encouraging Story For Teachers

For quite awhile I’ve been telling an encouraging story about Laura Fasig. When telling this story recently, I realized that it is so encouraging to some that I should write and publish the story.

One Important Aspect

To be accurate, this story should be entitled “Who Is Laura Fasig … To Me?” The story I’m telling here only addresses one facet of “Who Is Laura Fasig?” No doubt, Laura Fasig’s life was richly multi-faceted. So, I hope and pray that those who knew her far better than I did (especially her family) won’t be offended by my focusing on this one aspect of her life.

Important To Me

Before going on, it’s important for me to tell a little bit about how the most important part of my life led me to become acquainted with Laura Fasig. That is my becoming a Christian.

When people ask me about how I became a Christian, I tell them that the process began the first Sunday after I was brought home from being born at Terre Haute’s Saint Anthony’s Hospital, when my Mother and my Grandma Ray took me to the Second Avenue EUB Church.

Of course, I don’t actually remember that but I confirmed it with my Mom in the latter stages of her life. Actually, when I asked her about it she said, “Yes; me, your Grandma Ray and your Dad.” Since my Dad had left my Mom to marry another woman when I was three years old, I found additional comfort in knowing that he was there too. I’d forgotten that my Mom and Dad had first become acquainted in the Youth Group at Second Avenue.

The picture on the right captures a moment from my Mom and Dad being together in Southern California on R&R during WWII.

Becoming A Christian

Although my going to church started pretty immediately after my birth, of course, that didn’t make me a Christian. I always thought a good way to illustrate that truth was with the metaphor, “Just because you spend a lot of time in a garage, that doesn’t make you a Buick.” John 3:1-21 tells the story of a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, coming at night to inquire of Jesus, who answered him by saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” There are, basically, two steps required to be born again … (1) Repenting from a life of sin and (2) Believing in Jesus as your Savior. I did that at Second Avenue EUB when I was twelve years old.

Nicodemus comes at night to inquire of Jesus

The role that Laura Fasig played in my becoming a Christian was that she was my Kindergarten Sunday School Teacher. Although the other kids in Mrs. Fasig’s class were kids from our neighborhood, I only really remember one of them … Jackie Schofield. We actually went to a High School Prom together, we were in school together through college and we’re still connected via Facebook. I, also, remember that our Sunday School Class met in the basement of Second Avenue EUB while “the grownups” Sunday School Service was going on in the sanctuary upstairs. After Sunday School, we would join our families to be together for the main church service. When I think of Mrs. Fasig’s Kindergarten Sunday School Class, one lesson stands out in my mind. It was the story of Zacchaeus, as told in Luke 19:1-10. Mrs. Fasig used a felt story board to teach us that story. I’d never seen anything like it and it fascinated me, Since I clearly recall this teaching seventy years later, obviously, it had a lasting impact,

Zacheus Felt Bible Story Board

Long-term Importance

The kids shown to the left are my Sister, Nancy, my Brother, Dick and the Kindergarten-age me in the early 1950s.

To Kinders, all adults are old. They don’t necessarily recognize different stages of adulthood. In my five-year-old mind, there was little difference in the age of Mrs. Fasig and the age of my Mother. As an adult, I learned that Mrs. Fasig was actually closer to the age of my Grandma Ray. In fact, I learned that when my Mother was a child, on a regular basis, Mrs. Fasig was known to go throughout the neighborhood to gather up kids, taking them to her home to teach them lessons from the Bible. It was knowing this that led me to consider the impact that Laura Fasig had on the lives of others.

Since I hadn’t been in touch with Mrs. Fasig for a very long time, I decided to do some research to find out what had become of her. Of course, today, you can learn a lot about almost anyone via Google. Sadly, I was unable to find any good photo of Laura Fasig but I did find her obituary. That revealed that she had lived to be 99 years old. She had been married to Arnold Fasig and they left behind a Son and Daughter-in-law, a Granddaughter and two Great-granddaughters. And, it confirmed what I said earlier about her life being richly multi-faceted. She was a member of Terre Haute Memorial United Methodist Church, Terre Haute Elks Ladies Golf League 18 Hole Group and she was a charter member of Terre Haute’s Badoura Temple 23 Daughters of the Nile. Her burial is in Terre Haute’s Roselawn Memorial Park; where my Mother, Father and Grandma Ray are buried.

My focus in considering the impact that Laura Fasig had on the lives of others was the number of years the Lord blessed her with. She lived to be 99. In thinking about what my Mother had told me about Mrs. Fasig gathering up neighborhood kids to teach them lessons from the Bible, I realized that took place about 100 years ago. Although my Mother’s family didn’t move into that neighborhood until she was nine-years-old, she would have been Kindergarten-age in 1924. Assuming that Mrs. Fasig continued touching the lives of neighborhood kids until she went home to be with the Lord in 1994, that means she did that for 70 years. One can only imagine the number of lives she impacted during that time.

To me, the way that Laura Fasig impacted lives was more important than the number of lives she touched. I would argue that there is no teaching more important than Biblical instruction, leading to eternal salvation. But how do you measure something like that? I think that my vivid memory of her use of that Zacheus Felt Bible Story Board is a good indicator. That lesson was taught by Mrs. Fasig over 70 years ago and I’m still talking about it. Obviously, that is an indicator of how Mrs, Fasig’s teaching made a positive difference in my life. But, the impact of that teaching didn’t stop with me. You can rest assured that I’ve passed along the Biblical instruction I was given to many others; including our Daughters, our Grandchildren and our Great-grandchildren.

Treasure In Heaven

My regret, in telling this story, is that I never had the opportunity to tell Laura Fasig what a positive impact she had on my life and to thank her for it. I’m confident that she got something far better when she arrived in Heaven. That is hearing our Lord tell her, “Well done good and faithful servant.” If you’re a Teacher striving to make a positive difference in young lives, I hope you’ll keep this in mind. It’s likely that many of your Students won’t recognize the gift you’re giving them in a timely manner. Please don’t let that discourage you. Bear in mind that, like what Laura Fasig did, what you’re doing is making a lifetime difference for your students, as well as in the lives of others whose lives they touch.

