Oy

What a week it has been.  Work has been crazy busy (hence my scarcity).   Tonight I am hoping we can relax and unwind a bit before we start into the weekend.  I have started on my lists for our cruise so I already know that between a very aggressive work schedule and the running we need to do, that next week will be even crazier than this one.  I have tons of stuff I need to get done tomorrow (plus it is my turn to work Saturday night) so there won't be much rest until Sunday after church.

Just as a footnote, the book Sacred Marriage has been making our brains hurt so even our evenings are filled :)

blessings on your weekend

VOTD

"Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does."

1 Chronicles 16:24, NLT

When Does It Start?

I was reading Genesis this morning and something struck me regarding the story of The Fall.  The capacity for sin (disobedience) was present in Man from the very beginning.  It is a part of our nature to question authority, consider temptations and listen to the whispers of the enemy.  Our reaction to this revelation is critical.  We have a choice - we can fall into despair and hopelessness as we are consumed by our failings or we can be filled with awe and wonder at the depth and complexity of God's plan of salvation.

How many of us would willing create something knowing it contained a critical flaw and knowing that we would eventually have to make the ultimate sacrifice to heal that flaw?  Yet this is exactly what God did.   I am humbled by the extent of His love for me - knowing who I am (and was to be), God chose to make the ultimate sacrifice anyway.  When Adam & Eve fell into sin, God already had a plan for their redemption that explicitly included redeeming ME.

blessings on your day

Happy Birthday B!

May your day be the best  :o)

I Want It Now!

What happens when you don't give a small child what they desperately desire?   Anyone who has ever spent time with a small child can answer that question easily.  Less easy to answer is what happens when you don't give an ADULT what they desire?

We are the microwave generation and are kids are worse.   We have come to expect - and demand - instant gratification.   Why spend 4 days reading a book when you can watch it on the TV in 2 hours?   Why drive to the video store when you can download movies directly to your television in 3 minutes?    Don't deal with pain - medicate.  If you are having issues with your parents, text 20-30 of your closest friends.  You can get advice and answers within seconds.   Why work on your marriage when there are so many other people that will meet your needs (at least for an hour or so) online, at the bar or even next door?

Jesse James & Tiger Woods are only the most recent (and well publicized) examples of the hedonistic, instant everything, self-centered world we live in.  Addiction, greed, infidelity are rampant and endemic to our society.   Yet poll after poll declares that our nation believes in God, thinks it is important to have a personal relationship with Jesus, prays and attends church occasionally. 

The only possible conclusion is that very few indeed of the people in this country actually live their lives based on what they say they believe.  What do YOU believe?   Does your life reflect it?

blessings on your day

Veggies

My vegetable garden  :)

Contact Me

Actually, my eyes are what got new contact info  :o)   As our cruise is coming up, I went ahead and took the plunge and got contacts.  Since my allergies are too bad to wear them all the time, I got daily lenses.   The idea behind this is that I can wear contacts when I go snorkeling and actually SEE the fish that swim below me.   Because my eyes are so bad, I got one lenses for distance and one lens for close-up viewing (reading).   So far it seems to work pretty well although my vision isn't quite as good as when I am wearing my glasses.  On the plus side, my wife thinks I look "hot" with them in.

A Great Weekend

The weekend went very well for us.   Emma mowed the yard Friday so I wouldn't have to (yay!) Saturday morning bright and early we had a ball game.  We got clobbered - it seems our team can't play much before 11 unfortunately.   I think next time we need to bring energy drinks for the kidlets.   We ran errands the rest of the morning (including the grocery store).   I finished up the last of the drop system repairs and got a couple of chickens on the grill by 3.   We had Clint and his family over for dinner.  They have 4 six year olds (really neat story) so Noah had playmates.

