Hi there. Its been a while again. Hope you have been well. Oh, how have I been? Glad you ask. If you know me personally then you know that I am a person that hates talking about how I feel. I just hate getting personal. Just hate all things social. Right? Not. Pull up a chair. Grab a cup. Here is how I have been doing.
Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr.
Who is Eddie Murphy? No, not that Eddie Murphy. Not Donkey from Shrek, but this one. Yep, this Eddie was actually quite different. He was a aerospace engineer in the 1940's. Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr. was a man of safety. His job was to apply the laws of physics to how to make space travel safe for humans. As a result he was a man very worried about what could go wrong. In fact, his entire job was to make sure nothing did. He was pretty good at it too. Edward Murphy designed many measures that have helped Astronauts left off and land back to Earth in safety. Yet his famous quote, which basically says that every thing that could go wrong will go wrong, is very depressing. Though Mr. Murphy meant his quote and career as a means to prevent danger by being cautious I can't help but ask myself one thing. Why do random unexplained and very inconvenient things keep happening to me? Also to my wife? It really really sucks. Hey Murphy any help or ideas?
Murphy's Law = [ Crap ] Happens
So I wonder if you are like me in that you believe what Murphy said is just common sense? Bad things happen and that is just the way of life. Murphy though just stated that this [crap] happening is also statistically and mathematically high and therefore probable. In other words, life is hard and will continue to be more hard than not hard and this is backed by math and physics. This makes me hate math even more. Thanks a lot, math! But its true. Think back to the last time you had an amazing day. Is it hard to think that far back? Can you even remember one? Okay think back to all the crappy days you have had. Easier? Having one now? See, told you. Murphy was a smart guy. I mean, how can this job I am on be so hard? I am around Christians all the time. I serve coffee to them. I teach their children. Can life be any better? Yet I'm stressed out. Learning to make specialty coffees fast, during a rush, without spilling, without messing up the order, and with a smile is hard. Learning how to teach kids Chemistry amidst the pressure of parents wanting their little next pastor, missionary, or Christian Scientist to make all A's is hard. Coming to grips with the fact that the Titans lost to the Texans last Sunday after being up by 8 points and having the ball with 4:00 minutes left in the game is hard. Murphy's Law. It is going to get you. It will make sure it gets you, and you will become more self relent, self absorbed, self dependent, or helpless, depressed, and eventually ( hopefully) drawn to your knees trying to defeat it. Yea it is crazy! It means business. It is bigger than what Murphy's law can ever factor or prepare for. What is it? What am I talking about? What Satan means for evil God means for GOOD. IT is GOD's sovereign Love. God is using this crappy world and Murphy's stupid math ( I hate math, remember) to draw us to Him. God is smart.
Jesus is Fighting For You. For Me. We can beat...it
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus knows that this world is not just randomly out to make life difficult but that, like Murphy said, the world is most likely going to get you. I need Jesus. Well duh right? But let me explain. I don't need a plan. When times get hard I say to myself "just get through this class." Or "just get through this rush" or "just hope the Titan's win next week." But you now what that doesn't work. The ways of this world will still be unrelenting. Jesus said we need more than a plan, we need a dependence. Yea, we need to chuck that plan and just say "holly [crap]. I need Jesus!" Sounds too simple? Maybe you are an agnostic or atheist so this sounds too ridiculous? Maybe you are a good Christian and already know this stuff already? Got it figured out and don't need extra help even? When was the last time you had an amazing day again?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
Apart from Jesus I can do nothing? Really Jesus? Jesus are you joking here? I'm Howard. I am able to do anything if I try hard enough, if I want it enough. There is nothing I can't do if I just believe. I've seen enough Disney movies, Jesus, so you have to be joking. Really, nothing? Yep. Its humbling though to accept this but its very true. No matter how much I believe I will not be an NFL star. I will not win an NBA dunk contest. I will be able to turn back the fact that Deandre Hopkins (WR for the Texans) got two feet down while catching a touchdown to bet the Titans in overtime last Sunday. Sorry. Murphy's Law. Jesus says that if we talk our problems to him and hang very close to Him then He will basically punch Murphy's Law in the face. Complete dependence in heart. Its humiliating but it works. I want to bear fruit. Bearing fruit means I win. I win when I surrender. Every day. Every hour. Every second. I win when I surrender. Therefore the opposite is true, I don't win when I don't surrender. I hate math. But I'm thankful for it.