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January 18, 2021 · 1:00 pm

“For Such A Time As This” – In America

U.S Capitol Riot – January 6, 2021

In writing this, I intend to speak to those who I believe still represent the vast majority of Americans. That is those who love America more than having their views on every political issue being fully adopted … more than their hatred for those whose views differ from theirs … more than their desire to get their “pound of flesh” from those who have opposed them, especially those who have done so in an unscrupulous way.

To help our perspective on this, I’m going to start with a Biblical illustration. I think you’ll agree with me that it’s fitting. It’s from the 3rd and 4th chapters of The Book of Esther. This Scriptural story takes place when most of the Jewish people remained in Babylon under the rule of King Ahasuerus, though they had been given permission to return to Jerusalem. The King had made an evil man, named Haman, his second in command. Haman hated the Jews and he convinced the King to issue a decree to annihilate all the Jews. At that time, neither the King nor Haman knew that the King’s beautiful and much beloved Queen, Esther, was Jewish. Esther was unaware that this decree would apply to her too and if she had any thoughts of how she might save the Jews from annihilation, it wasn’t apparent. Knowing this, Esther’s Uncle, Mordecai, who had raised her as his own Daughter, confronted her with this message:

“Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13(b)-14

The polarization in the U.S. seems to have reached critical mass. Without intervention, it may well result in civil war. It strikes me that, most Americans, who love their country, may be finding themselves in a similar mindset about this as Esther did about the decree of King Ahasuerus to annihilate all the Jews. With that being the case, the logical question then is, “How do we constructively apply Mordecai’s admonition to Esther, to result in the urgently needed intervention with America’s acute polarization?”

American Civil War Cemetery

ESCAPE?

Part One of Mordecai’s message was the admonition, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.” There is also truth in that for all Americans today. Perhaps due to our rich history of meeting and overcoming monumental challenges, it’s not uncommon for Americans to think of themselves as invincible. From our beginning, in our Revolutionary War, we took on and defeated Great Britain, then the world’s greatest superpower. And, arguably, America’s greatest victory was in WWII, emerging victorious over the Axis, a coalition of nations bent on world dominance who were, initially, vastly superior in their military preparedness. Somehow, with this invincible mentality, we tend to ignore the military engagement in which the most American lives were lost … the American Civil War. A war in which, since it pitted American against fellow-American, it was impossible for America to emerge victorious. In this conflict, 618, 000 American lives were lost. It nearly fulfilled a proclamation that had been made a quarter-century earlier by the man who was U.S President during that war, Abraham Lincoln. A paraphrase of this proclamation says,

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we lose our freedoms it will be because we have destroyed ourselves from within.”

Paraphrased from Abraham Lincoln’s 1838 speech at the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois.

In large part, thanks to Lincoln’s great leadership, though it came incredibly close, America managed to avoid destroying itself from within via civil war. But, it should serve as proof positive to all Americans that it’s very unlikely for us to survive a second American Civil War in the 21st century. So, like Queen Esther, we need to understand that this would have a dreadful effect on us all and we all should be deadly serious about it.

PERISH?

Part Two of Mordecai’s message, another admonition, was, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.” Here, too, there is similar truth in that for all Americans. In fact, without even trying to listen too closely, you can hear it in the news right now. For quite some time China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and others have been watching events in the U.S. like a hawk, just waiting for opportunities to pounce. That’s been especially true since the tragedy of the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021. The “relief and deliverance” that would come from any of these sources for the American people would mean the utter end of “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”.

HOPE?

Part Three of Mordecai’s message was an admonition containing a note of hope, saying, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” My greatest aspiration in writing this is to motivate the vast majority of Americans, who I defined earlier, to take it to heart that we are in a time that could easily lead to the demise of the land we love and to recognize that, “For such a time as this”, we must commit to individually doing our level best to avert this impending disaster.

Obviously, with all this said, the outstanding question each of must have is, “What can I do, as an individual, to positively impact our staggeringly overwhelming circumstances?” Well, I don’t have all the answers but I do think it’s helpful to start with the attitude expressed by answering the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” That answer is, “One bite at a time”. But, even with that mindset in place, the initial question remains and as stated above, I don’t have all the answers. However, I believe those answers can come to us through some serious introspection. To give an example of what I’m suggesting, below, I’m offering an approach, both for the Right and for the Left, that could help in healing our land.

FROM THE RIGHT

Consider that you may have developed tunnel vision about “Stop The Steal”. Certainly, there were irregularities in the November 3rd 2020 election. They all need to be investigated and fixed. But continuing to insist that it’s what cost President Trump reelection is not realistic and doing so is counterproductive. The key factor contributing to President Trump’s 2020 Election loss was President Trump himself … more specifically, it was his egotistical behavior in response to all the hatred aimed at him. I, first recognized this following the first Presidential debate. At that time, voting had not begun and there was a legitimate set of undecided voters. Most of them were considering whether they should vote for a guy whose administration had accomplished many good things while he sometimes showed that he could behave like a jackass or vote for a guy who seemed well past his prime and represented old-school politics. Disappointingly, in that debate, President Trump provided a stunningly clear reminder about his tendency to behave like a jackass and most of those undecided voters moved away from the President. From that point forward, that erroneous direction of the President’s ego just picked up steam, rolling like a juggernaut. It culminated in the Capitol Riot of January 6, 2021. I don’t know what was in President Trump’s heart leading up to this event. I don’t believe he meant to incite a riot. But, I do believe he should accept responsibility for, following the November 3rd 2020 election, allowing his ego to set his followers on a volatile course, with very destructive potential. Whether you fully agree with me or not, continuing to beat the “Stop The Steal” drum and denying the President’s role in the demise of his own presidency is counterproductive. It’s time to accept this, to be as supportive of the new president as possible and to work toward more productive ways of effecting Conservative views.

