Simple White Symbol

Nothing on earth lasts. Why am I saying that? Because it’s true. And it’s also because at 71 years of age, I’m starting to realize that the time I have left on this earth is limited. In fact, the average lifespan for an American male is only 79. So if I do the math, that means I only have about 90 months left… if I’m lucky.

So what should I do with those 90 months I have left? I know I want to spend them wisely, which  means spending time with family and friends. But that question also got me thinking… If nothing lasts, what can I leave behind that would be meaningful, profound, or impactful? That’s a deep question!

So I thought about it this morning. Sure, I’ve written over 700 Monday Messages, so that’s something I can leave behind. But I’m not sure if they are truly meaningful to anyone other than me. I’ve also raised four children that I am very proud of, but my wife is the main reason our kids turned out so great. And I guess I could say that starting four different companies that provided jobs for hundreds of people is an impactful accomplishment. But it’s actually the employees that deserve all the credit. And I’ve also spent a great deal of time with the installation and maintenance of the Battle Mountain Cross in San Diego. Unfortunately it is not going to last more than a few more years because it has developed severe rust and corrosion at the base. Like me, I give it about 90 more months.

Thinking about that Cross rusting out sadly solidified the fact that nothing really lasts… But then all of a sudden a light bulb went on! How many people over the past 38 years have driven down the 15 freeway and noticed that huge Cross shining brightly on top of a nearby mountain? And how many of those people were affected in a positive way, and reminded of God’s love, by that simple white symbol? The light bulb going on… that was my realization that there is and will always be one thing that lasts... God’s love!

If you want proof of God’s love, look first at the Cross.

~ Jerry Bridges

The Anvil

We all go through stressful times. What I want to know is why? Why do I sometimes feel like someone is pounding me on the head with a hammer?

I mean, I’ve been through plenty of stressful times in my life, and I do my best to handle it. But the past three weeks have been brutal.

·   At my company we received twenty new Pole Inspection Projects all at once. Good news, right? Except that same day, my Foreman who helps me with most of my pole inspections, suddenly informed me he had a family emergency and had to fly to Fiji. He didn’t say when he would be back. Yikes! 

·  On my way home that same day things got worse. On the 133 freeway, a large landscaping company lost a load of equipment and material out of the back of their truck. I swerved and missed two items, but the third one struck me head on into my front bumper tearing off the lower grill and air-dam section. 

·   Then, the very next day, I got really bad news! Our four-year old granddaughter was in an ambulance on the way to Mission Hospital in severe neck pain. 

Hearing the news about my granddaughter really shook me up. She is only 4 years old and is so very precious to me, as are all seven of my grandchildren. So as I was driving home on the 241 from Corona, I found myself stressing out and asking…Why? Why are all these bad things happening?  

Right then I happened to glance up and spotted a strange sight on top of a hill right next to the highway. It looked like an anvil. Like a giant anvil made of rock with a tiny little rock underneath holding it in place. It seemed strange, but as I thought about it I realized it was the answer to my question. Maybe, when things are tough and stressful, it’s simply because God has put us on an anvil to hammer away the rough edges, reshape our character, and transform us into the person He meant for us to be. I like looking at it that way because picturing God working on me, because He loves me and cares for me, hammered away a lot of my stress!

You cannot go so far that God will not go with you.

~ Muriel Strode