PRAY FOR MY FRIEND

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

PrayforAmericaI have a dear friend, She needs your prayers. On July 4th she will celebrate her 239th birthday. I have known this friend all my life, sixty-three years now. She is on life support. Matter of fact She has been on extended life support for some time, but in recent days Her condition has become critical to where I am not sure that She will survive.

My friend was born surrounded by God-fearing men and women who believed in the freedom of the individual spirit, who believed that God granted people certain inalienable rights that allowed them to pursue their dreams. My friend has been a proponent of the idea that the pursuit of happiness are for those with a creative spirit and a willingness to work hard which in turn can open many doors of opportunity.

My friend has sought to exhibit a character that took the moral high ground, believing in the sanctity of life, the sacredness of family, and that marriage was between a man and a woman. She defended those who were victims of injustices and punished those who sought to trample her virtuous constitution.

I have grown-up being proud of Her. Every time I see Her banner gracefully unfurled in the wind I still get a lump in my throat as I think of all those who have defended Her honor. When I hear “Her song” played I stand reverently in thanksgiving for what She means to me and millions more.

Over the years my heart has been broken as the one I honored and loved has grown sick and whose health is rapidly deteriorating. I am not sure She is going to make it. Her once family values have been attacked and thrown to the curve. Her moral foundation is being replaced with the sand of relativism. Her purity has been soiled by those who care not for the Biblical moral values which She has embraced for so many years.

The fundamental historical foundations on which She was built has been shaken to the core. A soul that was once anchored by principles of liberty and constitutional laws has drifted toward the rocky shore of a government of dependence and give-a-ways that threaten to leave Her shipwrecked on the sands of time.

She was once frugal and thrifty; she is now enslaved by foreign lenders because of leaders who have greedily taken advantage of Her financially. Sadly, they have put Her on a train ride that is leading to inevitable financial derailment. It pains me to watch it happen, but the crash is certain.

Once so strong and vibrant with a voice that caused others to tremble when they even thought about encroaching on the freedoms of others, now has been weakened by naïve compromisers who seek to strip Her of Her once military might that have made Her vulnerable to freedom-hating terrorists. Her weaken state grieves the hearts of all who once felt safe under Her mighty wings.

She was the last bastion of democracy, the last hope for those seeking escape from the hands of tyrants and European socialism. Now the influence of those on the radical left with socialistic agendas is molding Her into an image that Her birth-parents fought to never see happen. In recent days I have felt the hot tears of Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Adams, Hancock, and Henry as the democracy they gave us is becoming a government more akin to a man named Marx.

Some blindly say, “Oh, She is not sick, all is well.” May I say, her banner may still fly in the sky, monuments honoring Her may still dot our landscape, and we may still sing of Her in public gatherings, but She is not the same anymore. Change has occurred. She is on life support and my heart is broken.

She needs our prayers. It is no longer, “God Bless America” – it is now “God Have Mercy on Her.” On this Her birthday, please pray for Her.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

MAGIC MOMENTS FROZEN IN TIME

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

I announced last week that I was hanging up my stopwatch in regard to coaching high school related team track and cross-country. I haven’t given up coaching individual runners who have a desire to achieve a level of excellence that is not possible without coaching expertise. Hopefully I can do that until my toes are turned up. As I reflect back on over four decades of coaching I have so many wonderful memories etched on the canvas of my mind. I wish I had pictures of all the many images in my mind but in those early days of coaching good pictures were hard to come by. If I could take all the wonderful memories I have and paint them on one canvas it would be a Rembrandt.

Pictures are truly worth a thousand words. Every picture tells a story, has an intriguing story behind it. I would like to share with you four pictures I rank as my four all-time favorites over the last ten years.

The first picture is of the 2011 Elkin women XC team’s reaction upon hearing they had qualified for the NCHSAA 1A XC State Championships. This is my all-time favorite. This picture captures the sheer ecstasy and unbridled joy of a group of young ladies at the moment of a season long goal being realized. After months of hard work and dedication, this picture freezes in time their moment of joy. The emotions and thrill of that momentTHEPicture captured in this photo is a wonderful memory that will stay with them for a life time. A picture of such elation is a reminder of the price of commitment that it takes to bring about such a moment, a moment that transcends the boundaries of time. The picture to me is symbolic of what we all strive for in life. We work hard, stay committed to our goals and purposes, and, though we may think it is a long time in coming, the moment the goal is reached brings a satisfaction that finds expression only in youthful exuberance. It is moments like seen in this picture that make us abundantly thankful to be alive and makes us realize how precious such moments are and that they are to be forever cherished.

