A Taste of Kindness

     Today I read an article on Gizmodo about how ice cream was made in the 17th century. Ice cream is that one food I’ll eat no more how much I’ve gorged myself prior to having ice cream offered to me. “I am so stuffed. If I eat one more thing I will literally explode.” “Anyone want ice cream? It’s cookie dough!” “Two scoops right here… better make that three.”

     The first ice cream in history was made possible in 1671 without the use of refrigeration. The first mention of “ice cream” was made during a feast for British king Charles II. The creator of orange blossom ice cream, the first flavor until the end of the 1600s, was paid a yearly stipend to keep the recipe secret until the 1680s. Instead of mixing salt with ice as I do every few weeks to create a cold, creamy concoction, people in the 1600s used saltpeter. Saltpeter, KNO3, was first used for the creation of fireworks and gunpowder.

     No one knows how people stumbled on to the freezing properties of saltpeter but I’m incredibly glad that they did. There is verse in 1 Peter that comes to mind when I think about my adoration for ice cream. 1 Peter 2:2 reads: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (NLT) Once we realize how kind God really is to us, we cry out for more. God sent his son to die on the cross though we didn’t deserve it. The thought of this sacrifice has the ability to drive us to greater acts of kindness and greater devotion to the God who loves us unconditionally. When you think you’ve offered enough kindness, remember the depth of God’s kindness and continue to grow.

Teddy Bear Blessings

     The Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen hosted their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” last Sunday. After the Hitmen scored their first goal, a  record 28,815 stuffed animals were thrown on to the ice at a game with only 19,289 in attendance! Over the past 21 years, the Calgary Hitmen and their fans have donated over 300,000 stuffed animals to over 50 local charities. The game, Calgary’s first with a sellout crowd , was delayed for 40 minutes while the stuffed animals were removed from the ice.

     The news is typically populated with countless stories featuring war, death, prejudice, greed, poverty, and other subjects that cause us to shake our heads with sadness and dismay. It’s good for the suffering of others to be brought to our attention. This type of awareness can spur us on to good works or instill gratefulness towards our own blessings. However, we must understand that our world is not without hope. While I look forward to life in heaven, I know there is much to live for here on Earth. There are many people in need of God and in need of our help. Maybe you had a stuffed animal that you carried with you through most of your childhood. I had a giant parrot who constantly poured Styrofoam stuffing around my house from numerous holes in his fuzzy flesh. What joy the smallest gestures can bring to the recipient and the giver! Jesus talked often about the joy of serving others. In Luke 6:38 he states, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NLT) Who do you know that may be in need? What can you give? We must consider these questions often as live in the image of a God who provides for us. – JMW

Cerebral Confinement

     An article I read today on the Nautilus website (nautilus.us) told the story of two very different siblings, one a designer of rock climbing walls that is able to move quickly past misfortunes and another a Ph.D. immunology student that often worries herself to exhaustion. The former is very attached to the outside world while the latter lives within her own head (Sedivy, 2015).

     A study conducted in 2010 revealed that people spend half their time thinking about something other than what they are currently doing. A wandering mind allows one to plan for the future and is associated strongly with creativity. Mind-wandering also leads to distracted mistakes and is possibly connected to neuroticism, a personality style that is defined by anxiety, obsessive negative thoughts, and depression. Adam Perkins, a clinical psychologist at King’s College London, argue that “the engine of neuroticism is inward thought” (Sedivy, 2015).

     1 Peter 5:6-8 reads, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (NLT) It’s easy to become trapped within our own heads, sometimes worrying about things that will never happen. The enemy uses our distraction in the same way a lion takes advantage of distracted prey. When you find yourself consumed by negative thoughts, breathe deeply and consider the moment. What is in your control? What must you leave in God’s hands? There is always hope, no matter how troubling your circumstances. Get out of your head and live. – JMW

A Failure to Communicate

     Back in 1992,  language expert Donald Rubin conducted an experiment that revealed it’s possible to hallucinate a foreign accent. He conducted a fake class for 60 undergraduate students. The students were shown photos of two nearly identical professors, one being Caucasian and the other Chinese. A recording of a woman from Ohio reading an article from the New York Times was played while the students viewed the two different photos individually. Though the same voice was played with each photo, students gave lower ratings to the Chinese professor, claiming that she had an accent that made her more difficult to understand. A similar study was conducted this year at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. This time, the students listened to a Caucasian and a Chinese professor but could not see them. They were able to understand both professors equally.

