The Tale of the ZAX

The Zax = by Dr. Seuss

One day making tracks
In the prairie of Prax,
Came a North-Going Zax
And a South-Going Zax.
And it happened that both of them came to a place
Where they bumped. There they stood.
Foot to foot. Face to face.

“Look here, now!” the North-Going Zax said, “I say!

You are blocking my path. You are right in my way.

I’m a North-Going Zax and I always go north.
Get out of my way, now, and let me go forth!”

“Who’s in whose way?” snapped the South-Going Zax.
“I always go south, making south-going tracks.
So you’re in MY way! And I ask you to move
And let me go south in my south-going groove.”
Then the North-Going Zax puffed his chest up with pride.
“I never,” he said, “take a step to one side.
And I’ll prove to you that I won’t change my ways
If I have to keep standing here fifty-nine days!”
“And I’ll prove to YOU,” yelled the South-Going Zax,
“That I can stand here in the prairie of Prax
For fifty-nine years! For I live by a rule
That I learned as a boy back in South-Going School.
Never budge! That’s my rule. Never budge in the least!
Not an inch to the west! Not an inch to the east!
I’ll stay here, not budging! I can and I will
If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!”

Well…

Of course the world didn’t stand still. The world grew.
In a couple of years, the new highway came through
And they built it right over those two stubborn Zax
And left them there, standing un-budged in their tracks.

Seasonal Surprises

"There's a reason for the sun shiny sky
And there's a reason why I'm feelin' so high
Must be the season..."


Several years ago, I spent a few days in Colorado Springs, CO, on business. It was late Summer and i was enjoying the near-perfect weather in the high 70's. It was simply beautiful and I was having a great trip. The day before I was to fly back home, I played in a golf tournament wearing a hat and sunscreen -- appreciating the wonderful vistas of the majestic Rocky Mountains contrasting the clear blue skies above and the fertile green valley below me on an incredible God-painted canvas that i was privileged to personally witness. It was in a word, picture perfect.


I slept soundly that night, entranced in the sweet Summer aroma of nature. The sights, sounds and scents of that day lingered on my mind pleasantly to the next morning. Upon waking at the Holiday Inn that next morning, I opened the shades to discover a blanket of white had covered the ground as snow was falling from the sky!


The same sky that, a day earlier, had been blue, beautiful and bright, had suddenly turned dark and ominously threatening. Had the season changed? No, it was still late-Summer. Had my position changed? No, I was in the same place that I had been for three days. Had I changed? I wondered, so I pinched myself and let out an "ouch!" I was still the same. I wasn't dreaming.


In life, there are "seasonal surprises." Everything is beautiful, everything is going well, you are in the right place at the right time and all-of-a-sudden, wham! Suddenly, you find yourself in the middle of a storm.


When this happens -- and it will -- remember the season. Your season. Know this, the "surprise" will pass. It didn't come to last, it came to pass! So some snow fell on your Summertime. You'll be back in the sunshine again, and soon.


Don't allow the "surprises" to spoil your season. 
Don't let them throw you off your game or derail your faith.
Remind yourself that God is for you and God is in you. 
That means God is with you -- 
and God with you, supersedes any of life's surprises.


"I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished" - Philippians 1:6

Above the Circumstances

Numbers 27:12; "the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and see..."

Yesterday, (Monday, the 23rd of April), was a dreary and drizzly day in the Los Angeles basin. It didn't really rain, but was just a gray and threatening day punctuated with intermittent sprinkles. Just one of THOSE days.

It was our day off, so Karlene and I headed up to our mountain home. After a stop at Starbucks to fuel up and warm up, we began our ascent up into the San Bernardino mountains. As we headed upward, the weather worsened and it became a much more difficult drive. The higher we climbed, the foggier it became, and coupled with the light rain, made it hard to see where we were going. We were forced to slow down and proceed with caution.

Oftentimes, life is like that. In our attempt to climb higher, the storms seem to worsen and the ascent becomes even more difficult. However, for those situations, let me offer one piece of advice -- KEEP GOING. Many times, the worst thing one can do is stop in the middle of the storm.

1) Stopping can get you stuck.
One of the new experiences that we have had, since frequenting the mountains, is driving in snow and ice. When driving in those conditions, you just have to go slow, but the key word is "go." It may be a little slippery, and you may not feel as in-control as you would like to, but the important thing is to keep moving. Stopping is the worst thing you can do when you hit a rough patch because if you stop, you'l get stuck. Keep moving slowly, but surely and you will get where you need to be.

