Captive

It’s the end of a long and exhausting day.  You say goodnight to your loved ones and slide your feet across the floor to your bed.  The soft pillow and mattress hug your tired body.  Your muscles finally relax, your mind stops racing, and you doze off.

 It might have been the vibrations of the thud caused by the doorknob slamming against the wall—somewhere—downstairs…Or was it the smashing sound and cracking wood, just seconds before that thud?  Something unnatural pierced your dreams and pulled you awake.  Maybe it was the sound, still continuing, of thundering drums spreading throughout your house.  You’re frozen, but instant courage surges through your body at the thought of your child.

 You spring from your bed and reach for the bedroom door.  The sudden explosion of force causes you to recoil, but not before the whipping door catches the back of your hand.  Pain.  Fear—someone is in front of you, several people, and you can’t see their faces.  Why? Everything is happening too fast.  Your mind tries to…they lurch at you with a black cloth aimed at your face.  Darkness!

 You awake on cold stone.  Your muscles hurt.  Where is this?  You spread your fingers wide and rub the floor until you hit a wall.  Your hands help construct a mental picture of the room, too short to stand straight and too narrow to stretch out.  You’re alone, but somebody put you there, the same somebody that has to be outside the room.

“HELP!”

 No answer and no contact forces your mind to attempt  solving this problem…problem?  This is more than a problem!  You’re in this room and your loved ones…oh God!  What happened to them at the house?  Are they okay? 

“Somebody, ANSWER ME!  Where’s my family!”

 Still no contact.  Another day passes.  What did you do?  Your mind wanders to places you long forgot about.  Was it that dumb thing you did in high school that caused this?  Surely not.  What about that time in college, with that group?  No, one night couldn’t justify being locked away.  For the life of you, you can’t figure it out.

 Another day passes.  Still no contact.  You start remember all the wrong things you did in the past, even that time you pocketed that piece of candy.  You’re going crazy.  You hear your name echoing off the cold wet walls, but it’s in the voice of those left in the house.  Your mind can’t take this torture.  Your body can’t go another day without food.  All you need is…

 “Hey.”

You shoot up, smack your head on the low ceiling, crumple to the floor, and pull yourself to the door.  A rectangle of light appears and a set of eyes find you on the floor.  Contact!  Someone else is out there.  You’re not alone.  You start to speak, but a thousand questions bottleneck in your throat.  Before your mind untangles the words, they speak again.

“They’re going to put you to death.”

Shriek—Snap!  The light is gone.  They eyes of judgment vanished.  Put you to death?  Why?!  What did you do?

The next few hours feel like forever.  Your mind focuses on self preservation and justification.  You want answers!

But then you shift your thinking to your loved ones.  Are they okay?  Will they be fine when you’re gone?  You simply want to see them again.

Then you accept the sentencing.  You face your fears.  You know you’re going to die soon, and all you want is to see your loved ones one last time…one last hug…one last kiss.  You want to say goodbye.  The coming death now looks better than the confinement of this cell.

 The ground begins to shake.  That rectangle of light returns and spreads to the edges of the entrance.  Fresh air rushes into the cell and caresses your face.  The outside world has finally been given to you, but only for a moment as they are going to lead you to your death.  In the sudden brightness, you can only see the hand that is inches from your face.  You reach out and grab it to stand.

“Let me help you.”

You shake your head at the words.  Help?  Why would they want to help?  They haven’t answered any of your cries.  They haven’t spoken to you about your family.  They have offered you nothing this entire time.  Then it hits you.  This person is not with those who captured you.  A swift hope rises in your soul. 

The hand that helped you up touches your face.  It wipes away the tears you didn’t know you were crying.  The hand gently brings your face to his chest, and strong arms slide over your shoulders, across your back, and firmly squeeze you…safety.

In that moment, you become as before; you want answers and answers and answers.  But his voice shakes away the questions and brings stillness to your heart.

“I’m here to represent you.  The charges against you call for death.  You’ve come to realize that you’re guilty, but I’m here to take your place.”