FROM THE LEFT

Consider that you may have developed tunnel vision about President Trump and his supporters. As a case in point, consider that you don’t know what was in President Trump’s heart leading up to the Capitol Riot of January 6, 2021. Certainly, you can hold the view that he should accept responsibility for the ego-driven failed leadership of his supporters following the 2020 Election. But, impeachment is not justified. It only demonstrates the hateful desire for revenge and it’s unlikely to succeed. Continuing to pursue it is counterproductive. Concurrent with this event was the meeting of the Electoral College. At that meeting, a number of Republican legislators posed challenges to the legitimacy of the election results in several states. As a result, there has been a movement to take punitive actions towards these individuals. But what these lawmakers did was fully constitutional and in fact, similar challenges were posed by Democrats in several 21st century meetings of the Electoral College. Furthermore, while it may not have made a difference in the outcome of the 2020 Election, there were voting irregularities across the nation. The constructive approach here would be to call for a halt to the vindictive efforts against the Republican legislators mentioned and to call for investigating all voting irregularities and fixing their sources. It’s time to accept these realities and to look for the most productive ways of working with the half of the nation who don’t share your Liberal views, who are your fellow-Americans.

Post-Destruction America?

E PLURIBUS UNUM

Last May, in an article entitled Wounded Giant, in the early stages of the COVID crisis, I outlined how, in facing this crisis, Americans working together with one accord seemed to be creating an ideal environment for the healing of its great wound brought on by deep divisiveness on social issues. Obviously, we missed that chance. Over 12 years ago, in an article entitled The President Bush/Senator Daschle Hug – 7 Years Later, I pointed out how we had missed one of our greatest opportunities for that on 9/11, nearly 20 years ago. My prayer is that we all will take time for the introspection I recommend, on each and every issue. That we won’t miss this, perhaps our last, opportunity to heal our land. That we won’t make the scene depicted above, from the movie planet of the Apes, an inevitable reality.

OUR HEALING ATTITUDE

In order to assure that America avoided destroying itself from within, at the conclusion of the American Civil War, President Lincoln proclaimed the right attitude for our nation’s healing, in saying:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.“

President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address (1865)

This is the same healing attitude we must adopt today, if we are to avoid allowing America destroying itself from within.

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January 1, 2021 · 7:48 am

RESOLUTION 2021

HOW CLEAR IS YOUR CRYSTAL BALL?

It’s not uncommon to hear people designate 2020 as the worst year in their life. I tend to feel that way myself. Realistically, when I look back over my 73 years, I recognize that there were other miserable times I wouldn’t want to revisit … times of family strife and loss, career disappointments, financial duress, etc. However, with that said, I am happy to see 2020 come to an end.

Of course, our so readily welcoming 2020’s departure presumes that 2021 will be a better year. But how certain is that? To gain a better perspective on that, I think it could be helpful to consider how 2020 was looking to us at this time a year ago and to assess how clear our crystal ball was.

2020 – LOOKING FORWARD

Team Oaxaca

At this time a year ago, we were pretty optimistic about what the year ahead held for us. Here are some of the highlights of our expectations:

  • Ruth had just received her Sentri/Global Entry Pass and since we had applied together in May of 2019, I expected I’d be getting mine soon. If you don’t know, this pass is very important to people like us who cross the U.S. border frequently. Without out it crossing can take hours … I think our worst has been 5 1/4 hours. With it, crossing usually takes less than 15 minutes.
  • We had made an offer on a condo in the resort community where we had been leasing a villa and we expected that, once the purchase of the condo was complete and our remodeling had progressed sufficiently, we would get into a regular routine of hosting friends and family in our new home
  • Likewise, we expected that we would regularly be visiting friends and family in the U.S., including a few special trips, e.g.:
    • A July getaway for Ruth’s birthday
    • A late September/early October getaway for Gary’s birthday/our anniversary
    • A Thanksgiving getaway
    • A Christmas/New Year’s getaway
  • We were excited about our plans to join in a nine day missions trip to Calvary Chapel Oaxaca.
  • And we were even more excited about our plans to join in Calvary Chapel Rosarito‘s semi-annual trip to Israel in November,
  • We planned to enroll in a two-week Spanish emersion course in Ensenada.
  • During MLB’s initial Spring Training, I secured four tickets for a mid-July Angels/Dodgers Freeway Series game at Anaheim Stadium. I planned to go with a CCR Intern, our Pastor and his Dad.
  • We expected that activities we enjoyed so much through our church (Calvary Chapel Rosarito – CCR) would continue and even expand. These included:
    • Helping with various church service needs as Missionaries on Staff.
    • Joining in Weekly Staff Meeting and Prayer.
    • Helping with a Mercy Ministry in Tijuana.
    • Leading CCR’s Seniors Group, Legends.
    • Joining in a biweekly Life Group.
    • Joining in a weekly Men’s Bible Study.
    • Leading a weekly Women’s Bible study.
    • Serving in the Connections Ministry during Midweek and Weekend Church Services.
    • Serving in the Prayer Corners during Midweek and Weekend Church Services.
    • Enjoying the Worship, Bible Study and Fellowship associated with Midweek and Weekend Church Services.

