It can't be done! and you're right.

I have been thrilled to hear Jon Acuff's book Finish. To sum it up it says no to perfectionism and yes to accomplishment. What I love is that most of the advice I am hearing I have been doing for the last 12 years. Saying no to things, Cutting the goals down, and accepting imperfection, just to name a few.

One of the great reasons people give up as Jon puts it is they think it can't be done. And you know what? He's right.

You can't read the Bible in a year.
You can't journal faithfully every day.
You won't always eat healthily.
You won't be perfect. (By the way, this is why God has grace.)

The problem is we don't give ourselves grace. We think it has to be perfect and we have to do it all right now.

I am right now finishing up on the edits on Bible Reflections. For those not familiar with it, it's my thoughts on every chapter in the Bible. It is nearly a quarter of a million words. It is the culmination of 3 years worth of work. Except it isn't. The work is the result of 12 years worth of writing first in online classrooms and then on a blog. In the first year of the 3 years, I was writing on one chapter for each 5 in the Bible five days a week (2 days built in so I could stay ahead). Guess what that first year, I didn't always succeed.

When I choose to take on the whole Bible I used those posts but saw that doing it 7 days a week wouldn't work so I broke it down to 6 days a week with two-week-long breaks. Then I broke it up into a 4-year project because I knew more than one chapter a day would be impossible. Then I went further and gave those who joined with me, permission to miss a day of journaling or more. I told them if they only did half, that then they would have only journaled half the entire Bible, which was better than most Bible scholars would do in a lifetime.

When I published the first book so the church could start with me, it was full of mistakes. If I waited until everything was perfect we never would have started and the project would never have been completed. Trust me, those that have taken this journey with me this first time aren't going to be talking about those mistakes in grammar when we finish.

I say all of this to point out that if you wait until it's perfect or you're perfect, you won't accomplish much or as much as you could.

I am saying that you should produce junk? NO! There are books I have written which are not published because they need real work (a real editor) to get them ready. When I have the money then they will be completed. However, there are times that it is better to have it, as Jon would put it, "90% and published than 100% and in my head."

Thanks, Jon.

Ministering every day

The great thing about having a blog that very few people read is there are no expectations to perform. This being said, I do want to get back to blogging regularly for my own sake and for those few who get this. This, however, is not why I am writing today. I am writing to celebrate today.

With the Covid-19 shutting everything down it seems less ministry can take place. Yes, there are online service and phone calls but not the Bible studies where I can share the Word. This bothers me most for those who don't understand or have assess to technology. I use to teach or in some way participate in 7-9 services/groups a week. This didn't include other meetings I was involved in. Now, I am doing 2 online services. It seems that the ministry has really cut back.

The truth is something else. Now, with those services online I have the capacity to ministry to more people than I did before. With work that I did in the Bible, Reflections books are still being used, so I am leading personal Bible studies for people. I was told yesterday by someone that though he doesn't write things down, he makes sure and reads the devotional every day. This person doesn't have the access to technology and yet, I'm in a way ministering to him in this crisis.

This is the great gift of books. They can teach when you aren't around. I knew this and thought it was important but it wasn't until yesterday that I really truly knew how important that could be. I might not be CS Lewis, Chuck Swindol, or Max Lucado, but what I have written is helping some in a time when other ministry isn't available.

So why didn't I write this yesterday, right after I got the call? I was working on reviewing the edits on and formating of Bible Reflections 6 both the devotional and journal. A work I can now see could do more ministry than any personal work I could ever do. It seems I am ministering every day.

You might not be worrying; you might be grieving.

You might not be worrying; you might be grieving?

I have been reading about grief and some of the things that cause people to grieve. We can grieve the loss of course of a loved one but what are we really grieving? The loss of what might have been, the phone calls, the advice, the time we could spend together, the wisdom we could have learned. Understanding this we can understand that we can also grieve losing other things, friendship, a job, a dream, or a relationship with our family. The loss of these things can cause us to go through the grieving process.   Summed up in the grieving process of 1. Denial and isolation; 2. Anger; 3. Bargaining; 4. Depression; 5. Acceptance. 

I won't spend much time here, but I will point out that the grieving process isn't a 1-5 method. Most people jump around in these stages. It isn't clear cut and perfect. It is also good to remember people are different. 

How does this tie into worry? 

Glad you asked. Worry is giving space in our minds to dwell on our difficulties and troubles. This isn't trying to work through the thing but just gnawing on it. Worry and anxiety are unhealthy and according to the Bible sin.