Sunday before church I started a pot of spaghetti sauce.  After service we sat on the patio and played cards until it was time to head over to the Landons for our small group potluck.   This morning I had my semi-annual gum mangling.   The dentists was running late so it was 8:45 before I got out.  Of course any other day, traffic at 9 is perfectly fine.  Today it was worse than it normally is at the peak drive time.  Go figure.   Of course I also have 16 hours of work I need to finish before I go home today

VOTD

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."

Galatians 5:13, NLT

Hiatus

I am taking a brief break from blogging - at least "in depth" posts.   I need a few days to ponder some changes in how I live my life.

It is shaping up to be a really nice weekend here in NorCal.  The temperatures should be in the mid 70's through Sunday.   I will be able to finish the last task left in preparing my yard for spring/summer.   Noah has a game at 9 am Saturday morning....sigh.   He needs to be there by 8:15 so I guess no sleeping in.  Tonight Emma and I are going to spend some time out of the house.  I need to run over to the optometrists and then we are planning to do sushi for dinner.   I will try to remember to take a picture of the garden.  Some of the tomato plants are already well over a foot tall and the first blooms are showing up.

I hope you all have a great weekend and I will talk to you on Monday

It Is All In The Timing

I was reading a blog entry recently where the author was bemoaning the timing of an incident - that things they would have made a different choice if things had happened in a different order.  I had to smile - oh not that I was entertained by the post but rather because I have said the same thing and had similar conversations with many Christians.  One thing I have learned is that when these "timing mishaps" occur, it is always a result of Divine Intervention.   God's timing is always perfect - for His plans.   All too often it throws a wrench into our plans in the process and that is God's purpose and plan in arranging it that way. 

I remember when things fell apart in my life last fall.   After the dust settled a bit and I started seeing and thinking clearly I realized that the timing, while pretty horrific for me, was perfect for putting things in (proper) motion.  As painful as it was, things had to be lined up and I had to be at the right place for the process to generate the outcome that God wanted.   The result for me is that now, rather than grumbling about the timing of God's plans, I strive to see the reasons and the purpose and do what (little) I can to facilitate the growth and learning that God has in store for me.   Embracing God's plans is - in the long run - far more beneficial than fighting, kicking and screaming (which I have done an awful lot of the time).

blessings on your day

More Rain

It was a cool and rainy day here in NorCal.   The rain was nice as I still have one flower bed that needs the drip lines fixed.  It isn't helping my vegetable garden, however.   My tomatoes and peppers like the hot, sunny days.  Emma made 2 quiches last night - a crab/feta one and a sausage and pepper one. They were yummy, Noah took the leftover sausage quiche to the sitter's for breakfast this morning.

With the rain, all the games were canceled today.  I guess we will have to play a make-up game against the Giants at the end of the season.  The rain also snarled the commute this morning.  It took 1:15 to get to work (double what it usually takes). Of course today was also the day that I left my coffee mug sitting on the counter in the kitchen so I wasn't too alert this morning.

Gonna be heading home in a little bit, so I hope you all have a nice evening.

Seek Obscurity

The number of ways in which the bible is at odds with society would take weeks to list - so I will focus on only one of those ways today.  One of the top priorities of Hollywood and Washington has always been notoriety.  In the absence of good publicity, they will often settle for bad just to get their names in the media.  And let's face it, by snatching up the tabloids and staying glued to the entertainment channel, we foster, encourage and subsidize this media frenzy.  The competition to make the opening story on E! or be first to interview on the red carpet has transformed into an obsession and, quite possible, an addiction.

God suggests that we go the opposite direction.  We are not to let people know when we fast, when we pray, or when we give to charity.   We should not seek notoriety, acclaim or popularity.  You see, when we seek those things we are effectively saying that the opinions of our fellow man are the top priority in our lives.  We are stating for all to see that what others think of us is where we get our validation and our gratification.  External validation is a dangerous and slippery thing.  When we rely on other people to determine our value and worth we set ourselves up for failure, pain and humiliation. 

Yet this is exactly what society tells us to do.  We are warned that we are constantly judged on our hair, our deodorant, our mouthwash, our cologne, our shoes & clothes, the car we drive, the house we live in and what kind of toys we buy.

