My first trip to Disney World was not all that spectacular. I've seen pictures but I don't recall a thing about it. My older siblings sure seemed to have had a good time, though. Lynn and Mark had bright smiles and eager anticipation written all over their faces...according to the polaroid snapshots.
I didn't have much to smile about. From the looks of things, I only got to ride one ride over and over again. We might as well have stayed home, as far as I was concerned. Disney World was, to me, no different from anywhere else I'd ever been. Wherever my mother went, I had to go. I didn't have a choice. I was still in the womb.
Oh well. At least I got in free!
Church is like that for a lost person to some degree. The only difference is, I was alive. Lost people are spiritually dead.
Yet, neither of us could connect with our surroundings. I couldn't feel what my brother and sister felt, taste what they tasted, or see what they saw. I was there, but I was barricaded and surrounded by a bubble of flesh that kept me cut off from all that they were experiencing.
The man or woman who does not have a living relationship with Jesus feels the same way in a church that's alive. He or she won't feel what the brothers and sisters feel. Nor can they taste and see what surrounds them because they, too, are surrounded by a bubble of flesh that keeps them cut off and detached from what is going on around them spiritually.
Interesting paradox. Because I was inside my mom, the physical world was dead to me. Yet when Jesus lives inside us, the spiritual world comes alive to us! And we get in free!
I went back to Disney World nearly nine years ago. It was a very different experience for me than the one I had 37 years earlier. I was in the same place. But this time, I had been born. I was no longer trapped inside a cocoon of flesh.
The same thing happens to a person who is born again and goes back to the same church he or she went to before. A new spiritual awakening occurs when the flesh gives way to the Spirit.
Jesus said, "You must be born again" because "that which is born of flesh is (only) flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (a new reality that cannot be known in the flesh alone)" (John 3:6-7, parenthesis mine).
By the way, I compared pictures of my second trip to Disney World with pictures from my first trip. My smile is much more noticeable.
There's a picture of me with Goofy but you can't tell which one's which...
Perry Crisp
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, October 27, 2008
Gospel According to Lightning Bugs
A Texas firefly, commonly referred to as a "lightning bug" by the locals, lofted his way across a field of flowers late one evening. Like hundreds of other lightning bugs, this little guy's tail was flickering on and off, punching occasional holes in the darkness.
The tiny Texan with the glowing tail was suddenly carried away by an enormous gust of wind made by the engines of an airplane lifting off from a nearby airport. The gust blew the tiny firefly into the cargo area of an airplane that was being boarded by travelers to Siberia! But he didn't know that.
Before the little lighted Texan could disembark, the cargo doors closed and the engines started. The little lighted insect lit on a suitcase and waited for the doors to open again. He waited and waited and waited. He slept. He explored. He slept again. Finally, the engine noise stopped and the cargo doors opened.
With less than a two-inch opening, the excited lightning bug flew out of the airplane, ready to shout, "I'm freeeeeee!" But as soon as he hit the outside air, his shout changed to, "I'm freeeeeezinggggggggg!"
He flew this way and that way, looking for a warm place. His sensors picked up on warmth coming from a nearby truck. The firefly flew into the truck just before the door closed. The truck was warm and the firefly was scared.
By the time the truck stopped, it was dark outside. The door of the truck opened and the firefly flew out into the darkness, instinctively using his tail in hopes of signaling fellow fireflies as a call for help.
It was terribly dark and bitterly cold. Even though it was springtime in Siberia, his little body was shivering against the cold. The little lightning bug kept flashing his tail as he flew about aimlessly in the dark. A high-pitched bug voice cried out from a bush, "Look at that! That strange looking bug has a tail light!"
Suddenly the Texas lightning bug was surrounded by big-headed bugs with large eyes and small bodies. He had never seen anything like it. They had never seen anything like him. They were completely enamored with his bright backside.
The Siberian big-headed bugs were enthralled by his light. He told them he was cold so they gave him a warm leaf to wrap himself in. He told them that he was a firefly. They had never heard of such a thing. No one in Siberia had ever seen a firefly.
However, the ancient prophecies passed down from generation to generation of the big-headed Siberian bugs spoke of a bug who would one day bring light to the villages of the big-heads. It was obvious to the Texas firefly that they believed HE was the fulfillment of that prophecy.
He tried to tell them he was just a regular bug and there were millions more just like him back in the United States, but they never really listened to him. They were too busy celebrating their new celebrity. The lightning bug was adored, worshipped, and villified throughout the big-headed bug kingdom.
