My Dad - A Tribute

I’ve written this before but unfortunately it was before I saved such things. This is a tribute to my dad.

Azell Leroy Harris was a man’s man: a police officer, Cub Scout Pack Master, Boy Scout Assistant Scout Master, served in the Army Reserves, a deacon in his church, father of 5, husband of one wife.

He could fix anything. As far back as I can recall he helped others. He did all kinds of household repair for the widows in our neighborhood.

He helped out at the Little League Ball Field as coach, umpire, concession stand volunteer, etc.

He wore Old Spice, had a flat top, and used foot powder. He had a rough beard.

I cannot remember a time when he even threatened to be violent with any of the kids or with my mom. I only remember one argument between he and my mom. Afterwards he was out working on something in the backend of the old panel truck that he had fixed up. I went out to watch him. I asked, “Daddy, are you leaving?” I’m not even sure why I would ask such a question. I don’t remember anyone ever getting a divorce. He looked at me, with what I remember to be tearful eyes, and said, “No.”

He always had a project. He bought a school bus and turned it into a camper. Yes, we were THAT family on the block. I can only remember making one major trip in it. We went to visit my aunt (his sister) in Maryland. On the way there we wrecked it in Virginia. I didn’t know then, but my mom was seriously injured. The people in the other vehicle were nearly killed. I was around 6 years old.

He used to work the games at Legion Field. He took me to a game once. It was Tennessee vs. Alabama. I sat all the way at the top of the stadium under the scoreboard. I thought I was on top of the world. Tennessee beat Alabama like a drum that year (sorry Bammers).

On Sunday, May 4, 1969, I was at my sister’s house. I spent the night with her. I remember the phone ringing early that morning. I knew it was bad news. I heard my sister answer the phone, and very soon after that there was a scream and the phone dropped. My dad had been shot.

We rushed to Caraway Methodist Hospital on the North side of Birmingham. Ironically, it was the hospital where I was born. As a young 9 year old the whole thing was quite surreal. I don’t know that I fully grasped the gravity of the situation, but I knew it was not good. Friends, family, and clergy quickly gathered in the waiting room as we hoped for some good news. None ever came. Instead they rounded up the family and took us to a room where my mom was lying in a bed, basically unconscious from the stress of the moment. Someone (a doctor, a preacher, I can’t remember) came in and told us dad was dead. I remember crying, but only because everyone else was so upset. Little did I realize that my life had changed drastically in that moment. It took about 30 years for me to fully understand how much.

The middle child in our family, Tim, was lying in a hospital bed at a different hospital that morning. The day before he was hit on the nose with a high and tight fastball. He had gone through a surgery to reconstruct his nose, which was now stuffed with gauze. They were going to wait to tell him because of the difficulty he would have trying to cry with sinuses stuffed with gauze. Unfortunately, no one thought about the television news. He found out before any of the family spoke to him.

The following events of the funeral and burial were impressive to me. I had never seen the number of police officers that attended the memorial service. The honor shown to my family, and for my dad, let me know that many loved and respected him. I was touched.

Since that time I have had opportunity to speak to several folks that knew my father much longer than I did. Everyone spoke of his kindness, willingness to help, and faithfulness to the task. He was a good cop, a great friend, loving son to his mother, and a great dad to his family.

I miss him greatly. There were many times growing up that I wished he were there. Now that I’m a father I realize how much I missed by not getting to experience life with a dad. I feel I might not have messed up so much if I had his example to follow.

So on this Father’s Day, if you have a father still living, find a way to spend time with him. If your relationship is not what it needs to be, take the initiative to restore it. If your father is no longer alive take measures to remember his life. In this information age look up every piece of information you can find on him. Talk to others that knew him. Celebrate his life.

Happy Father’s Day!

Friday Fritz | 6 June 2014 – Why not praise?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? People have asked that for years, but the answer is obvious: the chicken. The egg would never have hatched without a chicken to sit on it.

Which comes first, a praising church or someone willing to praise? Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18 declares that preaching is foolishness to those who have not believed, but for the Christian it is the “power of God”. In Romans 10:14, Paul also asserted that without a preacher no one would be saved. In other words, someone has to be willing to be a fool (in the worlds eyes) in order to reach those who are lost.

I believe the same can be said about praise. If someone doesn’t become foolish for God, no one will. The three Hebrew boys in Daniel did not wait for someone else to take a stand. They gave up their lives that day. Even though the Lord rescued them from the fiery furnace, they were willing to suffer death to bring glory to God.