You begin to cry harder.  Images of your family bombard your mind.  They will get to see you again.  You will experience freedom once more.  Your life isn’t over, and your death sentence is  being taken by…

“Why?” you ask.

“Because I love you.”

How could they love you?  They don’t even know you.  You don’t even know who he…

“Who are you?”

The single word sticks with you for the rest of your life.  You whisper it when you hear your child’s laughter, when your spouse kisses you, when that blessing comes at the right moment.  That word ignites every passion you feel and joins happiness to your soul every day.  That single word frees you from your sins that held you captive in that cell.

And every time you say it, you feel as free as when he rescued you…Jesus!

Pieces of Dougan

Have you ever been comfortable in daily routines, but a piece of you longs for a life that seems unobtainable?  You like your job, your friends, and the little things that get you through the week, but a passion for something greater pulls at your heart.  You know you belong somewhere else…anywhere else.

If so, you’ll easily relate to Dougan, one of four main characters in “Pieces”.  Dougan is a truck driver who hauls lumber across North America.  He enjoys the open highways and conversations with friends on his CB radio.  But Dougan has a wife that needs him back home in Washington State…or is it his need to be with her?  When her health takes a turn for the worse, his adventures on the road end and compassion drives him back to his love.

Pieces by Donald Stidham available August 22nd on Amazon.com

The Most Important Person In History…Is You.

Some days, you feel tiny; everything you do has such a little effect on anything.  Other days, you get complimented on details you thought nobody would notice—a small thing becomes a huge gesture in another’s eyes.  Regardless of the day, the simple truth is that you are the most important person in the history of this world.  Why?

You may not have invented a vaccine or revolutionary device that changes the way a majority of people live, but at the same time, those inventors didn’t create the single most important thing for your life.  When you’re out of balance, those around you suffer.  When your “A” game is in the rearview, your loved ones don’t get the best of you.  When you’re depressed or sad, everyone has to change to get your attention.  So you are the center of the universe.

The truth is, Einstein or a government cannot and will never be able to create a way for your soul to enter Heaven.  Now, that brings your yesterdays and tomorrows into focus.  Jesus didn’t just die for your neighbor, but for you as well.  He wants a close relationship with you, because of the cost of that sacrifice.  Close your ears and eyes to all the noise and distractions around you.  Let your family and friends become a blur until all that remains is the oxygen in your lungs and complete silence to hear God’s voice…this is why you are the most important person ever; this is where you secure your soul’s future.

Once security is established, you will learn the a few truths that change everything about life as you know it.  “Love the Lord God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.”  When you seek to understand that statement, balance returns to your life, your loved ones benefit, and your eyes are opened for the first time.  The world becomes beautiful, and purpose has a new driving force.  You become worth something so much greater than every invention ever created.  You have a future and a place to call home.

And with new eyes, a refined heart, and clear vision, you will begin to understand that you are NOT the most important person in history, but Jesus is.  You can begin to view the world through His eyes.  You are already taken care of, but some people you know are not.  You can take your eyes off of the mirror and see why you have been placed in this specific time in history.  You can soar high, like an eagle, and become a change-maker.  You have a talent that brings joy to your life; use it for God’s glory.  Imagine every person you know walking into a dark room—you are that dark room—it’s time to flip the switch and turn the lights on.  The explosion of light will change their world.

Rewind. Pause. Love.

Rewind—The Taliban’s declaration of holy war…Gulf War, Iran, Vietnam….  Rewind—Cuban Revolution, Korean War, WW II, Chinese Civil War, Irish War of Independence, WW I, Mexican Revolution….  Rewind—Comanche Campaign, American Civil War, Texas Indian Wars, War of 1812, Napoleonic Wars, French Revolution, American Revolutionary War, King George’s War… Rewind—Great Northern War, Spanish Conquest, War of the Roses, The Crusades, Chinese War, Roman Servile Wars, Greek Punic Wars….  Rewind all the starvation and deaths caused by political power (Stalin) or indecision.  Rewind to all the moments in human history where a single decision is about to affect a large number of fellow human beings.  Pause and Stop.