No one would call grieving sin. We see grieving demonstrated in the Bible. Paul when comforting the Christians about the death of other believers in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, he doesn't tell them not to grieve, but not to grieve as those who have no hope. Grieving is part of the human experience. 

If someone came up to a grieving mother who lost her child and told her to "get over it" or to quit sinning by crying about this deserves... (I won't say what I think they deserve as promoting violence is rarely good).  They are absolutely wrong! Some would call this person heartless.

Yet, if a child's mother loses a child to a rebellion or through a broken relationship, often that person is told to trust God and quit worrying. I will admit some people do turn this problem into a time of worry, but I am considering we need to take a different approach. Perhaps instead of beating them up because they are worrying, we should consider if the person might actually be grieving? 

Anyone who has lost a relationship with a child knows it can be as if they had died. Some people have told me it would have been easier if they had died than what they went or what they are going through. If you don't know what that feels like be glad but it's true. There are things worse than losing someone to death and just like in death you grieve. 

I think some people aren't really worried, they are grieving. They are also carrying guilt because they believe they are sinning when actually they are just being human. 

NERDS UNITE! card game

Story

School at Everywhere High is going great and the school's newest club, Nerds Unite, is the biggest thing anyone has seen. People from the sports department have joined the club. Yes, some aren’t very happy but when everyone brings in their nerdy collectibles and talks about the things, they have accomplished it is a great time. Everyone wants to be the top nerd, but who will be the nerd to rule them all? There will be challenges to overcome. At times, the actions of one nerd will affect everyone. Someone may claim the title, but it be won’t until the year ends that the top nerd will be revealed.

Overview

The goal of the game is to gain as many points (collectibles and monster cards) as you can before the end of the school year (cards run out).

Basic Rules

Each player starts with three cards. Each turn involves drawing a card (or drawing up to 3) and playing one card. Depending on the card played battle may take place, cards gained or loss, the gaining or losing of a turn or nothing. Then the game proceeds clockwise.

Once the player draws a card, they can either play a collectible on the table before them, play a phobia on another player, play an inspiration which removes the appropriate numbers of their phobias, play an action card or begin a battle by putting it in the discard pile.

Collectables

These are how you get points to win the game. Add to your collection by playing the collectible card vertically in front of you on your turn. You can’t add a collectible to another player's collection unless an action tells you. Collectables can be discarded but why would you.

Phobias

Phobia cards can be discarded or played on another player. No player can have more than 8 phobias. Phobia cards are laid horizontally beside the other player's collectibles if they have any. When you have a phobia, you can’t add collectibles to your collection.  Phobias are defeated by an inspiration card or by a role of 20 by anyone in battle.

Inspirations

Play an inspiration card to remove phobias. Yes, they can be discarded but do it at your own risk. NOTE: Some inspirations are more powerful than others removing 2 or more so look carefully.

Actions

When you play an action, it is placed on the discard pile and then you must do what it says. If the action card says play immediately it must be played immediately when drawn unless it is one of the first three cards you are dealt. Some actions help, some cost you, some are generally neutral, and some do nothing (Action? cards).

Battle Actions (look for the lightning bolt on the card)

These can be played as a discard, but to be used in battle they must be played at the beginning of your battle. However, if you have the card calling for all nerds to unite it must be played before the first role of battle. As a courtesy, the person beginning battle should give a moment for this card to be played. When all nerds unite the player of the card receives the monster card when the nerds are victorious (which you will be). In the event of a critical fail or the monster wins everyone loses a collectible. 

Battle

On the day you and the other players are taking a collectible to school there is a problem, someone wants to take them. Yes, this is a battle but let’s be honest, you aren’t trying to kill anyone just defeat their horrible plan to take your stuff. The resolve of the monster the players are trying to defeat is listed as their HP. A battle begins when a monster card is laid on the discard pile. When the monster is played the person playing it names the monster and the number of HP, it has. The player who placed the monster now begins the battle. The first player will play any 1 battle action card they want (I assume you understand you can’t play a card that isn’t in your hand) by laying it next to the discard pile in the battle action area (see table play 2).  The player will then roll a 20-sided dice once for himself and once for each collectible he/she possesses. If the total of all the roles is greater than the monster’s HP then that player collects the monster card and sets it beside their collectibles. They have the bragging rights for defeating them. If the total is less than the monster’s HP then the player loses a collectible (place the card beside the discard pile until the battle is complete) and now the next player faces the monster its HP reduced by the previous player's role.  If a player rolls a 20, victory is instantaneous, the player takes the monster card and sets it aside and all phobias on the board by every player are defeated and placed in the discard pile. If the player rolls a 1 it is a critical fail, the monster wins, and everyone loses a collectible to the discard pile. The battle continues until all players have tried to defeat the monster. The player who defeats the monster begins regular play unless the monster is defeated by the player who played the monster card. If no one defeats the monster all collectibles and played action cards go into the discard pile and play begins with the person who started the battle. Points for victories 2 points for each gym coach, 1 point for each cheerleader, 1 point for every 2 jocks or pitchers, and 1 point for every 3 bullies you defeat.