A Testimony of Today
So today I decided to take this whole dependence in heart and surrender thing seriously. I prayed that God would meet me in my need if I just admit to him that I am completely helpless to do what I want or need. I told him what I needed today was Joy. Basically, its been hard lately. Stress. Murphy's Law. Titans. Etc. So I just prayed on the way to work that God would meet me as I prayed. As I tried to stay very close, while driving. In the car. Weird I know. And I just said God you do this part because I can't make Murphy stop. I also said make me have Joy even if the worst thing I can think of would happen today when I got to work. I began to think of what that could be and it was the possibility that the printer in the teacher work room would fail. It had not failed in the two months since working but that would really suck if it did. I had a lot to print out. So guess what happens when I get to work? Yep. The printer breaks down. I felt the need to figure out a plan apart from trusting God to kick in, but I was so tired of doing that. Been doing that too long. I just decided to pause and let it go. And I realized that I some how had Joy. The secretary even printed off my work and sent it up to my class room. A student asked me to give him a recommendation because I was his favorite teacher. My students actually understood their homework and it helped me conduct the lesson easier. The Titans are starting to get respect from commentators and sports analysts after yesterdays game. Winning. By the end of the work day I just was in a good mood overall. I thanked God for it. Got home and God spoke to me through doing some research online. I happened to come across the word Joy and its meaning a lot while doing that research in looking up a new band's home page that I liked. Their (Twenty One Pilots) info page was all about Joy and how to find Joy. They literally used the word Joy a ton and defined it thoroughly. Crazy. But Its too simple. Right? I mean, God didn't just give me Joy did He? Can God make someone feel good? Does God have mastery over my emotions? Did God just simply make me feel? Isn't prayer about me just praying because I'm supposed to? Is that emotional if I just did that? Is it that easy? Just stay close? Surrender?Whoa, a lot of questions. Sorry. Murphy's Law made me do that. God was telling me I got you today through the Joy stuff. God was saying I got Murphy and his face is so punched. Just surrender. Surrender and you win.
What can you give up that makes you win. Sorry Murphy but I don't believe your math. Tomorrow I will journey again to win. To surrender. Even tonight most likely. Even now most certainly. Amen.
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."John 15:11
Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr.
Who is Eddie Murphy? No, not that Eddie Murphy. Not Donkey from Shrek, but this one. Yep, this Eddie was actually quite different. He was a aerospace engineer in the 1940's. Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr. was a man of safety. His job was to apply the laws of physics to how to make space travel safe for humans. As a result he was a man very worried about what could go wrong. In fact, his entire job was to make sure nothing did. He was pretty good at it too. Edward Murphy designed many measures that have helped Astronauts left off and land back to Earth in safety. Yet his famous quote, which basically says that every thing that could go wrong will go wrong, is very depressing. Though Mr. Murphy meant his quote and career as a means to prevent danger by being cautious I can't help but ask myself one thing. Why do random unexplained and very inconvenient things keep happening to me? Also to my wife? It really really sucks. Hey Murphy any help or ideas?
Murphy's Law = [ Crap ] Happens
So I wonder if you are like me in that you believe what Murphy said is just common sense? Bad things happen and that is just the way of life. Murphy though just stated that this [crap] happening is also statistically and mathematically high and therefore probable. In other words, life is hard and will continue to be more hard than not hard and this is backed by math and physics. This makes me hate math even more. Thanks a lot, math! But its true. Think back to the last time you had an amazing day. Is it hard to think that far back? Can you even remember one? Okay think back to all the crappy days you have had. Easier? Having one now? See, told you. Murphy was a smart guy. I mean, how can this job I am on be so hard? I am around Christians all the time. I serve coffee to them. I teach their children. Can life be any better? Yet I'm stressed out. Learning to make specialty coffees fast, during a rush, without spilling, without messing up the order, and with a smile is hard. Learning how to teach kids Chemistry amidst the pressure of parents wanting their little next pastor, missionary, or Christian Scientist to make all A's is hard. Coming to grips with the fact that the Titans lost to the Texans last Sunday after being up by 8 points and having the ball with 4:00 minutes left in the game is hard. Murphy's Law. It is going to get you. It will make sure it gets you, and you will become more self relent, self absorbed, self dependent, or helpless, depressed, and eventually ( hopefully) drawn to your knees trying to defeat it. Yea it is crazy! It means business. It is bigger than what Murphy's law can ever factor or prepare for. What is it? What am I talking about? What Satan means for evil God means for GOOD. IT is GOD's sovereign Love. God is using this crappy world and Murphy's stupid math ( I hate math, remember) to draw us to Him. God is smart.