Erase greed, power, hatred, and all the other vile motives commonly referred to as Sin.  Insert Love.  What would have happened if love, inspiration, and kindness were in the hearts of those rising up and making a declaration for their people?  What if each person dropped their weapons and extended a hand of friendship?

History cannot be changed, but what if every single person made the decision to live life to its fullest, be content with what they had, were not jealous of what the next person accomplished, had an urgency to help the struggling because the struggling fell into a class of those actually trying…what if we put love in our hearts and suited up for the greatest battle in all of mankind—the battle against our own hearts.  What if we each trained to keep ourselves in check, keep negativity at bay, keep evil from rising within?  What if we reached out to others to help keep us in line, to prevent a single person from rising above love?  What if our goal was to preserve the collective love all of us established together?

Now, resume Play.  Would the world have been a different place?  Would it have been worth it to keep a single child from experiencing starvation, or a father from feeling the cold steel of a sword, or a mother from catching a live grenade, or a sister from coughing in a gas chamber, or a brother from being trampled, or a family from dying in a plague?

History cannot be changed, but tomorrow is yet written….

Pieces of Love

We give a piece of ourselves to others through love; our daughters, our sons, our wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, friends and acquaintances all take a piece of our hearts.  Through relationships, those pieces come back to us and complete a joy.  Never regret giving a piece of yourself away.  Don’t let that piece become tainted with hatred for a piece of your heart will always be a piece of love.  The more love you give away the more beautiful you become.  We’re all broken in one way or another, but together we’re a masterpiece.  

Golf: Every Sport In One Game?

I’ve come to learn that golf incorporates almost every sport known to man.  If you haven’t played the game, then you might argue that golfing is boring, lazy, and downright tormenting.  But you’d be surprised at the range of sports you’ll find…on the course.

1.    You hit the ball in the sand—Beach Polo.

2.    Your ball lands in a nest of fire ants—Hopscotch.

3.    The perfect drive hooks into a house—100 yard dash.

4.    Another golfer pockets your ball—Gladiators.

5.    A swarm of bees finds you interesting—Fencing (your 9 iron is truly a sword).

6.    Your pitching wedge floats the ball to within inches—Layup (Basketball).

7.    Fairway wood plus the tree in front of you—Backstroke (Swimming).

8.    200 yard drive plus 50 yard bounce off cart path—Homerun (Baseball).

9.    Perfect shot, but the stream catches your ball instead—Interception (Football).

10.   9 Iron loft hits an embankment and bounces back—Volleyball.

11.   Your ball lands amongst exposed tree roots—Kickball or Soccer.

12.   You chip a shot, only to realize a stick or pinecone was in front of your ball—Net (Tennis).

13.   Your teammate tosses a ball at you while you’re trying to drive—Handball.

14.   Your new Taylormade ball lands in the lake—Scuba Diving.

15.   Another golfer nearly hits you with their ball—Boxing.

16.   10 feet off the green, but you still think you can putt—Hockey.

17.   The perfect shot, a hole in one—Golf.

 

The list can surely go on, but one thing is for certain…golf is the most competitive sport played because your greatest opponent is yourself.  So, bring your swimming trunks, cleats, sunscreen, and tent because you’re going to experience everything from beachfront properties to camping in the woods.

Liquid Love

Your love tries to drain me, but I won’t let it be—I have my bottle of water.

The first time we met, under my arms were wet—thank you D.O. for working harder.

The first time we kissed, there was a mist on my lips, but it disappeared with passion.

When we said “I do”, my forehead resembled dew—tux sleeves are just big napkins.
Sweat on my chest; let’s not mention the rest—that first time we made love.

Streams down my cheeks, at our baby’s first squeak—experiencing my first “little hug”.

Water on my brow, learning how to plow—digging dirt to experience gardening.

No liquid in my brain, fighting this migraine—but smiling as you watch Tonya Harding.

My socks are soaking wet, I smell like a pet—mowing just to keep you at bay.

