HopeForYourFamily

   Click on the image to watch part 1 of “The Lorax” a television presentation of the classic Dr. Seuss tale of being a friend, rather than an enemy, of planet Earth.  (Parts 2 & 3 are also available from this YouTube video page - the whole show is about 35 minutes or so.)
Here are just a few helpful “Green” links to help you celebrate Earth Day and hopefully begin some lifelong, life-giving, Earth-renewing habits:

Earth Day 2008

EPA Earth Day

Earth Day EnviroLinks

Geaux Green

Recycle Rouge

Earth911

Kids Page - Recycling

Do Something

Christian Environmental Organization Links

Your Green Partner,

Dr. Roger Butner

The last year or so has been a time of tremendous growth in my life. This has been totally a gift of grace from God. I don’t say that as some kind of flippantly religious way of trying to sound humble. I just know I don’t have what it takes to bring about the transforming changes that have been happening in and around me over the past months. But the Spirit of God, sent by Jesus to live in me and convict and guide and comfort me - He has power beyond my wildest conception. And He is eager to transform and lead me. So long as I will seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and surrender to His will.

This process of growth has been largely a time of joy and unfolding freedom. But it has not been without pain. I have had to make difficult choices, some of which have left others near me feeling bewildered, hurt, even angry. Even when I feel a conviction of peace about such choices for myself and my family, it hurts deeply to see loved ones so painfully affected. And then there are those times when I take my eyes off the One who is providing and sustaining my growth. My eyes have a tendency to wander to two particularly seductive focal points - potential sources of danger (fear) and a distorted image of myself (pride or shame). I clearly have a long way to grow, even though I have already grown a great deal by the grace of God.

I am so thankful to my Lord for showing the same loving mercy to me that He showed to Peter, who walked on water when his eyes, heart, and faith were fixed completely on Him, but sank like a rock when his focus shifted to the surrounding danger. Jesus was right there with his strong, loving hands to lift up his friend and restore him to the place where he belonged, so he could continue learning, growing, serving, and leading in the ways God had purposed for his life.

May these inspired words convict and sustain you, as they have me for the last day or so:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” - Romans 12:1-3

God taught me a simple, profound lesson today.

As I took some time during my lunch break to go for a stroll with God through the beauty of downtown Baton Rouge, I heard God’s whispering voice invite me to slow down. “Shhhhh…Where are you going in such a hurry? Did you come out here to go somewhere, or to be somewhere - with Me?” As I responded in grateful obedience, slowing my steps, my mind, and my heart, I heard Him smile lovingly as He shared the words of the lesson He was glad to give me: “It does not matter where you are going, if you cannot be where you are!” Wow! Say that again, God, I sense this is important, and I do not want to miss it. “Of course, my son. It does not matter where you are going, if you cannot be where you are.”

I slowly walked in awe at the profundity (profound nature) of this simple truth, grateful to my Father for loving me enough to lead me to the stillness where I could receive His loving gift. It truly does not matter where I am going, or why I think it so important I get there, or how quickly I arrive - if I cannot be where I am. Even as I write these words, I feel the pull of our busy, bottom line culture seducing me to say “if I cannot just be where I am” or “if I cannot simply be where I am.” The more we strip away the value of being, the more we strip away the value of life. Lord, may I gratefully and humbly learn to be where I am for every today which you see fit to give me.

I slowly made my way back up North Boulevard toward my office, feeling rich beyond anything I deserve. And God decided I still had room to receive and hold one more lesson. “Roger, wherever you are going matters nothing, if you cannot be where you are. And, unless you keep walking with Me, you will never know where to go, even as you learn to be where you are.” OK, God. So you’re saying it doesn’t matter where I go, if I cannot be where I am, and the only way to know where to go is to walk with I AM where I am.

I guess part of what strikes me most about today’s lessons is how God shared them so clearly with me as I am already beginning to grow and live in these truths in ways of more mature faith and purpose than ever before. And I know it is by God’s rich grace that I continue to grow and learn and live and move and have my being. It also occurs to me that He brought me to these truths of being and walking today, at a time when He is leading me to new places in life. I won’t pretend to know the mind of God. I just know I want to continue being where I am, walking with I AM, following His lead, learning His lessons, and sharing His life.