Everyone wanted to get close to the firefly. Everyone cheered the firefly. Everyone brought him gifts and treated him like a king. He was even given his own private and cozy bed chambers. The little lightning bug never felt bigger. He thought for the first time that he was truly loved and appreciated.
One of the chief big-headed bugs grew a bit jealous of the new guy. One day, he waited until the lightning bug celebrity was asleep and snuck into his private chambers. The big-wig big-headed bug touched the tail of the sleeping firefly and discovered that flecks of the flourescent light rubbed off onto his own tentacles.
He emerged from the chambers of the firefly glowing from tentacle to tentacle. Soon, every big-headed bug wanted to touch the firefly. The noise awakened the lightning bug and he stepped outside to see what was happening.
A mob of big-headed bugs moved toward him. What started as affectionate, tender touching of the lightning bug's light turned to mauling. Everyone grew greedy for a piece of the light.
When the frenzy was finished, the firefly was unconscious on the ground. He was bleeding. His wings were spread straight. Almost unnoticeable was a tiny stick underneath the fallen firefly that stretched from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. A second stick intersected the first, starting under the stunned firefly's head and poking out from under his tail. Only a flicker of light remained in his tail. As the other bugs watched, the firefly died and the tiny remaining light in his tail dimmed to darkness.
The big-headed bugs never really wanted to get to know the firefly. Nor did they ever want to know and understand the truth of his light. They only wanted to feel the light.
I wonder how many people really only want to feel Christ or rub up against His light rather than know Christ and be changed by His light and His love.
Hoping to Enlighten You,
Perry Crisp
The tiny Texan with the glowing tail was suddenly carried away by an enormous gust of wind made by the engines of an airplane lifting off from a nearby airport. The gust blew the tiny firefly into the cargo area of an airplane that was being boarded by travelers to Siberia! But he didn't know that.
Before the little lighted Texan could disembark, the cargo doors closed and the engines started. The little lighted insect lit on a suitcase and waited for the doors to open again. He waited and waited and waited. He slept. He explored. He slept again. Finally, the engine noise stopped and the cargo doors opened.
With less than a two-inch opening, the excited lightning bug flew out of the airplane, ready to shout, "I'm freeeeeee!" But as soon as he hit the outside air, his shout changed to, "I'm freeeeeezinggggggggg!"
He flew this way and that way, looking for a warm place. His sensors picked up on warmth coming from a nearby truck. The firefly flew into the truck just before the door closed. The truck was warm and the firefly was scared.
By the time the truck stopped, it was dark outside. The door of the truck opened and the firefly flew out into the darkness, instinctively using his tail in hopes of signaling fellow fireflies as a call for help.
It was terribly dark and bitterly cold. Even though it was springtime in Siberia, his little body was shivering against the cold. The little lightning bug kept flashing his tail as he flew about aimlessly in the dark. A high-pitched bug voice cried out from a bush, "Look at that! That strange looking bug has a tail light!"
Suddenly the Texas lightning bug was surrounded by big-headed bugs with large eyes and small bodies. He had never seen anything like it. They had never seen anything like him. They were completely enamored with his bright backside.
The Siberian big-headed bugs were enthralled by his light. He told them he was cold so they gave him a warm leaf to wrap himself in. He told them that he was a firefly. They had never heard of such a thing. No one in Siberia had ever seen a firefly.
However, the ancient prophecies passed down from generation to generation of the big-headed Siberian bugs spoke of a bug who would one day bring light to the villages of the big-heads. It was obvious to the Texas firefly that they believed HE was the fulfillment of that prophecy.
He tried to tell them he was just a regular bug and there were millions more just like him back in the United States, but they never really listened to him. They were too busy celebrating their new celebrity. The lightning bug was adored, worshipped, and villified throughout the big-headed bug kingdom.
Everyone wanted to get close to the firefly. Everyone cheered the firefly. Everyone brought him gifts and treated him like a king. He was even given his own private and cozy bed chambers. The little lightning bug never felt bigger. He thought for the first time that he was truly loved and appreciated.
One of the chief big-headed bugs grew a bit jealous of the new guy. One day, he waited until the lightning bug celebrity was asleep and snuck into his private chambers. The big-wig big-headed bug touched the tail of the sleeping firefly and discovered that flecks of the flourescent light rubbed off onto his own tentacles.
He emerged from the chambers of the firefly glowing from tentacle to tentacle. Soon, every big-headed bug wanted to touch the firefly. The noise awakened the lightning bug and he stepped outside to see what was happening.
A mob of big-headed bugs moved toward him. What started as affectionate, tender touching of the lightning bug's light turned to mauling. Everyone grew greedy for a piece of the light.
