TERRORISTS JUST AREN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE

I spent the afternoon at the Sheriff's training location. Known as Laser Village, they no longer use lasers and M.I.L.E.S. gear. These days they use paint cartridges. They sting. I played the bomb-vested terrorist-on-a-bus. My job was to scare the assault team into shooting me. I did a good job. Got shot in the bomb vest which I didn't feel. Got shot in both arms, which I did.

If you've seen the movie S.W.A.T. it was something like the airplane assault in training. Training like this is something like playing Army as a kid, but much more stressful when you know that even sim-munitions sting like the devil.

Good training. The assault teams had to think on their feet and discriminate between legitimate targets and bystanders. This makes good sense and trains our law enforcement people to think and not develop a "target practice" mentality. I am pleased to have been of use. Full disclosure; I volunteered to be a person-most-likely-to-be-shot. Here are my "Red Badges of Courage."

GOD LOVES LOSERS

There are many reasons why God wouldn't want to use people like you or me. But don't worry, God has a heart for losers. Insulted? Don't be. Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't fit. Paul rejected John Mark. Hosea's wife was a prostitute. Amos' only training was in the school of pain. Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old. David was too young. Timothy had ulcers. Peter was afraid of death. Lazarus was dead. John was self-righteous. Naomi was a widow. Paul was a murderer. So was Moses. Jonah ran from God. Miriam was a gossip. Gideon and Thomas both doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal. Elijah was burned out. John the Baptist was a loudmouth. Martha was a worrywart. Mary was lazy. Samson was rebellious. Noah got drunk.

Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter and Paul - well, lots of folks did. God doesn't require a job interview. He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses, because He's more our Dad than our boss. God doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, nor blind to our need.

As much as we try to make a profit of them, God's gifts are free. We could do wonderful things for wonderful people, and still not be wonderful people ourselves. The Accuser says, "You're not worthy." Jesus says, "So what? I AM." The Accuser looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the cross. He doesn't calculate what you did years ago or even days ago! Why, it's not even on His record. Sure, there are many reasons why God shouldn't want us. But just like a parent He is utterly in love with us. If we hunger for Him, if we are simply willing, He'll use us in spite of who we are or where we've been.

VERTICAL ENVELOPMENT

While camping this past week, our peaceful desert refuge was invaded by the U.S. Marines. Vh22 Ospery's, The Marine's new multi-mission, tilt rotor aircraft, did touch-and-goes for two days just over the ridge from us. Flew right over our camp a number of times. Here is a video I shot.

HOW I SPENT MY DESERT RUN VACATION

Took a ride in a Sand Rail at Ocotillo Wells. That's my friend, Captain  Mark Schwartzel in the driver's seat.
And here's two more.

30th ANNUAL DESERT RUN

For the past ten years I have been making the trek each January down to Occotillo Wells on Highway 78. It's a tiny burg in California's southern desert about half way between San Diego and Palm Springs. For things to do, it Rivals Nevada's "Loneliest Road in America" for variety.Why do we go? It's one of the few places left in the state where you can go off-roading almost completely unhindered by Nanny State regulations. Most of the guys on the Run will bring dirt bikes. A few will haul dune buggys. Me? I enjoy hiking the barren hills.





The Desert Run was started by my buddy CAPT. Mark Schwartzel lo, these many years ago. He wanted a way to get out of the city and go camping with his sons. Ocitillo Wells is Hard Camping--Grapes of Wrath Camping. We have to haul in everything we need including water. This is not some flossy, Holiday Inn, Lets-go-across-the-street-to-the-shopping-center-and-spa camping. This is the real He-Man Right Stuff.


Seriously, it's a great time to get away and just be a guy. We throw rocks at cans, explore wind caves, sit around the campfire telling lies... I mean, "stories." We get filthy dirty. We use a latrine. We leave the deodorant at home. We sometimes get accused of doing this to keep women away. But, c'mon, most women turn up their noses at the lack of amenities anyway.

The highlight of the trip is Saturday night. The boys spend two days building a huge bonfire which is lit after dark. The leaping flames provide illumination for the dreaded "Yahoo Ceremony" (no, it has nothing to do with the internet) Since the trip involves rocks, high speed machinery, and males, (Thank GOD there is a prohibition on alcohol) Somebody is bound to mess up. The "Yahoo" is the biggest goof--safety wise--of the Run.

