Where's the 1?

     
     Today's FTM title is a reference to a parable Jesus shared in Luke 15:1-7. The cliff note version of the parable goes something like this. What shepherd would not leave his 99 sheep to find the one lamb that was lost from the flock? Of course the underlying theme of the parable is we are all worthy and God cares for each of us individually, not just collectively as a nation or as part of the human species. Each one of us is important and each life matters. This is an underlying principle that should guide each of us each day as we work, engage, and interact with others regardless of your occupation or status in life that you happen to exist currently. We should always be hunting for that next "lost sheep" in our lives.
     In most businesses and professions a great deal of success stems from the numbers or percentages that indicate how effective the company’s business plan is working. Unfortunately, this same principle holds true in medical practices, political policy making, and educational decisions in our schools across America. Success is indicated by a percentage of positive outcomes by a larger group then a similar group that did not achieve the same "growth". We, as a society, rest on the laurels of our successes and we tout the percentages of those that have been impacted by the positive outcomes of our efforts. My fear is as the old saying goes, "If you sit on your laurels, you will only crush them." Our efforts should not be on partial success for the majority, but instead a constant move towards reaching the goal of all 100 sheep being in the fold.
    I am not suggesting that we shouldn't celebrate our successes and I certainly do want to give credit where it is due for such types of success, but what I want to really focus on is erasing the complacency that is created when we stand on the percent found instead of the one that was lost and is still out there searching for home. If our goal in life is only to have more in than out then I would suggest that failure has already found a seat beside you in your life's journey. If you feel comfortable with a 3 out of 4 ratio then you have learned to settle for less than the best possible. If you have gotten to a place where 80% is outstanding and your job is complete, then you are missing out on your true purpose in life. I'll say it again; your life is not about you!
     I want my life's story to be more about the one miss in the 3 out of 4 ratio, and I want my life's ambition to be found in helping the 20% that missed the mark, but still have worth and value. May your life be filled with a sense of urgency to seek out the hurt, the lost, and the one that is searching for you and his flock.
There was a man standing on the beach tossing sand dollars back into the ocean as they became stranded from the rolling tide. A second man observing the actions of the first commented to the first, "Surely you realize you can't save all of them." To which the first replied as he tossed another sand dollar back into the sea, "Saved that one."
Dear God, may our lives not be spent in complacency and false pride over our incomplete accomplishments. We are thankful for success and give thanks to you for that success, but Oh God may our hearts burn with a desire to not be satisfied with our successes, but instead be driven by the knowledge that there exists that one lost sheep that we must continue to seek out and find. In Your name we pray, Amen. 
Coach Carter

Swimming pools vs Swimming in the Ocean

     

Our family recently took a vacation to Navarre Beach, Florida down in the panhandle and it was actually just what the doctor ordered. Number one, spending time with family is just about my favorite thing to do, and second, listening to the waves, burying my toes in the sand, and playing around with our grandchildren from sun up till late in the evening leaves all of your worries in the rolling ocean tide. Well our one granddaughter, Ivy Ann wanted to spend more time in the pool area while I wanted to be down in the ocean most of the time, simply because as I explained to Ivy, if all we wanted to do was swim in a pool we could have done that without driving 10 hours to the beach. That worked with an eight-year old about like me explaining why it’s important to eat leafy green vegetables instead of chicken nuggets! That whole back and forth with Ivy did make me think quite a bit about the paradox of swimming in a pool or swimming in an ocean such as the Gulf of Mexico, and that led to today's Flat Tire Ministries thought for the week.
     For me, the choice was a no-brainer. I love snorkeling, diving into the waves, and trying not to get overtaken by the "Big Kahuna". There is nothing like laying in a chair under an umbrella watching and listening to the waves as they crash and then roll almost right up to your feet. To see the expansiveness of the ocean and realize that even beyond the horizon the ocean’s waters can carry us around the world is a day dreamer’s paradise.  For Ivy, on the other hand, I guess the pool offers a certain level of comfort and safety that she didn't feel while she was out in the ocean. The likelihood of a wave knocking you over and rolling you up on the beach, the inability to see the bottom of the ocean, and the fact that critters such as jellyfish and sharks live there can make for a certain degree of reluctance and hesitation when interacting with the ocean. A swimming pool has boundaries, offers clear visibility where you are swimming, and markers on the side walls of a swimming pool offer information about how deep the water you are getting ready to swim is. I can see where pools would probably be more appealing to a child, it’s just to me pools offer a limited amount of opportunities to challenge yourself and the opportunity to explore and experience a new wave almost constantly doesn't exist in a swimming pool.      
      We face this same choice in life. We can choose to stay safe and swim around in the pool knowing where we are going, or even more so limiting ourselves with boundaries that keep us in a "safe zone". In our life's swimming pool we like to be able to see where the bottom of the pool is and to have signs on the side that warn us with "No Diving" and "No Lifeguard on Duty". Pools keep us safe with chemicals to balance the condition of the water and in some cases pools even have heaters that control the temperature of the water making it more comfortable and inviting. No wonder Ivy wanted to stay in the pool all day!
     Life is safe in the pool, if we aren't good swimmers we stay in the shallow end and ladders or steps are easily accessible if we want to get out of the pool, but life wasn't meant to be so measured and "safe". We make progress by challenging ourselves out in the waves of life. When we don't know exactly where the bottom is and we have to exert extra effort to keep from going under that is where we get stronger and we learn to swim a little better or else. Sure it’s safe to swim in life's wading pool, but we weren't created to swim inside a four-cornered watery box.
     I'll have to admit when I would finally agree to head up to our property's swimming pool it was quite a bit easier to supervise Ivy. I didn't really have to worry about her getting carried off with the tide or Jaws surfacing at any moment so I could almost nod off a little while she played in the end of the pool that wasn't over her head. But, that's swimming, not life. I don't want to live a life that has set parameters that keep me from moving on to bigger and better waves. I want to swim out to the place that's over my head and then ride that Big Kahuna in to the beach. Where’s your Big Kahuna? Are you swimming in the kiddie pool of life and limiting yourself and your capabilities? If you need some swimming lessons on how to challenge yourself and to move on out of that box you are doing laps in then make the move to get out of the pool and in to the ocean that is waiting for you to make the dive! You are not alone, our Heavenly Lifeguard is always with us. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
   Going deep! Coach Carter     

