Author: Ian Bothwell

Decades ago the then president of Columbia University posited that we should extend adolescence because so many new facts were being discovered we needed to keep students in school longer that we might fill them up.  In a strange way his idea has come to pass.  Adolescence is the transition time from being a child to being an adult.  Developmentalists now suggest that adolescence can extend into one’s early thirties.  However, he could not have known that someday we would carry devices that instantly supply us with any fact we need.  While there is still a need for a foundation of facts such as times tables and phonics, some things are no longer needed such as cursive which is no longer taught in many states.

Curriculum gurus today are rightfully stressing there is no need for fact stuffing but instead the need to teach children to think.  Thinking is not something to take for granted.  Thinking like so many things in life has degrees of quality.  There are some who self-deceptively think they are thinkers but instead allow others to think for them.  Then there are people who understand the pitfalls of poor logic and recognize how easily they can be swayed by mistaking relationships with causality and other fallacies of logic.

In Isaiah 1:18 God says, “Come thou, let us reason together.” God does not desire mindless obedience.  He wants us to understand the whys of His wisdom.  This week as a parent was dropping off his children, we heard him say, “Remember, before you act. Think about it.”  This is what God wants from us.  Books are not smart. They are only filled with facts. Being smart is what we do with them.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 24, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

The surety of salvation is incredibly satisfying.  Not to fear the future and to rest in the promises provides an incredibly rich life.  However, that is not the endgame.  Upon receiving the gift of salvation we enter into a new experience.  A new challenge is presented.  With eternity secured we now embark upon an endless journey to grow into the likeness of the One who saved us.  It is a maturation that will never ripen to its fullest.  The more we learn the more doors for further exploration appear before us.  There are so many doors we have to choose from we think once finished with one we will return and take another.  However, each door opens to us ten more doors from which we will select yet another.

Blessed is the one who is never satisfied.  That is the one who will eternally quest for more intellectual, spiritual and artistic horizons.  Each challenge obtained not only whets our appetites for more but in the process transforms us more into the likeness of the One who made us, saved us and who knows all things.  I once knew a man who maintained he was fully satisfied with himself and life.  He felt that he was mature.  I felt sorry for him.  In a certain sense we will not (should not) ever reach maturity.  I once heard a man posit that should he live forever eventually he would become bored.  That is because he does not know what he does not know.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”  Yes, filled with righteousness but never quite filled with knowledge of the secrets of God’s universe.  Our diplomas and degrees are but decorations from “kindergarten”.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 23, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

We live in the age of being politically correct – PC for short.  One of the understood rules of being PC is not to stereotype people.  Each person is an individual with a unique character.  The worn out axiom “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a good rule to guide our social behavior.  However, there is another side to the issue.  Stereotypes develop because the people in certain groups do copy each other.  We learn our speech patterns, manners and behaviors from the people around us.  Native Bostonians have a particular sound as do Mainers, Canadians, and people from the Great Lakes Region.

Marketers are successful if they pay attention to demographics.  If you watch the 6:30 evening news on any one of the major networks, you have to notice that most of the commercials are aimed at older people.  One medicine after another is hawked for its potency.  These ads are mixed with a few spots by investment companies telling us how to prepare for retirement. I doubt if these are the ads that run on the Disney Channel.

It’s true that each of us comes with cultural luggage and we should celebrate it.  It is important to belong and not be alone.  We live in a land that celebrates individuality.  That’s great.  However, no one exists in a vacuum.  We can only be successful if we acknowledge that we build on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.  There is no such thing as a self-made person.  That is a myth that plays to our pride.  Now that I have said this I have to admit that I grew up singing the song Dare to Be a Daniel.  Some of the words of which are “Dare to stand alone.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 16, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

On May 16, 2012 Leslie H. Sabo Jr. was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery and courage in action in Cambodia in 1970.   The passage of time never diminishes gallantry and honor.   Receiving an award and recognition is a heady experience. Watch the expressions on the faces of Oscar winners.  How much more so it must be to be honored for bravery in the face of extreme danger.

