on the job training

Nice guys don’t necessarily make good bosses, and vice versa.  When hired at Polychrome as a scheduling clerk, never cared for the word clerk myself, I didn’t know what the job even was, just good pay and in an office with AC.  With a future, which the first day had me wondering.  I was unsure what office politics were, but soon found out which end of the stick to grab, when handed to me and which to avoid.  In my introductory meeting that morning, Walter, my boss and a nice guy told me up front, “If I teach you everything I know, they won’t need me and they can hire you for my job for less.”  And how is your morning going....But as I learned and grew, I too applied what he had told me.  I was good at keeping production figures in my head, not publishing them on paper, which he would have lost anyway, so I was obligated to attend all meetings, because I had the facts and figures, and learned to use them to my advantage.  Which led to an every Friday morning with a vice president, who went over production plans with me, and we made adjustments.  Which gave me two bosses, and when doing work for Ilford, an English company under contract, now I had three bosses.  All wanting to know where their product was and when they could have it. I knew nothing of the film business, but found out if what I kept in my head stayed there, I was sought out, and if sought out, was needed.  Maybe Walter was right after all.....

I had learned to make the numbers work for me, and the more complicated I made them via figures and graphs, bosses love graphs, I could keep them all at bay.  And coming to me.  Seems we all play games in life, and this was a great lesson in how not to operate, and also how to tell them exactly what they wanted to hear.  In the service field for autos we call it WIP/WOP. work in process/waiting on parts.  Or never do today what can be put off until tomorrow.

Now for those who deny the deity of Jesus, here is a news flash, Biblical principals work for both the saved and the unsaved.  The universe does not operate on two different platforms, only the one created and operated by God.  With one exception, for those who are saved, we have access to all the wisdom and knowledge of God when we need it.  Not hidden or partially revealed, no come back next week sequel, but the right wisdom when we need it.  For God has given us his spirit, and the spirit knows all things, and we can too.  But many times even strong believers think only the good things come to us, even a teaching tells then that if you have difficulties, you must be in sin.  Never found in scripture.  We are told all things work together for those that trust and believe, both good and bad.  All things are good in God’s eyes, it is us that pick and choose, rendering one good and another bad.  But it is the spirit intervening in ways we cannot explain in words that make the difference.  The joke “man plans and God laughs” is true many times too often.  Only in the spirit will we know the difference between truly bad times and good times, and see God in all of them.  In the midst of our adversity is where the spirit will show us how and where God is at work in our lives.  When we see things through the eyes of the spirit, we see the truth, no WIP/WOP here, for we are all in process.  And the more we trust, the more we see Jesus in action instead of in steady prayer requests, and our time goes from begging to receiving and worshipping.  All joy will come from the spirit interceding because we do not know what to pray, and as our relationship grows, as we trust, we bask in God’s glory.  Ever notice why some are making testimonies while others are only reading about them?  Is your God as big as your prayer requests?  Do you trust in the same spirit that saved you to guide you?  Are you in God’s way or just in the way?  How will you know...

These things shall follow them that believe.  What you believe will effect your outcome, who you believe will show your true heart.  When we truly trust God and go with his assurance of how all things work together, we begin to look at him instead of ourselves.  Trusting in him and not leaning on our own understanding.  And God has freely given his spirit to all that believe.  While some study to find themselves approved, and not always sure by who, those who truly trust his spirit live, and experience Jesus first hand, falling back on the word to find his leadings approved.  A much different approval process than studying all the time, and experiencing little.  When asked by these eternal students “are you in the word?”  my answer is “is the word in you?”  Jesus is the word, and he writes it on our hearts, is the spirit in you and living in you?  The truth may be painful, but it does set you free....but only in the spirit.

