Author: Rev. Charles Pugh

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what is TOO Much. In our fast-paced society it is easy for you to become overwhelmed by all the things going on. There are places to go, people to see, things to study, jobs to do, errands to run, responsibilities to live up to, etc. The world often seems to be caught up in this running here and there and taking on more and more. Stress from this way of living and the looming pressures will lead to all kinds of problems (personally as well) and even tragedies. It will impact your own health and effect all those around you. If you continue trying to do TOO Much or fail to keep all in perspective, the pressures will get to you and you may even lash out at others. Are you doing TOO Much or are you caught up in this TOO Much way of living?

Some things around us cannot be avoided. Certain responsibilities with life will always be there and so long as the world keeps up a fast pace, it will impact you to some degree. If you are not careful and proactive, you can easily get wrapped up in this fast paced way of living (sometimes referred to as the “rat race”). You can even become wound up so tight that something or even everything will unravel. The increasing pressure will either break you or steel you. Vacations can be helpful, but things will only continue to grow worse if you are doing TOO Much or TOO Much of the wrong thing. Often, a vacation or “weekend” mentality will prevail and work becomes the part of life you dread, just waiting for the time you’re off and free to enjoy life as you will (that subject probably needs its own article 😉 ). Life is filled with positive and negative things and it need not become TOO Much for you.

An important point here is how to handle the pressures when the circumstances of life seem to be TOO Much. If you seek to do the best that you can with each situation you face and recognize the Sovereignty of GOD in your life, it will not matter what comes your way. You will trust GOD for the strength to get through what you face and to even be wise about how to handle the situation so that you are not overwhelmed and give up. Giving up or quitting a task is a common response (escape response) to the things of life. TOO Much will then become TOO Little and life will then become even more difficult. Remember that GOD is always willing to help you prevail when life seems to be TOO Much. You can find the way through it and become an overcomer! He will not allow more to come into your life that what HE will give you the Grace to properly handle it. Consider 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Remember that nothing is TOO Hard for the LORD (see verses such as Jeremiah 32:27). This is a Truth that I have had to acknowledge when tragedy came upon me. The fact that GOD is with those who have trusted in His Son is what we all have to remember when the circumstances of life seem to become TOO Much. GOD will give those who trust Him the wisdom to handle each situation and manage them according to what He deems best. It is impossible to trust and depend on the LORD TOO Much. You can have misplaced faith, but you cannot have TOO Much faith in the right object! It is impossible to love Him and love others TOO Much. Are you doing TOO Much in your own ways or are you trusting in GOD and His Word, no matter what? This is a key theme in my book about the VT Tragedy and my Personal Tragedy. If you learn this truth, then nothing will become TOO Much!

There is a lot of discussion today about how much debt so many are in, including the Government. Debt is not only with those who borrow money to go to a college, such as Virginia Tech, or those who borrow to get a car or to buy a house. It should be very troubling to each of us that even if we are not personally in debt, that the Government is spending so much money and is in so much debt that each person—you and me included—represents tens of thousands of dollars! Officials in California (with potentially more States following) have even resorted to issuing I O U’s at times to cover their commitments. This debt and spending issue alone is likely to lead to huge changes in the political landscape this fall. When and where will this end? What or rather who might you owe? Please think with me further. . .

I O U, or for those not as comfortable with texting or acronyms, I owe you! How is that possible? I may not even know you personally. It is not even because you may have done something for me. The reality is that I have an outstanding debt that can never be fully paid, and if you understand the truth in what I am saying, you will see that you owe me as well. Does this sound crazy to you? The Spiritual Truth I am talking about, which can only be lived out in the physical and emotional realms, is explicitly stated in Romans 13:8:

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

You owe me and I owe you. We owe it to each other and to the LORD to love one another (the 5th in my “Top Ten Lessons” to learn that I talk about in my book and on this website). This means we will look out for what is best for all those around us (c.f. my 06-16-09 “Mind Your Own Business!” Blog). This is so basic and foundational to all human interactions that JESUS Himself said (see Mark 12:31) it is the most important human commandment of all (next to the most important—loving GOD above all). How could this possibly be? Why is this even a debt that I owe?

If you get the answers to these questions, you will be able to fulfill this command and the law itself. GOD HIMSELF extended HIS Love to us in the Person of JESUS CHRIST. When you find this Love or when HE finds you (c.f. my “LOVE Found Me” poem), you will then have access to The Infinite Love that can be extended to all those around you. This is still a choice you must make. It runs counter to all of the self-centered thinking around you and even to your own sinful nature. Since JESUS gave the Ultimate (His Holy Life and Infinite blood), we can and should give our life and self (through His Love) to others.

