Profound and Sometimes Preposterous Ponderings of Pete

Some time ago I started reading Confessions of St Augustine.  I could not believe how he went on and on about an apple he stole from a tree as a teenager.  In the grand scheme of things and compared to my own sins I thought it was a bit much.  I mean come on! It was just an apple for crying out loud!  I stopped reading it because I thought it was just a bit too over-pious.  I was an idiot. St. Augustine truly knew what it meant to grieve the Holy Spirit.  His spirit was so aligned with God's Spirit that the sin type was irrelevant.  I see gray and shades of gray.  God only sees black and white.  In other words, sin is sin.  St.  Augustine knew the condition of his heart when he sinned and he was appalled by the blackness of it.  Yes it was only stealing an apple.  But he truly understood that whether it is stealing an apple or lusting after a woman to whom you are not married, in God's eyes, there is no difference. ...

4 years ago my 12 year old daughter Rachael was hit by a car and died 2 weeks later in a coma.  Her brain suffered injuries similar to that of shaken baby syndrome.  I wrote this poem for her.  I have posted it in other places and some of you have read it before but here it is again: The Purple Princess by Pete Kligmann There was a purple princess who was her daddy's joy. She climbed the highest trees as fast as any boy. Those who got to know her found her love was true. She gave her life to Jesus, her friends, and family too. She loved to cook, and ride, and play. She had to read everyday. She wanted to be just like her mama, A midwife and mom to lots. She learned all about childbirth and babysat many tots. She often loved to sing out loud but rarely sang on key. Her love and praise of Jesus Christ was plain for all to see. Rachael, dear Rachael. I give you to your princely groom, but always remember in your daddy's heart, there remains an empty room. ...

This is an excerpt from Oswald Chambers (Hah!  You thought I was talking about Mr. Osbourne) , one of my favorite "Pastors of the Past"  Abide in Me . . . —John 15:4 In the matter of determination.  The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” ( 2 Corinthians 10:5 ). “Abide in Me”— in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. Our lives are not made up of only one neatly confined area. Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and disrespectful that is! It does not matter what my circumstances are. I can be as much assured of abiding in Jesus ...

I have a Masters in Physical Chemistry.  That is the study of the physics in chemistry.  So what? I have a math minor.  So what? I have a patent for the stabilization of unstable fuels for a possible use as rocket fuel.  So what? I have run labs, I have saved labs, I have improved labs.  So what? The apostle Paul said he counted all of his achievements as rubbish compared to what he gained in Christ. Why has it taken so long for me to truly understand that?  I guess for all my intelligence and knowledge I really am no wiser than a 2 year old.  ROFLOL!! What matters?  This is what matters! I have eternal life.  Gift from Christ. I married a Prov. 31 woman (Corinne don't argue!).  Gift from Christ. I am the father to 12 children.  Gifts from Christ. I am the Grandfather to 11 children (so far).  Gifts from Christ. I have co-founded a national and soon to be international company.  Gift from Christ

Growing up I attended mainstream denominational protestant churches.  I hated most of the hymns and thought they were too solemn and often boring.  Of course, at that time, I was not saved.  As an adult, most of my saved life, I have attended mildly charismatic churches.  The worship is very upbeat, contemporary Christian music, full of praise with an outward show of love for God.  But every once in a while and old hymn sneaks in and I am amazed at how uninformed I was when I was unsaved.  The real cool thing is it is not the well known first verses that have the strongest meaning.  It is usually the later verses.  The most recent surprise in this fashion for me came through the song Come Thou Fount of Blessing.  What a cool song!  Here are the second and third verses of the song: Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood; How His kindness yet pursues...