Paul looked forward to receiving his reward.  He wrote to Timothy, “There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”  One thing Paul knew for sure was his crown was a gift.  In Romans he clearly speaks of his continual struggle with sin.  His crown, our crown, is not something he or we have earned.

Have you ever received an award that you knew you did not deserve?  In 1963 in college I won an oratorical contest. I was delighted because I very much needed the one hundred dollar prize. However, it was tainted.  Another contestant was better than I was.  I knew it and he knew it.   This brings me to the crown of which Paul speaks.  We don’t deserve it.  Yet, it will not be tainted because we all know the worthy One wants us to have it.  We all know that Jesus is the one worthy.  We are the recipients of His love.  When a gift comes from and with love it is forever special. His gracious gift to us does not take from Him but only adds to the illustriousness of His person.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 17, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

How quickly the world changes; when I was a boy we bemoaned the fact that the great herds of bison were gone.  Bison had become so rare I never saw one outside a zoo until we visited Yellowstone.  It was a big deal to see one standing by the road.  I say this because yesterday I bought a bag of dog food which had for its primary ingredient bison meat.  She loved it.  She scarfed it down so quickly I thought she had inhaled it. So much for all those cornmeal based foods.

When we lived in Africa the primary ingredient in dog food was elephant meat.  One of our mission families had a little boy who loved the elephant meat.  He would come home with elephant breath after sneaking over to the neighbor’s porch to gobble up the contents of the dog’s bowl.

What we eat and don’t eat is a fascinating topic.  I have friends who are very omnivorous, while others are vegetarians and others vegans.   In Leviticus God gave the children of Israel a list of eating dos and don’ts.  Because He is the creator of our bodies He knows what is best for us.  Unfortunately, instead of being health laws they turned them into religious taboos.  And there are many people who still treat them as such.  In Mark 7 Jesus addressed the issue by saying, “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”  It is no wonder the leaders felt Jesus had to go.  This was in direct conflict with centuries of belief.

For Jesus, how we speak and how we treat others is everything.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 20, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

My rejoicing event occurred today when the driver of the natural gas company stopped at my home to collect a street barricade.  Monday and Tuesday they put a natural gas line into my house.  As he was putting the barricade on a rack on the front of his truck he had to remove a large weather-worn stuffed bear.  I asked if the bear had a name.  “No,” he said. Three years ago while putting in a gas line a five-year-old little girl handed him what was then a beautiful bear and asked if he would take care of it for her until she got better.  She was receiving chemo and was finding temporary homes for her stuffed animals.  He didn’t know what happened to the little girl but ever since he has driven about with the bear on his radiator hoping she will see it and stop him to take it back home.

There are still really great people in the world.  They don’t have to have titles in front of their names nor letters behind their names.  Those things don’t really say anything about the character of the person.  Character is revealed by our actions, our speech and our behavior toward others.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”  While Jesus also told us not to judge others it is very difficult to ignore the fruit hanging from their branches.

In Galatians 5 Paul wrote, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  I have always loved that Paul points out there is no law against such things.   We can grow as many of them as we desire.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 19, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

So far this has been an interesting week.  On Sunday afternoon while driving on a country road for several miles behind three cars, the lead car suddenly stopped to turn left.   The car behind him successfully swerved out into a beautiful patch of day lilies on the right.  With no place else to go the car in front of us swerved out to the left successfully avoiding the car that wanted to turn left.  Unfortunately at that point he lost control and smashed really hard, head on into the guard rail.  That was the end of that car.  As for us?  We had good brakes.

Today on my way back from the dentist (always a treat) I waited for a traffic light in the heart of our little city and watched some lady stealing flowers from the town triangle.  She was picking the best of the best and putting them in her basket.  Hopefully she was taking them to a shut-in.

If God kept a journal it must be filled with amazing things that He has seen.  Each day events just on Earth would fill pages with saga-like stories. Living is just plain interesting. (An oxymoron?)  I was tempted to quote Psalm 118:24.  “This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us be glad and rejoice in it.”  However, the events I witnessed didn’t really inspire rejoicing.

