Chris Cree

Whatever I find interesting

post

Changing Enemies

by

The world is a funny place.

This morning I am heading back out to a Russian ship that I did some work on yesterday. When I was on board yesterday I caught a glimpse of the crew list and saw that the country of birth for most of the crew was listed as USSR.

My, how times have changed!

Soviet Union FlagI was commissioned as a Naval Officer about 6 months before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now the Navy brass was a bit more skeptical than the diplomats that things really had changed for the better at the time, I guess, because they didn’t change their training programs right away. When I went through the USSR was still the enemy we were trained to fight.

My job was to find submarines. We trained for Soviet tactics. When I went up to Maine to the Navy’s survival school we trained with a backdrop of having been shot down in a fictitious country behind the Iron Curtain.

And now here I am some 15+ years later working closely with a Russian crew. The same people. But the country has changed and their flag has changed.Russian Flag

That really isn’t all that unique in world history. The Bible is full of changes like that. The Old Testament is filled with story after story of countries changing alliances and going from enemies to friends.

The New Testament has a prime case of that on a personal level. There was this guy named Saul of Tarsus who went around arresting, torturing, and even killing followers of Jesus because he thought they were evil. Amnesty International would have had a field day with this guy.

Anyway he ended up converting to the very faith he so violently attacked. He even went so far as to become its greatest champion. He even wrote about half of the New Testament.

The world is a funny place.

Anyway I’ve got to run out to the ship that would have been an enemy of ours back in the day.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

post

Traveling Spiritually

by

Traveling, even on business, can be an intensely spiritual experience.

There is a certain amount of the unknown involved in a journey. Will my connections work out? What will my accommodations be like? Will I be able to find my way around in a strange city? What will the people be like there?

All those unknowns and more can help us get outside ourselves because so much of it is totally beyond our control.

Then there is the solitude of the time in the hotel room. We have a choice there. We can just endure the lonely hours watching the TV. Or we can take advantage of the solitude by investing in some introspection.

There is a proverb that says

Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more.

Since I would like to be a wise man some day, here are some of the things I have learned so far on this trip:

  1. Watching the news is depressing. It seems everyFires in the Middle East airport waiting area has TV’s blaring and all of them are tuned to some news channel. All I heard about was Mid-East violence, Korea & Iran and nuclear weapons, Typhoons killing hundreds in China. Now I’m not a bury-my-head-in-the-sand-and-pretend it’s-all-going-to-be-OK kind of guy. I’m in touch with reality. But I definitely got a reminder why I don’t watch much television news coverage anymore. I can get all the news I need with a quick scan of the headlines online and see, “Yep. The world’s still a mess.” I don’t need some photogenic announcer telling me over and over how bad things are.
  2. There are some great restaurant chains I haven’t experienced yet. The first night here I discovered a new one in Bob Evans. I walked in and I was immediately greeted with a sincerely friendly smile. The folks were very nice. The food was delicious and portioned for a really big appetite. And the whole thing was waaaaaay under-priced for what I got. I’ll definitely be going back there before the week is out.
  3. You can find nice people wherever you go. One chain that I am familiar with,Culver's being married to a Wisconsin girl, is Culver’s. I expected great food and custard. But the people there were a real treat. They were kind enough to point me to a grocery with some great produce that I never would have found on my own. If you’re ever up this way, make it a point to stop by Culver’s in Lansing.

It is good to shake up the usual routine now and then and be forced to experience new things. The trick is to keep your spiritual eyes open and learn what you can along the way.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

post

Finding Contentment In Spite Of Your Circumstances

by

Life on the road i”¦ well, it’s interesting.

There are challenges. Things aren’t the same home. Some of the things we take for granted and simply just do out of habit have to change.

Spilling Coffee PotFor example I haven’t figured out how to pour anything from the little 4 cup coffee pot here in my room without massive amounts of spillage. Fortunately there is a little kitchenette with a sink to spill over and contain the mess.