When we learn to resist this pressure and start looking inward and upward for our validation, we grow and mature in ways that are not possible when we are consumed by appearances.  Mansions and the finest clothing ever seen is being prepared for us.  We are heirs of the ruler of the universe and children of the King.  We are envied by angels and can command the minions of the enemy.   It is time that we start remembering this - and acting on it.

blessings on your day

Contentment

A quote from Walt Henrichsen’s daily devotional for from a few days back:

Contentment is the product of gratitude and anger is the product of discontentment. It is hard to be content with your lot in life and be ungrateful at the same time. Paul underlines the importance of contentment in his epistle to Timothy. He tells us that a life of contentment is profitable 

In so many ways, Contentment is the key to life. I know that I struggle with this on a daily basis. Contentment comes when we accept that God is good – all the time! When we accept in our heart that God has our best interest in His plans all the time and that whatever comes our way is what will benefit us the most we can achieve contentment.

We get caught up in expectations and comparisons. We believe what Madison Ave. and Hollywood tell us. We believe that this is all there is and when it doesn’t happen the way the media tells us it should, we become discontented. We look what others have and we want the same thing (or better). Of course all too often they are doing the exact same thing with us.

It is only when we give our lives over to God’s control that we can experience the type of contentment that Paul speaks of below. In the end, this is what will determine what type of person we become. We have all known people that become increasing cantankerous and bitter as they age. A lack of contentment will lead ultimately to bitterness.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." 1 Timothy 6:6-8

What Flavor Is It?

Nope, not talking about the latest Doritos mystery flavor - I am talking about pain.  As the years pass, I have come to recognize that pain comes in many flavors.  As a child pain was mostly about skinned knees, slammed fingers and blisters.   As a teenager, it seemed rejection was at the center of my pain.   Sometime in that period I learned to medicate and my experiences with pain transformed to brief encounters quickly numbed, pushed down or dismissed.

Now, as I learn to touch my pain without medication I have discovered additional flavors.  I have tasted so many different varieties lately that my blog would overflow if I tried to talk about all of them.  So instead, I will focus on just one flavor today.   I liken it to a gobstopper in that it is never overwhelming, you can break a tooth (or more) of you try to chew on it and you never seem to be able to finish it.

I recognize that a loss of intimacy is inevitable for an addict.  In fact it is difficult bordering on impossible to have a truly intimate relationship with one.  We always hold back part of ourselves, hide our pain, internalize our feelings and work hard to keep everyone on the outside of that last wall.  The divorce accelerated this quite a bit and the move to Clovis seemed to finish it off.   The lack of a solid, healthy relationship with my children will likely impact me in some way for the rest of my life.  It is ironic at times (and very painful at others), that I know more about what is going on in the lives of the neighbor's kids than I do about mine.  From time to time, I try to jump start things by being more attentive, making phone calls, sending emails/texts but gradually  the responses taper off and I eventually give up the current attempt. 

Yes *I* (not them) am mostly to blame as this is what I modeled to them for their formative years (and most of their lives).  That makes it no less painful if at least more understandable.  I pray for them regularly and they are never far from my thoughts.  I know they love me beyond a doubt - I also know that as a result of my choices I am not high on the priority list in their lives.  Someday God will heal this and I trust Him to continue the good work He began.  They carry my pride with them wherever they go as well as my love.

blessings on your day

Shout Out

I quick shout-out to the 'Toine family and a thank you for a great time at pizza Friday night.

After an amazing game (we held the league leading Giants to a tie, Noah made the game ending play when he tagged out the runner at the plate) we had pizza and beer.   Afterward we picked up Jake who spent the weekend with Noah.  The boys ran errands with my Saturday morning and played in the neighborhood while I finished up the veggie garden.  I got 4 tomato plants, 6 pepper plants and assorted herbs for the garden this year.  I switched up the layout to give the 'maters more sun - we will see if the yield goes up.