This is not really hard to understand, it is primarily hard to practice. It goes against our nature. We must keep it in mind that we have this debt. We must remember the debt that HE paid to offer us Eternal Life. I owe you, even if you do not see the debt that you owe me. You owe me, too, and if you grasp this Truth, we should meet each other in the middle. I am helping pay off my debt to you by sharing this Truth with you and the Good News about JESUS CHRIST! You must accept the Gospel—HIS death, burial and resurrection for your sins—if you hope to fully understand what I am saying.

I owe you and you owe me; when you understand this, then you will see and loving you will be!

If there is ever a time you should consider more about FREEdom, it is at this special time of year, when America celebrates its Independence and FREEDOM (234 years today). Are we really FREE? What does that mean, anyway? How did we even get the FREEdom we have? Is this FREEdom in danger? What happens if we don’t understand FREEdom? Corresponding with the FREEdom we do have, comes this wildly popular Twilight Series and the recently released 3rd movie—“Eclipse”—from the book series. Whether or not you have read any of those books or seen any of, or even the latest movie (and much could be discussed there), you should take this moment in history to further consider these things. I submit that America (and the world) is on a dangerous path, which is actually “Eclipsing FREEdom”!

What am I talking about? Well, you have to understand FREEdom if you are to be able to understand whether you have it or not and whether or not it is being “eclipsed” or blocked somehow. I think most of us understand that we like to make decisions on our own. Do you want other people or organizations telling you everything you must do? Is it the Government’s or the Academic Community’s job to tell you what to think and how to live? Should you simply follow what you are taught and told? Should you let outside sources tell you what to think, say and do or should you simply think, say and do what you feel like from within? These are great questions and ones that I trust will help you think more about the importance of FREEdom.

FREEDOM is so often misunderstood and even undervalued today. It is really only able to be understood and appreciated when it is compared and contrasted with its opposite, which is coercion or restraint through some force or authority. In other words, you are FREE when you, and not anything or anyone else, are in control and making the decisions. When you think about this, it quickly becomes clear that there is really no such thing as absolute FREEDOM. Like it or not, we each are subject to forces outside of our control. Every child is born needing to learn about life and living and is subject to the control and restraint of their parents and teachers. We each have some restraint through whatever governmental system is around us. Unless you own your own business (and even if you do 😉 ), you are subject to the decisions of some employer or government restraint and not free to do just anything you want (I address this reality in many of my blogs, including one of my earlier ones—05/01/08: “It is ALL about CONTROL!”). You may have the FREEdom (and not some authority stopping you) to even jump off of a tall building or run into a busy street, but you surely will experience the impact of that action, likely ending your life. We are indeed limited or controlled to varying degrees by many outside and inside natural forces, along with the invisible supernatural forces, even if we don’t really think much about them.

Much more could and should be considered here. The FREEdoms we do have are constantly being challenged and at risk. When individuals fail to stand up and fight for FREEDOM, then most certainly there will be some authority or government coming along to diminish or even take it away. Because enough people are not taking a stand for what is right and not really fighting for true FREEdom today, we are increasingly losing our liberties and FREEdom—effectively “eclipsing FREEdom.”

Foundational to our societal FREEdom is the FREEdom to worship GOD as we personally desire. America’s Founders certainly understood this and set up the initial Government and Constitution accordingly. My story and various involuntary commitments and coercions clearly illustrates the dangers we all are increasingly facing if we fail to learn and take that stand (I organized my personal story of tragedy into 10 stages, where there are gaps that led to what I have faced). Friend, will you be truly FREE (see also my “To Be FREE” poem) or will you be a part of “eclipsing FREEdom”?

THAT’S NOT FAIR! How often have you heard that from a sibling, a friend or co-worker, or maybe even used this expression yourself? It is a common expression of complaint in a world with increasing problems and one that is certainly not equal. The word, “fair” is used in various ways. As I have found, the first definitions listed have to do with the pleasantness or quality of something. “Fair” is used this way, yet I seem to hear it more and more used as an expression of when someone wants their situation to be better or more in line with what they perceive others are experiencing or ideally should be. One definition listed for “fair” is “marked by impartiality and honesty.” I submit that the way “fair” is so often used today reflects a lack of understanding of life and what GOD has allowed in His Creation.