My eyes won’t stop pouring, this onion is roaring—for you, I replicate Bobby Flay.

My back is a lake, this shirt you can take—painting every room a different shade.

Now I’m ready to quit, there’s sweat in my knee pit—hiking a mountain for play.

Is this sweat in my hair?  Hey, I don’t care—about to toss you into the ocean.

My arms are completely covered, my muscles quiver—rubbing your back with lotion.

I’m forced to hydrate.  For you, my mate—because I try to rise above.

I may smell like a horse, but with no remorse—for you, I drip liquid love.

Adventures With Your Children: This week…Build A Fire

It’s officially camping season!  But you don’t have to pack all the gear into your car and head for the mountains to build a fire.  Get a few bricks from your local hardware store, make a circle in your back yard, and create a place where children’s imaginations flourish.  A fire attracts bugs, burning wood creates a wonderful display of colors, the stars fill the night sky, and nature provides the ambiance.  When the flames start to rise, so will your child’s eyebrows.

Think of all the wonderful things you can do around a fire…make s’mores, have a picnic, bundle up next to your little one, and tell stories.  You see, the fire will be the center of attention, which will take the pressure off you to be the hero for the moment, but as the night goes along, you will take center stage again.  Tell a wonderful story and have your child chime in with plot twists.  Hand out goodies and treats, while mimicking the strangest voice you can muster.  Play hide and seek in the dark.

Your child already wants to go outside.  Everybody loves a fire.  Who can resist chocolate and lemonade while the moon is glowing?  This adventure begins with the spark of a match and continues into a world of adventure.

Adventures With Your Children--Give 3 Things and Ask of 3 Things.

Children can easily fall victim to routine; they get home from school and expect to do their homework, get to watch a favorite show, play with their toys, get ready for bed, and fall asleep.  So, when they ask for something that usually happens several times a week, it probably doesn’t inspire them.  This week, let’s work on that inspiration and motivation by first giving three things and then doing three things.

Giving can be easy, simple, cheap, or elaborate and expensive.  If your child absolutely loves The Bubble guppies, then you can give your child your presence and attention.  Sit on the floor with them and interact while the show is on.  They will probably explain to you each character and what they find fascinating about the show.  By the end of the show, I promise your child will be more interested in The Bubble Guppies, then if you were in the kitchen washing dishes and they were alone.

Now, your child sees that you gave them something, and it’s your turn to ask for something—out of the ordinary.  Get the real bubbles out and go into the back yard.  Ask your child to join you and start the adventure.  Who can blow the biggest bubble?  Where are the bubbles going when they soar off to the neighbor’s yard?  What happens to the bubble when it pops?

After your initial request, you child might begin to imagine doing different things—out of their usual routine—and it’s now your chance to shine.  Be ready to grant their next request because it could include going to the park to blow bubbles this time.

By giving something simple and asking for something simple, you will show your child that you are genuinely interested in their perspective, their imagination, their world.  When you step into that world, you become larger than life…and the real adventure begins.

Adventures With Your Children--Powerful Crayons!

This week…Colors unlock your child’s imagination.

Your child may be six months old or thirty-five, but there is a magical wand that needs to be placed in their hand—a crayon.  The littlest ones may try to color their teeth, a six year old tries to stay in the lines, a ten year old recreates intelligence, a sixteen year old expresses beauty, a twenty-five year old conveys their emotions, and forty year olds colors laughter.  Crayons express imaginations on many different levels.

The selection of the picture doesn’t matter…it’s what happens when the mind starts racing to create something special.  A purple unicorn, orange sun, blue grass, and pink bunny doesn’t make sense, but the words coming out of your child’s mouth while this is happening will bring so much understanding to your soul.

“Daddy, the lion is brown, but he has red hair because you have red hair.  He can run fast, just like you, and he likes to give hugs.”  “Mommy, the princess has a pretty dress like you.  Her favorite food is macaroni and cheese and chocolate ice cream, just like me.”