With Peace and Hope in Him,

Roger

I recognize the message in the link I am sharing will be offensive to some. I am willing to offend, because I recognize the deep wisdom reflected in the first amendment to our constitution as the anchor of our bill of rights. As I posted recently, I am continuing to read through a profoundly insightful book by Edwin Friedman called “A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix.” In light of what I have been processing, considering, and finding deeply truthful in his message, I was stirred by the words of this speech which I read today. I am sharing it with you through a link to snopes.com, which I highly recommend as a resource to validate or debunk any email “forward” before you pass it along. In my experience, probably 90% of the e-forwards I receive are largely, and often grossly, inaccurate. This one has been validated as accurate by the man who actually gave the speech. I won’t expect you to enjoy it, but I do hope you will consider it. I am not offering wholesale endorsement of everything he says, but I do believe it merits serious, reflective consideration. Further, I do hope you will keep in mind that I continue to be committed to doing my part to stand against racism in myself and in the world around me, and sharing the message of Christ - a message of love, grace, and service to my neighbor. And Jesus makes it clear that my neighbor most certainly includes those who are racially, culturally, and linguistically different from me.

Here is the link to the speech. It may take you three or four minutes to read through.

With Hope in Him,

Roger

My thanks to a client who shared this article link with me today.  It is a Newsweek interview with Dr. Rachel Remen, who talks about the power of asking “What matters?” and seeking renewal through purposeful living, rather than seeking comfort through distraction and numbing.  The brief article is well worth the three or four minutes it will take you to read it.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/116684

This will be a very short post, but will serve as a prelude to much more to follow in the coming months.  At the recommendation of a dear friend and trusted spiritual director, I am currently reading a phenomenally insightful book that has me feeling like Neo reeling in the mind-freeing and power-releasing impact of Morpheus’ call to “Free your mind!” from The Matrix.  For those who never saw The Matrix, that means I am seeing the world in a whole new way.  Anyway, the book is essentially the magnum opus of Edwin Friedman, a brilliant pioneer of understanding relationships, who died before completing the final chapters.  The title is “A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix.”  From parenting to neighborhood atmosphere to political decision making to church community to business structures, and the list could go on and on, effective leadership is so vital to the survival, health, and growth of all human institutions.  And we live in a time and culture that is not only rapidly losing the presence of effective leadership, but barely even remembers what it looks like.  I will have much more to say on the subject, and I hope to present much of it in ways that are empowering, rather than gloom and doom (like my last sentence).

Thanks, Eddie P!  I am so glad you shared this with me.  And I am so glad I am mature enough to understand and utilize these transformative insights.  Growth is so good.  Thanks for sharing your growth process with me, and inviting me to share with you!

Here’s a little sample from the introduction I have written for my book this week.  It should give you an idea of where the book is headed:

——————– 

When I first began to move from “I’d love to write a book someday” to “It’s time to start working on my first book,” I intended to compose a book of practical guidance for achieving healthier relationships.  I felt sure this would include some references to spiritual matters, and might even include a few examples from scripture.  After all, I am a Christian, which impacts my life and counseling practice in significant ways.  Of course my book on relationships will be informed by Christian views and Biblical teaching.

I arrived at The Parish Hermitage in a quiet South Louisiana bayou for my “writing retreat,” where I intended to begin writing the book that had been forming within me for years, and was finally groaning to be birthed.  I had prayed about this moment and the ensuing season of writing my book for months.  But until I knelt to pray beside the table holding my new notebook computer and my stack of selected sourcebooks, I had not yet surrendered this project to God’s will.  Oh, how surrendering my life to the will of God changes everything!  When I genuinely, humbly surrendered, He lovingly took control.  He keeps teaching me how much better my life is when I am surrendered and He is in control, and slowly I am beginning to learn.  But the lessons can be so difficult for me.  It is not in my nature to surrender and yield control to another.  I want to dominate and seize as much control as possible.  Don’t you?  (I hope you will take the time and courage to answer that simple question honestly, not just dismissing it as “rhetorical.”) 

And as the Spirit of God began to lead my surrendered mind and will, I reflected back on my plans for my book (notice the word “my” three times in this sentence). (more…)