The second picture is of Zach Millsaps crossing the finishline at the 2012 NCHSAA 1A State ChampiZackCrossingLineonships to win the 800 meter race. If only this picture could talk. A variety of emotions can be seen on his face: jubilation at capturing a state title, relief that four years of hard work has culminated in victory, a look of amazement that a dream has actually become a reality, and an upward gaze toward heaven in thanksgiving. The picture is made even more special when one realizes in 2011 he was within fifty yards of being a state champion when the unthinkable happened – he stumbled and fell to the track. Lifting himself off the track he finished the race and vowed to come back the next year and win it. Practicing each day with that goal clearly in his sights, his dogged determination lassoed a star and he wouldn’t let go. It is a picture that captures an expression that has tasted the devastating frustration of defeat, but it vanishes with the sweetness of victory. The picture says to me never give up. If you fall get back up, for victory comes to those who keep on keeping on.

The third pictuFaceofDeterminationre was taken in May 2014 at the NCHSAA 1A State Championships. I call this a “picture of determination.” Elkin running in the 4×400 relay, Shakai Ward has just received the baton for the final leg from an exhausted Kelsey Nicholson. Not only is Shakai in second place, the number one team in the state, Bishop, is also in hot pursuit. The look on Shakai’s face is priceless, as it is a look of unwavering determination and resolve not to be beaten. To lose never entered her thoughts. Like a graceful deer, in a few powerful strides she moved into first place. Then with girt and guts she held off the final charge of the gallant effort of the Bishop runner, securing a state title for the 4×400 team. This “picture of determination” reminds me that in the difficult races we face in life let us run with a resolve not to be beaten, but think only of victory.

The fourth picture was taken April 2014  of Elkin’s Jacob Parker and Brandon Welborn purposely tying inBran&Jac800 the 800 meter race. The meet was a quad track meet with Elkin, East Wilkes, Ashe County and Forbush. Etched on their faces are the joy of competing and the satisfaction of winning. Their tying reveals the enormous respect they have for each other, the bond they possess as teammates and the unity of their spirits to be champions. The picture is symbolic of how they ran in practice every day, like Siamese twins, often running stride for stride as if connected at the hip, pushing each other to be better. The picture reveals their unselfishness that encourages the other to win if the other cannot. The picture reveals their winning characters that make them winners on and off the track.

In the future I will share more intriguing photos that are among my favorites. For now, these four are at the top of my list from the many images etched on my mind’s canvas. Each reveals a visual story. Each captures a magic moment frozen in time. Each grows in mystique with each passing year drawing me back to that day when dreams actually became reality.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

 

 

DON’T USE PORCUPINE WORDS

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

My three grandsons are typical brothers. There are those times when they play together beautifully and typify the words “loving” and “sharing.” Then there are those moments when sibling rivalry rears its ugly head like the Lock Nest Monster, changing calm waters into a turbulent flood of discontent. The “love” and “sharing” can change as quickly as a thunderstorm intruding upon a beautiful and cloudless summer afternoon.porpine

On a recent visit to the home of my grandsons, who live in Maryland, they were down stairs playing. You could hear their harmonious laughter that drifted upstairs like beautiful music. You could sense their youthful enthusiasm and energy, contagiously infecting the air. Then it happened. The laughter, without warning, was replaced with loud angry voices and then crying. The positive energy that was being experienced quickly turned to bad vibes. I could hear unhappy footsteps hurriedly coming up the stairs. The middle grandson, Tyler, tearfully said with a broken voice, “Papa, Wyatt called me a porcupine word.”

Now I realize each generation attaches different meanings to various words that the previous generation has trouble deciphering. I was puzzled as to what he meant. I know what a porcupine is, but I was ignorant as to the meaning of “a porcupine word.” Like Sherlock Holmes I had to investigate the situation. Upon questioning Tyler, it seems his older brother called him a name. Asking what a porcupine word was he told me, “It is a word that sticks in you like a porcupine and hurts.”

Ah, out of the mouth of babes comes wisdom.

As we all journey on the dusty road of life how much better to speak to one another words of encouragement than hurtful words that stick one another like the quills from a porcupine. The word encouragement means “to come along side of.” Everyone needs someone to come along side of them to help them through tough times. Are not the Epistles of Paul in large part letters of encouragement to struggling young Christians who are plowing down a rocky row? The Bible exhorts us to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).

The Scottish theologian William Barclay stated, “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement…It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.”

Everyone needs someone to come along side of them to help them through those tough times, for life, like a boxer throwing a sucker punch, has a way of knocking us dizzy on occasions. We need each others help at times to make it through the next round. Encouragement is oxygen to a soul gasping for breath in its struggle for survival.

