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A TRANSCENDENT MOMENT WITH GOD'S CREATION - Part 2 of 2

Part 2 of 2

The entire flight was quite breathtaking, unforgettable and perhaps the most trancendent example of God’s artistic and creative abilities that I have experienced.

Blue Hawaiian helicopter tours took us up from the airport directly towards and then around the top of the currently dormant volcano, Mt. Haliakelah (the second largest in the world at 10,000 ft). 

The flight then proceeded counterclockwise around the island with clear views of the ocean on one side and Maui’s green majestic beauty on the other.  We saw probably more rainbows and waterfalls during this one hour then we will see the rest of our lives combined!
(This is because the top of these mountains represent the second highest recorded rainfall amounts in the world each year…thus dozens of rainbows and waterfalls.  I even saw a 360 degree rainbow!) 

The highlight of the trip was when our helicopter took a left turn into the Valley of Tears.  This valley shown in the opening sequence of Jurassic Park leads you to a large natural  cul de sac between 2000 ft cliffs.

The day we went it was quite misty in the valley but when we arrived at the end of the valley you could clearly see a large 2000 ft. waterfall straight ahead and well over a dozen other of various sizes on three sides of us!  It looked like the garden of Eden... only better. 

Some primordial calling from deep within me wanted the pilot to land the helicopter and let us all get out and just walk around and drink in this unsurpassed natural geological beauty.  Viscerally, It felt as though I had somehow found my way back to the garden of Eden.  There was no doubt that the exquisite lushness of the flora and fauna was of supernatural origin.  This was for me the single most mind blowing experience with God’s creation in well over 40 years of life and I have experienced many.

It was one of those T-moments when you want to stand up and shout as Tom Hanks character does in Joe in Joe Versus the volcano stands up with the giant moon on the background horizon and cries out to his creator and declares “My God!  I forgot...how BIG you are!”  But that’s a story for another day!

- If you take this flight make sure you take it with the company called Blue Hawaiian and has two engine helicopters not only for safety but because they are allowed to get closer to the action by the FAA.  Also ask them if a view of the Wall of Tears (weatherwise) is available that day.  For more photos and actual videos check out their site at www.bluehawaiian.com.  (It’s a free vacation for your mind... online!  Come on.  Check it out.  It will do you some good just to be reminded of how BIG God really is!)

A TRANSCENDENT MOMENT WITH GOD'S CREATION - Part 1 of 2

Transcendent (Tran*scend"ent) (?), a.
[L. transcendens, -entis, p. pr. of transcendere to transcend: cf. F. transcendant, G. transcendent.]

1. Very excellent; superior or supreme in excellence; surpassing others; as, transcendent worth; transcendent valor. "Clothed with transcendent brightness." Milton.

2. (Kantian Philos.) Transcending, or reaching beyond, the limits of human knowledge; -- applied to affirmations and speculations concerning what lies beyond the reach of the human intellect.

Transcedent.  Now there is a word we don’t use very often.  Perhaps because transcendent moments by definition generally surpass everyday human experience and understanding.

I’ve  been blessed to enjoy a few of them in my life.  The birth of any of my three children were all transcendant experiences...all glorious wonders without equal in all of life! 

Likewise, strangely enough, I’ve been blessed to be the one holding the hand of a few of God’s children as they passed from this life into the next.  A wondrous moment and remarkable honor to be sure. 

As a pastor I’ve had the remarkable honor  of seeing people hatched, matched and dispatched.  All deeply spiritual moments in which God shows up in a transcendent way to bring a new life into the world; to unite two lives in a way that is virtually beyond explanation; and finally to sovereignly allow the human spirit and soul to free itself from the physical shell of the human body to return once again to exist on a 100% spiritual plain of existence.

Transcendent moments in nature can include being in the presence of what we term as natural disasters; hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, tsunami’s, earthquakes as well as amazingly breath takingly beautiful moments; like the first time you drive from Reno and see lake Tahoe from Mount Rose!  Or experiencing the majestic splendor of Lake Louise or the exhileration of watching the Salmon run, the swallows return to Capistrano, or the feeling when every ounce of your body vibrates as a lion unleashes his roar.

One of those moments that I recall quite vividly was when I was asked, (actually more like strongly persuaded), by a gentleman at a church in Maui to create a financial seminar and then come to Maui and conduct it for a church of over a thousand people there.  I was blessed to be able to share the experience with my entire family.

