Christ Animated

I've watched days stumble past - Not bothering or risking a second glance. Like the dead who don't know they've risen again, They mean nothing even to themselves. My dog is Pain - goes wherever go I - A constant presence who loves to bite. His coat is dirty, rough and sparse, Unpleasant to touch, but familiar at heart. A new day coming, another black pyre boat, Offering embrace, as a thick winter coat. So I bundle myself and duck my head, And venture out into the shuffling dead... ... Pain at my side, running slightly ahead.

I write a weekly column for a local newspaper, that's centered around my home community. When there's no community news for me to share, however, I write about other things. Here is one of my recent columns. I hope you like it. In C. S. Lewis' classic book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the young heroine Lucy enters the magical land of Narnia where she soon meets a faun named Mr. Tumnus. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Tumnus. I'm Lucy Pevensie”. She holds out her hand to the faun, who looks at it curiously. “Oh, you shake it,” she explains. “Why?” inquires Mr. Tumnus. “I … I don't know,” is her honest reply. Later on, her older brother Peter encounters a large beaver, not yet understanding that the animals in this strange world can talk. “Here, boy,” he says, holding out his hand to the beaver. “Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Mr. Beaver stares at his hand for a moment, then says, “I ain't going to smell it, if that's what you want”. Holding out our hands in for...

As a pastor, as well as when I served in other ministry positions, I heard a couple of admonitions from other pastors quite frequently. One was, 'People will forgive a poorly-prepared sermon if they know you're visiting'. Another was, 'People will forgive you not visiting as long as your sermons are well-prepared'. These contradictory statements cannot both be true maxims. Pastors who were more gifted at visiting than sermon-prep and preaching tended to be the ones who made the first comment. Those whose gifts weighed more heavily on the prep-n-preaching side of the scale tended to say the second. I grew up a pastor's son, have been involved in ministry for nearly 30 years, and have lots of family members and friends who fall into one or both of those categories. From my experience, I would have to disagree with both of the above admonitions. 1. People will not automatically disregard your poorly written sermon materials, that then typically become a po...

In the life of a born-again believer, at what point does his sin negate (or outweigh) the good works he has done? Recently, a friend and colleague from years ago was found dead in his home by his wife. The church where he pastored and the school where he taught joined together to honor his life in a memorial service at the school. Now, one week later, the man's son revealed in another gathering at the school that his father had admitted to some bad decisions in his life, and committed suicide. A note was left, detailing his depression and his sin (including membership on AshleyMadison.com), and saying he was very, very sorry. His wife said she and their children would have forgiven him and moved ahead, as would many others in the school and church. Speaking to news sources, she said, "What we know about him is that he poured his life into other people, and he offered grace and mercy and forgiveness to everyone else, but somehow he couldn't extend that to himself." ...

I've been taut Not to do that I've been taut To relax I've been taut Just a little And been taut To the max I've been taut When I'm weary I've been taut When I'm strong I've been taut When I'm right And been taut When I'm wrong All of my life  At this moment is fraught But what do I know? It's just what I've been taut

You know when we got together Love was more than we could measure And the wind and tide were always on our side But as the years stretched to forever Our love changed just like the weather And the only thing that settled was your mind I know we've left behind Every memory we could find Of the two of us in our better days And you tell me not to fret Better days are just ahead But I know that you love me in the worst way It's the worst way You could have loved me It's the worst thing You could have done Now you've left me Here a-cryin' While you're out having all your fun I guess you wanted a new beginning I see it looks like you found you one Since you loved me in the worst way It looks like "us" is done. (c) Brett Campbell, 08.03.2015

So, you just _________ for the millionth time, and you wonder if God will forgive you? Again?  No amount of hard work, or Hail Mary's, or worrying will help you. God wants something else.  * "... a broken and humbled heart, O God, you will not turn away" (Psalm 51:17). * "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness" (1 John 1:9). * "You must be born again... For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:7, 16). If you have allowed Him to make you a new creation in Him, and have confessed in brokenness and humility to Him, He has forgiven you!

Leviticus is part of God's Word. The book is part of the Books of Moses (the Pentateuch, the Torah), and is literally entitled "And He called". The Greeks named it Leuitikos, meaning "relating to the Levites", and thus it came into English as "Leviticus". This book addresses more than the Levites (Israel's priestly clan), however, expanding to all the Israelites, at times. The book's instructions emphasize ritual, legal, and moral practices more so than doctrines or beliefs. The purpose of the book is to emphasize God's desire for humans to live in a right relationship with Him. In regards to the issue of homosexuality, Leviticus chapter 18 has been quoted liberally - by "both sides" of the issue. Those opposing homosexuality/LGBT have stressed that verse 22 specifically forbids men having sex with men. Supporters of homosexuality/LGBT stress that other verses in the book forbid wearing clothes made of two different types of mater...

