Musings From A Rolling Eyed Turtle

Last week, I wrote that we often do not have control of things once they leave our hands.   In this week’s post, I want to take being out of control to a whole new level. Our flight home was supposed to take about 30 minutes once we took off.   But, after two attempts to land, our plane was rerouted to another airport to take on more fuel. Our flight from the refueling airport to our original destination was supposed to take about 35 minutes once we took off.   But after another two attempts to land, we had enough fuel for just one more landing attempt before we would have to fly again to an airport for refueling. It was all a bit nerve wracking.   As each of the landings was attempted, there was enough visibility that allowed the plane to begin its descent.   But, in each case, as we were within just a few miles of the airport, an incoming cloud would sweep in and reduce the visibility to the point below which it was safe to land.   It was a ...

It wasn’t necessarily hidden in the 24 hour news cycle, but it also didn’t get the super heightened attention.   The stories, however, did surface and for many it was quite disheartening to learn that plastic items that were supposedly destined to be recycled were often ending up in local landfills. The reports further indicated that some of the countries that had previously been buying plastic items were no longer doing so.   For the most part, it was just pure economics for those countries.   But for some of the individuals who had been consistently and diligently putting plastic items in the recycling bins, doing their part to save the planet one plastic container at a time, the disturbing reality was that their noble efforts to recycle were not achieving guaranteed results. The overarching reality is that we often cannot really obtain guaranteed results or outcomes.   We can do everything that we know is good and right but once it leaves our hands, we m...

Bound by cloth, he appeared helpless. Bound by cloth again, he appeared to have no say in the matter. The first time, it was the swaddling cloths, those strips of cloth that are wrapped around a baby to bind them for their comfort and security. The last time, it was the burial cloths, those strips of cloth that are wrapped around a body to bind in the burial spices to mask the odors during the mourning period. The first time, the Savior entered the world as a baby. [1] The last time, the Savior left the world as a corpse. [2] The first time, the cloth was removed as the baby grew. The last time, the cloth was left behind when the Savior rose from the dead. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the things that bind:   “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound ...

Hands placed the baby in a manger.   The manger was likely made of wood and normally was a type of feeding trough for animals. Hands placed the man on a cross.   The cross was made of wood and was used to crucify those sentenced to death. A wooden manger represented a very humble environment in which to be placed.  As it was designed as a place where animals would be fed, the baby likely shared living space with animals. A wooden cross represented a very humiliating way to die.  A crucifixion was normally held in a very public place.  Since two other criminals were crucified with Him, He shared dying space with criminals. Jesus voluntarily left heaven and dwelt among mankind in human form.   Such form started out in the womb of a woman and then He first actually appeared as a baby.  By becoming human in this way, He allowed Himself to be placed in that manger. Jesus voluntarily remained among mankind through to adul...

“Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.” ( Luke 8:40) Typically, when we expect people and look forward to their visit, we welcome them when they arrive.   The context of the verse above does not really indicate why the crowd was expecting Jesus.   However, it is likely that since Jesus had been going about healing people, the crowd was expecting Him to continue to do so when He arrived.   But that expectation was for healing.   What about the overall expectations for Jesus?   And, was He welcomed by all? “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.   He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”   ( John 1:10-11) The welcome of all welcomes should have been there for Jesus, the one whose coming had been foretold, which included all the incredible reasons for Him to come.   But the indictment against the world was...

While words are very important in communication, sometimes it’s the non verbal communication that actually “speaks” volumes! Non verbal communication can include such things as gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact (or lack thereof); body language, posture, and other ways people can communicate without using language. Such non verbal communication can sometimes be quite clear and effective.  A hug, for example, can communicate love or support or concern.  A finger held upright to the lips can communicate the need to be quiet or to keep a secret.  Hands held up, palms out, can communicate surrender or I’m finished. The Lord used the Prophet Jeremiah to highlight some non verbal communication that people were using as they responded to God:  “ They turned their backs to me and not their faces…”  (Jer 32:3) The non verbal communication of turning our faces toward someone normally means that we are giving them our attention....

One of the expressions we use to describe progress is that we are “moving forward”.   Correspondingly, if we are “going backward”, we are likely regressing or retreating. Even the old expression “two steps forward and one step backward” follows suit.   While difficulties may inhibit our progress (one step backward), at least things are still moving forward (two steps forward). I recently read a verse in Jeremiah that offered clarity to this forward/backward thing: “But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.”   (Jer 7:24) There are some clear indicators here on what causes us to go backward.   When we are not listening as we should be, we are going backward.   When we are not paying attention as we should be, we are going backward.   When we follow the stubborn inclinations of our evil hearts when we shouldn’t be, we are going backward. ...