Jesus is Fighting For You. For Me. We can beat...it
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus knows that this world is not just randomly out to make life difficult but that, like Murphy said, the world is most likely going to get you. I need Jesus. Well duh right? But let me explain. I don't need a plan. When times get hard I say to myself "just get through this class." Or "just get through this rush" or "just hope the Titan's win next week." But you now what that doesn't work. The ways of this world will still be unrelenting. Jesus said we need more than a plan, we need a dependence. Yea, we need to chuck that plan and just say "holly [crap]. I need Jesus!" Sounds too simple? Maybe you are an agnostic or atheist so this sounds too ridiculous? Maybe you are a good Christian and already know this stuff already? Got it figured out and don't need extra help even? When was the last time you had an amazing day again?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
Apart from Jesus I can do nothing? Really Jesus? Jesus are you joking here? I'm Howard. I am able to do anything if I try hard enough, if I want it enough. There is nothing I can't do if I just believe. I've seen enough Disney movies, Jesus, so you have to be joking. Really, nothing? Yep. Its humbling though to accept this but its very true. No matter how much I believe I will not be an NFL star. I will not win an NBA dunk contest. I will be able to turn back the fact that Deandre Hopkins (WR for the Texans) got two feet down while catching a touchdown to bet the Titans in overtime last Sunday. Sorry. Murphy's Law. Jesus says that if we talk our problems to him and hang very close to Him then He will basically punch Murphy's Law in the face. Complete dependence in heart. Its humiliating but it works. I want to bear fruit. Bearing fruit means I win. I win when I surrender. Every day. Every hour. Every second. I win when I surrender. Therefore the opposite is true, I don't win when I don't surrender. I hate math. But I'm thankful for it.
A Testimony of Today
So today I decided to take this whole dependence in heart and surrender thing seriously. I prayed that God would meet me in my need if I just admit to him that I am completely helpless to do what I want or need. I told him what I needed today was Joy. Basically, its been hard lately. Stress. Murphy's Law. Titans. Etc. So I just prayed on the way to work that God would meet me as I prayed. As I tried to stay very close, while driving. In the car. Weird I know. And I just said God you do this part because I can't make Murphy stop. I also said make me have Joy even if the worst thing I can think of would happen today when I got to work. I began to think of what that could be and it was the possibility that the printer in the teacher work room would fail. It had not failed in the two months since working but that would really suck if it did. I had a lot to print out. So guess what happens when I get to work? Yep. The printer breaks down. I felt the need to figure out a plan apart from trusting God to kick in, but I was so tired of doing that. Been doing that too long. I just decided to pause and let it go. And I realized that I some how had Joy. The secretary even printed off my work and sent it up to my class room. A student asked me to give him a recommendation because I was his favorite teacher. My students actually understood their homework and it helped me conduct the lesson easier. The Titans are starting to get respect from commentators and sports analysts after yesterdays game. Winning. By the end of the work day I just was in a good mood overall. I thanked God for it. Got home and God spoke to me through doing some research online. I happened to come across the word Joy and its meaning a lot while doing that research in looking up a new band's home page that I liked. Their (Twenty One Pilots) info page was all about Joy and how to find Joy. They literally used the word Joy a ton and defined it thoroughly. Crazy. But Its too simple. Right? I mean, God didn't just give me Joy did He? Can God make someone feel good? Does God have mastery over my emotions? Did God just simply make me feel? Isn't prayer about me just praying because I'm supposed to? Is that emotional if I just did that? Is it that easy? Just stay close? Surrender?Whoa, a lot of questions. Sorry. Murphy's Law made me do that. God was telling me I got you today through the Joy stuff. God was saying I got Murphy and his face is so punched. Just surrender. Surrender and you win.
What can you give up that makes you win. Sorry Murphy but I don't believe your math. Tomorrow I will journey again to win. To surrender. Even tonight most likely. Even now most certainly. Amen.
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."John 15:11
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