The warm weather has been nice but the forecast calls for t-storms tomorrow and a chance of rain into Wednesday.  I guess it is just as well as I still have one bed that needs repairs to the drip system (plus we are scheduled to meet the Giants again Tuesday - and I think they aren't too happy about the game Friday).

The picture above is of the Brandies among others (just I said I would)  :o)

A Fond Farewell

It was pointed out to me recently that I never properly acknowledged the demise of the neighborhood.   We moved into it in November of 1999.   It survived until about 2007 when it started to fade.  Several divorces, home foreclosures, a murder and a gradual exodus has reduced it to a mere shadow of its' former self.   Of the faces that have left, 'Toine and his family, the Jimster and Jack-Sean are probably missed the most. 

RIP Arabesque Circle (West)

Yes sir, may I have another?

Well I am looking at a day much like yesterday.    I have 16-20 hours of work that needs to be accomplished in the next 7-8 hours.   My bible study this morning was pretty good - we talked about what comes after a career (well the context was "are you prepared for the future").    In a way that goes back to the idea of having a vision for your life.   I don't want to get into a long winded discussion of this (I have posted on that topic more than once) so I will just encourage you to put some time, thought and prayer into it.

What a Day

I have been hammered all day long.  On top of my usual work load (that fluctuates from light to insane) I discovered today that a task that I had assigned an hour to would take 3 days or more.  I actually had several ideas for interesting blog posts this morning but was so overwhelmed that not only did I NOT have time to write them but now I can't even remember what they were.  Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

blessings on (what is left of) your day

So...How Do I Do It?

My wife asked me the other evening how I decide what to write here, in this blog.   I suppose few (if any) of you really care about the answer but it did get me thinking a bit.  So, if you care not at all, stop reading now and I absolutely won't be offended.
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Still reading?  ok then - I will ramble a bit and explore my own muse as best I can.   The short answer is - it depends.   Over the last 6 months or so - since I have started blogging regularly again - there have been numerous inspirations for posts.  Of course the most trivial is simply to share what is going on in my life and the life of my family.  Frankly, some days that is the only thing I have to say.  This morning, one of my posts was inspired by another blog (as I noted).  If you took the time to read it you might be able to discern whence came my inspiration - but it is equally likely that you will just scratch your head and move on (which is fine by me).

One of my favorite radio preachers is Alistair Begg - his sermons have inspired blog entries on numerous occasions (although not always on the same day that I listened to it).   Another key inspiration has been the book that Emma and I are reading (check out posts on Sacred Marriage and then go get the book).   Sometimes an issue, conflict or incident in my life prompts me to journal and share.   My daily devotion or a bible verse email has sent me on a flurry of composing as had my journey towards recovery from my addiction.

And sometimes it is the Spirit who speaks in that still small voice to my heart.

Tolerance vs. Compromise

I was reading the latest post from A Life in the Arts (see link to the right) and I started thinking about intolerance and what that means.  It is the nature of mankind to have biases and prejudices (definitions: if I am biased, I will rule a specific way if I can; if I am prejudiced, I will rule a specific way regardless).  It is our task to overcome those biases and prejudices and to work towards loving people the way Jesus does and to follow His example.  In the course of my life, I like to think that I have done a good job loving people regardless of race, color, creed or sexual orientation.  I work to look past the appearance and attitudes to see the person inside - the one God sees and loves.

The tricky part for me has been to do so without compromising my faith and God's Word.  Being tolerant of a person doesn't mean that I overlook or accept the lifestyle, the sin, the choices that directly violate scripture.  I am not confrontational about my views nor do I choose to slam people over the head with the bible.  At the same time, if I am asked I will present my views and back them up with the Word.  I work hard to do so in a gentle, loving way and yet do so in such a way as to not appear that I don't take the scripture seriously.  I will admit that at times this has been very difficult.  I think the area I struggle with the most is when I see someone I care about making choices - and mistakes - similar to ones I have made.  The temptation to lambaste the and berate them into making a course correction is almost overwhelming.  I find myself becoming intolerant and unloving.