2020 – LOOKING BACK

Car Church Greeter – Gary Wiram

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. With 2020 now in the rearview mirror, we now know how it turned out. And we understand what circumstances led to the reality of the year and its significant difference from our expectations going in. Here is an overview of those differences for us:

  • Although Ruth got her Sentri/Global Pass at the very beginning of the year, my application remained Pending Review until May. Of course, by the time it was Conditionally Approved, the interview required to complete the process were significantly delayed. I, finally, had my interview on December 23rd and I should be getting my pass within the next couple of weeks.
  • We did complete the purchase of our condo but 2020-related delays meant that we didn’t take possession until July. And, we did manage for remodeling to progress sufficiently but getting into a regular routine of hosting friends and family in our new home remains in the future.
  • Visiting friends and family in the U.S. was pretty limited but we did get in a couple of special trips.
    • In July, we got away for eight days in Indio to celebrate Ruth’s birthday, sharing an AirBnB with Daughter Jill, her guy Chris and Grandsons Jake and Riley.
    • In late October we got away for a week to celebrate our anniversary with a visit to the Grand Canyon and surrounding area.
  • We chose to cancel our travel plans for Thanksgiving and we limited our Christmas getaway to a three day stay with friends in Huntington Beach.
  • We were able to join in the nine day missions trip to Calvary Chapel Oaxaca. It was the second week in February, prior to 2020’s craziness really kicking in.
  • Both the Israel trip and our enrollment in the Spanish emersion course in Ensenada were canceled.
  • Most significantly, activities we enjoyed so much through CCR were radically different. The ones we were able to maintain included:
    • Joining in Weekly Staff Meeting and Prayer.
    • Though we tried to restart CCR’s Seniors Group (Legends) when some things started to reopen, we put it on hold until some time in early 2021.
    • The weekly Men’s Bible Study was successful in restarting when some things started to reopen.
    • The weekly Women’s Bible Study converted to meeting online.
    • Worship, Bible Study and Fellowship associated with Midweek and Weekend Church Services was done online only at first. Then, that was supplemented with Car Church. Presently, we’re having in-person services but health-safety measures limit Fellowship along with ancillary programs and activities.

THE UNFORSEEN

Today’s Good News Devotional – Ruth Wiram

So far, somewhat presumptuously, we haven’t addressed the elephant in the room – i.e. What in the world caused the reality of 2020 to turn out so very different from what we expected?! The obvious answer is COVID-19 but that is really an oversimplification. No doubt that was the overriding issue but, at least for U.S. citizens, COVID-19 became intertwined with cultural matters, particularly politics and religion, to further impact society.

But, as my old high school football coach taught us, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And that resulted in some unplanned positive results. This included:

  • We were able to share our condo with a key contributor to the remodeling. He is a deportee and he was able to have his family come down from the U.S. to stay with him in the condo.
  • And, we have been able to make our home available to friends from Huntington Beach to use as their base as they lead a major construction project for the Calvary Chapel Church Plant in Otay Mesa.
  • Although the Mercy Ministry in Tijuana was on hold, we found that we were able to help those who are closer to us who couldn’t get out for groceries, etc.
  • As part of our effort to keep Legends connected, we formed Messenger and email groups who receive a Legends Daily Blessing … Daily Scripture with a related Worship song.
  • Helping with new service roles necessitated by Online Church and Car Church.
  • Contributing to a new program of five-minute daily YouTube devotionals called Today’s Good News.
  • Reconnecting with numerous friends and family via social media.

2021’s GAME PLAN

So, having considered how 2020 was looking to us at this time a year ago and having assessed the clarity of that crystal ball, how should that impact our expectations for 2021? Now that vaccines for COVID-19 are being distributed, I’d like to believe that it won’t be long until things return to “normal”. But, I recognize that may not be realistic. In fact, I’ve recognized that, for those born during and after this year, they may never know a time when people freely join in crowds attending various events. With that in mind, I’ve determined my resolution for 2021 to be optimistic in my hope for things to return to “normal” while anticipating the likelihood of a “new normal”.

So, what does that mean? To begin with, for me, that means striving to be more intentional about plans for the things that are most important to me. If you look at the Gary Wiram – Editor page on this blog, you’ll clearly see that my life’s priorities are: Faith, Family and Community. Here’s how I see this year’s intentionality applying in each of those categories:

  • FAITH – Considering 2020’s expectations for this category, the primary goals were:
    • Supporting CCR in ministering to its flock and sharing the Gospel with the community.
    • Supporting CCR’s Church Plants.
    • Continuing to build ourselves up in the faith.

Intentionality with the goals of our faith seem pretty straightforward here. That is, look for opportunities to safely do these things hands-on but expect that we may may need to continue to do them virtually and in some cases, to find new ways to do them virtually.

  • FAMILY and FRIENDS– Our primary goals here have been to share our time, our love and our blessings with our loved ones.

Intentionality with these goals seems straightforward too, with one key difference. While looking for opportunities to safely do these things hands-on and expecting that we may need to do them virtually, bear in mind how COVID-19 became intertwined with cultural matters and be proactive in not allowing that to happen.

  • COMMUNITY – Our key goals here have been to become more and more a part of the community and in doing so, positively impact the community.

This may be the category where intentionality may be the most difficult. But, while it may not be as straightforward, it will be important to continue to look for alternative ways to accomplish what “normally” could be accomplished hands-on. The one thing that is a bit more straightforward, however, is working to remove a roadblock to our becoming more and more a part of the community … removing our language barrier would be huge. So, while our plans for enrolling in a Spanish emersion course in Ensenada may not return as a realistic opportunity, we need to embrace other ways to become conversant in Spanish.

2021 – THE CLEAR VIEW

Proverbs 16:9 tells us “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” And, Isaiah 46:9(b)-10 tells us, “I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.”

During 2020, I realized, perhaps more so than any other time in my life, the importance of daily looking to God for His guidance. I’m determined to hold even more firmly to that wisdom, going into 2021. I recommend that to you all.

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May 28, 2020 · 7:47 am

Build Each Other Up – a Devotional

During the COVID-19 quarantine, Calvary Chapel Rosarito has been providing live streaming topical devotionals every weekday. The video shown below is the devotional from Tuesday, May 26th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

SETTING THE STAGE

In order to set the stage for the focus of this devotional, here are two brief stories:

A teacher wanted to teach her students about self-esteem, so she asked anyone who thought they were stupid to stand up. One kid stood up and the teacher was surprised. She didn’t think anyone would stand up so she asked him, “Why did you stand up?” He answered, “I didn’t want to leave you standing up by yourself.”