Are you willing? Are you willing to suffer being called a fool in order to allow the Spirit of God to show Himself through you? I’m sure that first chicken looked pretty silly sitting on a white ball, not even knowing what would come of it. But when the egg cracked open, a cycle of life was created that has never ended. What would happen if you decided to “sit on an egg” by giving praise to our God. It might start something that will never end!

Take the opportunity this weekend to praise the Lord

Wednesday Wit | 4 June 2014 - Steven Wright-isms part 1

Steven Wright is one of my favorite comics. Here are a few from Steven. Share your own in the comments. I'd love to hear them.

All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have.

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.

Shin: a device for finding furniture in the dark.

Many people quit looking for work when they find a job.

I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

Join the Army, meet interesting people, kill them.

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

When I'm not in my right mind, my left mind gets pretty crowded.

Boycott shampoo! Demand the REAL poo!

Tuesday Thrombosis | 3 June 2014 – Cursing

The use of foul language is commonly referred to as cursing, or as my mom used to say, cussin. Even though the use of such language is not appropriate, and in my personal opinion totally useless, it is not the topic for today.

The opposite of blessing is cursing. The Bible tells us that it is a choice that one makes.

Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV) says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”. That makes things pretty clear. The writer equates life with blessing, death with cursing. Again, I’m not talking about the “4-letter-words.” Let me clarify.

When you were a child which made you feel better: 1) “All you know how to do is mess up. You can’t do anything right. I wish you were like _______ because they never acted this way.” or 2) “I love you! Thanks for cleaning your room. You didn’t win the game but you played well.”?

The root word for “curse” in scripture means to “make light”, while “blessing” means “to bow, or kneel.” The motivation behind the curse is pride. When we curse someone it is to bring the person down, or make light of any accomplishments. The motivation behind the blessing is humility, or building up another, exalting them above you.

Scripture teaches us that it is out of the abundance of the heart that our mouths speak. If we have cursing on the inside it will come out. If we have blessing on the inside it will come out. Cursing usually originates from hurt in our life. When someone or something reminds us of the hurt we lash out with venom to bring it down, whether it be friend or foe, spouse, son or daughter, or even God. The only way to remove the curse on the inside is to allow the Lord to heal it. When the root of bitterness is removed the fruit of cursing will no longer be part of your vocabulary.

In other words, the thrombosis of not forgiving, not repenting, not yielding to the Holy Spirit, can cause a blockage in the flow of blessing both from and to your life. Be honest with yourself. Look deep into your heart and find the source of the anger and cursing that comes out of your mouth. You may need a counselor or a praying friend to help you through the process of forgiving or repenting. But just as the surgeon’s scalpel can remove the thrombosis in our bodies, the Holy Spirit can help you remove these areas that block the blessings.

Take the challenge of Deuteronomy 30:19. Make a choice today. Choose life! Choose to bless!

Monday Moorings | 2 Jun 2014 – Christian vs. Disciple

Culture is constantly evolving, and language evolves with it. There was a time that gay meant happy and carefree. The word cool used to refer to temperature and not ones state of being. This is not good or bad, for the most part. It’s just the way language develops. The English word, love, has many different meanings. You can love your spouse, love ice cream, love to fish, etc. The Greeks had a much better approach when it came to stating affection. They had four different words that expressed a unique type of feeling for various objects of their affection.

I believe we have reached the point in our American culture that the word Christian no longer means what it once did. We now have Christian radio, Christian dating sites, Christian clothing, and even Christian churches. The United States is called a Christian nation. There is nothing Christian about radio, websites, clothing, or nations.

The first use of the term Christian was used by some folks in Antioch to describe those who were imitating Christ; living the life that Jesus taught while on earth. The original intent of the word was not complementary. It was intended as mockery. However, the name seemed to stick and has been perpetuated through time. But like many words they reach a place where it is no longer prudent to use them. How many times have your heard athwart, erelong, inly, puissant, thole, or whilom in the past 10 years? Some words run their course and a more clearly understood word or phrase takes its place.

For me, “Christian” has reached that place. To tell another person in America that you are a Christian is understood to mean that you attend church at some level, you probably don’t drink much, cheat on your spouse, or steal from your neighbor – probably. That does not describe the life of someone committed to following Jesus and desiring to be more like Him each day.

