If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3 NASB)

Two things collided in my living room this morning as I was trying to pursue God’s Word and got distracted by a wall posting on Facebook. Following my path of reading one Psalm each morning, I came to chapter 11, verse 3: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Not paying attention, I let the mouse pointer wander off the edge of my electronic Bible and before I knew it I was falling face first into the Manhattan Declaration.

My intentions had been to finish the Psalm and then move to Corinthians to consider Paul’s advice on showing love and avoiding divisiveness while living in an immoral culture. Instead, I read a carefully worded and well considered declaration of how we might do this very thing in our own culture today.

The Manhattan Declaration is a Christian manifesto on the sanctity of life, the dignity of marriage, and religious liberty. Energized by the phrase, “no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence” I signed document.

I didn’t just sign the declaration, more importantly I read it carefully.  I was reminded to, “have compassion for those so disposed [toward immoral conduct]; we respect them as human beings possessing profound, inherent, and equal dignity; and we pay tribute to the men and women who strive, often with little assistance, to resist the temptation to yield to desires that they, no less than we, regard as wayward.”

It is one thing to quietly show loving kindness and respect for all people in our daily activities, but what happens if society becomes so corrupt that our love of God and our perspective on human dignity is misconstrued to the point that it is said to be the opposite of love and kindness?  I often feel like the world tries to tear us apart and pit us against each other and against God. We get accused of attitudes that just aren’t true.  We get called names and then begin to treat each other as if what the enemy said was really true. Grrr!

Radical love and tenderness together with radical strength and determination is my answer.  How can we who are called by God’s name do otherwise?  Even if it results in ridicule or prosecution I will love boldy, care deeply and always choose to believe that my brothers and sisters in Christ are with me and not against me.  Seeing my name together with nearly half a million others is a good reminder.  Likewise, making a public statement in an age where my my name and my words might be noted for future reciprocity make it very real.

I felt solidarity with those from ages past who taught that, “just laws elevate and ennoble human beings because they are rooted in the moral law whose ultimate source is God Himself. Unjust laws degrade human beings.” (Words from Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail)

Tomorrow I will get back on the path with the Apostle Paul to follow his advice on how to demonstrate love to the people of this world and to live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I’ve lately been thinking a lot about prayer and it relationship to God’s word. Many years ago I became familiar with the practice of praying through scripture.  Since I also memorize portions of the Bible, I turn many of my favorite Psalms into prayers.  Hold it! That idea wasn’t mine to start with.  It is how the psalmists meant them to be used; heart-felt conversations with a loving father.

Some of my favorites are:

Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee. Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me Thy law. Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Thy ways. Establish Thy word to Thy servant, as that which produces reverence for Thee. Establish my footsteps in Thy word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.  (Psalm 119:11, 29, 37, 38 & 133)

and Psalm 101

Also, more and more as I study scripture I am having a conversation with God. His words are living and active, speaking to me in the present, as if He where there in person. So, I am speaking His words back to Him in prayer and reading His words as if hearing a conversation.  The old delineation between “prayer” and “studying the Bible” are getting more blurred.

P.S. I was raised on King James, but now enjoy the New American Standard Bible, which maintains the older English practice of using “Thee,” “Thy,” and “Thou” when referencing God.  Quaint, old habit, I know.

I’m still learning how to manage this new web site, but I messed up and for two weeks whenever a visitor clicked to Read the full article → they were getting sent to the Contributions page.  Though I’d like to think my writing has some value, it is certainly not good enough to ask for money before letting someone read my rambling thoughts.

If you are still reading and are one of those who experienced that, my humble apologies.  The fact that you came back must mean you are either a friend or are looking for more punishment.

During the month of March, I was awake many times in the wee hours of the morning unable to sleep, and so I prayed for everyone who was on my heart or who came to mind.  Those times brought inner peace and comfort and even compensated, some what, for the lack of sleep.  But, it also brought an awareness for the suffering of others.

During my hours of prayer I was thinking of the person as I prayed for them and putting myself in their footsteps.  It took emotional energy and concentration. I am now learning from a few of the people I had prayed for that somehow I was helping to bear their burdens so that the times they were going through were not so heavy.  Strange concept.

Don Lawson Lynch
July 27, 1928 – April 3, 2010

Don Lawson Lynch passed away peacefully with his family at his side on Saturday night, April 3rd, 2010 at his home in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. He was 81 years old.