The other situation that causes me to struggle with patience and love is when someone insists that in order to be "tolerant" I have to embrace and support a lifestyle, a choice or an agenda that I know is in direct conflict with God's plan for us.   Many in our society today apply this pressure and that annoys me to no end.  Tolerance isn't good enough - we are commanded to compromise as well.  And when we don't we are branded as intolerant, fanatics and bigots - labels that I vehemently reject.

I will tolerate, love and embrace my brothers and sisters regardless of their color, creed or lifestyle - but I refuse to compromise my faith, my beliefs or my God.  Jesus loves all of us but He doesn't embrace our sin.

What Did You Expect?

Ok, I admit it - I fell into the trap of expectations this morning.  As hard as I try to avoid it, I am still caught on more occasions than I like to admit.   During my more cynical moments I have been heard to quote "blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall not be disappointed."   Cynical though it is, there is a grain of truth to it.   It seems that every time I pin my hopes on expectations I get disappointed and angry.  This morning when the alarm went off I almost ignored it and went back to sleep (the temptation was enormous as my insomnia has been an issue lately).  Instead I dragged my carcass out of bed, fumbled into my gym clothes and poured myself into the car.  Today was a day in which the person who opens the gym also had difficulty getting out of bed (apparently).  After sitting in the parking lot for 15 minutes, I gave up and returned home, rehearsing my right to be angry.

The truth of course, is that we all fail from time to time (some of us - me - have yet to put 2 consecutive hours together without a failure) and to expect otherwise is to set ourselves up for disappointment.   When the object of our disappointment is another person, the risk is that we will lash out and punish that person for "failing us."  I have done this to my children, my mate, my friends and my coworkers.  Every time I do, God reminds me of my own failings (and does so gently and with love) and points out that He doesn't punish me, lash out, withhold His love or retaliate in any way.

Why is it we can't tolerate failings in others but constantly espouse the belief that everyone should tolerate ours????   Sigh, yeah I don't have an answer for that other than to say that it wasn't modeled that way by the Lord of Love.  This also ties into the topic of intolerance (read a great post on this earlier) but that deserves an entry of its' own in this blog.  Until then....

blessings on your day

What To Do

What to do when nothing seems to work and very little seems to be right - yup, that is the question of the day.  Of course this is also a trick question.  There are a number of reasons why you might find yourself in this situation so let's take a moment and examine a few of them.

1.  There are answers but I don't like any of them.   A lot of times we can see what could be done but are unwilling or unable to follow through with anything we see.  Sometimes we call this a lose-lose situation.  None of our choices are appealing (or perhaps all are appalling) and we dither, spin and procrastinate.  The risk here is falling into victim-mode and believing we are helpless and have no choice or say in the outcome.

2.  We are someplace we shouldn't be (and we know it) or doing something we shouldn't be doing (ditto).  The problem isn't that we have no choices and can't see a way out.  Nope, the problem is that only way out is often to admit, confess, repent and get ready to live with the consequences of our choices.  Whether it is chasing "forbidden fruit" (pick a category, any category), practicing our addictions, or allowing our own pride and ego to dictate our actions and responses; the fact is that we got into this mess through our own actions.

3.  God backs us into a corner.  Sometimes this is a result of either 1 or 2 or sometimes it is because we are too dense, stubborn and pride-filled to learn any other way.  Often, it seems we just won't listen to what God is saying to us.  We tune out certain sources (our spouse, our friends), we reject certain ideas (travel lightly, quit your job, get out of that relationship) or we aren't willing to let go (the new car/house, our drinking/smoking/gambling/addiction, unhealthy friends, etc.).