One of my favorite characters in the Book of Acts is Barnabas. We extol the virtues of Paul, John, Peter, Silas and James, and rightly so, but we often overlook Barnabas whose name means “son of consolation.” Wherever you find him you find him encouraging someone. When no one else wanted to become involved in a controversial situation or with a person of questionable character or motives, there you find Barnabas speaking words of encouragement. Porcupine words were not part of his vocabulary. They should not be part of ours either when dealing with fellow weary travelers.

Instead of hurling porcupine words at someone, why not speak words that will lift-up and strengthen those who are struggling. And you can be assured that whoever crosses our path each day is struggling with something that is hid from us. I have learned through over four decades of pastoring and coaching that you get a lot more out of people when you encourage them, let them know you believe in them, and that regardless of their situation they can get through it victoriously with the Good Lord’s help. And I have also learned that in encouraging others we in return encourage ourselves.

So, let us be about the business of speaking words of encouragement to one another. And above all else, let us not utter any porcupine words!

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

A TRIP I WILL FOREVER TREASURE

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

preclassic2015 118There are trips and there are trips. My recent trip to Eugene, Oregon was one of those “and there are trips.” To visit Track Town USA and attend the Prefontaine Classic track meet is something I had always wanted to do but never actually expected to do it. However, every year my daughter would ask, ”When are we going to Eugene?” “Someday,” was always my answer. As the years began piling up I realized my “somedays” were running out. In January she repeated her yearly question, this time with a little more persistence. Her persistence and having access to my credit card number, I at last agreeably stated, “Let’s do it.” She made all the arrangements to make that “someday” a reality. She would make an excellent travel agent!

The trip proved to be an unbelievable experience that words cannot adequately describe. For years I had read about the historic Hayward Field where more sub-four minute miles have been run than anyplace on earth. I had read about and watched on TV many Olympic champions, world champions and world record holders blazing the track at Hayward Field. I had read about the late great Steve Prefontaine blistering the track setting one American distance record after another. In 38 races he ran there, he only lost twice. I read about the huge crowds cheering as one voice as runners approached the finishline. Now I was about to witness firsthand all I had read about.

After a long plane flight, I, my daughter and her husband arrived in Eugene at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, PST. My body time, though, said it was Thursday morning 2 a.m. EST. You would have thought I would have been tired, but I was up at 5 a.m. PST ready to start seeing the sights. My daughter sleepily remarked, “Can you not wait until the sun comes up?” Like a kid at Christmas, no I couldn’t wait. I wanted to get going before I discovered my lifetime dream trip might be just that – a dream.

My first order of business was to visit revered Hayward Field where countless distance runners have been molded into champions by coaching legends Bill Hayward, Bill Bowerman, and Bill Dellinger. As I approached the almost 100 year old track complex that has yielded one champion after another, my heart raced like a teenager on his first date. Upon seeing it for the first time I was overwhelmed with emotion as I was keenly cognizant of the historical significance that Hayward Field holds in running lore. Taking numerous pictures, I couldn’t believe I was actually standing in its historic shadow. Its storied past loomed larger than life.

After some time we departed from Hayward Field, but could not do so without continually looking back. It was as if its mystique was drawing us back like a magnet. Making our way around the University of Oregon campus, we finally arrived at the Duck Store and purchased more than enough Pre shirts and Oregon hats and track shirts. With our purchases made, we made a return visit to Hayward Field. I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t awoke from my dream!

We were only a little over a mile from where Prefontaine had his tragic car accident that took his life on May 30, 1975 at age 24, so we began our walk to Pre’s Memorial Rock. Approaching the site with subdued reverence, it serves as a reminder that no one is too young to die. But the rock also serves as a reminder that our lives, regardless of our age, are to be lived so as to impact those who come after us. Though Pre’s life only spanned twenty-four years, his influence continues to inspire and impact others forty years after his death. It would that be true of us all.

From Pre’s Memorial Rock we made our way to Pre’s trails a couple of miles away. The trails are surrounded by breathtaking beauty. No wonder Pre loved to run the trails. Our footsteps were actually walking on trails his swift feet once carried him. The mystical pull associated with the Pre’s trails drew me back to run on them on Friday and Saturday mornings. There is a connectedness experienced on Pre’s trails that unites one with every other runner who has ever laced up a pair of running shoes.

