Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Spend any quality with me and you'll soon find that I absolutely love looking at movies, on tv, in music, and everywhere else possible to try to find teachable material...stuff that we can use to help us understand Jesus' teachings a little better.

And believe you me, there's plenty out there! Just look at "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings"! But perhaps one of my favorite movies to draw from is the one I saw on tv yesterday while laid up in my sick bed. The movie series that I'm referring to is none other than the "Indiana Jones" trilogy. If you've got the third movie, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", pop it in your VCR or DVD player and go towards the end.

Throughout the whole movie, Indiana Jones and friends are in a kind of race against the Nazis to find the actual cup that Christ used at the Last Supper. If you've not seen it, go rent it! (Or you can ask my parents, I believe they have my copy!) So anyways, at the end you find the opposing parties together at the site of the grail. The Nazis take hostage Indiana Jones and Co. And to persuade Jones to make the final dangerous steps to get the grail, they shoot his father. You see, the grail is supposed to have healing power, so the only way to keep his father from dying is to go get the grail.

So, to make a long story short Indiana valiantly reaches the grail, brings it back to his father, saves his father, and defeats the remaining Nazis.

However, as they begin to leave, the foolish damsel of the movie takes the grail with her. With any other grail, that'd be no problem of course...but with this particular artifact, if you tried to leave the site then it'd all come crashing down on you. So, as you imagine, the cave...that's right...all came crashing down on them.

As luck would have it, Miss Damsel trips and falls, causing the cup to bounce it's way into a ravine. She soon finds herself hanging on by one arm, trying to reach the cup with her free hand. Just as her arm gives way Indiana Jones comes to rescue Miss Damsel in distress. However, she refuses to give Indiana her other arm and eventually she loses grip and falls into the pit of despair. (Oh wait, the pit of despair is from "Princess Bride".) Either way, Miss Damsel falls to her death.

So the earth is given a good shake and Indiana falls over and into the same position the late Miss Damsel previously was--hanging on by one arm. But this time, his father has gotten ahold of his arm. And with Indiana's free arm, he can nearly grab the cup. In fact, his fingertips are touching it! He simply needs one more inch!

His father says, "Indiana! Give me your other hand." You see Indiana's eyes widening with the thrill of nearly reaching the cup....then you see his hand touching it. Indiana replies, "I can almost reach it dad!" Indiana's hand begins to slip more and more from his father's. The next shot is of his father's face, calm but concerned. In the midst of all that chaos--the ceiling caving in, the earth giving way, people dying, Indiana slipping from his grasp--the father simply says, "Junior. Let it go. Let it go. Give me your other hand." That oh so familiar, comforting voice grabs Indiana's attention and with that, Indiana looks up and gives his father the other hand just as he's about to fall to his death.

Wow! I must say, each time I watch that, it moves me more and more.

What a beautiful scene!

At the beginning of this entry I posted the passage from Matthew where Christ tells us not to bother with storing up "treasures here on earth", but to concern ourselves with "treasures in heaven". The grail Indiana was after was surely a treasure on earth! But not just because it would have brought him wealth. It would have also brought him fame with no end and power beyond belief. Perhaps it was a little of what the prodigal son was after in Luke 15. He left his father for his own life...to build his own fame and fortune. But we soon read that it took him to the edge of death. Just as Indiana's brief encounter with the grail did.

So where are you now? Are you seeking out or storing up treasures here on earth? Worried about how big your house will be? How much money you'll make once you're on your own? Or even how you'll gain the attention of someone at school? Have you become a bit like the prodigal son? Have you wanted to do things your own way?

Let me encourage you to drop it. Times are crazy right now in the world. You're hearing all kinds of noise and temptations, just as Indiana did in those brief moments. But listen for that soothing, penetrating voice of the Father saying "Junior...Son....Daughter...give me your other hand." Reach up and grab your Father's hand before it's too late.

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalm 145:4-5

A lot of you have heard me talk about how much I like the popular prime-time tv show, "Ed"...and there's even been some of you who have gotten hooked on the show as well!!! While I wouldn't endorse the show as a good sit-down-with-your-family-after-dinner type of show, I will say that it does offer plenty of humor and even some good questions/arguments that can apply to our faith and beliefs.

For instance, 2 weeks ago: the main character, Ed, (who is the bowling alley owner/lawyer who runs both practices in the same building) was told by some agency that projects people's age-expectancy that he'd live to be 83. This news immediately affected Ed, to say the least. Realizing he was almost halfway through his life, he began looking at his ancestors and those around them while obseriving legacies people left behind. As a result, poor 'ole Ed became dissatisfied with the type of legacy he was leaving behind. So he began exploring different ways to become famous--pottery, painting, music, etc. Needless to say, he realized he was really good at two things: running a bowling alley and practicing law.