Now that you’ve finished laughing or groaning at that one, let me tell you another story about the very same teacher. After getting over her embarrassment, the teacher continued with her lesson on self-esteem by asking some questions she was sure the students could answer correctly:

First, she asked: “Kids, what does a chicken give you?” One student shouted: “Eggs!” The teacher said: “Very good! Now what does a pig give you?” Another student responded with: “Bacon!” The teacher said: “Great! And what does a fat cow give you?” The student who had stood up before said: “Homework!”

Now, those may not be the most hilarious jokes you’ve ever heard but I suspect we all see some humor in them. It’s the sort of humor that I remember being most popular back in the middle of the last century when I was in high school. We referred to it as cutting someone down.

This morning’s devotional is the opposite of that. It’s entitled “Build Each Other Up”. I’ll be using selected verses, in context, from Ephesians 4:17 through Ephesians 5:7 as our Scriptural reference today.

PRAYER

Before seriously digging into this topic, let’s pray for the Lord’s blessing on this time.

Father, thank You for Your provision, making it possible for us to gather in this way, in Your name. Give us ears to hear what You want to say on this topic and give us hearts to be obedient to Your direction, that we might glorify You in the way we lead our lives. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

“Don’ts for the Audience

In the part of Ephesians we’re looking at today, Paul was speaking to the believers in Ephesus. He was exhorting them to be in the world but not of the world. The world they were in was the very pagan culture of Ephesus. Paul admonished them to not participate in behaviors that were commonly accepted in Ephesus.

Look at this list of the behaviors Paul was talking about!:

Lewdness – Greediness – Deceitful Lusts

Lying – Anger – Stealing – Bitterness

Clamor – Malice – Fornication

Covetousness – Filthy Language – Idolatry

Do’s for the Audience

Apparently, the average Ephesians were pretty nasty people. No wonder Paul didn’t want his sheep to turn out like them. No doubt, our Pastors want the same for us today.

In addition to the list of “don’ts” that Paul addresses, he speaks of a quality lacking in the culture of Ephesus that he does want believers to exhibit. Here’s what he says about that:

Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, Ephesians 5:5 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 7 … put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

As I said earlier, Paul was not speaking to the Ephesian culture, he was speaking to the believers in Ephesus. In doing this, Paul was actually speaking to all Christians for all time, telling us to be shaped by Christ, not by the culture.

Of course, we can’t fully imitate God but we can exhibit the qualities that His Word tells us He wants to see in His dear children. We aren’t instructed to incorporate these qualities in our lives because we just want to be among those who are counted as being good in the world. There are unbelievers who do that. I don’t know, maybe that’s just because they don’t want to be on Santa’s Naughty List. But, we are expected to live this way because, as Paul says, we have “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” This isn’t in order that we become God’s children. It’s because we are God’s children. Accommodating behaviors that are acceptable in the culture or, worse yet, adopting those behaviors, dishonors our Christian family. We are not like those who don’t know Christ. We are different. We are set apart. That is why we encourage each other. That is why we build each other up. It’s the reason that this Scripture begins with the word “therefore”. It’s because we have received salvation and we know who we are in Him, so we should encourage one another and build one another up. And, this isn’t behavior we are only to exhibit with Christian Brothers and Sisters. We are to behave this way with everyone … even with those who we don’t like. It’s a call to impact the world we live in not by becoming good but by being who we have become. We are Saints and we must act like it.

God’s Assignments

Here are three areas of building up that every believer has been assigned by God:

  1. We are called to build up ourselves, spiritually. Jude tells us not to be like the ungodly world. Instead, Jude 1:20 says, “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,”
  2.  We are called to build up the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12 tells us, “… since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”
  3. We are called to build up each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, …”

How To’s

God wants us to learn to use our time with our brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage them spiritually, to motivate them in their times with God and in prayer, to discuss ways to more effectively share Christ with others, to serve them and help them.

God created us to be a part of a vibrant community of people. If that community is healthy, then one of the priorities will be to build others up. A loving group of people wants to see each other grow in their faith and their gifts and we rejoice when we see them accomplish it. Paul’s challenge to each of us is to be someone who builds others up.

It’s really not that hard to build up others. Mostly, we just have to be watching for opportunities to do so. Often, it can be done by saying something as simple as, “Keep up the good work, you’re doing a good job” or “I’m glad you’re here today, you add so much to our group”.

Proverbs 11:25 – Tells us that doing this pays dividends. It says, “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.”

Intentional Edification

As we recognize that God calls us to build each other up, He also directs us to not do the opposite … That is tearing each other down.

As we read earlier in Ephesians, ”Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,”.

Our words are powerful. They can build up or tear down and they can switch from one to the other in an instant. Our words also reflect what is going on in our hearts. Paul is exhorting us to become people who build others up. We do that by looking out for the needs of other people. We listen for where people are struggling and determine to meet those needs. We are mindful of new Christians, and we make sure that we encourage them and protect them from anything that might weaken their faith. We watch what comes out of our mouths because we realize that we are an example.

Those with selfish hearts look after their own interests. They don’t look to the needs of others but only to satisfy themselves. They are like the Ephesians. Unwholesome talk reflects the sin in our lives. Loose talking and coarse joking can affect a young believer’s faith. Exaggerating for effect can lower the opinion others have of us. We need to eliminate these from our lives. To do this, start by asking God for forgiveness of what we have said. Then, take our eyes off of what we want and start to look at what others need.

Use your words to build up. Encourage and exhort one another to Godly living. Speak words of wisdom and care into the life of others. When we build others up, we bring significant benefits to our community of believers. It blesses those who are being built up, it provides an example for those who are watching, and it does a work in our hearts that we might not expect, we find a subtle joy in helping others out.