We may not get what we go through today, but in it God is preparing us for glory.  And to represent him here on earth.  It has been said “never listen to the advice of someone who has done nothing.”  In the spirit we always have all we need.  Or you can take the world’s advice.  Just a thought, I have needed plumbers, mechanics, doctors, lawyers, and electricians.  I have never needed a musician or actor or entertainer.  But all need Jesus, so who do you give an ear to?  Life is on the job training for eternity, no retests.  Liars figure and figures lie.  I know.  But here is one figure to trust, 100% of us will die, and we have the choice of where to spend eternity.  Jesus and heaven, deny him and hell.  Remembering the afflictions now will help us to keep our eyes on the glory to come, if we share in his suffering, we can only imagine how we will share in his glory.  Knowledge puffs up, wisdom comes from above.  Only via the holy spirit.  All things work together, maybe Walter wasn’t right after all....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

row 13 on the 50 yard line at a Chargers game

Years ago when working for Mercedes Benz I had Burt Grossman as a customer.  Former All Pro and still conspicuous by his mere presence, he had just retired, still young and crazy, but refused to go to the games any more, the Chargers stunk.  Pick your own decade.....but he had season tickets on the 50 yard line, row 13, right behind the Chargers bench, and the seats were fantastic.  He offered them to me many times, and when I finally accepted his offer, we went.  Best seats ever, and sitting with the Seau family, we got a lot of insight into the game, at least from a Charger family perspective.  It was around 2000, and the revolving door of coaches was common, and we got an earful rather than the editorial stand of the paper.  Both were right, both opined to a certain extent, but we got it first hand, not editorialized, at least not too much.  But we also got to see and hear the conversations on the bench, could see the faces in the helmets on the field, and enjoyed an entertaining afternoon of football, note I didn’t say Charger football.  But we got to see the game from a totally different perspective, I wondered what ever happened to Burt....

As Christians many times we are content to just sit on the sidelines, aka church, or even just watch on TV, or pod cast.  Missing out on all the action and interaction going on within the game, then criticizing the reports of it afterwards.  With little or no idea of what is going on, in between choosing arbitrary scripture to support our stance.  Never a physical presence, they watch instead of participate, after all, you might get your Bible cover wrinkled, your feelings hurt, or find out how easy it is to be a Christian when never tested.  Never seeing the side of Jesus so many see everyday in their daily struggles.  Safe and anonymous in the stands, out of touch and out of sight.  Except for God’s....

They talk of heaven as if it is a place to view like a game, not being part of the action.  Their hope of glory is all things on earth but later in heaven and much nicer.  Still in the neighborhood, just not neighborly.  Believing the glory of our God in heaven will be revealed to us, missing out it will be revealed in us.  Like watching the Chargers, they sit and observe, thinking in heaven will be like it was on earth, yet Jesus promises us on earth as it is in heaven.  It will not be like opening night at the theater, or even back stage passes to the concert.  We will be involved, part of the heavenly action, seeing up close and personal the glory of God, that surpasses anything we think it may be.  Indescribable, no words, sounds, or imagination can come close to what it will be like.  When I was shown a glimpse, the only way to describe it is “I want to go back.”  But for now, wherever Jesus has me, I know he is present, on earth as it is in heaven.  Christianity is not a spectator sport, we are in the game, and in it to win, and we do at the end.  But in between, the game goes on, along with the battles, and with Jesus with us.  His spirit guiding and comforting, we are in the huddle, at the line of scrimmage, and in the clubhouse afterwards.  While the others file out with the crowd, we taste the victory...but you have to be in the game, not just part of the team.  We will and are part of the glory of God!