Inspired by the fine old Navy practice of hazing sailors who cross the equator, International Date Line or the arctic circle, the Yahoo Ceremony involves hilariously unpleasant things. Lets just say it inspires a desire not to be a Yahoo again.

Loading up the car today. I can't wait. Blunoz, if you're ever in California in January, come on down.

POINT OF VIEW

To most people, this is simply a rare, cool picture of a nuclear submarine in its element. To submariners, its a freaking nightmare. If you can see it, you can sink it.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

 

Sometimes I think Church giving ought to be listed as a "Leading Economic Indicator."

10-14: COP SPEAK FOR "BACK TO WORK"

Well, its been a pleasant, quite lazy Christmas vacation. Our kids, who live nearby carried the brunt of the holiday hosting. All the decorations are down and packed away. Karen has gone back to teaching Third Grade. I am sitting here procrastinating over my To-Do list by writing this post.

Fun Time is over. Time to get back to work. I've already got a full month ahead of me. I'm going to a men's retreat on Thursday. I won't be home until late Saturday so I need to crank out... er, make that "create" a deep, blessing-filled Sunday message. I need to pack and shop for the trip: as a diabetic I need dry ice to keep my insulin cold for several days.

Next week is a killer. I have to help Karen's students build "Energy Efficient Homes" which I've already pre-built for their science project. That will take Monday and Wednesday. On Tuesday I am going to the Sheriff's Laser Village to participate in training academy trainees: I get to role play a belligerent citizen.
On Thursday I have a Chaplains Executive Committee meeting; also in LA. Then I'll go back to Laser Village for Night Exercise Training. We'll round off the week with our stint at cleaning the church on Saturday.

I'm already exhausted, and there's still two more weeks left in the New Month. ...Maybe I'll just go back to bed.

REFLECTIONS ON "BOXING DAY"

Boxing day, a British "holiday," is traditionally the day after Christmas. I put the "holiday" in quotes because I don't consider work a holiday. For the Patterson's, Boxing Day is traditionally New Years Day. We like to watch the Rose Parade as we de-decorate the tree, boxing up the ornaments, ribbon and garland. This year the parade falling on Monday put the joyous celebration off by a day.

So we slept in and got to work this morning. As we sipped coffee, watched the parade, and de-cluttered, I couldn't help grousing about the transitory nature of Christmas. I mean, c'mon; we just put all this stuff up a month ago. All that work--twice in a month--for a holiday. Granted, it's Christmas; theologically, the second biggest holiday after Easter. But Easter doesn't get nearly the festive, garlandy attention we accord to December twenty-fifth.

Thinking about it, I did see a life lesson in all this fussy busyness. Many things in life follow the same pattern. We look forward to some event, or accomplishment. Often, there is much preparation to be done before the event. And, accomplishments? You know those things don't happen without prep work, often scads of it.

Finally, the great day arrives: Sound the trumpets! All that effort pays off. Whether large or small it's a day to rejoice and remember... And then--just like that--it's over. All that work for a single moment in time, gone again.

The First Noel was like that. God put, not years of work into the incarnation, but millennia. The creation, the patriarchs, the nation of Israel, the family of David, the kingdom, the prophets battling idolatry, the Babylonian captivity, the return, the second temple, the Maccabees, the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, the Annunciation, the overshadowing of the Spirit, the Angelic assurance to Joseph, the poorly timed trip to Bethlehem, the Heavenly Host, the birth, the shepherds... And as Mary pondered these things in her heart it was already time to move on. We can't celebrate Birthday everyday. We have to get ready for the cross.

We shouldn't be surprised when our lives follow the same pattern. After all, bio-rhythm is God's idea in the first place.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

When my friend Herb was a rifleman in Vietnam he figured it would be the toughest thing he would ever do in his life. He has discovered he was dead wrong. Some years after he rotated home he became a Christian. Now he knows that living for Christ is the toughest thing in life.

We are engaged in spiritual warfare. We are deployed in hostile territory with a mission to win hearts and minds. We have orders to train up our troops and go behind the lines on Combat Search and Rescue missions.

God has given us spiritual weapons: "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5  

and spiritual armor with which to withstand the enemy: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:10-18 

We are not to use the weapons of our enemies—intimidation, guilt, whining, etc. When the battle gets hot and the enemy is pressing hard we have the ability to call in God’s Air Strike through prayer. It is God’s responsibility to provide the power, the means and the protection. It is our responsibility to stand firm using the weapons God has provided.