 

Father's Day Gift

     I am thankful for my children and so appreciative of the gifts and presents that they have given me over the years. Drawings, homemade cards, and other crafty items have always been favorites, but more than anything I value the time I get to spend with Rae, Ethan, and Bogi doing life together. Today being Father's Day, it is common practice that our children share gifts with dear old dad, but of significance to today's FTM, I'm a little more focused on the gift's that we dads give our children each and every day.
     Gifts come in varied sizes ranging from teddy bear size all the way up to 6 cylinder automatic level, but I'm actually thinking about the gifts we as dads give our children that will stay with our kids long after the wheels have rusted on those shiny new rims. As fathers we are responsible for teaching our children right from wrong, how to treat others like we would want to be treated, to be honest, to save more than we spend, to love when it might be easier to not, and to provide them with a work ethic that they can exemplify as they grow and mature into adulthood. If we give those gifts in abundance to our children not only will our legacy live on way after we are gone, but our children will have those gifts to call on each day as they face their own challenges and adversity in life. Proverbs 22:6 states it like this, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." An awesome responsibility for those of us that carry the title of "Dad". 
      As most things in life for every positive there is a negative and here in lies the warning to today's Flat Tire thought. We have the opportunity to train up a child in the way that he/she should go, but we must be careful because just as easy as it is to pass on positive qualities such as work ethic and placing others before self, it is just as easy to be the example of dishonesty, disrespect, or a self-centered mindset. Dads transfer both positive and negative attributes intentionally or in many cases unintentionally, but regardless they pass them down to their children. So, the point of today's message is not to remind the children to make dad a card or take him out to eat, but instead it is a warning to all dads that the gift you give to your children is a precious one and a critically important one for your children's future.
     Unfortunately, we lost our father back in 1994. But, that has helped me realize that our dad didn't leave us when his earthly body had to go, that event just opened the door to my understanding that he left us all three gifts that have made us into the adults we are today. When we die it just brings to the forefront the fact that our legacy, our imprint on our children's lives will guide them, shape them, and help determine whether they will be a quitter in life or if they will persevere regardless of what life throws their way. Thank you Joe E. Carter, for the gifts you gave me on Father's Day and every day that you lived your life.
Coach Carter

Deposits or Withdrawls?