Proverbs 17:22 tells us about that in saying,  “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”

We have all heard the saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” That is not true! Words do hurt! Words can either build up, encourage, motivate or they can hurt, tear down or leave someone with lasting scars. As people of God, we need to be very careful about what we allow to come out of our mouths. Words spoken out of our mouths are very important for the simple fact that they speak what is in our hearts.

Luke 6:45 tells us, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Long before we had computers, God taught us …

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Final Analysis

What are we speaking? Words that build up or words that tear down? Let us all examine ourselves by listening to the words that proceed out of our mouths. The wrong words can destroy and the right words can mend. Words spoken out of the mouth of those who confess Christ should be wholesome words which edify the body of Christ and glorify God our Father. We need to ask ourselves, “Is God receiving glory from the words that we speak?”

Let me encourage all of you with a few closing words …. You are a child of God. He loves you, He sincerely does. He is there for you. He cares. He is listening. He is for you. He wants to wrap you up in His arms and encourage you. He wants to build you up. He wants to strengthen you, especially in those places where you feel weak. His desire is for you to have all that is possible for you. Seek Him today and look for opportunities He gives you … to build up others.

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May 4, 2020 · 4:59 pm

WOUNDED GIANT

A health worker at a COVID-19 testing site in Inglewood, CA.

DEEPLY WOUNDED – PRE-COVID-19

The world is becoming increasingly eager to get past the COVID-19 nightmare, to return to “life as usual”. In doing that, we tend to think of the things we miss and that, when we have those things back, life will be wonderful again. As a result of that myopia, we forget … there was much about “life as usual” before COVID-19 that wasn’t so great.

The pre-COVID-19 U.S. was miserably split. Nothing exemplified this more than the rift between those who support President Trump and those who oppose him. But, the U.S. population was just as divided on social issues such as; Gun Control, Abortion, Religious Freedom, Climate Change, Traditional Marriage, Immigration, Reparations, etc. While remaining the world’s leading superpower, this ever increasing discord was making the U.S. a deeply wounded giant … perhaps, even, mortally wounded.

SOCIAL HEALING DURING THE CRISIS

California Governor Gavin Newsom Praises President Trump

In spite of holding opposing views of their President and of numerous political issues, the vast majority of Americans have worked harmoniously in facing the COVID-19 crisis. One of the best examples of that, among U.S. leaders, came from California Governor, Gavin Newsom, paying compliments to President Trump. Newsom and Trump hold disparate views on most issues. So much so that, prior to the Coronavirus Pandemic, it would have been most likely to hear them express unflattering opinions of each other. And yet, Governor Newsom has been very complimentary of President Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, saying, “…  I have to be complimentary. Otherwise, I would simply be lying to you, misleading you …”

Thankfully, seeing Americans work together with one accord, in facing the COVID-19 crisis, hasn’t been limited to its leadership. Many Americans have joyfully embraced the kinship they’ve rediscovered as they came together in battling this pandemic. It’s been obvious that, as a positive side-effect of the current crisis, this affinity has created an ideal environment for the healing of the great wound brought on by America’s deep divisiveness on social issues. But, there has remained a foreboding undercurrent indicating, that, when the U.S. returns to “life as usual”, that could mean the population returning to being miserably split. While many have been treasuring the sense of good will and the considerable potential for healing, it seems that a stubborn group of spoilers have remained who are all too willing to keep picking at America’s great wound.

AGGRAVATING THE WOUND

Surgeon General Adams – Love and Protect Your Elders

Obvious examples of this are Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Maxine Waters, Jerry Nadler, etc.; who, even during this crisis, continue to lurk in the background, awaiting the slightest excuse for trying to bring down President Trump. But, the saddest and most troubling example of this, for me, was the criticism leveled at Surgeon General Jerome Adams by TV Host Claudia Jordan. Jordan’s criticism was aimed at Adams’ use of certain terms of endearment in encouraging Americans to be especially protective of their elders vis-a-vis the Coronavirus. The terms the Surgeon General used included “Abuela” and “Big Mama”. According to Jordan, his use of these terms was offensive to African Americans and Latinos. It should be noted that Adams is African American and in defending his comments, he noted that his Brother-in-law is Puerto Rican.

While the destructive efforts of Pelosi and company are pretty easy to see through, it’s counter-productivity like theirs that feed the foreboding undercurrent evidenced by Jordan’s criticism of Surgeon General Adams. There is much to admire about Jerome Adams, not the least of which is his achieving the high position of Surgeon General. I would argue, however, that the love he showed in caring for his Grandparents’ generation demonstrated an even more admirable quality. Why, then, did Ms. Jordan find his comments to be so offensive? I believe it was, clearly, the result of preconceived notions and looking for any excuse to justify being offended.

CONTINUING THE HEALING

I’ve heard it said that, when a hammer is the only thing you have in your toolbox, everything can look like a nail to you. That may be a fitting explanation for how Claudia Jordan arrived at her conclusions about General Adams’ comments. If we truly aspire to attain a more wonderful “life as usual” following the COVID-19 crisis, attitudes like this must be discouraged. Certainly, once the COVID-19 crisis is past, we need to look back on how we dealt with it. But, in doing this, we should be looking to fix the problem, not to fix the blame.The primary objectives of this review should be: (1) How to avoid such occurrences and (2) How to be better prepared for such occurrences.

No one manages any crisis perfectly. But, metaphorically, I view President Trump and his COVID-19 Task Force as an exceptional team fielded by a skillful Quarterback. And, continuing with that metaphor, the last thing we have needed during this crisis and going forward, is one or more Monday-morning Quarterbacks. That is a sure-fire way to deepen the wounds of the pre-COVID-19 U.S., rather than to heal them. If there’s any justification for fixing blame here, it most rightly belongs to those who chose to keep Monday-morning Quarterbacking during the COVID-19 crisis when they could have been contributing to finding solutions for the crisis rather than exacerbating it.