One of about a dozen experiences that we experienced on Maui at no cost to us was an hour long helicopter trip that will remain forever etched in my mind.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Henley on Relationships - part 3 of 3

FEBRUARY 14, 2007
Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

HENLEY on RELATIONSHIPS
LOVE  (FINALLY) EMBRACED

It seems only fitting that on Valentine’s Day that we should conclude our mini blog series by exploring the songs of Don Henley and the inspiration behind them that embrace love.

Shortly after agreeing with his former fellow band members to detent and thus ending their ‘14-year vacation’, the Eagles released Hell Freezes Over with his band mates and left on a two-year world tour in the mid 90’s. 

He left behind his Desperado persona, "wading through all those actresses and girl singers", Henley says he finally got lucky. He married Sharon Summerall, a former model from Texas who had lived in Paris and studied Art History. All his friends came to play at the 1995 wedding, including Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow and Tony Bennett.” (Wikipedia)

His songs show a much more mellow and also mature man. One who is now ready to embrace love himself with a high level of passion and remarkable level of commitment.

The songwriter that discovered that the "Heart of the Matter" in overcoming a failed relationship is forgiveness now found himself facing the fact that after all those "nights of running" with "the old crowd," "you wake up one morning and half your life is gone"

... and since you always only "get the love that you allow," (a profound discovery for most of us  that seek love in life.) you first have to invite love back into your life if you want a meaningful relationship ("Everything Is Different Now.") And he learned to give "Thanksgiving" for a life that he "still loves."

Editor’s Note:
After years, as he puts it, of Psychobilly musician Mojo Nixon, long-time enemy of popular culture, wrote a song called "Don Henley Must Die". Some years later, Mojo was playing at Austin's Hole in the Wall when the Eagles, who were also scheduled to play there, came in. Mojo announced he was going to play the song when Don Henley himself climbed up on stage and began to sing along, which left Mojo utterly speechless. The two have since become friends.
Henley wrote the song "Everything Is Different Now" from the album Inside Job for Sharon. It has been announced that Sharon is suffering from multiple sclerosis. ”The couple now have three children: Annabel, Will and Sophie.” (Wikipedia)

Henley on Relationships - part 2 of 3

HENLEY ON RELATIONSHIPS

LOVE AVOIDED

Henley’s most enduring classic co-authored with Glen Frey is the epic song about a metaphorical love (avoidance) bandit referred to as “Desperado.” In spite of the fact that the song has been overexposed, is an elevator music classic and was spoofed by the Elaine character on Seinfeld; the song holds up as both a pop ballad and life message masterpiece more than three decades later.

The hard, cold reality is that for various “reasons” a lot of men and women in today’s society are ‘love desperados’. On January 18th of 2007 it was announced that for the first time 51% of adult women in the U.S. are unmarried. While many factors account for it, at least one factor that would have to be accounted for is the “Desperado” syndrome. And as fast as women are catching up in this department, (a dubious achievement at best) men are still the undisputed champions of ridin’ fences in their dating relationships and not “opening the gate” to love.

"Desperado"

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? (its a crazy lifestyle)
You been out ridin' fences for so long now (metaphor for playing the field)
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons (likely pain from a previous relationship)
These things that are pleasin' you (endless series of shallow relationships)
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy (watch out for the material girl)
She'll beat you if she's able (she will take you for what you are worth and dump you)
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet (find the one with a big heart)

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table (you’ve met some wonderful women along the way)
But you only want the ones that you can't get (human nature wants want it can’t have.)

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone (Ironic twist as Henley shows that freedom can be its own prison)

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time? (When your alone, loneliness is an issue,)
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day ( days tend to run together,)
You're losin' all your highs and lows (there may be less drama, but there is also less living)
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate (put that lifestyle of running from love behind you, open the gate of your heart)
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you (life may be tough, but the rainbow reminds us of God’s promise to provide)
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late (our greatest need...to love and be loved...miss that you missed the point of the journey of life)

Henley on Relationships - part 1 of 3

(Editor’s Note: Don Henley Honored As MusiCare’s  Person Of The Year on February 10, 2007)

MUSIC:    Henley on Relationships
(Love Lost, Love Avoided, & Love Embraced)
by Shawn Murphy

Music is one of life’s most precious gifts.   My half century love affair with her is a poorly kept secret among those who know me best and my passion for her intensifies with each passing year.

The reasons for music’s nearly universal appeal could easily fill volumes of books.  Personally, I love the way at times she speaks a language that only my heart understands and feeds my soul in a way that other mediums cannot. The emotional power of both music and lyric in symphonic synergy has the power to move, to inspire and at times even provide healing to a wounded heart.