2) Stopping can get you hurt.
One of the major reasons for accidents in the fog, is caused by people stopping on the road because they can't see the road good enough. Again, it's important to keep moving slowly and cautiously. Stopping on the road or the side of the road in the fog is extremely dangerous.

So yesterday, in the middle of the storm, fog and rain, we continued onward and upward toward our destination. No, we didn't stop -- even though we were in the midst of the storm. We didn't give-up simply because we couldn't see our way clearly enough. We didn't quit because the way was somewhat treacherous, but we continued on. On journey was slowed and more stressful than usual, but onward we went.

Then, once we reached an altitude of 5,300 feet above sea level, something wonderful happened. We drove right out of the storm and the fog and the rain and into the bright, beautiful sunshine! In a moment, our storm turned into blue skies. We could see clearly -- and for miles! The rain was behind us and beneath us. The change was immediate and amazing.

Don't allow your surroundings stop your ascent in life. Things may not be what you want them to be right now, but keep climbing. Like God told Moses in the opening verse, if you want to "see" -- get to the top of the mountain. I would encourage you to do like Moses did, keep moving onward and upward -- before you know it the circumstances and the scenery will change, and it will change for the better.

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." (Galatians 6:9 NLT)

What Happened to the Power?

The rhapsody was rapturous as LifeStyle Praise Band belted-out one of my very favorite songs, (Glorious Day by Casting Crowns), during one of the largest Celebration Services of the year, on Easter Sunday no less, at Cornerstone. The congregation was moved, as the powerful song built to a worshipful crescendo when the unthinkable (and unplanned-for) happened, the power went out. A myriad of questions and thoughts went through my mind in a manner of seconds, such as, "A Powerless Resurrection Service?”, "Really, on Easter Sunday?", and "Why, Why, Why?!!"

Thankfully, the Worship Band didn't miss a beat, as they continued with the two acoustic guitars taking the lead and LifeStyle bravely kept singing without the benefit of the Sound System. Meanwhile, the tech, media and usher teams scrambled in a frantic fire drill trying desperately to find the culprit and get the power back on in short order. In a matter of minutes, the blown breaker was reset and order (and power) restored.

It was one of a Pastors' worst nightmares -- a blown Breaker right in the middle of church. Not the worst -- I've seen worse and no, I won't divulge what they are (at least not today). Suffice it to say, it was bad enough and to top it off it was on EASTER SUNDAY! I mean, c'mon, Easter Sunday?! Easter is the big church day of the year. The day that you are trying to reach the crowd of CEO's, (Christmas Easter Only) in the audience. It's the day you want to make an impression on the guests -- a favorable impression, that is. It's the day you want everything to be perfect.

Life's like that.

Everything seems to be going great -- you're in the middle of your moment, the celebration is on, and then, out of left field, something happens. You get unplugged. Something or someone blows your breaker. Next thing you know, you’re disconnected.

Your reaction and subsequent actions in those moments of life will determine your success or failure – moving forward or backward.

So what are you to do in those moments of life?

Here are a few suggestions:

1) Re-Connect Quickly.
When you experience a blow-out on the road of life that drains you and threatens to get you off-course, as quickly as you can, go to the Power Source and reconnect. The Bible encourages Christians to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Jesus is the Christian’s source of power and strength. Disconnecting from Him is the worst thing that can happen to you.

2) Find the Culprit and Eradicate it.
Whatever is “blowing your breaker” needs to be removed or changed in your life. If not, it will continue to happen, over and over again. You can’t just reconnect and expect everything to be fine – you must deal with the issue that keeps zapping and sapping you.

3) Add a Surge Protector to the Line.
Get some good and Godly people in your life that can help you keep the power flowing, in spite of life’s ups and downs. Proverbs 11:14 says “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Good advice for all of us.

So, one of my worst nightmares on Easter Sunday turned into a great illustration for my Easter sermon, “Follow.” The end result was positive with several people choosing to follow Jesus and many more reconnecting with Him. What could have been a curse, instead became a blessing.

When life deals you lemons, you can get sour or you can make lemonade.

Easter Sunday at Cornerstone ended up being as your “outage” can…
powerfully refreshing.

Drama, Dreams & The Music Man

It's a clear and beautiful Thursday winter morning. As I sit here in the kitchen sipping my cup of tea, my mind is still filled with, and fueled by, the thoughts of the great Service we enjoyed last night at C3. We are presently in the middle of a series based on Kevin Gerald's book entitled "Forces that Form Your Future" and the session last night was on "the Power of a Dream." We learned why dreams are important, how dreams need to be nurtured, and what to do when facing "dream thieves." it was a powerful evening at Cornerstone.

