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Learning from Rafiki

bill — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:14:26 +0000

My son is a rising junior at Virginia Tech and pulled a real bone-head trick last spring. Last week we found out that his scholarship was suspended again. His scholarship was suspended last spring when the Army pulled his scholarship because he failed a physical test. He says he was sick that day and missed the qualifying run time by few seconds. He did not know the impact of the failed test until the spring. When he showed up for classes in the spring, he found out that his scholarship was yanked. He got a loan to cover his tuition but it is obvious that this mini-crisis left him severely depressed. Eventually he stopped going to class and skipped most of his exams. You can guess what his spring semester grade point average was. Last week the Army told him his scholarship was suspended for the fall. He did not tell his mom or me until he had to. Naturally we reacted to the news differently. She can barely talk to him without making some kind of threat. He lied to her and her vision of his future is shattered. She is hurt and she wants her pound of flesh. I am disappointed but I know we have a short window in which we can partially fix the problem and develop a new career plan. The first part of the plan is to change majors. The job opportunities with this new plan are less but my son thinks he will be happier. Fixing his attitude is a bigger challenge. Maybe in a few years he can laugh at his actions. Here is what that wise old sage, Rafiki, said about living with the pain of bad decisions.

Adult Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back will mean facing my past. I’ve been running from it for so long.
[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]
Adult Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for?
Rafiki: It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past.
[laughs]
Adult Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts.
Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or… learn from it.
[swings his stick at Simba again who ducks out of the way]
Rafiki: Ha. You See? So what are you going to do?
Adult Simba: First, I’m gonna take your stick.
[Simba snatches Rafiki's stick and throws it and Rafiki runs to grab it]
Rafiki: No, not the stick! Hey, where you going?
Adult Simba: I’m going back!
Rafiki: Good! Go on! Get out of here!
[Rafiki begins laughing and screeching loudly]

Rafiki (Character) – Quotes

2 Corinthians 11 KJV – YouVersion.com

bill — Mon, 02 May 2011 11:46:20 +0000

YouVersion is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible by creating an event where to read this version in 400 seconds. With the help of a lot of volunteers starting at the same time it will be done. My part is 2 Corinthians Chapter 11.

1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

2 Corinthians 11 KJV – YouVersion.com

Quiet Talks on Prayer by Gordon, S. D.

bill — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:25:34 +0000

This is what I am listening to during the morning commute.

An open life, an open hand, open upward, is the pipe line of communication between the heart of God and this poor befooled old world. Our prayer is God’s opportunity to get into the world that would shut Him out. (From the first chapter)

Quiet Talks on Prayer by Gordon, S. D.
Sat, 26 Mar 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Letter to Aly on Matthew West’s "My Own Little World" video

bill — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:55:38 +0000

A video worth watching again.

Letter to Aly on Matthew West’s "My Own Little World" video

Another Way to “read” the Bible and literary classics

bill — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:47:50 +0000

About two years ago I decided to read the entire Bible. There are many ways to accomplish this task and I chose a Daily Reading plan served up to my RSS reader courtesy of The ESV Bible. When I started my second round of reading the Bible I increasingly used the audio version. This was much easier on those days when I was tired, unmotivated, and procrastination seemed to rule the day. About a month ago I started downloading podcasts to my phone. I play the reading on my way to work. This had been a very pleasant and fulfilling way to listen to the Bible and take advantage of the lost time during the morning commute. I enjoyed this endeavor so much I decided to listen to free audio books in the afternoon commute. In the morning I listen to the daily Bible reading and in the afternoon I listen to my daily reading of Pride and Prejudice courtesy of AudioOwl. It seems so appropriate that Pride and Prejudice is read by a woman with a British accent.

A Prayer for the Nation

bill — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:47:18 +0000

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!"

Recently I got an email with this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Since it arrived in an email I did a little research on it. I quickly found it at Quoteworld. The most amazing place that I found it was in a book scanned by Google, The Rebellion Record by Frank Moore.

Just a Reminder, Pray for All People

bill — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:50:18 +0000

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man [1] Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Passage: 1 Timothy 2 (ESV Bible Online)

Flood the Desert of My Heart

bill — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:34:42 +0000

This is another prayer that speaks to me. I have vowed to be prepared to give the closing prayer at our Habitat board meetings. In my case it is a written prayer that is prepared in advance. Some people are so natural when they are asked to pray. For them praying is as natural and easy as breathing. When I am asked to pray for others I panic. If the panic is strong enough I ask others to lead the prayer. It is especially frustrating that I cannot give a spontaneous prayer that echoes what I am feeling in my heart. Trying to avoid drinking from the prayer cup does not seem to be an option to me. It has taken me some time but I have finally humbled myself to the fact that I will be called on to publicly pray for others and I need help. I am uncomfortable with this path but I trust that God has a plan for people like me. Maybe someday I will be as natural in prayer as other people.

O Lord,
I confess that I too often disregard my responsibility
to be an instrument in your hands.
I shrug my shoulders at others’ pain.
I run away from those in suffering.

Forgive me for my spiritual laziness and irresponsibility.
Expose my warped explanations and excuses for sin and shallowness.
Weed out my sinful thoughts and actions.
Break the sinful patterns that too often entangle me and keep me from ministering as I should.

Thank you for your kingdom, your grace, your coming to rescue your creation.
Fill me with your grace and love,
and make me a vessel through which new creation can flow out to others.
Flood the desert of my parched heart with your living water,
and may you overflow my cup so that I will be a blessing to others.
Set me apart for your purposes.
Make me into a treasured instrument for the benefit of your kingdom.
Amen.

- Trevin Wax

Flood the Desert of My Heart

A Seminarian’s Prayer

bill — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:29:29 +0000

I ran across this prayer a couple of days ago and my immediate thought was that it if I was asked to give the closing prayer at our Habitat board meeting I would use it. This prayer expresses a lot of the battles we confront as board members of a faith based ministry and shows that we have similar hopes as seminarians. Late on Tuesday I received a call late in the afternoon that the meeting location had changed and the President asked if I would give the closing prayer. I never cease to be amazed. Thanks Trevin!

Savior and King,
I find it so easy to revel in knowledge for knowledge’s sake,
avoiding the goal of instruction: to learn love.
A puffed-up mind may be able to hide an impure heart,
an aching conscience
or insincere motives from others,
but before you, all is laid bare.
The purpose of my training is to grow in love and faithfulness,
purity and authenticity.
Help me, O Lord, to keep in mind your purposes
for the instruction I receive.
I pray that when I leave here,
my love will have grown,
many sinful habits will have been left behind,
and any insincere motivations or spiritual facade will have been shattered.
May you work in my heart to draw me closer to yourself.
Help me to love, O Lord.
Give me a heart that breaks
for those held in the chains of sin.
Clear my conscience
and authenticate my faith.
May the knowledge I obtain be for your glory
and for the growth of your love in my all-too-hardened heart.
And help conform me to the image of Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.

- Trevin Wax

A Seminarian’s Prayer

A Prayer before Blogging

bill — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:17:52 +0000

O Creator of the universe,
who has set the stars in the heavens
and causes the sun to rise and set,
shed the light of your wisdom into the darkness of my mind.
Fill my thoughts with the loving knowledge of you,
that I may bring your light to others.
Just as you can make even babies speak your truth,
instruct my tongue and guide my pen
to convey the wonderful glory of the gospel.
Make my intellect sharp,
my memory clear,
and my words eloquent,
so that I may faithfully interpret the mysteries which you have revealed.

- Thomas Aquinas, (1225-1274)

A Prayer before Blogging
trevinwax
Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:21:17 GMT