Don was born on July 27, 1928 to Don and Lily E. (Fields) Lynch in Houston, Texas. He graduated from high school at the age of 16 and then attended the University of Houston while working for Gulf Oil. At the age of 18, he purchased land in Houston and he built a home for him and his mother. At 22 Don joined the army and served in the Korean War where he instructed soldiers at the Chemical Section’s Flame Thrower School. Don was honorably discharged in 1956 after 2 years of service and 4 years in the reserves. He was awarded The Commendation Ribbon With Metal Pendant – “Sergeant Lynch, by virtue of his unswerving devotion to duty, carried out his duties in a superior manner despite adverse conditions.” He considered it an honor to serve his country.

Returning home to the USA, he worked as an engineer off-shore in the Gulf of Mexico for Magobar Drilling Company. Don was a pilot and owned a small plane that he regularly flew between Louisiana and his home in Houston. In 1957 while back on shore from the Gulf, he went to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans where he first met Chris (Gerlich) Lynch of Houston, Texas. The day of their first meeting he told a friend, “I will marry that girl someday.” Although Don moved to Venezuela to work for Magobar as the Division Manager for eastern Venezuela, he continued to date Chris. They married on July 16, 1958 in Richmond, Texas and Chris moved to Venezuela where they started their family and lived for 4 years. Don worked in the Panama jungle for 3 months before moving back to the States.

In 1961, Don fulfilled a life-long dream of owning and personally operating a ranch in the Rocky Mountains. They traveled to all the mountain states and finally chose to fulfill that dream in Glenwood Springs. Despite not having any ranching experience, they purchased a ranch and named it The 4 Mile Ranch. Today it is known as the 4 Mile Bed and Breakfast and Oak Meadows subdivision. Don and Chris worked as a team throughout their lives together and were never afraid to take on new adventures. Owning a ranch was just the first of their many adventures together during their lives in Glenwood Springs. Don started working at the U.S. Post Office and shortly thereafter he was awarded multiple contracts by the U.S. government. He established Lynch Trucking and transported mail for the U.S. Post Office from Denver to many of the towns in western Colorado including the Roaring Fork Valley for over 20 years. At this time he also had contracts with many of the western slope banks to transport bank records for processing in Grand Junction. To keep his transportation network rolling, they leased a gas station for good measure. During this same time they opened and operated the Red Rooster Restaurant in Glenwood Springs and later in Fruita. It was well-known for its great food! He eventually used his trucking experience to drive trucks for Ashcroft mines and Mid-Continent Coke and Coal.

Don loved life and loved people. He traveled all over the world and throughout his 49 years in the valley, he enjoyed spending time with friends and family on the tennis courts, at the golf course, on the ski slopes, in the Hot Springs Pool, hiking, camping, and fishing. You name it, he learned it and he enjoyed doing it. After early retirement, Don and Chris spent their winters in Sun Lakes, AZ.

Don was a member of the Glenwood Church of Christ. He came to know and love the Lord as a young man and actively shared his faith and the many blessings God gave him with people throughout his life. His relationship with the Lord was the guiding force in his life and led him to take hold of the opportunities that God brought his way. With so many experiences, doing so many things, he was always prepared and willing to care for and lend a helping hand to others. Don was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was always there for his family. He will be missed!

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Don and Lily E. Lynch; a brother, George Lynch; and sisters, Sarah Watson and Eugenia Mericle.

Don Lynch is survived by his wife of 51 years, Chris Lynch of Glenwood Springs; a son, Luke (Kelly) Lynch of Colleyville, Texas; three daughters, Jamie Campa of Glenwood Springs; Susan (Jimmy) Martin of Branson, Missouri; and Jo Anne (Russ) Licht of Orlando, Florida; three grandsons, Lawson Lynch of Colleyville, Texas; Ryan Martin of Branson, Missouri; and Caleb Licht of Orlando, Florida; four granddaughters, Bonnie Lynch of Colleyville, Texas; Sabrina Martin of Branson, Missouri; Katie Lynch of Colleyville, Texas; and Amy Licht of Orlando, Florida.