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Me standing at the entrance to the most famous track stadium in the United States

Friday and Saturday we filed into Hayward Field with almost 14,000 other track fans to witness amazing performances by some of the most gifted runners, jumpers and throwers on the planet. What we witnessed did not disappoint. I actually got chills as I watched Olympic champions and world record holders demonstrate why they are the best in the world. We saw world leading performances by finely tuned and fit athletes. We saw thrilling races where the winner was decided by only hundredths of a second. We even saw a few surprises, as some athletes reached new heights of performances. What was not surprising is not one athlete participating gave less than their best effort. That is why they are where they are and who they are, because they are always reaching deep within themselves to leave it all on the track.

As the meet ended and people began filing out of the stadium, I didn’t want to leave. I sat in the stadium long after most everyone had left but the clean-up crew. I wanted to soak in as long as I could the magic that makes Hayward Field so unique. As I finally made my way out of Hayward Field and began my walk back to the motel, a twinge of sadness filled my heart. I turned around for one last look. It really wasn’t a dream, what I had witnessed and experienced in our three days in Eugene, Oregon really did happen.

One thing is for sure, it was a truly incredible trip I will forever treasure.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

THE MAGIC OF RUNNING PRE’S TRAILS

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

To run the trails where the swift feet of American’s most celebrated and legendary distance runner, Steve Prefontaine, once ran has always been a lifelong dream of mine. Every devoted runner who has knowledge of the phenomenal career and story of “Pre” secretly senses in their spirit that inquisitive desire that yearns to someday experience the mystique of Pre’s trails. Regardless of one’s age or running ability, to run the trails he once trod is the Mecca pilgrimage for the zealous runner. preclassic2015 102

The winding mulched trails lie near the Willamette River in Eugene, Oregon, not far from the campus of the University of Oregon. Before Prefontaine met with an untimely death on May 30, 1975 at age twenty-four, every Saturday his graceful stride would travel over the many connecting trails that rest amidst a magnificent cathedral of trees and beautiful forestry.

During my recent visit to Eugene my dream of running in the invisible footsteps of Pre became a reality. It was May 29, forty years to the day Pre ran his last race at the historic Hayward Field, which is located only a couple of miles away from his beloved trails. I had visited the trails on Thursday, May 28, and vowed to be back early the next morning. My excited anticipation of running on Pre’s Trails made for a sleepless night. I was up at 5 a.m.

After donning my running attire and eagerly lacing-up my running shoes, I ventured out of my motel room into the early morn. The sky was cloudless and the air crisp. The trail was only a short walk from where I was staying. The coolness of the morning helped chase the sleepiness from my eyes.

As I began walking across the bridge that spanned the Willamette River, I was in awe as my eyes beheld a view no artist could adequately paint. The symphonic sound of the rushing water over the rocks below filled the silence of the early morning. As the sun made its first appearance on the new day, the last traces of darkness fled away. The rays of the glowing sun painted the horizon in a breathtaking reddish-orange. The mountains in the background rose to the heavens with majestic beauty. I was overwhelmed at the sight I was privileged to behold.

After crossing the bridge, as I neared the beginning of the winding trails, I was greeted by a raPreTrailbbit that was peaceably nibbling in the grass. The trees were filled with cheerfully chirping birds singing praise to their Creator. As I gingerly took the first steps of my 55 minute run, I heard overhead a flock of geese happily honking. As I passed a creek the fog was mystically rising from it like smoke from a smoldering fire. Looking with more than physical eyes, it was easy to see all creation around me throbbed with the presence of God. In classical Greek sights of beauty that brought joy and delight to the beholder was said to be a “grace.” As I ambled along I was fully aware the sights and sounds I was experiencing was a “grace” from the Divine Artist. It was easy to see why Prefontaine loved running these trails.

As I hypnotically ran along it was hard for me to believe I was actually running the trails once run by the legendary Prefontaine. As my run progressed my steps became quicker and my breathing more rhythmic and in my mind I could hear the echoing footsteps of the countless runners whose feet have traveled over the trails through the years. It was as if the God who created the surrounding wondrous sights of nature and the consciousness of very runner were inter-connected in a commonality that transcends time, age or ability.

The beauty and the intrinsic mystique contained in Pre’s Trails that has drawn untold numbers of runners over the years to experience its magic, is a testimony to his life of dedication, commitment, perseverance and aberrance to excellence. Those are the qualities we should all strive for in every area of our lives. As Prefontaine once said, “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

The living of life is about leaving behind a legacy of inspiration, purpose and perseverance that live on long after we have departed this earth. The spirit of Pre lives on in the trails he once faithfully ran. Whatever trail in life we find ourselves on, let us live in such a way that the influence of our lives continues to impact others long after we have run our last earthly race. Let us strive in all our endeavors, regardless of our ages and abilities, with the Good Lord’s help, to always give nothing less than our best. To do otherwise is to sacrifice the gift.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

