Focus: "Why Dream?"

 What a shame that many one-hit-wonder bands go the rest of their careers without more exposure. The Dutch jazz-rock band Focus is one of those. My guess is that the public thought of them as a novelty band with a weird song called "Hocus Pocus."

Listen to this excellent non hit album cut here:

That's a good question. Why dream about the future? Even Christ warned of trouble to come. Matthew 24:7 and 8 (Bible in Basic English) says, "For nation will be moved against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and men will be without food, and the earth will be shaking in different places; But all these things are the first of the troubles."

Furthermore, our scientists tell us we're just another species of animal. Like Ecclesiastes 3:19 (BBE) reads, "Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose."

Furthermore, we chase after money but it never satisfies. Ecclesiastes 4:8 (BBE) informs us, "It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work."

Fortunately for us, we have a saviour who's Christ. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:14 (BBE), we aren't abandoned, "But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of the knowledge of him."

We have much to look forward to as well. This post would be too long if I wrote all the good things we have already in Christ and the wonders of the new heaven and new earth.

If our Master hasn't returned by Monday, I hope to post about the harm parental fights cause to children.

THERE'S A DOG INHALING MY BEDROOM.

Thirty years ago, I lived in a basement suite while a young couple rented the main floor of the house. They had a large dog with a golden fur coat while I have a black bunny. I named her Focus, after one of my favourite Dutch jazz-rock bands.

My neighbours and I kept to ourselves for the most part. But their dog had different ideas, as I discovered one afternoon. As I closed the bathroom door and strolled across the laundry room, I saw that silly animal with his nose pressed to the gap under my bedroom door. I couldn't help but giggle when I heard him snort deeply. The dog was so interested in the enticing scent of rabbit that he didn't notice me until I was beside him. He gave me that look dogs usually give when they want something. "No," I said as he started wagging his tail, "you can't go in there."

The memory of that fascinating animal scent must have lingered in that dog's mind. A few weeks later, I heard a noise in my kitchen around supper time. When I walked in, I saw the dog sniffing at Focus through the wires. She sat as still as she could, doubtless hoping that scarry animal would go away. The dog looked up at me and wagged his tail. He let out a funny yowl as if to say, "I found it." Fearing for my rabbit's safety, I opened the kitchen door and led him into the laundry room.

I made sure to close the door firmly whenever I went to the bathroom after that. The neighbours moved out but I never forgot that silly dog and his obvious glee in finding the mystery animal.

As you can tell by past posts and my When a Man Loves a Rabbit book, I've written much about my long-eared friends. In fact, my family had a pet rabbit when I was twelve. I wrote about her in Deliverance from Jericho. I've recently published How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity. This memoir also mentions my bunnies. Use the search box at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm to learn more about this testimony of God's grace and providence.