I almost saw a rejoicing event.  Today I saw an old lady in a wheelchair (not motorized) trying to get herself up a grade so she could get into Denny’s.  A man came out and walked toward her.  I was so glad thinking he would push her.  He walked on by.

Tomorrow I shall watch for a rejoicing event.  You watch too.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 18, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

Thursday evening my wife was standing in a line of faculty waiting to enter an auditorium for a summer graduation, when the lady behind her said with an air of superiority, “I got my doctorate at U.C. Berkeley. Where did you get yours?” “U.C. Berkeley,” said my wife. You could almost hear the hiss as the air went out of the woman’s balloon. So much for being special. You just have to love people.

Last week while at my infusion clinic I stopped to give a word of encouragement to a newly diagnosed leukemia patient.  As I told her I had been diagnosed 5 years ago and she could look forward to many more years of life, she had to tell me she was a doctor, academic not medical.  I merely smiled.  Was that really important for her to share?  I guess so or she wouldn’t have done so. How about I’m a mother or a grandmother?  Those are so much more important.  But maybe that was all she had.  If so I am very sorry because we are a dime a dozen.  All it really means is we have spent more time and more money in school than others.  It doesn’t make us smarter, just more focused on one thing.

Since I have never met a prince I wonder if they have to make sure we know?  Since I am prince of the King of the Universe, maybe I ought to begin making sure people know that when I’m introduced.  But that is so “In your face.”  Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.”  If I have to tell you I’m a Christian I must not be much of a Christian.”

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 18, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

There is so much truth in the axiom that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  This afternoon my wife destroyed some of the most beautiful art I have ever possessed.  She washed the inside of the windows of our car.  She destroyed fantastic nose art painted by my beautiful black lab.  Those windows were covered with wet nose prints unduplicated anywhere in the world.  It was like setting fire to a Rembrandt.  Alas.  They are gone. However, I still have the artist and we are going for a ride! Speaking of going for a ride, last week we stopped at a Dairy Queen and the artist got a baby cone.  Does anyone know if dogs get brain-freeze?

My wife thinks I’m crazy.  I wonder if Satan thinks God is crazy.  God actually thinks we, you and I, are beautiful.  How can that be?  I know a few people who are so very good looking I could almost understand the “made in His image” thing. But really now.  Most of us are pretty common looking.  It isn’t till we get to know a common looking person that they become beautiful.  It’s in the “eye of the beholder” thing.

Then there is the aging process.  The only reason I would ever choose to go to a high school class reunion is to comfort myself that everyone else also looks pretty bad.  Which brings me back to our Heavenly Father who loves us when we are babies, teens (wow – really), young parents and finally grands.  There is no other religion in the world with such a wonderful message.  God so loved the world.  God so loved you and me.  How grand.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 21, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

We have been very blessed with a rich array of bird life around our home.  We have a pair of wrens nesting in a box by our patio.  Goldfinches and hummingbirds decorate the view outside our window.  However, yesterday morning a wood thrush and one of the wrens decided to wake up the world at 4:15 A.M.  This morning a cardinal made it a trio. I don’t want to sound like an old humbug but as lovely as they sound, 4:15 A.M. is not appropriate at all.  Solomon said it so well in Ecclesiastes 3.  “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: . .”  Not outside my open window at 4:15.

In Ecclesiastes 3 Solomon has challenged ethicists, moralists and the rest of the thinking world with  “There is a time to kill.”  “A time to love, and a time to hate.” “A time for war.”  Someone might ask but what about “Thou shall not kill.”  It does appear that God would, instead of having us act like robots, have us think and ponder justice.  Laws are but simplified expressions of principles. To live by principles often requires agonized hours of decision making.  How easy life would be (and how wrong life would be) if all we had to do is blindly follow statues in stone.

“To everything there is a season.”  “God hates lying lips.”  Yet, we lionize with honor those who saved the lives of thousands in Europe during World War II.  Those lives were saved by the use of many lies. When God made us in His image He gave us minds, minds to ponder, minds to, with His help, do that which is loving, fair and just.

Written by Roger Bothwell on May 22, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org