NOT FORGETTING THE MEANING OF MEMORIAL DAY

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

Memorial Weekend is upon us. Memorial Day is Monday. This year my wife and I will be spending Memorial Day with our daughter, her husband and our three grandsons in Maryland. It will be a “grand time” we are truly looking forward to. I am sure each of us has special family get-togethers planned. But in our gatherings let us not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day.MemorialDayII

While there are several stories on how Memorial Day actually began, one of the first observances in honoring the war dead occurred in the southern state of Mississippi. On April 25, 1866, in Columbus, Mississippi, a group of women were decorating the graves of Confederate soldiers who had fallen in the battle of Shiloh. A grief-stricken mother, after decorating the graves of her two sons who died fighting for the South, walked over to two mounds of dirt at the corner of the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of two Union soldiers. As she respectfully placed the flowers on the barren graves, someone said to her in a rebuking tone, “What are you doing? Those are the graves of Union soldiers.” Responding in a voice filled with compassion and sympathy, the mother softly stated, “I know. I also know that somewhere in the North, a mother or a young wife mourns for them as we do for ours.”

Such a loving act of kindness was one of the seeds that were planted in the soil of a fractured nation that grew into what became known as Memorial Day. In May of 1868, three years after the Civil War ended, Decoration Day was observed when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. General John Logan stating, “Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”

Each year afterwards more and more states recognized Decoration Day, honoring all those who lost their lives in the Civil War. By the turn of the 20th century Memorial Day ceremonies on May 30 were being held throughout the nation. After WWI the day was expand to honor and remember those who died in all American wars. In 1971 Memorial Day was declared by Congress a national holiday, being observed on the last Monday in May.

It is only fitting that on this special day we pause to honor those who have faithfully served our country and the some 1.2 million American service men and women who have died in our nation’s wars. It has been said of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, “Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.”

Because evil seeks to suppress life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, freedom always comes at a price. Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter written to William Stephens Smith, November 13, 1787, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural [nourishment].”

Samuel Adams, a Founding Father who helped draft the Articles of Confederation, stated, “The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards.”

This country just didn’t happen; it began on July 4, 1776 when 56 brave men signed their names to a document known as the Declaration of Independence pledging together their lives that we might have the United States of America. Let us not forget our Founding Fathers sacrifices and those who have served this great country and those who shed their blood that freedom might still flourish.

While it would be more than wonderful if no more wars were fought, we live in a world where liberty must be defended as long as freedom-hating tyrants exist. As Americans we may not always agree with the wars that we as a nation find ourselves involved in, but we must always rally around those who put their lives on the line to keep us free from tyrannical rulers and those who seek to oppress freedom and liberty. These freedom-defending men and women are the real heroes amongst us.

This Memorial Day as we gather with family for cookouts, as we embark upon family outings, as we enjoy the freedoms we too often take for granted, let us pause and give thanks to the Good Lord for all those who have served and those who have sacrificed so much. As well, let us breathe a silent prayer for those serving on foreign soils that are separated from their families that we might be able to be with ours.

May God Bless (and have mercy upon) the United States of America.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

CHECKING ANOTHER ITEM OFF MY BUCKET LIST

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment
PreTickets

Our three tickets to the Pre Classic

A favorite movie of mine is The Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The 2007 movie centers around two terminally ill men who embark on a road trip with a wish list of things they hope to do and fulfill before they kick the bucket! Thus the title of the movie, The Bucket List.

I guess we all have a bucket list of things we hope to do and accomplish before we check out of this life. While I have always realized life is a fragile and precious gift that can be here today and gone tomorrow, diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago that truth even become more impressed upon me. Each day is a treasured gift from the Good Lord and never to be taken for granted.

My only problem is that the things on my bucket list cost money. But I can’t take it with me. I have never had a lengthy list, but three years ago I fulfilled the first item on my bucket list. I have always wanted to go to Disney World. I grew up watching Walt Disney’s “Wonderful World of Disney.” I used to sit in fascination as I watched on a black and white TV Tinkerbelle’s Castle. I always said I would go there someday and see it. But year after year passed by and my childhood dream remained unfilled.

Realizing I wasn’t getting any younger, in the summer of 2012, at age sixty, our family went to Disney World! I was excited as a little child. When I walked through the gate to Disney World my eyes became moist and when I saw Tinkerbelle’s Castle for the first time I stood motionless in awe. As my eyes became fixated upon the huge castle I wept as I realized a childhood dream had become a reality. Check item number one off my bucket list.