When the frenzy was finished, the firefly was unconscious on the ground. He was bleeding. His wings were spread straight. Almost unnoticeable was a tiny stick underneath the fallen firefly that stretched from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. A second stick intersected the first, starting under the stunned firefly's head and poking out from under his tail. Only a flicker of light remained in his tail. As the other bugs watched, the firefly died and the tiny remaining light in his tail dimmed to darkness.
The big-headed bugs never really wanted to get to know the firefly. Nor did they ever want to know and understand the truth of his light. They only wanted to feel the light.
I wonder how many people really only want to feel Christ or rub up against His light rather than know Christ and be changed by His light and His love.
Hoping to Enlighten You,
Perry Crisp
Monday, October 20, 2008
Oh Man...
Only a man would buy his wife a pocket taser stun gun for an anniversary gift.
Only a man would then take the stun gun home and play with it before giving it to his wife.
Only a man would ignore the instructions that came with a stun gun.
Only a man would test the stun gun on his wife's stainless steel microwave oven that leaves a permanent black mark on it.
Only a man would shake his head and say, "I have no idea!" when his wife asked how the black mark got on the microwave.
Only a man would enjoy seeing the blue arc of electricity so much that he would taser the toaster, the refrigerator, the stove top, the metal stools, and the kitchen sink...and THEN notice the trail of burn marks similar to those on the microwave.
Only a man would sit in his recliner with the stun gun and pursue the urge to advance from stainless steel to living tissue.
Only a man would contemplate experimentation with Fluffy, the wife's cat.
Only a man would cross his arms and say, "Hmmmm...that IS strange!" when his wife showed him Fluffy's new look: Eyes permanently crossed, fur standing on end, and tongue that no longer retracts into mouth.
Only a man would ignore the effects of the stun gun on Fluffy and ponder the nature of human response.
Only a man would sit in his recliner in shorts and no shirt and logically calculate which part of his body would be least affected by the 100,000-volt surge of electricity if applied there and removed quickly.
Only a man would fail to realize that once a taser is self-applied, it cannot be removed quickly. Either the batteries have to die before you do or you have to pass out and hit the floor to jar the taser from your hand.
Only a man would deduce that his inner thigh is a logical place to test the stun gun.
Only a man would unwrap a stick of butter and apply it to the burns on his body once he regained consciousness and stopped screaming, and then put the butter back in the refrigerator.
Only a man would act shocked and say, "How did THAT get there?" when his wife saw butter-soaked burn marks all over his body.
Sorry guys. Just making a point. Here it is: What have you done today that only a Christian would do?
Only a cat would lick the butter off a man who tasered her while the man enjoyed a vicodin-nap on his recliner.
NOT that man...
Perry Crisp
Only a man would then take the stun gun home and play with it before giving it to his wife.
Only a man would ignore the instructions that came with a stun gun.
Only a man would test the stun gun on his wife's stainless steel microwave oven that leaves a permanent black mark on it.
Only a man would shake his head and say, "I have no idea!" when his wife asked how the black mark got on the microwave.
Only a man would enjoy seeing the blue arc of electricity so much that he would taser the toaster, the refrigerator, the stove top, the metal stools, and the kitchen sink...and THEN notice the trail of burn marks similar to those on the microwave.
Only a man would sit in his recliner with the stun gun and pursue the urge to advance from stainless steel to living tissue.
Only a man would contemplate experimentation with Fluffy, the wife's cat.
Only a man would cross his arms and say, "Hmmmm...that IS strange!" when his wife showed him Fluffy's new look: Eyes permanently crossed, fur standing on end, and tongue that no longer retracts into mouth.
Only a man would ignore the effects of the stun gun on Fluffy and ponder the nature of human response.
Only a man would sit in his recliner in shorts and no shirt and logically calculate which part of his body would be least affected by the 100,000-volt surge of electricity if applied there and removed quickly.
Only a man would fail to realize that once a taser is self-applied, it cannot be removed quickly. Either the batteries have to die before you do or you have to pass out and hit the floor to jar the taser from your hand.
Only a man would deduce that his inner thigh is a logical place to test the stun gun.
Only a man would unwrap a stick of butter and apply it to the burns on his body once he regained consciousness and stopped screaming, and then put the butter back in the refrigerator.
Only a man would act shocked and say, "How did THAT get there?" when his wife saw butter-soaked burn marks all over his body.
Sorry guys. Just making a point. Here it is: What have you done today that only a Christian would do?
Only a cat would lick the butter off a man who tasered her while the man enjoyed a vicodin-nap on his recliner.
NOT that man...
Perry Crisp
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