Once you know why you feel backed into a corner, it is usually fairly obvious what you need to do to get out.   The next time you hear yourself say "I just don't have any options left and I don't know what to do" ask yourself why it is you feel that way.

blessings on your day

The Oakes

Some of you may remember that Rachael worked for over a year at a retreat house in England called The Oakes - some may also remember that she met Andy there :)     The following is a letter sent out by one of her dear friends.
________________________________________________________________________

Hi,

6 days before camp (Wednesday) the kitchen still had builders inside trying to finish off the last annoying bits and plumbing in the machines/sinks.

5 days before camp (Thursday) the kitchen had no hot water (the boiler was broken); a commercial dishwasher not working; the ventilation system having wiring issues; no connected fire alarm system; a food store with little shelving & no freezers or fridges; all the kitchen items (that is everything) in the dining room & covered in building dust; our main oven malfunctioning; and the paint on the walls/ceilings of the food store & kitchen being the wrong type and needing to be re-painted so that it didn't just wipe off!

4 days before camp (Friday) the kitchen was being re-painted; the fire system was connected back in; the ventilation gave up not working and submitted to the authority over it and the boiler was fixed by another willing & timely volunteer, thereby allowing the return of hot water for washing up.

3 days before camp (Saturday) saw 5 spontaneous volunteers turn up, plus some team members to continue the mammoth washing by hand of every single kitchen item, but at least it was now with running hot water & not via the use of kettles. Thats every plate, knife, fork etc, as well as the big items! And we have alot of equipment. By the end of the day the dining room that was stacked full of kitchen equipment was empty! It was now stacked in the middle of the kitchen floor ... but at least it was heading into the right rooms.

1 days before camp (Monday) all the washing up was finished; the dishwasher engineer turned up first thing & fixed it; the food store started growing shelves, freezers & fridges; and all the food arrived for camp finally reaching it's home in the food store very late in the evening. The only outstanding item is the oven engineer to treat the poorly/on it's last legs Combi Oven.

What looked impossible was yet another miracle in God's timing and providence. Providing everything that was needed exactly when we needed it. We needed the kitchen ready for camp on Tuesday to enable the camp to happen and it was finished off 11pm Monday night! 

Praise:
*The return of camps & the many school children who will have the chance of hearing the gospel this term
*The kitchen & rest of the house finished in time for our re-open despite many set backs
*The wonderful volunteers who have helped throughout the project & especially in the hectic last days

Prayer:
*That many children's lives will be changed as they return to a relationship with their God
*Energy and health for the team after the building work and going straight into back-to-back camps
*My health & rest after the return of some of my nausea symptoms, whilst going into a hectic summer term

Yours In Christ,
Clare

Disturbing

I am greatly disturbed by recent reports that only 20% of us still realize that aliens (of the space variety) still walk among us.   This is quite disheartening especially in light of a quickly hushed up report of a landing in Jordan on the first of this month.  Most of are aware that the whole Sigourney Weaver movie series was based on an incident that occurred shortly after World War II in the Amazon basin.  The scope of the conspiracy of the global governments in keeping this stuff under wraps is staggering.

Stormy Weather

It is a very blustery day here in NorCal.   The wind and rain started yesterday afternoon and is supposed to continue through this evening.  It certainly made arriving at the gym this morning interesting.  Sprinting from the parking lot to the front door in driving rain wearing shorts and a tee-shirt did not make a pretty sight I am sure.

Saturday the clan came together and did a huge makeover on Diane's front yard.  While it isn't done yet, we did rip out 2 trailers worth of bushes and junk as well as laid down 2 palates of sod.  Larry (her SO) did a superb job of coordinating things, prepping the site and designing the new yard.  He also did up 4 chickens in his "smoker-Q."

Sunday Emm was hungry for homemade meatballs and spaghetti so I did up 6 quarts of sauce and 4 pounds of meatballs.  We invited a couple from Celebrate Recovery over and made a very nice evening of it.

Marriage and the Church

The topic that we read last night in Sacred Marriage (see earlier posts) describes how marriage is the model for how Christ relates to the church.  I freely admit that this is a rather intimidating concept.  We have barely scratched the surface of the book and already I find myself challenged deeply.  I look at my own flaws and my failures in my marriage(s) and cringe to think that I am called to model Christ in my marriage and that my relationship with my wife and family should let people see Jesus.