The cheesy little clock radio in the room only gets two stations across the whole dial for some reason. I discovered I’m really not at all into hip-hop! (Sorry David) Fortunately for me Gorgeous felt sorry for me and loaned me her iPod. I really need a significant music fix throughout the day so I might be going a bit nuts without it.

It can be very hard to be content when things are not the way we would like them to be.

Some people harness discontentment and use it to propel them to make major positive changes in their lives and often in the world around them.

Unfortunately it is far more common for folks to fixate on the things they don’t like in their lives and only use them as a source of complaining. And often it turns into envy of what others have, which can be very destructive. James warned folks about this.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Fortunately it doesn’t have to be that way for us. Paul figured out how to be content even when things weren’t the way he wanted them to be. He said

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

Are things the way you want them to be? Are you content anyway?

Just a little something to think about on a Friday.

Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

post

Ready to Travel

by

Technology is a wonderful thing. Here I am sitting in O’Hare airport waiting for a shuttle to my hotel and yet I can still do many of the things I do from my home or office. Pretty amazing.

It is interesting to me how many folks really aren’t prepared to travel when they go on a trip. For example how about the whole experience when it is time to get off the plane?

It is amazing to me that some folks seem to be so disoriented by the flying experience that they can’t seem to gather up their belongings. Why do some folks wait until it is time to deplane to reorganize their stuff?

A window viewYou wouldn’t think they could be surprised by the plane’s arrival at the destination. I mean there was that big bump and all that noise when the plane landed. And yet I get the feeling that some folks are genuinely surprised. “Oh, hey! We’re here.”

Meanwhile the back half of the plane is all hunched over waiting to move toward the exit.

Me, I tend to just wait in my seat until it clears up a bit. I figure I’ll get there eventually. Hopefully in time to make my connection. I usually just stuff my carryon under the seat in front of me because I like having my stuff accessible so it is easy to grab my things and go.

Jesus told his followers they should be ready to travel too. He said that he was going to come back one day and folks would be surprised by his arrival.

“Be dressed for service and well prepared, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready!

“Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Traveling takes some effort. There is preparation involved. We should all be ready to go when the time comes.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

post

How to Get Rid of Stress

by

I’m a little stressed.

I’m getting on a plane in a touch over 24 hours and I have about three days worth of things to do before I can go. I’ve been scrambling furiously to catch up, but I didn’t budget my time all that well. Now I am paying the price for my mistake by shorting sleep and taking on way too much stress. I’m trying to make up the difference with massive coffee consumption.

Paul wrote some good advice to people like me in a letter we have in the Bible that he wrote to some friends. I like the way The Message puts it

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Coffee CupI have to ask myself if I really believe that. Do I really believe that God will take care of my business if I allow myself to stop worrying and ask for His help?

I mean my religious, Christian side would give that advice to anyone else I found in my spot, right? So if I know how to get rid of worry, why do I still keep it all?

Because if I truly believed what Paul had to say I wouldn’t feel this overpowering need to be in control of everything all the time and then get stressed out when things didn’t go the way I wanted them to.

Maybe it would help to listen to some of what Jesus said when he gave his famous Sermon on the Mount.

“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life–whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

“And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!

“So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Messy DeskYou know, my faith may be pretty stinking puny, and I probably stress because I am not really willing to let go of my control and trust what God says. But I do feel better for having read those words this morning.

For now, it’s time to go to work.

Here’s to hoping your day just got a little less stressful too.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

Powered by Qumana

post

Historical Happenings

by

Birthday CakeHere’s some things that happened today in history

  • 1767 – John Quincy Adams born
  • 1798 – The United States Marine Corps is re-established after being disbanded at the end of the American Revolution
  • 1804 – Aaron Burr kills Alexander Hamilton in a duel
  • 1859 – Charles Dickens publishes A Tale of Two Cities
  • 1914 – Babe Ruth debuts in the Major League
  • 1936 – Triborough Bridge is opened in New York City
  • 1955 – The phrase “In God We Trust” is added to all US currency
  • 1960 – To Kill a Mockingbird is published by Harper Lee
  • 1967 – Chris Cree born
  • 1987 – World Population passes the 5 billion mark
  • 2006 – Microsoft ends official support of Windows 98 and Windows ME

Just thought you might want to know.