I promise you, it doesn’t matter if the lines are crossed, colors mixed, or pages wrinkled, the outcome is simply beautiful.  Conversations come easier with a crayon in hand.  Fond memories surface and aspirations unfold.  If you really want to know what’s going on in your child’s life, take fifteen minutes, lay out the crayons, and start coloring with your them.  An adventure is waiting in your child’s mind…and you are the main character.

Adventures With Your Children

This week…Story Time With Your Children

There are plenty of books, conferences, shows (both radio and television), and lesson plans out there for men and women who aspire to be great parents.  They can have different aspects, advice, agendas, and outcomes, but one thing they have in common is quality time with the child.  The Adventures of Bubba and Sissy is going to run with that commonality.

Week One is for story time.  This week, pick out seven different books and set aside time to read one each day.  Devote yourself to this time.  Turn off your phone, computer, and television and simply read.  Don’t let the words of the book fall flat from your lips; discover each page, critique the pictures, and let your child express themselves through their imaginations.

When you’re finished reading the book, let the real adventure begin.  Run to the living room and play out the roles of the characters in your chosen book.  Let your child dictate the outcome of the real adventure.  Interact with their imagination and let your own imagination join their world.  Leave behind skepticism and realistic outcomes and delve into the world of your child’s imagination.  Transport yourself back to childhood and become your child’s best friend.

I assure you that quality time in reality will transcend into your child’s dreams.  You already are their hero, so it’s time to become their super-hero.  Remember, a child is constantly analyzing the world’s input and making decisions that you may never know about.  Become the beacon of positive light to their souls.

This week, read…let life become an adventure…starting today.

The Adventures of Bubba and Sissy: Week 1

Week 1

There are plenty of books, conferences, shows (both radio and television), and lesson plans out there for men and women who aspire to be great parents.  They can have different aspects, advice, agendas, and outcomes, but one thing they have in common is quality time with the child.  The Adventures of Bubba and Sissy is going to run with that commonality.

Week One is for story time.  This week, pick out seven different books and set aside time to read one each day.  Devote yourself to this time.  Turn off your phone, computer, and television and simply read.  Don’t let the words of the book fall flat from your lips; discover each page, critique the pictures, and let your child express themselves through their imaginations.

When you’re finished reading the book, let the real adventure begin.  Run to the living room and play out the roles of the characters in your chosen book.  Let your child dictate the outcome of the real adventure.  Interact with their imagination and let your own imagination join their world.  Leave behind skepticism and realistic outcomes and delve into the world of your child’s imagination.  Transport yourself back to childhood and become your child’s best friend.

I assure you that quality time in reality will transcend into your child’s dreams.  You already are their hero, so it’s time to become their super-hero.  Remember, a child is constantly analyzing the world’s input and making decisions that you may never know about.  Become the beacon of positive light to their souls.

This week, read…let life become an adventure…starting today.

Small

When the world was big, was it easier to live?

I think probably, because your closeness existed only in my heart.

So, when the world got smaller and you much larger,

It was my heart that got torn apart.

You see, once a letter would suffice, then the picture appeared.

Now my sight became connected to my soul.

Suddenly, I was able to hear your voice from miles away.

Hearing joined the struggle, and my emotions paid the toll.

Away from you, my memory could be controlled and the tears held back,

But now all my senses have been dragged into this war.

Virtual reality constructs a false you and gives you a voice.

You’re standing in front of me, and I can’t take much more.

Sunlight dances off your skin as your laughter tickles a breeze.

You say nothing, but I hear every word.

So, I draw closer to you, without you even knowing.

Soon you will be of infinite worth.

If I could just reach out and touch you and take out my glue,

I would piece together our broken past.

In your eyes, I’m superhuman and can conquer every evil,

But distance finally brings me to my knees, at last.

Have you ever thought about how radio unites people?  It used to be a local thing.  Then, radio began to spread across the nation.  Now, a radio station located in the United States can be heard around the world, on the Internet, and on smart phones.