Visitation will be at Farnum-Holt Mortuary, 405 West 7th, Glenwood Springs on Friday, April 9, 2010 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Service will be held at the Glenwood Church of Christ, 260 Soccerfield Road on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 2:00 pm followed by a military graveside service and internment at Rosebud Cemetery with Minister John Roberts officiating. A reception at the Church of Christ will follow the graveside service. In lieu of flowers the family requests a contribution be made to “Campus Crusade for Christ: In memory of Don Lynch – Acct # 0367459” Campus Crusade for Christ – Donations, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Orlando, Florida 32832.

I’m sitting in a conference room in northwestern Thailand with a group of web developers from all over the world. We are working in English, but we have Amharic (Ethopia), Arabic (Egypt), French (Mali), Korean and Malayalam (India) speakers.  As if it wasn’t hard enough, all of us are struggling to understand the computerese dialect called Drupal. I have a fresh sense of the excitement the disciples experienced at Pentecost. The gift of tongues must have been such a relief to those who had the job of teaching a strange, new belief system to people from many cultures with many different languages.  Slowly, but slowly I am coming to understand this new web development platform, but a little devine intervention for my tired brain would be much appreciated.

I’m often asked to describe what the technical buzz words: Identity Management really mean.  It is a subject that means something entirely different in the world of corporate information systems than it does to me in the mission field.  Corporate systems are all about protecting the vault of valuable assets.  My job is more about protecting and connecting people.

Identity

We are living in a historic period of God’s activity on the planet earth. Not since the early days of the church, as recorded in the book of Acts, have followers of Jesus been connecting with each other and coming together for a singular purpose and with such a compelling sense of unity. The one thing that unites them is their identity in Jesus Christ. Their purpose is to build spiritual movements such that everyone will know someone who truly follows Jesus.

Unfortunately, our technology is not exactly filled with the Holy Spirit and able to recognize a follower of Jesus based on their name and password. Therefore, we build web systems that help these followers of Jesus to identify and connect with each other online.

Identifying Movement Builders

Jesus’ followers have long been the best source of credentials for identifying other followers. In fact, Jesus carefully instructed his first followers on how to recognize people who truly loved God from those who were merely religious. Likewise, our identity systems rely on people who know people to establish their credentials. This sets our Identity Management software apart from the systems employed by financial institutions or eCommerce web sites. Fortunately, it also makes the costs of developing and deploying this technology much more affordable.

Enabling Movement Builders

Our identity system authenticates a person before they view a web page. In other words it establishes that, they are who they say that they are before they are allowed to visit the web site.

The system embraces the fact that a person’s “official” relationship to the organization might change over time, but their need to stay connected remains. The fluid, multi-faceted roles that people have in building spiritual movements is not dependent on the employment process. It allows participants to have multiple roles as volunteers, students, donors, employees, associate staff and fund developers.

Likewise, we need to create safe sanctuaries for people seeking to know more about Jesus. They come wanting to connect with true followers of Jesus in online conversations. The identity system allows us to treat them as the unique and special people God created them to be and also protects their privacy and the confidentiality of their conversations.

Whenever I drag my travel bags out for a trip the dog gets nervous.  I can’t say I blame him.  He’s been left alone or at a stranger’s house enough times that he recognizes the signs.  By tomorrow morning he’ll feel better when he realizes Jo Anne and the kids are staying put.  It is just another one of my crazy trips half way around the world.  Truthfully, I hate leaving them again.  I don’t mind the travel, but I really don’t like being away from my family.  Come to think of it, I’m getting to be more like the dog every day.

Deciding to scrap the old family web site and rebuild it just 4 days before leaving the country was a bit hasty.  Since I already owned the domain name, lichtfamily.org,  I had to wait a overnight for control of the address pointers to transfer to my new hosting home.  After that everything went pretty fast.

This web site has been put together with WordPress.  I followed their suggestions for hosting it at BlueHost.  I am very impressed with the Thesis plugin for customizing the theme, style, etc.  So far, I’m only using the Arjuna theme while I get used to WordPress.  I plan to do more with Thesis later.

A very viable alternative would have been to host the site at wordpress.org.  Likewise, I could have registered for a new domain name with BlueHost and been up and running even faster.

The old adage, “the cobbler’s children have no shoes,” kept going through my mind. Our family web site was getting more ancient and more neglected each month.  Then on Fri. I couldn’t even upload our most recent newsletter.  Embarrassing for a guy who instructs others on how to make web sites happen :-{

Bear with me as I get this up and running.  If you are a techie, you’ll be interested in the details.  If not, wait a few days.