The most prolific songs ever penned from the Gershwin brothers to the brothers Gibb have most often centered around love relationships.  From falling in love, to breaking up or even making up, its all been chronicled on literally millions of pages of sheet music.

One of so many of my generation who lyrically downloaded his own pleasure and pain into song is one of the co founders of arguably one of the most accomplished and beloved American bands of all time. The band is The Eagles.  The man is Don Henley. 


LOVE LOST

For so very many people in this culture who have loved and lost, been lost and found, or simply are just too afraid of pain to risk loving at all: his words provide expression, encouragement and catharsis in addition to priceless lessons regarding the greatest expression of life....love.

Perhaps one of the greatest anthems ever written for those of us who have survived the deep and festering wounds of divorce is his masterpiece called “The Heart of the Matter.”   

Among the priceless gems found in nearly every stanza of this song are these...

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride
You better put it all behind you baby; cause' life goes on
If you keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside, baby

I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
and the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

Its a fact of life that we all must learn the hard way.  We can’t truly live life in the fullness in which it was intended without freely giving and receiving love.   Ironically, it is when we open ourselves up to love (the rose) that we open ourselves to its painful sidekick (the thorn) as well.

Forgiveness is essential to our own well-being. Bitterness is very much like acid, it eats away at and can ultimately destroy the vessel that harbors it.

The other reason that he champions forgiveness is because life is so short.  “The  flesh will get weak and the ashes will scatter” is clearly his poetic way of saying that life is much too brief, forgive one another, get over it, and to move on and endeavor to love again.
                                        
                                        -  1st in a series of 3 -

What's Your Dream?

In Pretty Woman, the 1990 Garry Marshall instant romantic comedy classic ends the same way as it begins with a “Happy man” shouting...

“Welcome to Hollywood. What's your dream ?
Everybody comes here.
This is Hollywood, the land of dreams.
Some dreams come true, some don't.
But keep on dreamin'. This is Hollywood.
Always time to dream, so keep on dreamin'.”

The question is a timeless one, that touches every one of us, rich or poor, light or dark skinned, male or female.

So, “What’s your dream?”

Backpack through Europe.
Climb Mt. Everest.
Downsize and simplify life.
Build a log cabin.
Live on a lake.
Become a life coach.
Create some margin in life.
Become a blood donor.
Work with troubled teens.
Eliminate all debt.
Walk Appalachian trail
Learn to sail.
Write book.
Visit New Zealand.
Achieve financial independence.
Create blog.
Run a 5 or 10K.
Earn scholarship.
Race the Iditarod
Daily Quiet time.
Run marathon.
Lead a mission trip.
Rock climbing.
Adopt 10 children from Compassion International
Hang glide.
Swim with dolphins.
Get married.
Become ordained.
Navigate the Amazon.
Walk the Great Wall.
Play Virtuoso on Guitar.
Finish GED.
Sing like Mariah Carey.
Speak French.
Learn ballroom dancing.
Get pilots license.
Jog daily.
Make 2 new friends.
Live in NYC.
Own condo on the beach.
Wind surf in Maui.
Organize house.
Send parents on cruise.
Give away 25% of income
Adopt a child from China.
Go on an African safari.
Donate air miles to “Make A Wish”
Do medical missions trips.
Pass down wealth to your children.
Raise a Godly family.
Rescue a pet.
Buy a new car.
Be a Big Brother.
Volunteer at soup kitchen.
Lose 35 lbs.
Read the Bible cover to cover.
Take culinary classes.
Learn photography.
Get SCUBA certified.
Capture grandparent on videotape.
Join Habitat for Humanity
Become a motivational speaker (“& live in a van down by the river!”)

This isn’t even close to being an exhaustive list of life dreams... But you do have to start somewhere. Identifying yours and writing them down is just one of the essential keys to ensuring that your dreams have a fighting chance of coming true.

Hey, you may not live in Hollywood...but “keep on dreamin’ anyway”.
Stop “yakking” ...its time to make it happen!

WISDOM FROM AN ELEPHANT BURIAL GROUND

(I bought the pictured inspirational disc for my daughter Megan here in Roswell and she placed it on a table in a coffee shop in Paris and sent this photo to me, which in turn inspired me to write this blog entry.)

I once heard my dear old friend and personal mentor, Howard Dayton of Crown Financial Ministries share a story about a poll taken of over 1000 people ninety years old and over in that great ‘Elephant burial ground’ known as south Florida. When asked this rather intriguing question of what they would do if they could live their entire life over again; the number one answer by far was “I would take more risks!”

