Mechanically Seperated Turkey

I found myself laughing this morning as I headed to the kitchen to get the dog’s breakfast, before I took a shower and got ready for the day.  When I had finished my Bible study time, just previous to this, I got up from my desk in the study, took a step back and sat on the leather loveseat behind me where the dog loves to lay during the day.  You see, he can lounge on the couch and keep a watchful eye on everything going on in front of our house at the same time!

While sitting next to him, I reached out and began to stroke his fluffy, soft, thick white coat and considered what we were going to accomplish throughout the day.  It was pretty cloudy and dark outside, so I pulled up my weather app and noticed that rain was projected for the next hour or two.  That’s when I made my decision and walked into the kitchen.  The laugh unexpectantly popped out because as I walked out of the room, I turned to the dog and declared: “We’ll be on a ‘Rainy Day Schedule’ today.”  I laughed because of the look on the dog’s face when I told him the plan.  To me that look either said “Huh?” or “I could care less!”

Do you all remember being on a “Rainy Day Schedule” when you were kids in elementary school?  For some reason, I have a very vivid memory of being in fifth grade at St Eugene’s Parochial School during one such “Rainy Day Schedule,” which meant that we had to eat lunch and spend the lunch period in the classroom.  That school didn’t have a cafeteria, so we always had to bring our own lunch, except for the very special hot dog day when you could pre-order a hotdog or two and choose between a grape or orange “Nehi Soda!” in a glass bottle!  That was pretty big stuff for us Catholic kids back then!

But on that particular rainy day, I remember munching on my favorite lunch time sandwich which my Mom had made for me, consisting of Buddig’s very thinly sliced (mechanically separated) turkey lunchmeat, along with a bag of perfectly sliced carrot sticks (I never could figure out how she could slice them so exactly even!) and a fresh red apple.  And as I savored the flavor of the honey roasted meat (at least I thought it was real meat…), I read from my all-time favorite Hardy Boy’s novel “The Mystery at Devil’s Paw.”  

Ah… good food, classic literature and a good rain storm blowing past the wall of windows that looked out on the playground, the ball field, the distant creek and through the trees along the creek, the occasional glimpse of a car speeding by on Sonoma Highway across from the Flamingo Hotel!  At that time in my life… I didn’t think that things could get any better than that!

But as I grew up and matured in life, I quickly learned that life could and did get even better than those cold winter day’s in school.  Meeting my future wife in high school, experiencing an outrageously fantastic life with her, raising four wonderful kids,  having the honor and blessing of ministering the gospel to all kinds of great kids, youth, college-career age individuals and adults alike… and above all… getting to live a life where we “continually experienced the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to us through faith. So that our lives would be an advertisement of this immense power as it works (in, for and) through us unto others!” (Ephesians 1:19 The Passion Translation – personalized)

While breaking down this verse in my study time this morning, I was once again taken in with the awe-inspiring realization of what Albert Barnes’ declared in his “Notes on the Bible” concerning Paul’s words, explaining: “There is much emphasis and energy of expression here, as if the apostle were laboring under the greatness of his theme, and wanted words to express the magnitude of his conception.”

I can just imagine Paul sitting at his desk, and hopelessly staring out the window as he searched his brain to come up with just the right words to properly describe the point he was so desperately trying to convey, concerning the magnitude of the immeasurable greatness of God’s power that He has made available to you and I through our active actions of faith.

2 Corinthians 12:4 tells us that when Paul was taken up into heaven, “whether this happened to him physically or spiritually. Only God knows.” (2 Corinthians 12:2 God’s Word ©) that Paul “heard things that he was not able to explain. He heard things that no one is allowed to tell.” (ERV)  That tells me that Paul saw and heard things that were so phenomenal and unexplainable according to human understanding and language, that he was at a loss for words to explain the wonders that he had witnessed.  It also told me that the Lord shared some very personal and intimate secrets with him that he was not allowed to share with the world.

I can get somewhat of an understanding of this when I think of the relationship that Piper and I developed through the years.  We were always open and honest with each other and had the freedom to share our most intimate and private thoughts, concerns, hopes and dreams with each other that no one else in the whole wide world would EVER know.

I firmly believe that this is exactly the kind and depth of relationship that Jesus wants to have with you and I as well.  Just like the Lord felt comfortable and trusting in His very personal relationship with Paul, He wants to feel that same way about you and me… and according to Paul’s example… of us with Him.  When I read portions of scripture like this, it always makes me stop and take a personal inventory of my relationship with the Lord, to make adjustments where needed and strive to develop the deepest unity with Him that I can possibly attain… and I have also learned, like with my relationship with Piper, that it is a daily, ever-growing type of relationship that just gets better and better!

How close and intimate is your relationship with the Lord?  In my experience, there are ALWAYS ways to improve it and draw closer to Him!  Don’t allow anything to (mechanically, physically, mentally, emotionally) separate you from having an intimate and very personal active relationship with Him.