The Latest

Here's a little tour...

(BTW, for those of you who are wondering--the immensely popular series "Doan Family Videos" has not been cancelled.  New episodes from Season 3 will be appearing on this blog in the not too distant future!  Keep dropping by!)

A Touch of Summer

Here are some summer pictures from as far back as our June vacation up to yesterday.  (The headless pictures were taking by our aspiring photographer--Eldan Doan.)

It's No Secret

I ordered some books from a Christian book distributor the other day.  (Oddly enough, the name of the company is Christian Book Distributors!)  I was browsing through their catalog and I was kind of discouraged by what I saw.  Of course there was plenty of Christian fiction for people like my wife who can breeze through a book in a day and a half.  The usual children's videos and CD's were easily found.  Several pages contained the variety of Bibles available for purchase.  I had no difficulty with any of those things.

What bothered me was the "Christian Living" type of books.  You know, those books that aren't necessarily a formal study of a specific portion of Scripture, but the kind that use (emphasis on the word use) the Bible to explain a particular topic of interest for a Christian?  I was amazed at what is available for Christian consumption these days.  Do you know how many times I saw the word "secrets" or "steps" or "guide"?  Too many, I assure you.  A Christian can buy books on everything from "Using Faith to Flatten Your Belly" to "What Would Jesus Eat?" (A Christian Cookbook)  A plethora of volumes promise to reveal the "secrets" (there's that word again) of success in your marriage, your career, or even your landscaping! (Okay, maybe that last one wasn't actually in the catalog, but you see my point.)

What bothers me is the underlying assumption that the Bible is this magical book that contains all of the right recipes for a healthy, happy, fulfilled life here on earth.  One well-known author would even have us believe that, if we will just read his book, we can have our "Best Life Now."  Just plug in the steps revealed in any one of these books and...PRESTO!  

Now, make no mistake, the Bible is a book.  The Bible is magical--if by magical you mean that it was supernaturally inspired and preserved, and that it deals with many things beyond the realm of human perception.  We must not forget, however, that the Bible is a book.  Like any well-written book it has an underlying theme (or thesis) that drives it forward--from Genesis to Revelation.  Every portion of scripture that was included in the Bible was included because the Author felt that portion would allow Him to move closer toward His thesis for the book.  The Bible is not a hodgepodge collection of "secrets" or "steps."  It is the divine revelation of history--His story.  The story of God's dealings with mankind--where we came from, where we are, and where we are going.  The truths of scripture can and do impact a variety of areas in our lives, but I have reservations about the mentality that looks to use the Bible for this and that.  The Bible is not to be used.  The Bible is to be learned, studied, and mediated upon in its fullness.

A glance through the typical Christian book catalog reveals that we (as in Christianity as a whole) have got a problem--narcissism.  We have turned the Bible from His story to our story.  We are so consumed with having our "Best Life Now" that we have forgotten what both Paul and C.S. Lewis understood perfectly.  This life is just the beginning.  It's the overture.  The real performance comes later.  We are living in the "Shadowlands," but the best is yet to come.  The Bible is not about secret steps or hidden principles.  It's our only reliable source for truly understanding what life is all about--and I can assure you, it's not about us!

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face" - the Apostle Paul

Second Guessing

Have you ever heard the expression "Monday morning quarterbacking"? The phrase refers to football fans talking about Sunday's game at work on Monday morning. If their team lost the previous afternoon, everyone seems to have an opinion about what could have or should have been done during the key points in the game in order to produce a different outcome. I wonder if real NFL quarterbacks ever find themselves "Monday morning quarterbacking"? My guess is that they do--often. When things don't go well, there is always a tendency to look back and wonder if the outcome would have been different if you had made different choices. It's second guessing, and all of us have done it, I'm sure.

I am not a very decisive person by nature. I hate making decisions, and I often sit on "Monday mornings" and question whether I have done the right thing. Over the last 5 days, I have done a lot of second guessing. I have also learned something that I would like to share with my readers.

We arrived in Merrimack, NH late Wednesday night. It was an emotional time as we said "See you later" to our friends the Walshes who helped us with the driving from Ohio. On Thursday morning, July 3rd, we began the task of unloading and unpacking our things. Shortly after 11 in the morning, I walked from our house to the church building across the street to pick up a packet of information. As I was walking back in the 80 degree temperature, I saw that Danielle's grandparents had pulled up in their car. They were bringing us lunch. (Grandpa loves to cook!) Danielle's Nana got out of the car and walked toward the front door with Grandpa just a few steps behind. About 30 seconds later, I walked throughout the same door and saw that Nana had collapsed onto the floor. I've replayed the next 10 minutes in my mind dozens of times since it happened. Without going into all of the details, let me just tell you that I tried to use several of the things I had been previously taught in CPR/First Aid class. When the paramedics arrived, they took over the situation and eventually rushed Nana to St. Joseph's Hospital in Nashua, NH. No one knows exactly what happened inside Nana's body, but shortly after midnight on Friday, July 4th, she passed away.

After the initial rush of adrenaline wore off that morning, I became very distressed. I was frustrated because I felt like I had wasted too much time right after Nana collapsed. I knew she needed help, but I couldn't do anything until I moved her. I didn't know if I should do that or not. All throughout the afternoon on Thursday, I struggled with the question, "What if I had acted more quickly? Would the outcome have been different?" Although I would never have chosen the position for myself, I was the quarterback and it was "Monday morning."

At the risk of making this too long of a post, let me tell you that I have talked with several people (including some with professional medical training) and have become more settled in my mind and emotions about what happened. Part of me still wishes I had acted more quickly, but I know I have to let it go.

The reason I have shared all of this is to mention what I have learned from this tragedy--second guessing is very rarely a good idea. That is not to say that we should be proud and arrogant. That is not to say that we should refuse to admit mistakes or learn from them. That is not to say that we shouldn't look back in life and reflect on both the positive and the negative experiences. The point is this. In life, you only get one run-through. There are no mulligans. That is why it is so important to take your time and to seek the wisdom of God when making major life decisions. (I am hoping that some of my students from LCCA are reading this.) Life, however, does not always afford us the luxury of time when making decisions. Sometimes, we don't get a chance to fast and pray and seek counsel. Sometimes...we just have to act. Second guessing yourself doesn't accomplish a whole lot other than making you upset and unsure of yourself. "What if I make the wrong decision in crunch time?" you might ask. Well, if you are walking in the Spirit daily, all you can do is trust God to help you make the right decision. If you do make a mistake, the best thing I can figure to do is admit it, learn from it, and move on. God is gracious, great, and good. We are fallen, frail, and finite. He has the amazing ability to work all things (including our poor decisions) together for good according to His purposes. There is no room for obsessive perfectionism in the life of a Christian--it is paralyzing and lacking in faith. Let us purpose to serve God with all of our heart. If things don't always run as smoothly as we might have hoped, don't look back for too long. The road ahead is where our eyes should be.

"Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
- the Apostle Paul

Movin' On

As I type this, it is 7:22am on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008...

Gotta go load a moving truck and drive it to New Hampshire...

To those of you in Ohio--we will miss you. Keep in touch if you feel so inclined...

To those of you in New Hampshire--see you soon...

To those of you in Delaware...um...well...hmmm...what can I say? You're in Delaware!

Everybody Enjoy Life!