Being a lifelong runner, the second item on my bucket list was to someday visit Eugene, Oregon to trod the paths once run by one of America’s most illustrious distance runners and watch one of the most prestigious track meets in the world, the Steve Prefontaine Classic. If you don’t know who Steve Prefontaine was, he at one time was one of America’s most celebrated distance runners. He was from Coos Bay, Oregon, attended the University of Oregon and at one time held every American distance record from the two mile to the 10,000 meters. He was to be the next great and dominate world class runner. Unfortunately, on May 30, 1975, at age 24, he was tragically killed in automobile accident. The running world was stunned at his untimely death, but the spirit of his commitment and passion lives on in the track meet held in his memory.

The track meet organized in memory of this legendry runner has always been held the last weekend of May, the weekend of his death. Each year it was held it grew bigger and bigger, until now the best runners in the world come and run there. I have always wanted to go to Eugene, which is the Mecca for track runners, and run the trails Prefontaine ran, to see the place where he died, to see the track on which he set records, and to witness the best athletes in the world run like the wind. Year after year passed and it only remained a dream.

This year, 2015, it becomes a reality. This year marks the 40th anniversary since Prefontaine passed away and this is the year I am going to check another item off my bucket list. I, my daughter and her husband (who are also  runners) are leaving next week to hob-knob with the best runners in the world and walk (run) in the footsteps of the great Steve Prefontaine. (My wife is staying with the grandkids, which is always at the top of her bucket list!)

Only a die-hard runner will understand this, but I know sitting in the track stands at Hayward Field will be a sacred experience for me. Understanding the history of the great Oregon coaches and runners who have left their footprints upon Hayward Field, I will be in appreciative awe of what I am experiencing and witnessing.

Yes, I may be 63 years old, but there is still a lot of kid in me. As one philosopher has said, “The secret to life is to carry with you the heart of a child even into old age.” That being the case, I have many years yet to go to check off more items on my bucket list.

Life is short. Life is a gift. Life is uncertain. So let’s get busy fulfilling the items on our bucket list.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

THE INTOLERANCE OF JESUS

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 1 Comment

TheWayThe “religion” of tolerance, that anything goes,  is destroying society. In the politically correct day in which we live, we are told that love tolerates and embraces “all things” regardless of how deviant, destructive or abnormal the behavior, action, activity or idea. After all we are told, “We must practice tolerance, for Jesus did.” We are told that lack of tolerance is a lack of Christian love and is not following the example of Jesus. Is that true?

Jesus loved us enough to leave heaven’s glory and clothe Himself in human flesh, but He was not tolerant of actions that opposed the holiness of His Father. Jesus loves each individual enough to have died on the cross for all humanity, yet it was His intolerance of sin in our lives that caused Him to submit to the cross on our behalf. The holy-love of God that is found in Jesus Christ opposes that which is contrary to His holy nature. God’s love is not sentimentality which tolerates “all things,” but God’s love is grounded in His holiness which is naturally intolerant of that which doesn’t comply with His holy nature. Jesus did not accept everyone’s beliefs and behavior as being true or acceptable. Holy-love doesn’t tolerate sin, but points out its destructive consequences. The holy-love of Jesus found Him associating with all kinds of people, yet He was never tolerant with unholy behavior and His love found Him speaking out against the sin for which He came to die.

Fulton Sheen stated it well, “There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance applies to persons but never principles. Intolerance applies to principles, but never to persons.” As Christians, we must not sacrifice on the altar of tolerance truths and principles that deal with wrong actions and attitudes which His Word says are sinful and contrary to the nature of our holy God. Jesus didn’t. A few examples of Jesus’ intolerance are cited.

Jesus was intolerant of sinful actions and attitudes. Jesus was intolerant of “self-indulgence,” “hypocrites,” “lawlessness,” “false teachers,” “uncleanness” and those who rejected Him after witnessing His miracles (Matthew 23). He called the Sadducees and Pharisees “serpents,” “brood of vipers,” “full of dead men’s bones” and “white-washed fences.” That doesn’t sound like the words of One who was tolerant of “all things.” It was His holy-love that motivated Him to speak out against such actions and attitudes, for they were contrary to the nature of God and were the sins that nailed Him to the cross. Christ’s intolerance of sinful actions and attitudes was actually an example of His holy-love. He would be less than loving were He not intolerant of the sinful and deviant behaviors and attitudes that are contrary to our God’s redemptive plan of deliverance from actions that are destructive and hinders one from being what God desires one to be.

Jesus was not tolerant of “other ways” that claimed they would lead to acceptance with the Holy-Father. He stated, “I am the way, and the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Christ further stated all who try to come to the Father another way other than through the Doorway of Him would meet with failure (John 10). Those are  intolerant and exclusionary statements, for Jesus is claiming that His life and His work on the cross is the only way to acceptance before the Father. Jesus claimed, to the exclusion of other religions, He alone has dealt with the sin-debt humanity owes a holy God.