Throughout the show, Ed wrote different sayings and quotes that he would like to have on his tombstone. Some were funny, some serious, while others were sad. Finally, as the show closed, he came up with what he wanted. His second-to-last idea was "Ed Stevens--Art was his life". Well, watching the show you easily could see that Ed was not in the least bit artistic. Ed realized that too. But he changed the words around to something a little different so that it read: "Ed Stevens--Life was his art."

There's 3 observations I'd like to make:

1. Is life your art? There are many types of artists out there. Some, when they paint, appear to sling paint onto a canvas without much rhyme or reason to it. Others put amazing amounts of detail and care into their paintings. Both styles are considered artistic and are well-accepted! So what does your canvas look like? It doesn't necessarily matter what you do to it as long as you do something. Is your life consumed by work, or school, or worry, or sports? Or is your life a wonderfully artistic blend of passion, fun, sadness, success, and failure so that its a piece of art?

2. Don't focus on what legacy you'll leave behind. While its good to leave behind something...don't dwell on it! Use Psalm 145 as your guide. It talks of generation upon generation talking about God's splendor and majesty and wonder....not yours. So with the time you have, use it to aid this and the next generation in noticing the legacy of Christ.

3. Finally, while there are people out there who claim to be able to predict how long you live, only you can determine how you live. What does it matter what your age-expectancy is? You're in control of your life-expectancy--what you do with the life you have. So use it!

Peace,

Many of you have heard me tell plenty of colorful stories about my family back home in Virginia--my mom and dad, my brother, and even our dog, Gracie Jo. :) (Yes, we gave her a middle name!)

Gracie is undoubtedly the perfect dog. She's a "pek-a-poo" (that's pronounced "peek-a-poo"...she's half-pekingnese/half poodle), which means she weighs a mere 8 pounds. Gracie has never hurt a soul her whole life and is without any enemies whatsoever. Oh, and by the way...she's so cute that you can't help but grin just looking at her. :)

Hard times struck this past weekend unfortunately. My dad was taking Gracie on a walk down the street when all of a sudden, three dogs broke through their electric fence and attacked her. Dad immediately snatched Gracie up into his arms. However, as he was lifting her up, one of the dogs bit her eye so that it literally came out of its socket. Dad then hurried Gracie to the car and onto the vet. Gracie had emergency surgery on the same day and ended up losing her right eye. Needless to say, the whole Dowdy clan was, and still is, pretty shaken up. Gracie is still in recovery and we're all waiting and hoping for that same energy and playfulness to return to her.

The very night this happened, I was drifiting off to sleep in the midst of tears of anger and absolute sadness when a lesson hit me. In the middle of my sorrow, God's allowed me to be reminded of some old truths, as well as learn some new ones.

First, bad things happen to not only good people....but the best of beings. Gracie in no way deserved what happened to her. She's an angel in fur. Christ in no way deserved the treatment he was put through...but yet He went through it. Why do horrible things happen to wonderful people? Well, that's a tough question to answer that I'm not completely sure of. But I do know this, God experienced exactly what its like to be put through actual hell while not deserving it. So in our pain, He reaches out to us to soothe.

Second, trouble will still occur if we're on the path of our Father. My dad was leading Gracie down the road. In fact, she was right on his heels. Regardless, she was ambushed and battered. The same goes for us. If we're following our Heavenly Dad down the road of His choice, it doesn't mean we're exempt from pain and trouble. They're bound to happen. Continue to look at our perfect example, Christ. There's no doubt that He was on the right path, and look at the pain He went through.

Finally, when we're following our Father's lead and bad things still happen inexplicably, comfort comes in Dad's touch...and in His voice. When my dad was taking Gracie to the vet, the one thing that stuck out the most in his mind was the fact that Gracie, while bleeding and in severe pain, dug deep into his lap. She was dazed, hurting, blind, and confused--so she took comfort in the one place she knew...the place where she could curl up in during times of joy and during times of excruciating pain.

Furthermore, just before surgery, the vet brought Gracie to my parents one last time so they could get one last kiss in. Mom and Dad couldn't help but notice how motionless and lifeless she was when the vet brought her out. But when mom started talking to her and touched her, Gracie's tail began to wag and she snuggled up close to Mom.

Its on this last thought that I want to encourage you. There'll be times when you'll feel like a piece of you has literally been ripped from you. Many people have the tendency to withdraw during these times. But take a page from Gracie--dig deep into Dad's lap and listen for His voice. For its in that gentle tone and touch that healing begins.


(In the meantime, please keep my family and me in your prayers.)


Peace