     1 Peter 3:8-12 contains God’s recipe for good communication. Readers are told to sympathize, love each other, be tenderhearted, and pay insults back with a blessing. However, once we’ve decided the character of someone else, it’s difficult not to filter everything someone says and does through who we’ve decided they are. I’m not saying that no one gives us information from which we might draw conclusions. Some individuals disappoint us repeatedly. But, God does not see things that aren’t there. He want us to forgive, forget, and learn to live in harmony with each other. We can’t do this if we continue to over-analyze the words and actions of others. We each communicate in unique ways. Our brains find it difficult to interpret accents and forms of communication we aren’t familiar with. That doesn’t mean we should ignore each other. 

The Need to Reprieve

They say justice is blind.

Well that must be why

that time after time

I don't act so kind.

I'd rather prosecute

or start a dispute

than end every feud

or refuse to be crude.

I lay awake at night

and relive every fight.

With all of my might

I remain very trite.

We take record of wrongs.

We write angry songs.

If we were more strong

we'd all get along.

Let go of the hate

before it's too late.

You can change your fate

or divide at high rates.

Who made us judge and jury?

Who filled our hearts with fury?

Will someone please cure me

and awaken the pure me?

We serve the God of love

who sends grace from above.

It descends like a dove

when push comes to shove.

Christ was gentle and meek

while turning his cheek.

Sin free and unique

is the savior I seek.

My old self is lost.

Anger is not my boss.

Heart not covered in frost,

all sins nailed to the cross.

Stress is Bad For You

I, like most other folks, face a fair amount of stress in my life. Juggling school, work, and my personal life can be tremendously challenging. You may have heard that stress is bad for you. Do you know exactly why stress is so bad for you?
Stress promotes the release of the hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine from our adrenal gland. Adrenaline speeds up our hearts and can raise blood pressure. Cortisol causes changes to our blood vessels that can eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke. Cortisol also increases appetite which increases cytokine-releasing deep-belly fat. Cytokines increase the risk of developing chronic illnesses. When you are stressed, your brain sends signals to your gut that can lead to digestive problems and changes in the composition of your gut bacteria. This is what we refer to as “butterflies”.
There will always be stress in our lives. It’s how we deal with stress that matters. I have never been very good at defending myself against the ravages of stress. I’ve either been angry, sad, or hungry (or hangry) when the going gets tough. 1 Peter 5:6-7 reads, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” God may not take away your stress anytime soon but in his time (his perfect time), he will lift you up. It’s a far from simple task to give our worries to God, but giving all to God will save our lives. View your stressors as challenges that you can master with God’s help. You are loved. You are chosen. You may one day look back on the troubles of today as that which defines you and leads you to victory. - JMW

God is Good

     My friend Jon (you may know him) is visually quite an intimidating fellow. He’s tall, broad shouldered, and sports an epic beard. Jon is the type of person one might mistake for a folk hero. “Old Jon let out a mighty sneeze and that day the Grand Canyon was born.” It only takes a short conversation with Jon to discover that’s he one’s of the nicest and most loving individuals you are likely to encounter. He’s one of several friends that are teddy bears within and mighty grizzlies on the outside.

     I think I have always been drawn to people like Jon who could stomp you in to the ground like a tent spike but are more likely to be seen at a daughter’s ballet recital. God’s power is not as comforting as his goodness and wisdom. Psalm 107:1 reads: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (NLT) The goodness of God appears in scripture to be the sum of his various attributes.  In every action and intervention God is good. Our focus, very often, is easily turned from the goodness of God to the disappointments of our lives. It’s difficult to see that “he is good” in the midst of broken hearts and dreams left unfulfilled. I love what James has to say: “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” God has good and perfect gifts he wants to give us. That will never change. Don’t lose hope. God is preparing you. He is building you. He loves you. If you’re like me, you forget all of this daily. In the times God’s goodness seems foreign to you, list your blessings.  Recognize every thing that is good in your life and know that it comes from a good God.