Jesus was intolerant when he said, “Except a man be born again (born from above by the Spirit), he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). That is an exclusionary statement, because it excludes one’s works as having a part in gaining entrance into the kingdom of God.

Jesus was intolerant of those who would not believe that He was the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the God-Man. Jesus said to the rejecting Jews, “I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins; for if you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sins” (8:24). That doesn’t sound like the words of One who was tolerant of “other Christ’s” and tolerant of sinful behavior.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). That is an intolerant and exclusionary statement, for all roads don’t lead to the same place.

Jesus was intolerant, as well, when it came to lack of commitment in His own followers. He stated, “If any man come unto me and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). Wow! Jesus is intolerant of half-hearted discipleship, and is demanding whole-hearted allegiance and commitment. He is intolerant of competing rivals and is demanding Lordship over the Christian’s life.

Yes, Christians may appear intolerant, but embracing the truth that Christ of the Cross is the way, the truth and the life we cannot compromise. Love requires that we be unyielding in regard to the truth of who Christ is and what He teaches in His Word. Truth must never, never compromise with error and that which is contrary to the clear moral teachings of the inspired Word of God.

The mathematician is intolerant when it comes to what 2 plus 2 equals, the artist is intolerant with a misplaced brush stroke, the cancer researcher is intolerant with cancer cells he is seeking to destroy, the gardener is intolerant with weeds, and the Christian must be intolerant with moral and spiritual error when it clearly opposes the Living and Written Word. Love requires that we do so.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

EVERY PERSON IS VALUABLE AND EVERY PERSON COUNTS

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / 4 Comments

We have all heard the statement, “Every person is valuable and every person counts.” That was certainly proved on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, when twelve Elkin girls won the Mountain Valley Athletic 1/A-2/A Conference Track and Field Championship team title held at Starmount High School. It was a gorgeous spring day, with wispy white clouds scattered about a beautiful blue sky.ConfMeet2015 018

Competing against eight other schools, the team to beat was 2A Ashe County. It is a school that is more than twice the size of Elkin. With only twelve girls every Elkin gal had to do four events and every point was of the utmost importance. Championship meets brings out the best in runners, so everyone from every team was performing at a high level. It means every race is an all-out effort and by the end of the meet you have some very tired girls.

The meet was nip and tuck throughout the whole day. We would lead awhile, then Ashe County would take the lead and then we would take it back, then they would take it back again. You get the picture. Elkin took the lead by 8 ½ points after the 200 meters. There were two events left, the two mile and the mile relay. In the two mile Ashe County picked up eleven points we picked up five points. Our lead was cut to 2 ½ points. After a six hour meet, the winner of the conference championship came down to one race.

What had to happen was simple, because we had a 2 ½ point lead we either had to beat Ashe County or could finish no more than one place behind them. I explained to the girls exactly what they had to do and told them I believed in them and that I had no doubt they would do it in spite of being tired from other races. I told them, “You are not required to feel good, you are only required to run as fast as you can.”

As the 4×400 unfolded it was apparent Ashe was going to get second in the race, which meant we had to finish third. The problem was we were also racing against a time that was run in the previous 4×4 heat run before us. The Elkin girls ran with guts, determination and heart. They gave everything they had. Finishing just behind Ashe in third place, we had to wait to see if our time beat the time from the other heat. It did, by 3 seconds.

We waited for the official announcement. After all the dust had settled, the Elkin girls were announced as MVA Conference Champions by the slimmest of margins.  The final score 128 to 127 ½. We won by ½ a point!!! In four decades of coaching I have been privileged to be on the winning side of  many championships, but I have never been associated with one this close!

Looking over the results after the meet it goes without saying, the effort of every person counted. Every point from every person was as valuable as gold. From those who won getting ten points to those who placed eighth and got one point was valuable beyond words.

The win was a total team effort. If one person had failed to do their job the team would not have won. If one person had quit or given up we would not have won. If one person thought they would not make a difference we would not have won. Every single person made a difference.

Athletics is a microcosm of life. Just as every single person was important in the team victory on Tuesday, so is every person valuable and counts in life. The Lord created us all to make a difference where He has put us. No matter where we find ourselves in life we can make a difference. We were created with value and our lives count. We are not required to do what someone else does, we are required to be and do what He has created us to do with the talents and abilities He has given us. We are to live seeking to make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Like in a race we may grow weary and tired on the race course of life, but let us keep striving to give our best and do our best. That is what constitutes a winner. That is a winner.