Paul reminds us of the momentary light afflictions of everyday life, but how they in no way compare to the glory that awaits us.  Christians will suffer, you signed up for it when saved, the battles will be tough, you may not always win, but you will never be defeated.  We can endure the suffering and triumph in it knowing what lies ahead for us.  Glory unspeakable, and also available now.  On earth as it is in heaven, not a seat on the 50, not even a seat on the bench, but in the game and actively participating.  Experiencing all the things the Bible tells about.  Without the pulpit to hide behind, or excuses to fall back on.  You will be held accountable for your actions...or lack of them.  Paul saw, knew, experienced, and wants us to know that heaven awaits those that believe.  Jesus wants us to know we don’t have to wait to celebrate.  He left us his spirit, calling to us to get in the game, to see Jesus in action now in the fallen world.  There will be time to celebrate the victory later, for now the two minute warning has been sounded.  How you will last in the last two minutes will show much of where Jesus is in your life.  Believe me, the view from the field is more exciting than the one from the stands.  Just a view from one who played the game, and still plays it today.  Being in the game will always be the best seat in the house....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

breakfast seved

Last week on our ride to and through the Southern Rockies and the Million Dollar Highway, we spent our first night out in Chandler, Arizona.  After battling the 105+ degrees of Arizona heat, the AC felt great, the TV had decent channels, and we were still full from lunch.  Now it is a common thing for most motels to provide breakfast to their guests, from a continental offering to an order up hot breakfast.  They also vary from inedible to incredible, never knowing that Alpo once made breakfast food.  But usually the seating areas are packed, what family traveling cannot pass up a free breakfast, and the place can be crowded.  Such was our experience the next morning, as an excursion of people from China had filled the room.  A definite communication breakdown as far as language went, but yet with no tables available, two elderly Chinese women motioned for us to sit and eat with them.  Very few words were spoken, but we all felt comfortable, and in the middle of Arizona on that morning we were the only two white guys in the room, but felt very welcomed.  Seems when words fail, actions more than take up the slack, and I will remember their kindness for awhile.  Two little old ladies letting two biker looking dudes eat with them.  Lesson learned, and remembered, just not filed away where it can be forgotten.

Seems breakfast is the most important meal of the day for more reasons than just nutrition.  In Gallup, where my friend once found a dead Indian on the hood of his car, and I spent a night in jail for 136 in a 55 zone, we again were shown great courtesy and great food.  Nothing processed here, including the service, you can tell the fake smiles and limp handshakes, here the women waitressing were friendly, offered conversation, and when we checked out later, wished us a safe trip.  When I mentioned this to the girl who checked us out, she said “thanks for the compliment, can you believe it in Gallup?”  She knew as I did, things were changing, and how much a smile could mean on the road.  So much is said about breakfast being the most important meal of the day nutrition wise, we neglect to see how  it sets the tone for the day.  Miss your latte, Uncle Grumpy is with you all day.  In a rush and miss it altogether, your day is spent rushing, never quite catching up.  But start off with a good breakfast, my wife has recently gotten me hooked on breakfast sandwiches, add in a smile and good service, and your day starts out brighter, even at home.  Never underestimate the power of a smile and courtesy, and how it can be passed on during the day.  But it all starts with you, and how you wake up.  Either “good Lord it’s morning,” or “Good morning Lord.”  Your choice, bet you didn’t know just how important breakfast really was?

Our walk with Jesus can be the same way.  Once we are saved, we will have mornings where everyone else wished we stayed in bed, our witness slipping, but God still with us.  Some will put on their religious face, reading a Bible hurriedly, maintaining their unbroken streak of Bible reading, yet getting nothing out of it. Other than late.  When first saved I learned an important lesson about worship, and how it was all about Jesus, and when directed by the holy spirit, it had value and added to our relationship.  I had to be at work every morning at 830 am when they opened, and we always took time with God first before leaving the house.  Many times I was late in leaving, after 830 am, but was never late.  No matter the traffic, the time, or the attitude, we always gave God his time with us, and I was never late.  Never punched in after 830 am, seeing a part of God who identifies himself as the great I am.  We gave him the honor, not the rote devotion or prayer time, never hurried, and like Jesus, I was never late.  Seems when God says seek ye first the kingdom of God, he truly does add all things unto it, including time.  It is not the quantity of time or discipline of time spent with God, if it has become a religious exercise you gain nothing, but when really seeking him and putting him first, he honors that time.  At home, on the road, even in Gallup.  Never underestimate the value of a good breakfast, some may only eat for nutrition, the rest of us eat with the Lord.  A time of communion, a time when Jesus asked his disciples to remember him, what do you consider at breakfast?  Or better yet, who?