(Source: Wikipedia entry for July 11)

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

Powered by Qumana

post

Pirates of the Caribbean Struggle with Doing the Right Thing

by

Gorgeous and I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean last night. I don’t often go to see movies on opening weekend because I’m not so much into crowds but a number of factors converged and out we went.

Captain Jack SparrowThe original idea was to catch a matinee and then some dinner. But even with 6 or so screens showing the movie here in Savannah shows were sold out about 3 hours in advance so we bought our tickets and then went to the Macaroni Grill for some eats.

The movie was fun. Not great. Not quite as good as the first one, I thought. As we were walking out Gorgeous asked me what I thought. On a ten scale I gave it about a 4.5. It looks like they are planning on making three movies in this series. The first one stands on its own but this one needs the third a little too much. I suspect the third film will be a much more satisfying movie going experience than this one was.

Gorgeous said that the movie was a bit too “slimy” for her tastes. Looking at the way they chose to portray Davy Jones and his crew, she’s got a good point.Dead Man's Chest

The second movie didn’t have as much of the great dialogue and banter that the first had. And it seems they tried to make it up with more action scenes. Fortunately they kept the humor flowing only they used the context of the action and sight gags more than the dialogue.

That may work better for some, but I’m a word man. I go for the witty dialogue.

Pirate FightThe best exchange that I remember from last night is when Elizabeth tells Captain Jack that, “There will come a moment when you will have the chance to do the right thing.”

To which Captain Jack responds with his usual Devil-may-care attitude, “I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by.”

And that seemed to be the central theme of the movie to me: Doing the right thing. Several of the characters face decisions through out the film. Some make good choices and others don’t. Some stay true to our expectations of them and some surprise us.

Sort of like real life.

Most of us face moments when we struggle with that very issue our whole lives. Even Paul struggled with that sort of thing himself. He saidWill Turner

I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.

From that perspective he had quite a bit in common with the characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean. I think most of us do too.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

Powered by Qumana

post

A Fool and His Anger

by

Explosion at SeaGorgeous and I had a little tiff last night. It was about something stupid. It usually is. Last night it had something to do with rearranging offices. Dumb.

We are trying to learn how to fight fair. It’s not easy because we both have the capacity to get pretty stinking angry. We have the potential for a high order explosion if we’re not careful.

There’s a Proverb about anger. It says, “A fool gives full vent to anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back.”

I was pretty foolish last night.

Did you know that the Bible has a whole bunch to say about anger? It mentions it about 400 times. God get’s angry at people. Some of God’s people get angry at Him. And of course lots of people get angry with each other. The Bible tells us that even Jesus got angry at times. I guess God knows how we are as far as that is concerned.

Here’s an anger reference that I find encouraging:

In your anger do not sin.

I’m glad it doesn’t say “don’t sin by getting angry.” God knows we will get angry because it is part of the way he wired us. Even so, he tells us not to sin by allowing ourselves to be controlled by our anger. For example we shouldn’t use our anger to fuel revenge.

And revenge doesn’t always mean some big dramatic Hollywood type thing either. Usually our revenge is simply a bunch of little digs we aim at the offending party to punish them. When we do that we are really hurting ourselves worse than we are hurting them.

The good news for Gorgeous and I is that we each found some constructive uses for our anger. I went out and cut the grass. I’ve shared how much I hate yard work. I figured as long as I was angry, I might as well get it done and not spoil a good mood some other time.Cutting the Grass

Gorgeous went on an organizing frenzy and got her office and most of the rest of the house picked up before I got back inside. When we got our respective projects done, we had a nice dinner, watched some TV and both fell asleep on the pit couch. Neither of us were angry anymore.

Which is a good thing because the next part of that anger reference above says

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry

And that’s not easy to do some times. Especially when you have an argument with your spouse in the evening. But if you make it a principle to live by, I’m told that studies say you will be healthier and live longer. I guess it is worth the effort.