Loosely translated, that means, they played the game of life too safe. Perhaps a few other metaphors will help you relate better.

• They left money on the table.
• They didn’t leave everything they had on the field or court!
• They went into a prevent defense too early and played not to lose!

Here are some contemporary slogans that speak to the mindset these post octagenerians
seemed to be trying to say.

• Just do it!
• Go for it!
• Grab for the gusto!
• Pursue your passion!
• Follow your dreams!

Speaking of Elephant burial grounds. There is an infinitely bigger one than in sunny, south Florida where people go to live out their last decade or two before death.

The one I speak of is the one where each and every one of us have left more than a few of our most precious and passionate dreams to die a slow death as age, energy and opportunity slowly creep away from us with each passing year.

What dreams did you leave there and slowly, sadly walk away from, and perhaps even eventually forgot about?

• Career aspiration? (Self employment, working w/in your calling)
• Physical fitness (Overall fitness, Cardio, Marathon, triathalon)
• Creative expression? (Music, painting, writing, etc..)
• Relationship dream? (Soul mate, broader & deeper friendships; closer to your children and parents)
• Financial Freedom? (Freedom to serve God anywhere, anytime)
• Intimate relationship with God? (Moment by moment intimate relationship)

Take the Blueprint study and if you desire the Blueprint Coach with you back down to the graveyard and reclaim some of your personal stuff (your dreams, your passions, and lifelong aspirations). If you are still breathing, then its too early to be burying such precious possessions.

What are you waiting for...your 90th birthday?

Top Ten Reasons You Need a Blueprint for Life

 

10.  "Fewer than 3% of people have any type of life plan."

9.  “How you spend your life is of monumental importance."

8.  "Life is short. You must use your time wisely.  A life is a terrible thing to waste!"

7. "Because God has a unique plan for your life!  You were created to fulfill your special calling.”

6.  “Knowing your life purpose makes decision making a lot easier."

5.  “Your personal blueprint ties you to your daily goals and your daily goals tie you to your purpose.”

4.  "Your family deserves to have a leader that knows where they are going.”

3.  "Your children need their parents to model what living according to purpose means."

2.  "Heaven will not be the same for everyone...you need to live for the line, not the dot."

1.  “Its a great way to help you stay focused on glorifying God and to enjoy him ... forever!”

A Word About Your Blueprint For Life Coach

A Word About Your Blueprint for Life Coach

Shawn’s life may be summed up in the words “inspired passion”.

Since his earliest childhood, rarely has he failed to miss seeing
wonder and amazement virtually everywhere and in almost every
thing.  He brings to and receives both inspiration and passion for
living through each and every new experience.

That gift of inspired passion for life is the indelible mark of His
Creator.  It is the core expression of his personal blueprint for life,
and the deep well from which he serves up soulful, thirst quenching
refreshments of life lessons, encouragement, and inspiration through 
his words, both penned and voiced.

The Art of Duck Orchestration

Lets face it.  Getting a handle on any one area of your life is fraught with challenges.  For some, balancing a checkbook or creating and staying on a budget seems virtually impossible.

Society is full of metaphors describing the obstacles to pulling one’s life together,
getting organized and  regaining control.  To illustrate the frustration we compare it to:

• Herding cats
• Catching a greased pig
• Wrestling a bear to the ground
• Getting your ducks in a row

Imagine for a moment now looking at the entire spectrum of your life...and trying
not to be overwhelmed by it all...kids, pets, spouse, money, exercise, job, car(s), home, cleaning, cooking, homework, sports, ...

And because this blog is dedicated to ‘keepin it real’ lets throw in a blast of reality to the mix...you are a single parent; still reeling from your divorce, more than carry-on emotional baggage, with body and self image issues; ever-slowing metabolism; forced back into the workplace, financial pressure, retirement needs always looming on the horizon, loneliness, growing health issues,  and so much more.

That’s where an organization like Blueprint for Life can make a difference.

Blueprint for Life offers many services, however the flagship is the 8 session Self or Small Group Study.  Sold direct from the publishers from their website at www.blueprintforlife.com/ at wholesale pricing this study will help you line up all those pesky little ducks in your life by breaking down life into just 5 major categories:

• Spiritual
• Relationships
• Physical
• Finances
• Career

I’m not saying that its all “duck soup” or that life’s problems will wash over you just “like water off a ducks back”.  It’s only when you are living in line with your God given purpose that you will ever begin to  truly feel “like a duck in water.”

For more information about the Blueprint for Life - Life Planning Study click on www.blueprintforlife.com/.