It took many hours for Jesus to feed the 5000, but no time to prepare it.  Like his first miracle of changing water into heavenly wine, it wasn’t about the time or the process, it was all about him.  Today consider when he asked “why do you call me Lord, but fail to do the things I ask?”  He isn’t giving you a list of chores, but wanting you to include him in your day.  He wants to spend time with you, and like the John Fischer song says “love him in the morning when you see the sun arising, love him in the evening cause he took you through the day, and in the in between times when you feel the pressures coming, remember that he loves you and promises to say with you.”  Spending too much time considering the things of God when you should be considering him?  Take a break and include Jesus, let his spirit comfort you.  No high octane coffee, to give you a boost, let his spirit rise in you.  And when you feel the pressures rising, remember that he loves you.  Time well spent, where will you find the time to do it?  God made time for you, could you not stay awake just one more hour?  Breakfast is served.....who serves you and who you serve will make all the difference.  Waking up with Jesus will always be the most important meal of the day.  Let’s pray...

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

lessons learned at lunch

On a recent ride to eat and eat to ride excursion, a diner known for its burgers was chosen.  I am not a designer food or burger person, skip the fluff and give me the meat, so I was greeted by surprise by a menu full of designer burgers.  Their famous deluxe burger with lettuce, tomato, special sauce, or an Ortega burger, veggie burger, pizza burger, pb and j burger, and a whole page of burgers.  Which caught me off guard when the waitress asked if I was ready to order.  All I wanted was a burger, and telling her so she pointed to the house special with all the trimmings.  When I asked if I could get it without all the  trimmings, she again pointed to the menu, where in big letters it read NO SUBSTITUTIONS!  I was at her mercy, so to speed up the process, and avoid the hungry, feed me glares of my friends, I went with it.  But we weren’t done yet....

What side did I want?  French fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, cole slaw, potato salad, onion rings, or a garden salad for an extra buck?  Never has a burger and fries been so hard to order.  So fries it was, rather than have her repeat the menu over again, and soon my deluxe house special with fries arrived.  A plate of fries mostly, with the burger among them.  And I figured why they added on all the goodies, it left no room for the meat, so it was smaller, and with so many fries to eat, who would notice?  I kept wondering, “what if I had ordered only fries, would the burger come as a side?”  For my $8.99 I got a plate full of food, not what I had wanted, but what I was coerced to order.  And we aren’t done yet....

After numerous attempts at unsubscribing from a bulletin from a church I used to attend, I quit.  But reading the last one, I was reminded why I don’t go there.  I am old school and remember when the bulletin told of prayer needs, who to visit at home, testimonies of answered prayer, and a verse to study as a precursor for the next week’s sermon.  With a name and phone number at the bottom if you need anything.  This one is different, starting with the pastor’s ad to go to Israel again with him and his wife.  For a month.  Only $4995...time for Christmas, the youth will be selling wreaths and trees.  Lunches will be provided after service for only $5.00.  The worship leader has a new CD available, for $10, and the pastor’s new book is being released, he will sign copies you purchase in the foyer after the service.  With no names or info at the bottom for needs or prayer requests, sounds like Craigslist for the religious.  For sale...cheap.  With a warning to not reply to this message.  Seems the gospel isn’t free anymore in some churches. 