The first real topic, reconciliation, was more than we could get through in one sitting.  We find that a few pages is all we can digest at a time.  Reconciliation is just the start and is defined by the book as "replacing enmity with goodwill."   I can see that this is going to take us a while to get through.

blessings on your day

Busy Weekend

We have lots of stuff planned for the weekend.  Tonight Noah has a game so we won't eat until after 8 or so (perhaps we will sneak out and grab a sandwich).   Tomorrow the family is pitching in to do a make-over on Diane's yard and then have a potluck afterward.    Even some of the SoCal family are coming up to help.  At some point I need to work on my yard as well as the fertilizer is taking hold on the lawn and I still need to get the drip system working in the veggie garden (well I also need 3-4 more plants). Unfortunately, it is supposed to turn cool with a chance of rain on Sunday so I may be getting wet while I do the yard.

What does your weekend look like?

VOTD

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence."

2 Peter 1:3, NLT

Travel Lightly (part 2)

I read something this morning that started my thoughts running down a rabbit trail again.   Somewhere in my life I lost the passion; I lost the ability to dream; I lost my ability to be adventurous.  I have heard a few rumblings in the Christian community of late about this very topic (well, not spot on but close).  The idea of traveling lightly is a new one for me (and I explored it a bit last month) but certainly not one that is foreign to any student of the Scriptures.   The Israelites understood this very well.  For 40 years they lived in tents and the house of God was a tent until Solomon built the first temple.  The Apostles understood this as do missionaries today.  But most of us have lost the ability; the ability to dream, the passion for experiencing life that we had as children, the ability to travel lightly.

As we age we grow sedentary, secure, stable.  We acquire "stuff" and focus on comfort rather than adventure.  We call it "putting down roots" or "creating a stable environment" or "growing up."    Not that these things are bad in and of themselves - no, the danger comes when these become our sole focus and our only priority. Traveling lightly means to be ready to move the direction God requires of us.   It means to be willing to let go of what holds us back - encumbers us.

Several months ago, the leader of my men's group asked me what my vision was for my life and my marriage.  I couldn't answer him.  I am coming to realize that this is a problem and it is something I need to spend more time focusing on and praying about.  The bible tells us that people perish when they have no vision.   I think that the church and her members have lost vision, put down roots and become stationary.  We focus on political action, current events and church growth.  Again, not bad things but not what the church should have as it's primary focus.

It is time for a change, time to recapture our vision, time to move our feet.   And maybe it is time to start thinking about traveling lightly.

Blessings on your day

Healing Choices

One of the books I am reading right now is titled "Life's Healing Choices."  I think most of us would agree that some choices are healthy and some are not.  What may not be as obvious is that sometimes choices that are unhealthy today (or at least seem unhealthy) can also be healing choices.  Some choices are simple to categorize - staying away from addiction triggers is both healthy AND healing, having a designated driver is a healthy choice, attending recovery sessions is a healing choice.

Some of my choices need to be forever - staying off social media/websites. avoiding explicit material.  Other choices might be for a season or until I am in a different place emotionally/spiritually.  The tricky part comes when someone suggests that a choice you saw as dangerous is actually necessary for healing.   This is the case when we get to the place in the program that we start looking to make amends with people whom we have harmed (or have harmed us).  This is a place where it is impossible to proceed without a partner.  We are simply too close to the pain and sorrow to make balanced, accurate, healthy judgments as to who/when/how to make amends.

Contacting and/or confronting (in love) the people that have been an integral part of the pain and damage in our lives is at best scary and risky.  If done wrongly (wrong time, wrong words, wrong heart, wrong expectations), we can end up causing more and deeper hurts.  We, as wounded people, tend to either approach this too hesitantly and avoid actually accomplishing anything or we proceed too aggressively and lash out instead (which also makes things worse).