Actually, there is a fairly 😉 intense debate going on in our fair society (?) about how people are faring or should have to pay fares. Indeed, this is a very important concept to get right and clear in our thinking! A Country’s system of government is also based on the way its’ leaders view this concept of “fairness.” If you believe that all people should have the same things and be basically equal in possessions, then you would lean toward a more socialist or even communist type of system and government. If you believe that each person has the responsibility to be personally disciplined and work hard in order to be rewarded for individual effort and success, then you are more of a capitalist. Your view of the role of government is also related to your view of what is right and fair. Your beliefs here have serious repercussions on the way you think others should or should not control your life. These are very important issues and must be thought through more than many seem to be doing today! It, as in everything, actually has a theological underpinning or foundation.

What is right? What is fair? What standard do you go to? Is it the ever changing opinion of people around the world? Is it the opinions of well educated and intelligent people who seem to know what is best? Is it a written document, such as the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution? Is it a written spiritual document, such as the Bible? Are we or are we not “endowed by [our] Creator with certain unalienable rights”? Can you see how important this fairness issue is to life and living?

If by fairness, you mean equality in possessions and even payment, then you have a problem, for this is not a reality, nor can it be. If your view of fairness is more of a belief in the equal value of human life and having conditions that allow for equal opportunity, then you are more in line with the thinking of America’s founding fathers and what the Bible itself teaches. The world as we know it cannot be equal. Children are born each day and all of us grow older and are closer to death each moment. Each of us is at a different place in our life and understanding of living. Some of us are more disciplined and work harder than others and some of us are less disciplined, depending on others or even the government to help. It is possible and preferable to have a system allowing for equal opportunity, but not one that strives for equality in every sense!

What has been happening in my life, even through a District Court Judgment this past Thursday is certainly not fair and not just. It is part of what GOD has allowed for me, so that I can write these things and help many others understand the truth that I know and that they need to know. GOD is indeed just; HE is the only One that knows what is truly fair and HE will one day make all things right and fair in the ultimate sense. We each will give a personal account of our life to HIM and we’d best consider what that means for us and those around us! Be truly Fair!

One thing every student, and every person for that matter, needs to know in order to cope with every day living is how to be FLEXIBLE.  Being flexible is what enables one to be able to adapt to the ever changing circumstances and whatever environment they may face.  In our modern day, fast paced and increasingly existential society, flexibility is ever more important.  Failing to be flexible will limit your opportunities, lead to greater difficulty and could even bring about tragedy.  Please be flexible and consider thinking about this with me further. . . .

Being flexible does not necessarily mean you lose your voice or influence in any situation.  You can and should still stand for whatever you believe is right and best.  The fact is that we all need to do a much better job at communicating and listening (c.f. my 12-31-09 and 01-14-10 Blog, “ONE WAY Communication” and my 04-03-09 Blog, “The Tragedy of NOT Listening”).  We also need to do better at being civil in any discussion or disagreement.  Still, there are chains of authority where we each have to submit and thus bend in what we ourselves would ideally like to see.

Certainly, Virginia Tech and the greater Blacksburg community have had to learn how to cope and even be more flexible with all of the tragedy and changes forced upon this particular community over the past few years.  In the fall before the 04-16-07 massive tragedy that so impacted this community and the world, there was the fatal shooting of a local hospital security guard and a deputy sheriff near the Virginia Tech Campus.  Bomb threats surrounded this time as well as just before the 04-16-07 Tragedy.  The following fall, there were a number who had just attended the memorial dedication that had to be sent to hospitals, sickened through carbon monoxide poisoning.  Another tragedy—a beheading murder—occurred on the Virginia Tech campus on 01-21-09.  That fall, two VT students were murdered at a nearby campground and then another VT student was killed while attending a concert in Charlottesville.  The roof collapse of the Blacksburg High School gym earlier this year did not physically injure anyone, but hundreds, if not thousands of people’s schedules were altered due to the unusual school hours in sharing the middle school building.  Learning to be flexible and cope has been a key to prevailing through all of these unexpected events.

My own life has been directly impacted and forever changed from several of these specific events.  I have had to learn to be flexible and trust that GOD was ultimately in control of all that was happening to me and in my Blacksburg community.  Some have not learned to cope so well (and I have often even become a victim of many others’ lack of flexibility).  It is my faith in the sovereignty of GOD and the promises of His Word that reassures me and gives me the confidence to bend and be as flexible as I can without breaking any of His commands.

Friend, are you a flexible person?  Do you complain about the circumstances in your life or trust GOD to work in them and then do your part to find His way of prevailing through them?  GOD is somewhat flexible in His Mercy and Grace toward us because of taking out the demands of His Justice upon the Person of Jesus Christ.  The LORD is the Ultimate authority and there will be no flexibility in His Justice for those rejecting the Person and substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  When you personally receive Him you can then be more flexible and patient with others and extend His Mercy and Grace.  Be FLEXIBLE and learn to prevail!  J