Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

That’s a lot of stuff

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Most garage doors are closed when I walk through the neighborhood. Those that are open are typically full, and this one was no exception. It’s hard to see them all, but I count at least thirty yellow-lidded black storage totes balanced along the wall. The opposite wall is just as impressive.

I’m impressed with the labeling, too. But I’m more impressed with all the stuff. Tote after tote of stuff. (Those totes aren’t cheap! Nine or ten bucks a pop.) Holiday decorations? Seasonal clothing? Books? Souvenirs from trips? Picture albums? Collections?

To tell you the truth, I can’t imagine enough content to fill all those boxes. But that accumulation is the rule not the exception. Three-car-garages are standard in new builds in my neighborhood. Few folks park cars in those garages. Cars live in the driveway, while box after box after box occupies the row of garages.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I have a neighbor whose three-car-garage contains a universal gym, multiple tool cabinets, and a grill he wheels out to cook supper. He’s got no clutter in his garage(s). He also has no cars or trucks in there.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

More or less: a different kind of math

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Valentina Giarre on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 3.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

I measure lots of things: the inseam of my pants, 3-1/2 cups of flour for a batch of sugar cookies, 1/3 c. of food for the little dog, the weight of a dumbbell, how much time to drive to a destination, the area of a rug, the brightness of a lightbulb, days until Christmas (lol), how long I slept, and how many steps I took today.

Churches measure lots of things, too. Leaders track worship attendance, offerings, membership numbers to track progress, plan programs, and strategize ministry.

One of Paul’s prayers for the believers in Ephesus is that they would have the power to grasp the dimensions of Christ’s love, a measurement that goes far beyond mere knowledge (numbers).

We miscalculate those dimensions. Someone has wandered too far away from God’s care. The bar to please God is as low as our best efforts. He doesn’t have time to care about our down days, so we have to pull ourselves out of a funk. His promises are out of reach.

The truth is much different. No one is beyond God’s reach. The bar of righteousness is way over our heads. He’s really close, right there with us on our worst days. His promises aren’t far away at all, lodged in our hearts. We underestimate our sinfulness. We underestimate his grace, too.

Posted in construction

Try not to spill anything

Posted on by William Douthwaite

While building permit boxes on poles are at every construction site, this was the first Emergency Spill Kit I’ve seen in front of a new house going up in the neighborhood. Environmentally it’s a good idea, but what kind of spills are we talking about here?

When a dumpster shows up in a front yard, people throw in every sort of trash imaginable. Typical construction waste includes scrap wood, boxes, bags, insulation, wire, broken cinder blocks, bent nails, concrete bags, and shingles. Add to that food wrappers, empty water bottles, bags of trash, and a mattress (there’s always a mattress).

But nothing hazardous. No oil or toxic chemicals or nuclear waste or old moldy food, or a dead animal. At least, I don’t think any of those things would appear on property. It’s better to be safe than sorry, but the need for it seems remote.

I couldn’t find any local statutes requiring an emergency spill kit. Yet here it is, along with a no trespassing sign, a few old tires (there’s always a few old tires), and some discarded rebar.

Oh, and a bag of Taco Bell trash. Not that might be a problem…

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Far above

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Tolu Olarewaju on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Ephesians 1.

Paul ends a long, long sentence describing Christ as “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21).

When I worked for Bell Labs forty-five years ago, I found myself in a sea of engineers far smarter than me. They had developed transistors, long distance networks, and digital communication for trips to the moon. It was a privilege to be out of my league for a few years.

From there I found myself at the seminary, surrounded by theologians far smarter than me. As I struggled to parse a Greek word, they read, taught, and preached from the Greek New Testament as if it were their native language. They explained eras of church history as if they had lived back then. It was a privilege to be out of my league for a few years.

Years later I worked out at a CrossFit box, surrounded by athletes older, younger, and in far better shape than me. As I struggled through box jumps and burpees, they flew through thrusters and muscle ups. They flew up and down ropes before carrying crazy heavy dumbbells over their heads the length of the floor. And back. It was a privilege to be out of my league with them.

On the one hand, it’s humbling to be in the presence of those whose abilities are far beyond mind. On the other hand, it’s a great opportunity to learn and be inspired.

It’s good to appreciate the humility of Jesus. He humbled himself and became the lowest of servants. But that’s not the end of the story. He was also exalted to the highest place, to a place of authority far above any other. And not just for a moment. All day today. And tomorrow. And forever.

Plus, he has authority over every other authority, rule, power, and dominion. That includes every dictator, billionaire, influencer, writer, entrepreneur, spiritual leader, venture capitalist, scientist, or AI. This includes those who exist now and those who will exist in the future.

When you think about it, what kind of a God wouldn’t have that kind of authority? Such a God wouldn’t be much of a God.

And yet, we quickly forget that he’s got a handle on things. He has a handle on everything. Nothing – from your health to the stock market to an election – happens outside the realm of his control. Which begs the question, “What are you worried about?”

Are you worried about your health? The country? Your freedoms? Your portfolio? That mole on your back? Your church? Your children (or grandchildren or great-grandchildren)? Your garden? Your neighbor? Your bloodwork? Your schools?

He’s got a handle on it.

Posted in dogs

We (should have) brought our dog

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We opened a bank account for our small business, a task that involved actually talking to a senior relationship specialist at a local credit union. Since I do most banking online or at an ATM, I rarely go in person unless I need some smaller denomination of currency for a garage sale or vendor market.

On this day, lots of people were there at the bank. A receptionist greeted us and made note of our arrival for an appointment. A line of people waited to see a teller while others waited like us to talk to one of the specialists.