After all, we are all valuable and we all count.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan

WHAT DETERMINES ONE BEING A CHRISTIAN?

/ Dr. Daniel Merritt / Leave a comment

There seems to be much confusion today about what determines one being a Christian. Many say they are Christians, but they have a misunderstanding what determines whether one is a Christian or not. I read a bWhat-Is-A-Christianlog not long ago by an atheist who said he resented not being considered a Christian, because after all he said he sought to live his life by the teachings of Jesus. I have had people tell me they were a Christian even though they didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ and see the cross as a necessary component of Christianity. Is it possible to deny the divinity of Christ and the necessity of the cross and be a Christian? People have some confusing ideas about what determines one being a Christian.

Just because one quotes the Bible verbatim doesn’t make them a Christian.

Just because one attends church doesn’t make them a Christian.

Just because one seeks to follow the teachings of Jesus, as noble as that is, doesn’t necessarily make them a Christian.

Just because one sees Jesus as a great moral teacher doesn’t make them a Christian.

Just because one believes in a Higher Power, a Creator, doesn’t make one a Christian.

Just because one hangs around other Christians doesn’t make them a Christian.

Just because one seeks to love their neighbor, which we should all seek to do, doesn’t make one a Christian.

Just because one was born into a Christian home doesn’t make one a Christian.

What then makes one a Christian?

One is a Christian who recognizes they have offended and sinned against a Holy God and embraces the Christ of the Cross who the Holy-Father has provided as the Perfect Sacrifice and Paymet for the sin-debt each of us owe, but which we could never pay. You see, you and I and have a big problem that must be dealt with – it is called sin. Because God’s nature is holy He opposes sin. God’s holy-love demands that man either render unto Him perfect holiness or pay the just judgment for not being able to comply with His holy demands. God’s holiness opposes sin and demands it be dealt with in judgment, yet God’s love longs to forgive us. The answer to God’s “dilemma” is found in the Christ of the Cross! It is in the Christ of the Cross judgment upon sin and the provision for the forgiveness of sin meet in a divine solution.

The marvel of the Christ of the Cross is that the holy-love of God accomplished in Christ what we could never accomplish and never do. Christ, as our Representative, by His perfect life complied with the righteous and holy demands of God and then on the cross He took for us the just judgment we deserve for being unable to comply or conform to the holy demands of the Creator.

We are all guilty, we have all failed, we have all sinned and come short of what God would have us to be (Romans 3:23). A Christian is one whose conscience and spirit has been awakened by the Holy Spirit to realize they are guilty before a perfect and holy God, they have failed and they have sinned against His holiness, but knells in acceptance and submission to the Christ of the Cross recognizing He did for them what they could never do for themselves. A Christian is one who recognizes that in Christ our Creator became our Redeemer, and in eternal gratitude embraces Him as Savior. A Christian is one who realizes that Jesus paid the sin debt for them; that He and He alone is the perfect provision for ALL our sins, and that He alone enables them to stand before the God of the Universe uncondemned and their sins forgiven. A Christian is one who in wondrous amazement is thankful for what Christ did for them on the cross and willingly submits their allegiance to follow Him. A Christian is one who sees Jesus as more than a prophet, teacher, or a moral example, but who sees Him as their Lord and Savior.

A Christian is one who when they sing “Amazing Grace” can do so with joyful confidence that His grace is truly amazing because the holy-love of God provided in Christ the solution to the vileness of their sin and the deserved judgment upon it. A Christian is one who has come to realize that Christ in His living, His dying on the cross and in His resurrection, He as their Substitute, was doing and providing for them what they could never do or provide for themselves. A Christian is one who upon embracing Christ’s perfect and finished work on the cross, begins a lifelong journey of following the Savior and Captain of their salvation.

A Christian is not perfect, but they walk daily with a Savior whose perfect provision on the cross for their sins was perfectly accepted by the Father. A Christian is not one who is striving for acceptance before the God of the Universe, but one who joyfully embraces their acceptance that has already been provided for them by the holy-love of the Father in the prefect provision of Jesus Christ.

There is much confusion today about what a Christian is, but it is really very simple. We find what it means to be a Christian in the response of Thomas when He was confronted with the Risen Lord. Thomas, upon the examination of the nail prints of Jesus, which He willing received on Thomas’ behalf, fell down at His feet in wondrous acceptance and awe and cried out in belief, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:24-29).

One truth is certain, once you encounter the Christ of the Cross and embrace in believing faith what He did for you, you will never be the same again. Then you will understand what determines one being a Christian.

Blessings,

Dr. Dan