DON’T REOPEN THE WOUND

In order for the U.S. to emerge from this COVID-19 nightmare to a more wonderful “life as usual”, its citizens must take full advantage of the opportunity for healing afforded by the good will that has been present during this crisis. Furthermore, once this crisis passes, the healing needs to continue and the reopening of wounds should not be tolerated. To accomplish this, every American must first discipline themselves to be as harmonious in working with their fellow-Americans as they have been during the crisis. Candidly, doing so afterwards will be more challenging than it is presently. Striving together for survival of the Coronavirus has made it easy to define common ground. Following the crisis, however, finding common ground on deeply divisive social issues may seem more elusive. The key here will be to maintain the present attitude of good will in earnestly working together to find common ground. That shouldn’t mean compromising deeply held personal values. But, it will require listening to the views of those who see things differently than you and doing so without holding an attitude that they are somehow mentally and/or morally inferior.

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October 9, 2016 · 6:09 am

PATRIOTS ON STRIKE?!

cslewis

The lesser of two evils?

VIABLE ALTERNATIVES?

Is it just me or do many of you wish that you could find a viable alternative to making a choice between a self-serving inept felon and a volatile ego maniacal jackass, as the next President of the United States? Of course, though sarcastic, that’s a rhetorical question. I know that very many, if not most, of my fellow Americans share a similar view. Later, I’ll offer empirical evidence of that.

Some will suggest that throwing your support to a third-party candidate is a viable alternative. That’s only half true. It is an alternative but it isn’t viable. Regardless of your third-party vote, Clinton or Trump will be the next POTUS and you will have changed nothing.

CHANGE-MAKING ALTERNATIVES?

In order to find a viable alternative to this dilemma, I suggest stepping back and taking a fresh look at our concerns about the nominees of the two major parties. Up to now, I’ve seen this assessment include:

• Choose between the lesser of two evils.
• Are they evil or just flawed?
• Are they unfit or just unacceptable?
• Are they immoral or just unwise?
• The fear of what he says versus the fear of what she does.
• For different reasons, neither can be trusted.

Frankly, I find each of these considerations to be somewhat reasonable. But they don’t really lead to a viable alternative that positively impacts the ongoing devolution in American politics. Ironically, I heard the solution summed up in a statement made by Hillary Clinton that was, as usual, meant to demean Donald Trump. She said,

“We need to stand up as a people and say that America is better than (this)!”

I wholeheartedly agree and absent a truly acceptable alternative candidate, I firmly believe it calls for an unorthodox approach to making the changes so many of us have been crying out for in American politics. It means refusing to continue to vote for “the lesser of two evils” and only voting for candidates who are truly deserving of your vote. What I’m recommending is that all of us who share the frustration expressed in my opening paragraph refuse to vote for any of 2016’s presidential candidates, while voting for every down-ticket candidate who deserves our support. I think of it as  … 

… A Presidential Voters Strike for Our Union.

I know that many will, at least initially, say that my recommendation is crazy, it will effect no change and that either Clinton or Trump will still be the next POTUS. No doubt, the latter is true and it’s going to take all of U.S. pulling together, finally setting aside our ever deepening polarization, to survive whichever one is elected. This Voters Strike could be the first step in that movement and I believe it can effect the changes we long for. I want to offer my logic, that I believe is fully sane, by presenting the empirical evidence I alluded to earlier. Continue reading →

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August 21, 2016 · 2:49 pm

Running for Dogcatcher

Campaign 2

Gary Wiram, PCO – Precinct 690

Have you ever heard someone slam a politician by saying, “He’s so unpopular he couldn’t even get elected Dogcatcher”? According to Wiktionary (not a source I’d trust for something more important), the usage of this phrase is summed up as follows:

“Dogcatcher is virtually never an elected office (only one elected dogcatcher office exists, in Duxbury, Vermont); the phrase is hyperbole, using dogcatcher to indicate ‘the most lowly conceivable office’.”

TODAY’S LOWLY OFFICE

After considering that Wiktionary says Dogcatcher is virtually never an elected office, I’ve decided that the elective position I now hold has become the most lowly conceivable office – i.e. Precinct Committee Officer (PCO). If you don’t know, a voting precinct is a subdivision of either a city or county where each address in the area is assigned to a precinct and each precinct is then given a specific location for its residents to vote. Precinct sizes vary but the U. S. has an average of 1,100 voters per precinct, with each one having both a Democrat and a Republican PCO. These are unpaid elected positions meant to help the parties stay in touch with the thoughts and feelings of neighborhood residents. If a person files to run for PCO and they’re unopposed, their name doesn’t even appear on any ballot. Typically, if a person who files to run for PCO is unopposed, they are appointed to that position by their respective party. However, if more than one person files, each of their names appear on the ballots of voters living in the respective precinct.

THE LOWLY INCUMBENT

Precinct 690

Precinct 690

Two years ago, the Chairman of the Clark County Washington Republican Party (CCRP) asked me to run for PCO in Precinct 690. I agreed to do so, with the understanding that I’d have limited time and energy to do the job. This year, due to my dismay over what has happened at the top of both party’s tickets, I came close to not filing for reelection. After further prayerful consideration, though, I decided that if I’m going to make any difference in getting my party and our country back on course, I needed to be willing to do my part. Interestingly, shortly after I did file, I learned that another person had also filed. That meant that, in my aim to make a difference, I’d have to start by campaigning. Although I won’t bore you with all the details of my campaign, I want to tell you about some of its key aspects and the ways in which I was blessed along the way. Continue reading →

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Image

LOVE WAS HER LIFE’S THEME

My eulogy for my Mother, as read at her funeral.

