John Gunter

Thoughts on Life and Living

I am thankful for FRIENDSHIP. . . (Processing my birthday)

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John Gunter, with Yuh Tseng and Eugene Kim
Yuh, Eugene, and I in Hong Kong celebrating my 40th birthday together (never got a pick with Sam in it)

Today, I am thankful for friendship in general, and for my friends specifically.

I am currently on a plane leaving meetings in Bangkok heading back to my home. The meetings went well and the short trip was worth the time and energy to get there. One strange thing, I guess, is that yesterday was my birthday. I went the entire day and none of the 20 or so people at the meeting knew it was my birthday. Actually, the only person to wish me a “happy birthday” was the Thai lady that cleaned my hotel room. Didn’t really know how to respond to that one, so I uttered some clumsy words of thanks back (though aware that she couldn’t understand me), while I’m sure my quizical expression was painful for her to see.

Being alone in a country where no one knows me (and I don’t even know the language) has brought me to a point of extreme gratitude for one thing in particular. . . friendship. The Lord has blessed me immensely for my entire life with wonderful friendships.

John Gunter and Sam Shin
When Sam & Young Mee Shin visited a few years ago. . .

I am still close with a few friends from both elementary and high school, which is exceedingly rare these days. Above that, there are even more friends from that time period where I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that if I were back in the States we could pick things up exactly where we left off years ago. Old friends
, such as Ashton Cheatham and the James’ (Kirkland and Cummings), I miss and look forward to the day when time and space will allow an opportunity to reunite. Many have wished me well over Facebook these past two days and I have enjoyed each one. Makes me feel like I’m still roaming the halls of Henderson High School!

I am still close with several guys from college. This is actually an understatement. Four of these men form a life-time accountability/coaching/encouragement group with whom we have consistently met for eight years now (I will talk about this in a future post). Three other college friends, Sam Shin, Yuh Tseng, and Eugene Kim (Sam and Yuh are college and HS friends), flew all the way from America to Hong Kong last year to spend my 40th birthday with me. They were on flights for almost 40 combined hours to celebate this monumental birthday with me for a mere 35 hours on the ground. All of these relationships are as strong as ever, inspite of the miles between us. I am confident they will remain tight for the remainder of our days on earth. [Read more…]

Let me tell you about my friend, Tracey. . . and her current journey

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Let me tell you about my friend Tracey Clarke. I am currently on a plane leaving Washington, D.C. where I was able to spend some time with Tracey and her husband, Craig Clarke.

Tracey Clarke in a DC train.
Reflection of Tracey looking out of a DC train (recently taken by Craig).

Tracey entered my life about 12 years ago when she and Craig began dating in Atlanta. Craig was then a full-time student and a part-time youth minister. Tracey was (and still is) an accomplished artist (http://traceyclarke.com/). She came to the church because of the established arts community there and ended up meeting one of the best men that I know. Craig and Tracey have been together since in a relationship of which I respect, admire, and hope to have one day myself.

Tracey is an artist of the highest order. Tracey is a follower of Christ to a level that has been inspiring and challenging to me personally. Craig often refers to me as her male twin, as he thinks we are united in our world views, personalities, and desires to please Christ with our entire lives. This is one of the finest compliments of which I have ever received.

One year ago this week, July 22, 2011, I was in a bowling alley in Fort Collins, Colorado. I received a call from Craig. It was one of those moments I will never forget.

[Read more…]

Betsy’s wedding gift and sacrifice

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(This article is in “My thoughts on weddings. . . (a series)” that I did during June and early July.  If you have not read the other posts, I suggest you click here for an overview of the series and past articles.)

John Gunter with sisters at the beach
My wonderful sisters, Becky and Betsy

It was a few months prior to my graduation from college.  Life was crazy, but school was slowing down.  My sister Betsy was getting married in April.  You see, I love both of my sisters as much as is possible for siblings to love each other.  I was, and continue to be, fortunate to have sisters whom are also close friends.  To this day, there is nothing I enjoy more than spending time with Betsy and Becky.  Seriously.

Anyway, Betsy getting married was a big deal to me.  I was excited for her and proud of her.  My biggest desire was to get her an awesome gift.

Problem. . . I had a sum total of ZERO money.  None.  I could ask my Dad for money to buy this awesome gift, but this just didn’t seem right.  He would have happily obliged, but still it didn’t seem right.  I wanted to get Betsy a gift that expressed a fraction of my love for her (and Bill. . . my equally awesome brother-in-law).  What to do, what to do??? [Read more…]

Don Draper, Proverbs 7, and the reality of sin

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This post is building upon my previous article “Mad Men, Hemingway, and the futility of sin“. You can get to that post by clicking here.

Don.Draper_edited
Don Draper in all his Proverbs 7 glory. . .

This week, in the midst of thinking about the TV series Mad Men in general, and the main character, Don Draper specifically, I came upon Proverbs 7 in the Bible. After reading Proverbs 7 today, I was hit by the cut and dry nature of sin and it’s personally destructive consequences. Proverbs 7 really does read like a transcript for the aforementioned TV series, Mad Men.

This passage in Proverbs is a powerful overview of sin at the point of entry. After both my own personal pilgrimage in life and also in my experience of walking through life with many others of all stages and ages, this passage is amazingly insightful.

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Here are my thoughts:

Allure of sin (as told in this Proverb . . . and observed in Mad Men and all of life):

  1. Externally attractive (Proverbs 7:10) – We never see the insidious underbelly of sin prior to entering into it. We only see the external beauty. We see the shine. We see the long, beautiful hair, but we choose to ignore

    [Read more…]

A morning prayer through Psalm 37

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A prayer through Psalm 37:1-12 (Scripture indented)

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Lord Jesus, may I truly delight in you and your ways during this your day.  May I trust in you above all others and all gifts.  You are good.  My core tells me this and life affirms this.  May my heart truly delight in you and your ways.  When I step away from you, life is confusing and painful.  When I walk with you, delight in you, I am at home.  Father, may I delight in you in everything.

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Lord Jesus, please grant me the strength to simply commit my ways to you this day.  May I wake up today and do what I know is right, as is testified by you and your Word.  Where my trust and faith are lacking, please help me.  Grant me courage, stamina, and strength today.  May I trust in you in everything, confident in your words that you WILL act.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Father, quite my heart and mind before you.  Help me to wait patiently in all things, even as I act in faith and obedience today.  May I see that waiting patiently on you is a quieting of my soul, not a paralysis of my feet nor a lack of giving through my hands.  Your will for humanity is clearly spelled out in your Word.  May I be quiet before you in my [Read more…]

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