In Matthew 25 Jesus addressed the church saying he never knew them.  Why didn’t he know them?  No relationship with him.  They did all the right things required of the day, casting out demons, teaching in his name, even running a business in the church for profit.  Collecting tithes, and bragging on how great they were.  It was all about them, and just like the burger, or the bulletin, the meat, the only thing to feed you was missing.  Love, in the form of Jesus Christ.  Seems we always try to impress God by what we do, but not by doing what he wants us to do.  He answers them, simply by saying, “when I was hungry did you feed me, thirsty did you offer me drink, a stranger invite me in, alone did you visit, and sick did you care?”  Their answer proving they missed his message, for they asked, “when did you see you?”  His answer, when you did for the least of these, you were seeing me.  When you ministered to them, you were ministering to me, in my name.  They only did things in the name of he church, using the name of Jesus, they were the man course and Jesus the side.  Today we have book signings and trips while two blocks away God’s people starve.  And there are many approaches that sound good, may look good, and even provide a blessing, at least to the giver.  Many ministries give out care packages, tooth paste, a brush, soap, and other toiletries.  Include a Bible, and walk away feeling good.  But like the church bulletin, no number or name offered to call for help.  Just a “look what I did ,” to impress others.  As personal as the gospel is, it is made impersonal by not signing our name to it.  Jesus does, and wants us to also.

Long after the burger and fries are eaten, after the Israel trip is a memory, when the next season of goodies is up for sale, the gospel of Jesus Christ will still be here.  His spirit, left to guide us will still be here.  And all we need in him will still be here.  But where will you be?  Where are you now?  Are you following a designer based religion instead of the spirit?  Is it what you do as opposed to what Jesus did?  At each service do you have to invite the holy spirit in, as if he left?  How many mission trips have you taken while stepping over those in need, when God provided you to minister?  The rich man didn’t go to hell because he was rich, but because he denied Jesus.  His actions showed his true heart,  his denial of Matthew 25. He could brag on where and what he had done, and the crowd would listen, but God was never impressed.  Like the burger, there was no meat, but lots of filler.  Does your church bulletin reveal the love of Christ?  Does your personal bulletin, your testimony reveal the love of God tot those you meet?  Do you hand out packs signed anonymous, or put your name there, for all to see, including God?  Do you have to push one for Jesus in your prayer life? 

Jesus tells us that what comes out of a man is more important than what goes into him.  Like the warning on the menu, NO SUBSTITUTIONS when it comes to the things of God.  All I really want is Jesus, I can live without the entertainment values.  Sometimes you’re the customer, sometimes the waiter.  The service you provide will be what the tip is based on.  Caught in the web of church tithing, remember they only tell you 10%, the waitress gets 15.  Will that be cash or charge......

The problem with designer living is that styles change.  And can be expensive.  Jesus never goes out of style.  Designer religion always fails, don’t you become a victim.  The gospel is still free so we can afford it, and still simple so we can get it.  Now, would you rather walk with Jesus, or where he walked?  I hope I know your answer.....NO SUBSTITUTIONS!

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

store #1294 is no more

For more than 50 years it stood on the corner of Terrill Road and Route 22, once the busiest road in the US of A.  From an obscure corner in Plainfield, and moving to Route 22, it was the largest store in the New York Group, selling over $27 million in 1972 dollars, and it was where many of us worked after school and after graduation.  It was Sears, at the time the face of America in retailing, but today closing all its stores over a period of years because it cannot compete with online and cheaper Chinese made junk.  Sears was America, their flagship brands of J. C. Higgins, Kenmore and Craftsman known for quality.  It was Cheryl Tiegs, golfer Johnny Miller, and Ted Williams, it was America red, white, and blue. With service to back it up, while some were in college getting a degree, I was working there and earning one in life.  Working on the receiving platform, I learned about life from the drivers, mostly like Archie Bunker in this All in the Family era, 1972.  We were a cross section of ethnic groups, from my best boss ever, Dominic Iannucci, to Herman Reeder, the funniest black guy or any guy ever.  Hassan Hassan, “is that your first or last name?”  His answer, “yes.”  It was where I learned customer service, the importance of accuracy when checking in loads, the value of over time to the working man, and how life worked.  The first and last place we got paid by cash, how important you felt with all that $2.25/hour cash, and a big let down when they started with checks, and you had to make a trip to the bank, but still they would cash it for you there.  It was the first place I met people from other towns other than in sports, and opened up a whole new world for dating.  It was a job we liked to go to, we bragged on having, and where we got paid adult wages at teenager years.  Where a brotherhood of coworkers was formed, and even stopping in many years after I moved west, was still greeted, and introduced as “the ping pong table guy.”  An infamous story better told at another time.....

