Who is scared of the dark? If we are honest, most of us are. From childhood on there is a natural fear of the dark. Of course in reality it’s not the dark we’re afraid of, it’s what we can’t see that scares us. When you are lost in the dark it is only natural to feel the onslaught of worst-case-scenarios threaten to overtake you. In the dark, even the most mundane objects can become terrifying monsters, and closets become the devils playground.

We read in Psalms 23 about the “valley of the shadow of death,” and what would be more terrifying and seem further from God than being plunged into the darkness of the “Valley of Death”. We have all walked there, and felt the despair of the shadow valley, and we have all tasted the fear that is the darkness.

Sometimes these valley trips are short, sometimes they feel like long seasons, and sometimes they last so long we are convinced that the valley and its shadows are all there is and the light was only a dream. Perhaps you’ve been there. Been in a place that is so dark that the pain and dread overwhelm you and you know that you will die in this valley. You are not alone there.

But in the darkness there is a curious truth about shadows. It is a truth the shadows would rather you not remember. Shadows are cast by light, and the darker the shadow the brighter and more intense the light must be. How true it is that when we see our darkest shadows it means the light is shining on us the brightest…we’re just looking the wrong way.

Even in the deepest darkness we are never absent from the light. Being in God’s light doesn’t mean there are no shadows and no pain; it means that God is shining on you with grace and love. And it is by God’s good grace and God’s love that we are given hope to walk this road, even through the valley. We all must visit the shadow valley, but it is not our home. God is home, we live in the far country.

Below is a prayer that was given to me by a wise man. I kept it with me during a trip through the valley. I hope it speaks truth to you. Also links to previous talks on this subject.

God is everywhere.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in everything I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may do nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

~ Thomas Merton

Also see previous posts
The Bad Times Will Come & More on the Bad Times (video)

 

This is a favorite song of mine by Andrew Peterson (all of his songs are favorites). It is amazingly humbling as it describes God’s love. I hope it finds its way onto one of his next albums. This video was shot at a concert in Atlanta the Tiff and I went to.

The Four Loves

Four kinds of loves said the man to me
Hey, four loves I’ve learned
The first is the love for the friend and the kin
Those that will love in return
The first is the love for the friend and the kin
Hey, four loves I’ve learned

Four kinds of loves said the man to me
Hey, four loves I’ve learned
Second is love in the face of indifference
Love that is never returned
Second is love in the face of indifference
Hey, four loves I’ve learned

Four kinds of loves said the man to me
Hey, four loves I’ve heard
Third is the love for the ones who despise
Who answer your blessing with curse
Third is the love for the ones who despise you
Hey, four loves I’ve learned

Four kinds of loves said the man to me
Hey, four loves in the by and by
The greatest love is for those who would kill you
And gather to watch as you die
The greatest love is for those who would kill you
Four loves in the by and by

Then I replied to the man to the man
There is a love that is greater still
The Greatest love is to see what you love
As he’s battered and beaten and killed
And to love like a son every murderous one
In spite of the sound of the hammers that rung
In sight of the innocent blood that runs
Oh there’s a love that’s greater still

Then said I to the man to the man
Oh give thanks to God above
It was you and I with the hammer in hand
You and I drew the blood
Give thanks to God said I to the man
Hey five kinds of love

As a disclaimer, you will find no spiritual insight or really any redeeming qualities in the following ramblings, but I felt it was extremely important for me to address a growing problem in our super markets. That’s right, things have gotten out of control at our once peaceful grocery store…or as I like to call it the food distribution experience…and I’m not even talking about the misuse of the self checkout (I would talk about the self checkout but blood pressure has been a little high lately and I think that discussion might just finish me off).

Anyway, in the beginning there was the shopping basket. This was a revolutionary step forward in shopping. Finally we were free of the burden of carrying each and every item we longed to purchase. With the advent of the basket we could easily carry 5-8 items and all was well. But if the basket was a step forward, then the shopping cart was our onramp to the shopping super highway. With the shopping cart it was possible to collect a week’s, nay a month’s worth groceries or at least a couple of heavy things when you’re parked far away and you know what a pain it is to try and get those out to the car, anyway.

The shopping cart made the grocery store not a regular stop but an event, or at least a way to spend the better part of a Saturday. Shopping was now something to be planned. Coupons had to be cut, lists had to be made, and cart placement for each item became essential (cold stuff together, bread and eggs in the top section, etc).