Ending the Game

When the last card is drawn the last round begins unless the players have decided to shuffle the discard pile adding in the Badge of Honor card. When the last card is played the player with the most points wins. On the chance that players have the same victory points then a roll of the dice decides the victor. High role wins (if after 10 tie rolls, one of you might consider buying a lottery ticket because this is more than luck and please share the winnings with us).

Side rules (feel free to ignore these)

You may choose to have the critical fail and critical hit bonus only affect the person rolling.

Burgundy is not red, no matter what my daughter says. Play the game you’ll see what I mean (unless everyone agrees otherwise).

When you roll for a battle be a good sport and show your rolls. Use paper or your smartphone to keep track of HP points lost and the number of roles each player takes. Of course, if your all super-geniuses then you can keep all of it in your head.

Rules are rules unless you decide otherwise, you bought it after all. Changes to the rules made in the middle of the game are kind of cheating so try not to do that.

Leave positive reviews of the game on Amazon, every game store, and gaming site on the internet.

Ideas are always appreciated but sorry you won’t be financially reimbursed for them. Not trying to be stingy but the legalities are a pain. Not to mention lawsuits only make lawyers rich.  

If you like the game buy a copy for the president and most of Congress (your equivalent outside the USA). Who knows maybe a good game night might lead to better conversation and less stupid in politics?

This game is to make people laugh. We don’t hate cheerleaders, jocks, pitchers, and most gym coaches. If you’re offended, sorry, but we aren’t going to change the game.

Table Play

Table Play 2

New Study Proves 6 out of 5 Allow Preconceptions To Blind Cognition.

Yes, 6 out of 5, can you believe it?

All of the fact are in right?

Maybe Not?

Congratulations!!

You checked to see if what was said was true.

Of course, there can't be 6 out of 5, but you probably already guess that most people just repost what they already believe without fact-checking.

You aren't one of those people.

I can't offer you a reward or real data but we already know some people post without checking so congrats on checking. You can feel good about that.

Now if you #share this to see if others are paying attention that is your choice.

Usually, I just talk about what I think, but I can't help, Okay, I choose not to resist, at times, to be a bit or more than a bit sarcastic.

Daydreams

Wow, I'm out of the regular blogging habit. After nearly two years of writing blog on chapters of the Bible getting back to regular posting isn't easy. However, what do we do? Get up and start doing.

I am writing today about Oswald Chambers's devotion, My Utmost for His Highest for today. He mentioned that daydreaming was perfectly fine if you are rehearsing how to do what is right. It is wrong when your daydreaming rather than doing it.

Daydreaming is a useful tool but I agree it is often used as a distraction from really working. I would point out that for those people who are prone to action see all daydreaming as wrong. This, however, is wrong. Working through a problem or a plan in your mind often saves people from mistakes, which some action prone people make. Like jumping out of a burning plane. The person who thought first put on the parachute which the action prone person thought about on the way down, but not after that.

Is that illustration extreme? No not really, but neither is the person who thought about everything they needed to do and finally got it worked out as the plane hit the ground.

There is a time to daydream, but there is a time to act. The key is to know which is which.

Dreams

Scriptures say that God in the last days would speak to people in dreams and visions. We have heard stories about this but at the end of the day, we have to take these stories by faith as there is no way to prove someone had a dream other than by their own testimony. Often we hear things second or third or thirtieth hand so we can't verify anything. 
What we know for sure. God does speak through dreams. He has in the past and I have to believe he still does. Dreams don't have the weight of Scripture any more than my preaching does other than when it confirms it.
Hope for the dying? Could God reach someone with the gospel in their dreams? Sure there isn't anything in Scripture that says He couldn't. I know of someone who accepted Christ in a dream. The problem is though God could do this a sinner doesn't want to wait for a dream to accept Christ or a Christian force on God something we should be doing, shar
ing the gospel.
God is trying to reach people, so we can have hope God might still be reaching out to our dying relatives. This isn't a guarantee they will respond positively even if they knew they were dying. It is only a hope. A welcome hope but ultimately Christians are the ones God wants to use to share the good news.