When Jesus was asked “What is the greatest commandment?”, He answered, “Love God with everything you’ve got and show that by doing likewise with your fellow man.” Of course, that is a paraphrase but my Mother took it literally and quite seriously. I think it’s fair to say that love was her life’s theme.

Geraldine Elizabeth Ray Wiram August 12, 1919 - April 14, 2016

Geraldine Elizabeth Ray Wiram

August 12,1919 – April 14, 2016

FROM BIRTHPLACE TO HOMETOWN

That was demonstrated from her beginning, in her birthplace, Greenville, IL. Her connection with family and friends that she knew prior to her family moving to Terre Haute, was something she always treasured. Of course, the most precious to her we’re those who went with her to Terre Haute; her Father E. K. Ray, her Mother Clara, her Sister Thelma and her Brother who died in infancy. Throughout her life, she looked forward to getting to know him in Heaven and now, she’s getting to do that.

The people I knew as Grandpa and Grandma Ray, Aunt Thelma and Mom started becoming part of their community through Grandpa’s job on the Pennsylvania Railroad, through neighborhood activities, through school activities, through service organizations and probably most important of all, through the Second Avenue Evangelical United Brethren Church. The relationships that were developed during that time are too numerous to mention but, as evidenced by some who are here even today, these were not passing acquaintances but loving relationships that Mom nurtured throughout her life.

MOST SIGNIFICANT NEW RELATIONSHIPS

I do want to mention two relationships that we’re of particular importance though. During that time, my Aunt Thelma met a handsome young man, named Bob McIndoo. For the sake of brevity, let me just say that I ended up knowing him as Uncle Bob. He was a man I truly admired and Mom loved him dearly, as she did Thelma’s and Bob’s children; my late Cousin Ron, my Cousin Janet Sue and my Cousin Jim. Since they have been a prolific bunch, that gave Mom In-laws, grandchildren and next generations of the same to love too.

The other particularly important relationship developed during that time involved another handsome young man named Chet Wiram. Although you won’t find his name in Mom’s obituary, he was of great importance in her life. His Dad worked on the Pennsy too, they lived in the same neighborhood, they went to the same schools and they were together in the youth group at Second Avenue EUB. There were 12 Wiram kids, 10 who survived childhood, so even if they had just become friends, that would have expanded Mom’s social circle exponentially. But, a romance blossomed and when he was 21 and she was 19, they married. Of course, that worked out to the benefit of many in this room today, including my Sister Nancy, our late Brother Dick and myself. Then, along with Mom, in addition to the Rays, the McIndoos and all those Wirams, there was us to love. Added to that we’re the Franzwas, the Sagraves, the D’Amicos and the Dillers, through a Son-in-law and three Daughters-in-law, who she loved as her own children. Since we have been a rather prolific bunch too, grandchildren and next generations were added to Mom’s circle of love through this too.

CHOOSING LOVE

In my view, Mom’s love was most vividly demonstrated in her dedication to her Husband and her children. Shortly after Nancy was born, Dad joined the Navy and went off to WWII. About nine months after Mom visited Dad in his Southern California port, Dick came along. And, not long after the war ended, their baby boomer showed up … that’s me. All during that time, Mom’s love was the driving force, holding that young little family together. At the start of the next decade, though, Chet and Gerry’s marriage ended. Mom responded by pouring her life and love into her children. In the process, she found the job that would provide her living for the rest of her life. She became a Long Distance Telephone Operator. In the beginning, that meant working a split shift and riding the bus two round trips per day, so that she could see her kids off to school in the morning and be there when they came home in the afternoon. She recruited my Aunt Carolyn and several neighborhood ladies to stand in the gap for the times she couldn’t be there. My Sister joined in with that more and more, as she got older. I don’t think its an exaggeration to sum up this season of Mom’s life by saying, “No greater love has a woman than this, than to lay down her life for her family.” Continue reading →

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April 19, 2016 · 6:25 am
August 16, 2014 · 10:31 am

Keeping Our Eyes Above The Waves

AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER

Over the past few days, as we’ve watched Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ronald S. Johnson step in to take over security operations in the midst of this past week’s civil unrest in Ferguson, MO, it’s become obvious that he is a truly exceptional person. The immediate good news in this, as reported in a related Washington Post article, is that Johnson’s first day on the job resulted in “Hugs, kisses and a night of peace (replacing) tear gas and unrest.” The more long-term and more challenging part of this is that Captain Johnson is, in fact, exceptional. If all of our nation’s leaders would emulate Johnson’s conduct, thus making him the rule rather than the exception, our country could be vastly improved.

AN EXEMPLARY LEADER

A great way to begin learning how to go about this emulation would be by looking at statements Captain Johnson made in Friday’s (August 14, 2014) press conference and most importantly, by looking at his responses to the questions he received. The comments that I found to be most meaningful in this regard are outlined as follows: Continue reading →

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August 10, 2014 · 5:43 pm

Single Moms – Mapping Their Son’s Masculine Journey

THE MASCULINE HEART

Wild HeartOn a recent vacation, while driving round trip from Southwest Washington to Northwest Wyoming, I finally managed to finish a book a friend had loaned me this past winter. It was The Way of the Wild Heart, by John Eldredge. It’s a follow-up to another of Eldredge’s best-sellers, Wild at Heart.

The subtitle of Wild at Heart is: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul. Its back cover expands on that by saying: “In Wild at Heart, John Eldredge invites men to recover their masculine heart, defined in the image of a passionate God.” In the book, Eldredge lays out three main longings of every male on their journey in life. Each man longs for: A battle to fight, An adventure to live and A beauty to rescue. In The Way of the Wild Heart, Eldredge expands on this theme by noting six major phases of a man’s life: Beloved Son, Cowboy (or Ranger), Warrior, Lover, King and Sage. This book’s main point is that God wants to come and father us through each of these stages. The key underlying theme, though, is the vital role earthly fathers and male mentors are meant to play in accomplishing this.

SHOWING THE WAY Continue reading →

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