And all was well. The basket/cart system served us for over two decades. Then it all went sideways. It started innocently enough (these things always do). We were introduced to those kid friendly monstrosities, the cart/car combo. These 6 wheel-behemoths have the ability to block an entire aisle and take roughly 30 feet of clearance to safely turn in the store. And somehow they seem to always be driven by 90lbs moms with multiple kids and enough food to scale Mount Everest. Unless these women are secretly training for the strongman competition the weight of these cart/cars is obscene.

What happened to the idea of kid sit in the cart and if you are good you might get something at the cash register. Which that never worked either cause the kid always wanted two things and then they throw a temper tantrum and things get messy. Basically there’s no good way to take kids to the store and these monster carts are doing nothing but proving that point.

And now there is what I like to call the bascart. This strange contraption is a mini cart. For when you don’t need a full size cart but you’re still too lazy to carry a basket. I will admit that at least the bascart is an improvement on the short lived basket stroller, but that’s about the best I can say of it. This ill-conceived shopping accessory was made of a small cart frame and you set your basket on it. Basically it was the equivalent of taking a radio flyer to the super market except you would have looked much less dorky with a radio flyer. Alas, goodbye basket stroller, we hardly knew ye.

And with the introduction of the bascart on the small end came the oversized cart for when you just need more stuff. It has room for two kinds in the top and while it is not as clumsy as its car-welding cousin its bulky design makes it useful only if your attempting to burn some of the empty calories from your last trip to the store.

With so many grocery carrying options presented it is easy for a shopper to feel overwhelmed. I mean we are being asked to make major decisions about our shopping trip before we even enter the store. The pressure mounts as no one wants to face the embarrassment of selecting the wrong cart size. Then you face the walk of shame to get a different size or you try and make what you have work and hope no one notices…but let me let you know…they notice, they always notice…and they mock you. It’s too much to expect of an already over taxed population and I for one am here to say nay nay!!! Just say no to over-carting. If it doesn’t fit in a basket get a cart. If it doesn’t fit in a cart you don’t need it. And if you’re thinking of using a bascart…why!?!

God is Everywhere. (I’m not sure where in here, but I just take my word for it)

That’s right our family will be complete come June 13th. Tiff and I are expecting our second child this summer and we just found out that he is a boy! Cee, his older sister, was at first violently opposed to having a little boy, to the point of temper tantrums, but she finally agreed the “Jesus could decide”.

I also had strong hopes for our baby’s gender. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t desperately praying for a boy, but I also had to grudging concede that, in the words of a wiser family member, “Jesus could decide”. I am now overwhelmed with joy that not only is our little guy a little guy but after the last ultrasound everything is right on schedule and mom and baby are both doing great. God has been so good to our family that we are very nearly crushed by the weight of God’s blessings.

And while we are extremely happy for our addition, Tiff and I both know that the Coder baby factory is closing down in June. This was going to be the case whether we had a boy or a girl. Two little people is plenty to be going on with. Cause with the first kid you get double team coverage, and there’s always a second set of eyes. Now we have to go to a man-to-man look. As I prepare for the coming months looking back on Cee’s infancy seems almost too easy. The idea of it being 3 no 2 is zone coverage and its never good to be outnumbered. I am happy for my friends who are on kids 4 and 5 now. That a way to go forth and be fruitful, but as for me and my house we good right here.

At AMP this week we announced to the student that we would be having a little boy and in perhaps an ill-conceived idea I showed an ultrasound picture which might just rank up there as one of the more creepy things we have done. Oh well at least it was funny right! Until next time, thanks to everyone who has been praying for us and your kind words.

God is Everywhere.

I confess I have not done a very good job keeping up with my writing. My blog has been sitting neglected for too long. But starting today I am committing that I will write here for the next 21 days. That’s right! For the next 3 weeks you can count on a nonstop fountain of knowledge and snarky observation. 

But I know you’re all wondering…why has there been such a long gap in blog posts? It would be easy to say things just got busy. It is amazing how busy we can be and still feel as though nothing is getting done. I have felt that way a lot recently. It is easy to fill the day. It is much harder to get the most out of a full day. We are busy. But business is never an excuse for anything. We can always make time for what is important.

It is our most important responsibility to protect the most important things. I set myself this goal of writing everyday not because my blog is the most important thing, nor do I consider it a “can’t live without” for others, but I want to be disciplined enough to do it.

So I hope you will come with me over the next few weeks and see what we find.

God is Everywhere