Mercy Me's song, "Flawless", is right on point. Compared with the popular secular song by the same name, quite a few contrasts can be easily seen. Mercy Me's song focuses on our worth being found in Christ. No matter our condition on our own, the sacrifice of Jesus makes those who accept Him flawless. "let me introduce you to amazing grace No matter the bumps No matter the bruises No matter the scars Still the truth is The cross has made The cross has made you flawless No matter the hurt Or how deep the wound is No matter the pain Still the truth is The cross has made The cross has made you flawless" "Could it possibly be That we simply can’t believe That this unconditional Kind of love would be enough To take a filthy wretch like this And wrap him up in righteousness But that’s exactly what He did" "Take a breath smile and say Right here right now I’m ok Because the cross was enough" Beyoncé's song "Flaw...

My daughter Jessy, my wife Donna, and I were enjoying watching a television show on London, England, when someone commented that they never thought of England as being very big. Jessy said if we visited the country and got separated, it wouldn't take long to find each other. If we got separated, I said, they would find me at The Eagle and Child. From wherever in England I was, I would just give the cab driver the address of 49 St. Giles, Oxford, and settle in for the ride. Within short walking distance of Oxford University and St. Johns College, this traditional English pub has been around since 1650. Taking its name from the crest of the Earls of Derby, The Eagle and Child was nicknamed “The Bird and Baby” by an interesting group of writers who dubbed themselves “The Inklings”. It's because of this connection to JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis that I would be found there. I'm not a drinker, so I wouldn't be ordering any of their “cask ales”, “specially selected...

If my body is broken, Why should my spirit be? If my flesh is wounded, Why should my soul not sing? If I could not walk, My feet would still be planted firm. I would lie beside still waters, Though my body stood infirm. Where can I go He would not be? Why would I want to hide? The body He has given fades, Though the spirit is alive. This flesh is but a moment. Thank God for temporary pain! His Spirit is within me, Holding me until that day. (c) Brett Campbell, 06/25/ 2015

You strain your voice to speak your threats Can't let go of what you won't forget Cling to the wrongs and ignore the rest Have you become what you detest? Trust betrayed was trust undone Finding it hard to come back home My spirit fears where my mind has gone Is it decreed I be alone? I love you, I hate you I need you, I berate you You hurt me, I hurt you Tell me, what do we do When it's done? Is this done? Are we done? You cut yourself to show your blood runs true Can't deny what you didn't do Love, he said, keeps no record of wrong Don't comprehend where we belong Scratch the ink of forgiveness in me On my arms, on my chest, where all can see All I've shown is the worst in me So, I'll let you get the better of me I love you, I hate you Will you help me work through You hurt me, I hurt you Tell me, what do we do When it's done? Is this done? Are we done? I don't believe we're done We're not done

Tuesday, June 2, 2015, 7:55 p.m. CST Because I am so very tired already of hearing about Mr. Bruce Jenner becoming Ms. Caitlyn Jenner, I decided to do a Google search of “Caitlyn Jenner”, just to see how many results would come up. The answer? “About 19,800,000 results”. And the first result, next to a photo of the Vanity Fair cover of the transformed person in question, entitled “Call me Caitlyn”, was “Why are we really interested in Caitlyn Jenner?”, an article on CNN from the current day, by Peggy Drexler. The article says, in part: “... let's also be honest: Are we praising her for her courage to be her? Are we praising her bravery as a human – or as a celebrity? Or are we, well, sensationalizing?” “It is … an acknowledgment of a transition that is likely only marginally representative of those experienced by most in the transgender community. It's also a transition that has centered very heavily on her looks, making her story of transition nearly imposs...

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, bless His holy name" - Psalm 103:1. "Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it should not be this way " -  James 3:10. When I am in severe pain, as I was yesterday, it becomes very difficult to think clearly -  about anything. I am immediately drawn in opposite directions. I can curse, asking why, and assuring God I have done nothing directly to deserve this particular pain. In this option, I remain physically in pain, and my heart can quickly become bitter, and toxic. I also have the option to bless God, praising Him for His great mercies and for being with me through all of it. In this option, I may remain physically in pain, but my spirit is uplifted. God is praised, and others can be pointed towards Him, rather than away from Him with a bad attitude. It's very hard to praise God and focus on the pain at the same time. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

In a world of things that irritate me - from the mildly irritating (mosquitoes) to the horribly offensive (racism) - I find myself taking offense quite often to any article that says, "You're doing it wrong". Or worse - "YOUR doing it wrong". Please. Articles like: You're doing it wrong: How to eat a cupcake You're doing it wrong: BLTs Your pictures don't look right hanging on the wall because you're doing it wrong. Et cetera, and so on. How do you know I'm not doing it correctly? For your information, I may be doing it all correctly. All of it. All. Or not. But it's not up to the authors of these pathetic attempts at article writing to say so. If I am an expert at re-roofing houses, and you are not, and your attempt to re-roof your house turns out less than stellar, you might ask me what you did wrong. At that point, I could honestly and accurately say that it didn't work for you because you did it wrong. But this you alrea...