We didn’t get to Pirates of the Caribbean last night. Perhaps we will brave all the kiddies and go this afternoon.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

Powered by Qumana

post

Why Work Is Such A Drag

by

There are days when I don’t get excited about my job. And I have a really good job in my industry. It is considered by many to be a career capper, and most guys stay with our company until they retire once they get in.

Today is one of the days that doesn’t excite me. I have to be out at a ship at 0630, which normally wouldn’t be all that big a deal. It’s not like I’m going to have to do all that much physical labor when I get there. Just take some pictures and jot down some notes so I can go back to the office and write a report about it. Actually it is kind of nice to be in a stage of life where I am getting paid more for expertise than for my physical work.

Mostly because I have a lazy streak, I guess.

Pirates of the CaribbeanWell it probably wouldn’t be so bad except Gorgeous and I have planned a Friday night out tonight. We hope to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Normally I don’t go to movies on opening night but Gorgeous is going out of town on Monday for a conference and won’t be back until after I leave town for work. So we have a bit of an extended time apart which is enough to prompt us to attempt to fight the crowds tonight. But I’ll probably be a might sleepy because of the early start.

Did you ever wonder why work can be such a drag sometimes no matter what you do?

Would you believe there is an explanation for it in the Bible?Digging a Ditch

It goes all the way back to the beginning. Back to the garden of Eden. When God found out that Adam & Eve had done the one thing that He told them not to do, He threw them out of the place. — Talk about violating the terms of your lease! Sheesh! They only had 1 rule to follow and they couldn’t do it. No wonder we humans are so messed up!

Anyway, as he was walking the kids to the door, God hollered out a curse at each of them. Here’s what God had to say to Adam as he was collecting his belongings:

And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from dust, and to the dust you will return.”

Yep. Basically God said there will be days when you won’t get excited about your job. Lots of them.

I know that doesn’t really help make it any better — no useful job enjoyment tip today. Sorry to disappoint you. But sometimes doesn’t just knowing why something is the way it is make it a little less frustrating?

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS Feed.

Powered by Qumana

post

A Jesus Follower Encounters a Pro-Abortion Feminist

by

I had an interesting conversation with a feminist abortion advocate last night.

The thing that impressed me about her pro-abortion post that I landed on was that she expressed her views and opinions without all the rage and emotion that I’ve grown to expect when folks talk about the subject. I wasn’t going to leave a comment because I figured she didn’t really want to hear an opposing view and I wasn’t interested in a debate on the subject. But for some reason I decided to comment anyway and I tried to gently point out one aspect of her position that she might give more consideration.

She came back with a reasoned response that made it clear that she did give my idea genuine thought after she expressed a little surprise that someone of my persuasion didn’t simply just attempt tear her to shreds.

Normally when I have a noteworthy blog encounter I put up a link to the other person’s blog, even when we disagree. However in this case I don’t think she’d much appreciate me sending over a bunch of my pro-life friends. So you’ll have to forgive me for not posting a link to our conversation.

What’s my point?

Heated ArgumentMy point is that even in a supremely emotionally charged issue such as abortion it is possible for folks with radically differing views to have a dialogue without attacking each other personally and the conversation devolving into rage.

Too often we seem to insist on proving that we are right and that those with differing views are wrong. We don’t respect other people enough to simply present information and give them the dignity to come to their own conclusions.

Where did we get that approach from?

I don’t see Jesus attacking people personally like we tend to. Sure there were some groups that he didn’t have very flattering things to say about. But even when they came at him trying to lay word traps for him he never directly attacked the person who attempted the trap. Instead he confronted some of their ideas and beliefs.

That’s a huge difference.

We would do much better if we listened to the words of Proverbs and put them into practice.

  • A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.
  • The wise person makes learning a joy; fools spout only foolishness.
  • The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
  • Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Too often instead, in our need to be right, we end up screaming in someone’s face like the picture above. It’s not working for us. Maybe then we should change our approach.

css.php