Upon returning home and getting ready for bed, I turned on the tv and began flipping through the channels. I ended up landing right in the middle of "The Music Man," the 1962 classic featuring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, which may be my all-time favorite in a genre that I'm not really into -- musicals. This is one of those rare gems of a film that puts a smile on my face every time I see it. Robert Preston was at the top of his game portraying "professor" Harold Hill. Surprising that he did not get a Best Actor nomination with his performance. As a side note, the movie was nominated for Best Picture that year, though neither it, nor, another one of my all-time favorites, "To Kill a Mockingbird," won that year -- thanks to the epic "Lawrence of Arabia."

Back to the story. "The Music Man" is a wonderful tale about a con man by the name of Harold Hill, who comes to the conservative town of River City intending to cheat the community with his oft-played scam of offering to equip and train a boy's marching band, then skip town with the money (since he has no music skill anyway). However, while running his scam, he ends up falling for the beautiful town librarian which provides the conflict in the story. Does he take the money and run, or does he stay and face the music?

In the movie, the "Professor's" charismatic, musical scam, actually brings hope, life and vitality to the people of River City. We know it's a con-game, but is that all it is? In the latter part of the film, there is a great scene where Robert Preston, the con man, is on a bridge waiting for his love-interest, Shirley Jones. He looks down into the water and a marching band appears -- which he begins to lead. We now get to see what most people in the film could not see -- Harold Hill's DREAM. What was driving him, down deep inside, was the dream of having a band and leading a band! We realize that Hill wasn't a terrible person after all -- just a dreamer who had lost his way. The wonderful story ends with the redemption and reclamation of Harold Hill and his dream!

What about the story of your life? What about your dreams? Have they been forsaken, forgotten, or lost? God has planted dreams of a better future and a brighter tomorrow in the human heart that need to be embraced and nurtured. In the Bible, it took Joseph years of challenging obstacles before he realized his dream. Don't let life's challenges cause you to let go of your dreams. Don't be hindered by doubt, fear, and time. Keep believing in the God who believes in you! Keep the dream alive -- you can still make beautiful music after all!

Our All-Access Pass

Last night, my son, Zac and I went to the L.A. Auto Show. As we exited the parking structure, we were between the Convention Center (where the Auto Show was held) and the Staples Center. There was a huge line, about a block long, at the Staples Center. We found out that it was for a Katy Perry concert. As we walked further, I noticed a much shorter line at a smaller entrance. It was a VIP entrance and the sign said "All-Access Pass-holders Only". That got me thinking about something that my friend, pastor Phil Munsey, had shared about thanksgiving and it dawned on me that "Thanksgiving" is really our "All-Access Pass"!

The attitude and action of being thankful, gets you "in"...

1) It gets you INtimacy with God.

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." - Psalm 100:4

2) It brings you INfluence with man.

"Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." - Colossians 4:6 (NLT)

3) It gives you INtuition for living life.

At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. - Luke 10:21 (NLT)

You can be a VIP. Live life with an attitude of gratitude. Not just during this time of year, but every day. You will open your life to new opportunities and joys by simply living with a thankful heart.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." -Psalm 118:1

Happy Thanksgiving.

Dad's Photo Album

It is Thursday afternoon, April 28th, 2011. Once again, I am back with my Dad at his bedside during this final vigil. After staying with, and watching, him throughout the night, the morning-shift team, (consisting of my wife and mother), arrived and made me go get some sleep. It has been a long time since I have had a completely sleepless night – and those few hours of sleep this morning were refreshingly welcome.

As I sit here, I am looking at Dad’s collection of photo albums. One of them, in particular, has caught my interest. It is an album of “friends.” As I turn the over-filled pages, I see faces that I haven’t seen in years. Leo Upton, Sam Cagle, Winifred Black, Glen Harvey, Carl Adams, Gordon Mallory, James Larson, Terry Black, Jonathon Cupoli, Robert Bibb, Bob Baglin… and so many more. All of them, in this one book, are Ministers, Pastors and Missionaries. Some of whom have already passed-on before him.

The interesting thing to me, however, is that on every page, and most of the pictures, Dad has left a hand-written “Sticky-note Story” describing whom the photo is of, perhaps with the occasion or event noted, also. Out of dozens and dozens of photographs, a few of them have an even greater distinction, one that sets them apart from the rest. At the bottom of the sticky-note, Dad paid his highest compliment.

He simply wrote this one word: “FRIENDS.”