    
     In the world of banking it’s all about deposits and withdrawals. Customers that frequent their local bank branch are more than likely going to complete one of two types of transactions. They will either be depositing funds into their account, or the patron will be making a withdrawal of funds from that aforementioned account. Obviously, the more you deposit and the less you withdraw the healthier your bank account will be when you need funds to pay the bills or for that unforeseen emergency repair bill. If you are financially wise and frugal you will more than likely also have a separate savings account or other money market account in which your deposits actually make money for your account. Adversely, if you are that person who doesn't even keep your account balanced and consistently makes withdrawals to the point of being overdrawn, your account isn't making you money it might actually be costing you money for overdraft fees or bounced check fees. It really isn't a hard concept to grasp, yet so many people struggle with the very idea of depositing more than you are withdrawing. In life that concept aptly applies as well. The more time we spend in our walk with God, deposit, the stronger our walk with Him will be. On the other hand, if we never create an account with God except when there is a crisis we are definitely on the deficit side of our faith account.
     Am I saying that only those who have a strong relationship with God get their prayers answered and their hardships are miraculously cured or healed? No way, the rain falls on all of us regardless of where we are on the relationship spectrum with God. (Matthew 5:45) So, if that's the case then why is it a good idea to spend time with God learning His truths and commands? If calamities strike equally to believers and non-believers then why would it matter if my faith account is on the positive or the negative? That my friend is the key to today's FTM thought.
     Just because I spend time each day reading God's word and praying daily for His mercy and grace to guide me doesn't mean that I am all of a sudden granted immunity from illness, afflictions, or adversity. None of us receive a "No Fees" account, and hardship hits me just like it does everyone else. The difference can be found in the deposits to withdrawals ratio. You see the more I spend time with God, the more time I turn to him to say thank you for all He has given me and done for me, the better equipped I am when those storms of life hit and I need to make a withdrawal from my account. Does that make the tragedy decrease in its level of discomfort and pain? More than likely not, but what it does do is provide me with strength and comfort so that I will be able to endure and persevere through the adversity.
     In banking the more you put in the bank the better your financial portfolio will be so you can pay for those unexpected car breakdowns or replacement appliances. In our walk with God the same holds true. The more time you spend getting to know God and learn to walk with Him in both the good times and the not so good times, the better able you will be at overcoming and thriving in your life. Maybe you should do an account reconciliation on your relationship with the Master Banker? If your account is out of balance there is no better time than today to make a proportional change in how much time you spend with your Lord and Savior.
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26

Coach Carter

 
Coach Carter

I Can't Ask Why? Only What?

     
   If you haven't noticed we are living in a very different sort of times today. So much division beyond what we formerly would have labeled normal.  Political party lines are bold, broad, and distinctively drawn. Race matters are enveloped in hatred and prejudice. Yet, probably the most alarming aspect of this new societal norms is the commonality of mass shootings by deranged individuals on innocent groups of men, women, and yes even our children. I scantly remember the day when one of the first mass shooting horrors happened and our country lowered the American flag in mourning. At the rate and frequency of such type of shootings today, if our leaders attempted to pay the same homage for the loss of life at the hands of a mentally unstable student or a disgruntled employee I fear our flags would have a new home found at half-mast. 
    These senseless acts of self-centered retribution or revenge are pointless, cowardly, and obviously demented in nature. When we see a "Breaking News" flash up on the screen our first and definitely normal reaction is to ask the most prevalent question, "Why?" Why would anyone do something so horrible and senseless? Why are demented individuals like these surfacing at such a rapid pace? Why are innocent lives being lost? I mean it’s pointless, inexplicable, and horrifying. So the question of "Why?" has merit.  
     The question of "Why?" is a tough one. Almost impossible to answer, but accompanied by a truth that transcends our human intellect. Without exception, one of the first responsibilities of those investigating an act of horror in this category is to establish motive. Guess what there isn't one that makes sense. As human as we are, we cannot justify or sort out enough information to explain
"Why?" For those that have a faith in a higher power, it might seem feasible to bend our knees and reach out to our Lord and ask God for an explanation, I certainly agree, but the question is not Why that we should be asking. For me I believe we are called to rely on our faith and instead of questioning the madness of the act, we should instead ask God "What?" What can we or are we supposed to be doing to help fight the madness that is plaguing our world?
      Way back in Genesis is the story of Joseph's journey through a series of life events that surely would have caused us to ask "Why me Lord?" Joseph didn't, he spent his time striving and eventually thriving to the point that his brothers that sold him into slavery came before him begging for grain and more importantly forgiveness. Joseph's response provides us with the mindset that we should use to approach our world's condition. "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." Evil does not produce good outcomes, evil produces evil outcomes. When we seek God and ask "What can we do to overcome evil?" God will reveal His plans for this life He has given each of us to live. 
      I can't explain why, I don't have that ability, but God provided this explanation in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord."As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." So our objective is not to ask for an explanation, our responsibility is to move towards action and ask God what it is He wants us to do. You may be the very one that has the key to unlock the door to the madness that is kidnapping our sanity! We must be diligent in seeking His will for this life we are living. Understanding that your life has a purpose, you just have to seek it and in regards to today's topic, you have to ask "What can I do to make a difference?" I don't have that answer so it won't be in today's blog. Just know this, Paul figured it out and shared it with all of us in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Maybe you need to read that again. Paul said ALL things, not just the things that we like or benefit us. Does God create evil? No. Does God enjoy innocence suffering? No. But if you read the verse from Romans, we can find comfort and guidance in the knowledge that ALL things work together for good in the end. Be sure to note that I am not trying to lessen the hurt or devastating damage that these horrific tragedies cause. I'm saying that it is our job is to ask what we can do to assure that we fulfill God's plan for the life He has given us to live. We place our hope in the promises of God. I will live my life in that promise! 
May God bless the United States of America and may I do all I can to fulfill His plan for this life He purposefully gave me to live!
Coach Carter