Bacon, Eggs, and Jesus

     In case you haven’t been subjected to McDonald’s aggressive marketing campaign, then you’ve probably noticed that McDonald’s is now serving breakfast all day. No longer do those who’ve slept late on a Saturday have to pine over a missed opportunity. Who hasn’t dreamed of a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich only to discover you’ve missed it by minutes? This unrequited love has brought many men to tears.

     Earlier this year, in Manhattan, a new restaurant called BEC opened its doors for business. BEC (short for Bacon, Egg, and Cheese) is part of a trend that takes menu items created for the working class and gives them an upscale twist. BEC’s sandwiches include sophisticated ingredients like bitter greens and spicy aioli. Some sandwiches cost as much as $11.50!  If you haven’t come across a gourmet breakfast sandwich, maybe you’ve seen a $20 or $30 burger topped with “Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, a very slow-cooked onion fondue, an herb remoulade, house-made pickles and arugula”.

     We seem to forget that the gospel of Christ is for everyone. We view others as lost, evil, or hopeless. We see failure where God sees potential. We know that God desires for everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). We know that God can save anyone (Rom. 10:13). We know that everyone can afford God’s freely given grace (Isa. 55:1). The gospel is not a $30 burger and the church is not the trendiest spot in town. Church is not an exclusive club for the upper class. It’s a community of love and grace, which in the spirit of Jesus should be praying for and reaching out to all people. Who do you know that could use a sandwich? - JMW

How to Care For Your Fig Tree

     I am an aspiring gardener. I say aspiring because the only plants I have been able to grow effectively are weeds fit for a Jurassic Park velociraptor enclosure. Today, I looked up a few tips for caring for a tree. Obviously, trees need water (around 25 gallons each week). Weeds should be controlled naturally using mulch (avoid volcano mulch). Trees should be protected from lawn mowers, weed whackers, and animals. Carefully prune your tree using clean, sharp tools (trees can become diseased just like us!). Do not make flush cuts as they promote the spread of decay inside the tree.

     There is an interesting parable that Jesus tells in Luke 13:6-9. In this parable, a man plants a fig tree and becomes disappointed when the tree does not produce figs. The man says to his gardener, “I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.” (NLT) The gardener defends the fig-less tree, asking the tree’s owner to give him one more year to care for and fertilize the tree. When we face frustration and disappointment, our first response is often to give up. Jobs, relationships, and other pursuits do not always produce the results that we desire. We then try to throw them away.

     A good gardener recognizes that trees need special attention. I honestly never thought to disinfect my pruning shears! When you face frustration, “dig around it and put in fertilizer.” (Luke 13:8, NASB) Be patient and be honest with yourself. Maybe you need to make some changes within yourself. Maybe you need to recognize that each failure is like feces. Frustration stinks but it feeds growth within us. 

Variation

An article I read this week on quantamagazine.org focuses on what makes individuals unique. An experiment on fruit flies revealed that even when genetically identical, fruit flies show many variations in behavior. This is true even when the flies were raised in the exact same environment. Some strains of fly move together like well-trained soldier while other strains are like dancers, each moving to their own beat. Researchers have identified a gene that, when blocked, makes it more likely that a strain of flies will be dancers. Manipulating neurons in the flies’ brains led to even more variability. The flexible brains of human beings cause us to be much more effected by individual experiences. The smallest of variations at any point in life can lead to profound differences.
We are, without question, shaped by our experiences, environment, and the people we choose to be spend our time with. Some of these influences are under our control. Some are not. For that which is under our control, we must make choices that reflect knowledge of God’s intentions. In 1 Cor. 1:2 we read, “He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours” (NLT). We are to be dedicated to God in every aspect of our lives. Sometimes, even with good planning, life doesn’t turn out the way we want it to. In these times, Know that God “causes everything to work together for the good of those that love God” (Rom. 8:28, NLT). God works in all of life’s variations.