But when I got the news last week, oh boy, it made me feel bad.  To be replaced by yet another strip mall, I guess that is what it takes to replace this 150,000+ square foot store, but will not even come close to what Sears represented to us then, and I remember now.  To Dom, Basic, Herman, Hines, Busch, Big Fat Richie, PC, Zitsch Larson, Tiny, Small Change, Big and Little Karls, and Mike Naylor, you guys were friends, teachers, confidants, and role models to us Jersey guys.  So many who we spent so many working hours with, hanging at Charlie Browns, playing softball, or solving Jersey problems, thanks for the memories, but sadly when we tell the stories, when they look at yet another strip mall, who will ever appreciate what the store meant to us.  Or the stories we could tell.....but store #1294 is no more.

The Bible tells us that we walk by faith not by sight.  Seems we tell stories, and believe them by faith also.  We all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, but today there is no trace of them, for they are completely removed forever, just like God said.  Like the gate to the Garden of Eden, it is hidden, and no man can find it, what God hides he hides very well.  But what he reveals to man, he reveals even better.  His love for his creation so immense and unfathomable, that even centuries after Jesus, he still calls out to the lost in love.  The Bible although burned and banned in places like China, India, North Korea, and some African nations, still goes forth.  Very few reminders of where it was written and about who, yet when researched to prove or disprove, only reveals a loving God, whose truth cannot be denied.  He gives us faith to believe that we cannot see, to hear that which is inaudible, and to trust that which is not a secret.  Before printing he chose to write his words on our hearts, and still does today, try that technophobes.  He still provides a way to heaven for free,when the world offers self help course for big money.  He still deals in truth while so many deal in opinions, and he still loves and forgives, while others seek retribution, and intimidate.  All by faith...

So maybe when I tell the stories again of the ping pong table, of the blind customer in Customer Service, of Herman locking Phyllis in the candy lockup, some will doubt, some laugh, some be entertained, believing what they want.  But we, I was there, and know it to be true.  Just like the gospel today, God is still here, he never left, and he knows the truth, for he is truth.  Let all men be liars, he still is truth.  The only place to turn for the truth and the best advice.  And in the same faith we believe he raised Jesus from the dead, we know we will be resurrected too.  The stories of my times at Sears still resonate, but Jesus Christ in my life is even more real.  Like it was yesterday, except it is today, and every day.  

Some pay for an education, I got paid while getting mine.  Earn while you learn, or vice versa, it is only the application of our education that is important.  Applying God’s love to a lost and dying world is what he calls us to do. To love those unlovely, reach out to the less fortunate, and to tell the truth about him.  At work, play, and even at church.  I don’t go in for reunions, but the one in heaven I cannot wait to attend.  So many of my friends will be there, but many won’t.  It is to them I reach out daily, for if you had trouble with the first coming of Jesus, you really won’t like his next one.  But he is patient so that none shall perish.  Memories fade, photos are lost, buildings are torn down.  But God has prepared a special place in heaven for those that believe.  With the names of those saved written in the book of life.  Many sign yearbooks, we get to sign God’s.  We are in it.  What you remember will be based on what you do and know today.  Back then the tag line was “Sears has everything!”  Back then we thought they did, now we know they had everything except a future.  Don’t you go the same way.  Only in Christ will we have everything... and at prices you can afford.

No more Christmas Wishbook, but we still have the one of promise, the Bible.  Aren’t you glad God keeps his promises?  What does he mean to you?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com