Have you ever been in church and looked around at all the people praising God and wondered if He was smiling at the united worship?  Take that concept and apply it to radio.  On Air1, listeners call in and thank the station for playing the right song at the right moment.  Music is a tool that that can change lives.  Christian music, a form of worship by a single artist, can transform multitudes of people who lift their voices in praise to God.

Now, I wonder if God is smiling down, not at a single church, but at a world who lifts their praise to Him when a worship song comes on a radio station and people start singing along; a woman on her way to work sings in her car, a man sings along while shaving in the morning—more difficult than you can imagine, a little girl sings from the back seat of her car on the way to school.  All these voices, lifted in one accord, and God smile proudly at the praise.

I think the best example of this is the Newsboys newest release, “We Believe.”  A Christian believes that Jesus paid the ultimate price for sin and died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave three days later, went to Heaven to be with God, and will come back to save the world.

Listen to this song, sing along with others, and remember that each time you hear this on the radio, multitudes of people are praising God right along with you.

Belief--The Single Most Important Thing...

Why is “belief” the single most important thing for the future—starting with the past, working toward the present, and heading into tomorrow?

With belief, one can attempt anything.  The outcome might not be as expected, but the attempt is what matters.

In a relationship without belief in the other person, it won’t last long.  But the relationship where both parties believe in each other can overcome any obstacle.

Now, let’s look at the spiritual importance and place it in 2014.  A video shows up on youtube of a boy throwing a basketball from a helicopter and it swishes through the net a hundred feet below.  You have a choice to believe that the clip is authentic, or you can doubt it.  A camera can capture a spacecraft hovering over a field and claim to be aliens (yes, I did just bring extra terrestrial life into this), but you have a choice to believe it or not.  What about the perspective of those capturing amazing moments with a camera or cell phone?

The shot was made! It took 85 attempts, but the shot was made! There are witnesses to this event, and it was recorded with our technology.  Why don’t people believe it happened?  Because there exists technologies to edit videos and tamper with the truth.  Now, we’re on to something.

Why do people doubt the Bible and its authenticity?  They had a method of recording events, and they did it.  Jesus walked on water! I saw it and wrote it down! Why do people question it actually happened?  Because someone could have made it up?

There’s the answer to why belief is the single most important thing for the future.  If you don’t believe in something, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  If you don’t believe in something, it can’t affect you.  If you don’t believe in yourself, then you can’t accomplish greatness.  Belief is what makes us strong…pushes us to higher levels…binds us with each other…brings God closer to us.

Controlling the God Encounters

     It almost seems too easy to change history today by overanalyzing and twisting perceptions.  Your friend comes up to you with a pale face, racing heart, and stammering words.  “I saw a ghost!” they shout.  You begin the process of dissecting the event.  “Where were you? What time was it?  What happened?”  They walk you through the event—with passion in their words.  The event obviously altered their perception and impacted them.  Now comes your choice to believe or reject their story.

     Most people would be skeptical and want to experience the ghostly encounter before diving off the cliff of sanity and believing that ghosts exist.  You decide to visit this haunted house and find out for yourself if ghost wander the hallways of the condemned house.  Nothing happens to you.  You don’t brush shoulders with the undead.  You go on believing that ghosts don’t exist.  A year later you do the same thing—same results.  Another year passes, and you’ve come to a point where you want to believe because of the impact it had on your friend.  This time, you actually see a hovering spirit.  You believe!

     You rush to your friend and share your experience with them.  But they’ve had time to question the original sighting and came to the conclusion that ghosts don’t exist and the event was just an emotional response to a hallucination.  “What!? No! You actually saw the same thing and experienced it.  Why are they changing the past?

     Belief does that to us sometimes.  If we’re not careful, we can do the same thing to our faith.  God enters our personal space and touches us. It changes us and we run around—on fire with this encounter.  Time passes, and the inferno becomes a dwindling flame.  But don’t hurt yourself by nitpicking the event that sparked change in your life and concluding that you somehow had control over God’s appearance.  Don’t question it so much that you step back, take a different aspect, change your perspective, step back into the role, and convince yourself that something else took place.  You can’t rewrite history in honesty.