As one young lady finished up, I saw her walk out carrying a fuzzy white dog. I told my wife, “We should have brought our dog!” I would not have been carrying my Great Dane into the bank, but I would have enjoyed the reactions from everyone who saw her. She has a way of attracting attention.

So when we headed out to a farmer’s market this morning, I knew we had to take her with us. I was not disappointed. Vendors and customers alike greeted, pet, complimented, and ooohed and aaahed about her size, color, and the silly look on her face. Lots of folks had little dog biscuits for her, told their Great Dane stories (everyone has a Great Dane story) and showed me pictures of their dogs.

She loved the attention. To be honest, we loved the attention. One of the reasons we got a Great Dane was to be the center of attention and a topic of discussion wherever we went. She can’t talk, but she’s a conversation starter.

Posted in Life, walking

Intense walking and talking

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Image by Susanne from Pixabay

Every morning as I’m walking my dog, I pass a woman walking her dog. She’s memorable because she zig-zags down the street. She walks from one side to the other, effectively doubling the distance they walk each day. She’s also talking to someone every morning through her AirPods.

It’s dark at this time of the year when we pass each other at 6:30 in the morning. My Great Dane shows no interest in her Schnauzer-ish dog, and he’s not interested in us, either. But she always says, “Good morning” to me. I always reply, but she doesn’t always hear me, because someone else’s voice is in her ear. So she’ll turn up the volume and repeat, “Good morning,” and I’ll repeat my reply.

Who does she talk to every morning? I picture someone else, a sister or child walking their dog at the same time, catching up on whatever happened since yesterday. I imagine it to be someone in Eastern Standard Time, since everyone else would still be asleep. But maybe it’s a friend in Europe, where it’s at least six hours later.

By the tone of her voice, it’s intense. A serious conversation. No nonsense. Almost aggressive.

I talk to God and the big dog when I walk. My words are upbeat, light-hearted, and at times, silly. (When you’re talking to a goofy Great Dane, it’s easy to be silly.) I have never had an early morning phone conversation. I don’t know who I’d call. All my friends are still sensibly sleeping at that time of the day.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Rules: we need them and we don’t

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Galatians 3.

“Why then the law?” (Galatians 3:19)

Why indeed? If we receive the Spirit of God through faith, why have the law at all? (Gal. 3:2) If we are justified by faith, just like Abraham, why bother with the law? (Gal. 3:8)

“It was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19). It’s because without the law, we’d do a lot of foolish things. We’d self-destruct.

I recoil at the printed warnings, cautions, and instructions that wallpaper my world. From desiccated silica packs labeled, “Do not eat” to “warning hot surface” on my 3D printer, I wonder, “Are all these warnings necessary?” Then I remember, if there’s a rule, it’s because someone ate or touched something, opened something, or broke something.

Someone let their kid play in a big plastic tote. So we’re warned, “Not a toy.” Someone poked their finger on a pod coffee maker needle, so I’m reminded, “Caution: sharp metal.” Someone messed up a yard with an excavator, so the Benadryl label reminds me not to operate heavy machinery. Someone stuffed a towel down the toilet, so now there’s a sign forbidding that. An ugly “Don’t poop in our yard” ruins a beautiful lawn because a dog dropped a deuce.

I never responded well to the abundance of signs adorning the walls of church buildings. (If you noticed one missing, chances are I tore it down and threw the paper away.) Turn off lights, throw away your trash, clean up the kitchen, wash your hands, flush the toilet. None of those signs should would exist. But they do. Human nature means we need lots of rules just so we can live together.

However – Paul really drives home this point in Galatians – living together with God isn’t about the rules. It’s about faith in Christ.

(Sunday, January 11 update) Sure enough, this greeted me in the church bathroom this morning:

Posted in helping, Life

Helping the helper

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I did a double take the other day. Who does the Road Ranger call when the Road Ranger truck breaks down? The Road Ranger? Uh, probably not. Thank goodness for John’s Towing.

So what happened? Dead battery? They would have jumped it or replaced it. Out of gas? Ouch. Embarrassing. It doesn’t look like there’s a flat. Overheated? Maybe. Blew the transmission? Who knows.

It like asking, “Who cuts the barber’s hair?” Or “Where does the doctor go when the flu hits?” How about the dentist with a toothache?

Sometimes the helpers need some help.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A battle in the mind

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Олег Мороз on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Romans 8.

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

The word “mind” occurs five times in Romans 8:5-7. The word refers to a way of thinking, a mindset. It’s a person’s aim, aspiration, or striving. One commentator described the mind as “a strategic battleground where the Spirit and the flesh fight.”

It reminded me of something I hear in my workout videos (BODi.com). Basically, let your body follow rather than rule your mind. Rather than letting your body tell you, “I’m tired and and I want to sleep in,” you get up when the alarm goes off and get moving. Your body follows. On a long run, my body would get tired, but I’d keep going, remembering my training and previous runs. My body would follow. When you’re hungry, your body may say, “Junk.” Your mind will remember, “Nutrition.” You’ll eat healthy, and your body will be satisfied.

That’s not to say you should never listen to your body. It will tell you when you’re injured and need to heal, when something is too hot to touch, when you need to go to the bathroom, or when throw out rather than eat that funky-smelling food.

But a mind set on Christ will butt heads with a body that is drawn to forbidden fruit, cheap thrills, “do not touch” signs, and selfish choices. We know this world is passing away. We know Christ will lead us to life. Yet that tug-of-war is our favorite game.

A regular helping of God’s word first thing in the morning helps my minds get a head start on the tyranny of the flesh. I don’t always win, but Christ already has. Thank goodness he’s in my head as well as my heart.

I had more thoughts on the mind last summer.