As we attend your wake We see what you've left behind Ripples in the water Drawn in your design What did you do while you were here Done for Heaven's sake What residue still remains We see within your wake (c) Brett Campbell 5.18.15

Today is never tomorrow Tomorrow is never today Only a fool tries to borrow From next week for yesterday Time is a concept that's passing A truth changing, ever the same It is not golden wealth for amassing For only a moment can we claim You may not exist, dear reader Til this poet's tomorrow has come Though you'll think of me in your yesterdays I'm still in this moment, this one (c)  Brett Campbell, May 17, 2015

I have always loved writing and drawing. My mother says I started drawing things from the time I first held a crayon. I'm sure writing came a little later.  I have been inspired, challenged, and awed by many artists and authors in my life so far. From the ones who seem to see things similarly to the way I do, I have gained validation - that I'm not the only one. From those who see things differently, I have learned to tilt my head, squint my eyes, and look again. The "aha moment" doesn't always come, but when it does, so does a smile.  Ask me who my favorites are and my answers may vary day to day. But some have never changed. These are the most enduring inspirations for me.  I still marvel at the incredibly complex simplicity with which Maurice Sendak accomplished Where the Wild Things Are. I am amazed at every viewing of Leonardo daVinci's self portraits or Claude Monet's Water Lilies  series. I enjoy great thrillers from Rober...

Jesus came to give us new life, according to the New Testament, and to give us that life "abundantly". Every day that I live is the only day I have (same for you, by the way). Yesterday is irrevocably gone, never to be even partially retrieved. Tomorrow will never come (by the time the next day arrives, it's "today") [some restaurants promise "free food tomorrow"], so I can't mess it up or attempt to redeem it. So my new life not only applies to eternity, as a born-again follower of Christ, but to today - right now. The life I am living at this very moment  was promised to be "abundant". So ... Does this mean that every moment of my life will be marvelous, in the sense of having abundant wealth, health, and everything else? Of course not. That's just absurd, according to reality. No "health and wealth" gospel for me. Or ... Does this mean that the moment I have, the moment I am in, already IS abundant ? Maybe I'm...

Storms outside             inside Humility of spirit drowned by pride? Teflon mind nothing seems to stick Stepping ahead is my greatest trick.

Three sides to every story Just like the singer said There's yours and there's the truth And mine runs through my head Somewhere in between the lines We read between the lies My tears were caterpillars But now they're butterflies I don't want no one like you, my dear Don't want no one like you When you got rid of me I got rid myself of you No, I don't want no one like you, my dear Don't want no one like you I dog-eared the book I'm reading Way beyond the point I've read I want this chapter over The protagonist may be dead Somewhere in between the lines I've written different words The nest full of my sorrows Has given rise to birds I don't want no one like you, my dear Don't want no one like you When you got rid of me I got rid myself of you No, I don't want no one like you, my dear And you don't want me, too (c) Brett Campbell, March 11, 2015

For a while now, I have been dealing with a circulation issue in my lower legs, which leads to blisters, which pop and form nasty sores. These got infected (two different kinds of infection), and I have been having a tough time getting it all sorted out. Doctors' visits have led to more visits, and there are more to come. Prayers are appreciated. When the pain gets really bad, it hurts to walk, to move, to sit still, to do anything at all. When it's at its worst, I have wondered (despairingly) if it wouldn't be better to have no leg below the knee - or an artificial one, at least - than to put up with the persistent weeping wounds and sharp pains. This morning, as I pondered the pain, asking God to help me make it to and through worship services, staring at my wounds, I suddenly heard God say to me, "This is what your sin does to you". My sins start out so small, and lead to other problems. Unattended, unaddressed, they cause painful blisters that eventually ...

I know it seems like I haven't written anything in awhile, and that is partially correct. I have not written anything new here, but I gave been writing sermons, newspaper columns and articles, and editing other things. Recently, I reviewed blogs I had written but not posted, and decided to go ahead and share some of these with you. They published under the original date I wrote them, and I decided to leave them that way. They are: It Isn't Fair Reconciliation New Life Trick Favorite Author Yours I've taken a breaken. Thanks for reading. Brett

“ Son, are you okay?” I opened my eyes and looked up at the face of a man I was pretty sure I should recognize. The summer sun haloed his head as he leaned over me, and offered his hand. “Let me help you up.” That's when I realized I was not “up”. I was lying on my back in the middle of the road, in a patch of loose gravel. As he pulled me to my feet, I noticed my wrecked bicycle to my left, bent at the crossbeams and the front fork. He put my bike in the back of his pickup truck, guided me to the front seat, and drove this disoriented 16-year-old around the corner and up the hill to my house. My mom met us outside, and I was delivered into her care. My brother stared at me open-mouthed as I walked by. My sister got strangely angry when I asked her “again” what day it was, and I couldn't understand why everyone wanted to know how bad my face was hurting. Dad was called home, and off I was carted to the doctor, then the ER. I had a concussion, and asphalt in the le...

I feel like this a lot of the time. I'm not sure what you said, or what you meant. Then I think I get it, then realize I may have been wrong. Maybe I didn't get it. Two guys walked into a bar. It hurt. Did I get it, or did I not?