I have started using the term “disciple” when speaking of a relationship with Christ. That is what Jesus recruited while He was on earth. He invited people to follow Him, He then promised to “make” them disciples. Being a disciple involves commitment to a person, not joining a cause. Being a disciple is personal to the individual, not something accomplished by a group. Discipleship becomes a way of life, not a list of things one has to do during their day or week.

I am not claiming to have arrived at being a disciple, but changing ones understanding of the goal puts you on a path that will change your destiny. By changing your speech it keeps your mind moving in a particular direction. When it’s all said and done do you want to be regarded as Super Christian or one that spent his/her life for Christ? I chose the later.

P.S You will not hear me correct another for their use of “Christian”. This is a personal conviction that I chose to share with you.

Communion 1 Jun 2014 | The Rock – Jesus Christ

After leaving Egypt for the trip to the Promised Land, Canaan, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. During this time of wandering they came to a place of needing water many times, two of which I want to mention here. They were thirsty, their animals were thirsty, and there was no water available. When they called on Moses to give them water, he turned to the Lord.

During the first episode the Lord gave Moses instruction to “strike the rock” to get water. He obeyed. Water came forth so that all of the people (estimates have them at 3-5 million people) AND their livestock received all the water they needed. All of this water came from a rock. The people rejoiced and went on with wilderness life.

During the second episode the Lord gave Moses instruction to “speak to the rock” to get water. Moses was upset with the people because of their constant complaining. Out of this anger he struck the rock a second time. Water still came forth, enough to water all of the people and their animals. The people rejoiced and went on with wilderness life.

Moses, however, received correction from the Lord. Because of the one, seemingly simple, act of disobedience the Lord did not allow Moses to enter into the promised land that he dreamed of for 40 years.

Moses learned some things from this encounter. Near the end of his life, Moses sang a song recorded in Deuteronomy 32 where he declares “He is the Rock, His work is perfect”. In another place he said, “… of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you.” And again said “How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock has caused them to surrender? For their rock (little ‘r’) is not like our Rock (capital ‘R’).”

Moses was introduced to The Rock when he asked to see God’s glory. In Exodus 33 it tells us that God placed Moses on a Rock. Then when He passed by, He placed Moses in a cleft in the Rock and covered him with His hand. Then God removed His hand so Moses could see His back. Moses knew the Rock. He found safety, protection, and provision in the Rock.

When assuming leadership after Moses it was apparent Joshua knew The Rock. We can see this in Joshua 24:26-27. “Then Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God.’” The Stone had heard all the words spoken, and would be a witness.

Gideon encountered the Rock. The Angel of the Lord asked Gideon to place meat and bread on a rock, and then pour broth over it. The Angel touched the Rock with the end of His staff and fire came out of it, and consumed the meat and bread. Gideon built an altar and named it Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is Peace.

Hannah made a declaration when she took Samuel to the temple to dedicate him to the Lord. “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.”

In David’s song, just before his death, said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” The last words David spoke were, “The Spirit of the Lord spake to me, and his word was in my tongue. The God in Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me.”

In Psalm 18 David declares, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.”

Isaiah said, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.”

Matthew, Paul, and Peter all referred to Jesus as the “Chief Cornerstone.”

Here is the best part. That Stone, Jesus, is still with us today. He is the very foundation of our faith. He was from the beginning, and will always be. One question came to mind as I looked at the story of Moses and the people of Israel as they journeyed. How was it that there was always a Rock around when they needed one?

The answer is found in 1 Corinthians: Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

Imagine the sight. God’s people were led by a pillar of cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. The cloud kept them moving in the right direction, provided shade from the intense heat. Then at night the pillar of fire gave them assurance of God’s presence and provided warmth through the cold nights. That sounds just like the Holy Spirit; The Comforter, The Guide.

Then, behind them, The Rock was following them, being their rear guard, giving them support and strength.

This is modeled for us in the Old Testament, but we have a better covenant. These things are no longer pictures or examples of what God can do. Now it is reality! Now we have the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, to lead us and give comfort. Now we have The Rock, that is Christ, upon which we can build our lives and know we are anchored on a sure foundation that cannot be shaken or eroded in any way.

So, we choose this day to remember The Stone that has heard everything God has said, and now stands to bear witness to us of the Truth of God. That Stone the world rejected at the cross, buried in a hole in the ground, now lives as the Son of God, our Elder Brother, that sits at the right hand of God, praying for you and me. Eat the bread, drink the cup, and remember The Rock.