Right now I am searching for a new sponsor/mentor who can guide me through these next several steps in the program.  Until that happens I continue to review the first for steps of the program.  If you would take the time to pray about this, I would be grateful.

Have a blessed day

The team did very well last night blowing the doors off the Angels (13-4) in 5 1/2 innings.   Overall we made fewer errors and swung the bat better than we have all season.  We got a great job from one of the kids pitching which helped a lot.  Hopefully the trend will continue.  We have a practice Thursday night and another game at Buljan Friday night (5:30 start).  I promised the boy that we would shop for a catcher's mitt for him so he doesn't have to use the old, worn-out thing that the league provides.

Traffic was ugly this morning.  My morning commute took an hour (23 miles) rather than the usual 35 minutes.  It doesn't take much to snarl things during the morning (and evening) drive times.  I set up the slow cooker this morning before I left - stew beef and Indian style spices.  I used up the last of my bell peppers from last season, not sure if I will plant any this year as they did so poorly last year.

It has a been a quiet day spiritually.  Emma and I have been reading Sacred Marriage about every other night.  I highly recommend the book to any married couple - but I will warn you that it is VERY heavy stuff.  We have a number of things on our calendar for the coming months - a cruise, the Heart Change seminar, Andrew's graduation from Air Force boot camp, Emma's dad is visiting in June.  We haven't been back to PA in over 3 years so that is something we would like to find time (and money) for as well.

I may stop back in later today if any topics speak to my heart  :)   Until then, blessings on your day

A Season, A Reason, A Life

I ran across an expression a while back that went something like this: "Friends come into your life for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime."   I have had all 3 in some measure although the last category has been rare.  15-20 years seems to be the longest I can stay in touch with someone who isn't family.  It can be even harder in today's society where we are so much more mobile than our parents were.

Friends for a season can sometimes become friends for a lifetime.  One way to recognize the difference is to change seasons in your life and watch what happens (yes I know - we can't just flip a switch and change seasons.  In fact most of the time that is completely out of our control anyway).  For me, a season can last for years - as can the friendships that are formed based on that season.  Often the reason for the friendship can be that you are sharing a similar season with that person.  It is because of this last piece that seasonal friends sometimes morph into lifetime friends.   Once you spend a season of intimacy with a person, it is easier to slip into a place where they remain your friend after the season passes

The friends for a reason can often be some of the closest.  God brings people into your life that you need.  The fact that they are there because God knows you need them almost always ensures that they are, at least for a time, intimately entwined with your life.  Sometimes these friends migrate up the chain.

Regardless of what type of friends you have, the Word reminds us that it is a "really good thing" to have friends in our lives.  God has created us as relational beings and friendship is a critical piece of that.   Time and again we are warned of the dangers of walking without friends (woe to him that falls alone) and the benefits of having friends (a threefold chord is not easily broken).   Making and keeping friends takes time and effort and the rewards far outweigh the investment.  Take a moment today and praise God for your friends, ask God to send you new ones and invest your heart into the friends you have.


blessings on your day.

A Fine Weekend

We muddled through another nice weekend.  Saturday we spent most of the day in the yard.  Grass got mowed, gardens got tilled, vegetables and flowers were planted and fresh bark was distributed.  By the end of the day I was beat having by that time moved 2 yards of landscaping bark.  For our Easter Saturday dinner we visited our favorite Mexican restaurant and chatted with the owner and his family.

Sunday I was up by 7:30 and peeling 'taters for my contribution to the Easter feast.  I popped the casserole in the oven and set the timer before heading off to church.   Tim had his usual inspired sermon.  It is so refreshing not to hear the same sermon trotted out each Easter and Christmas.   Friday night we did do the Stations of the Cross over at Bayside.  This year we took Noah and the neighbors with us.

The Easter feast at my parents house was familiar and comfortable.  The bounty was overflowing and many calories were consumed.  We are down to 4 grandchildren doing the egg hunts now and next year it will be 3.  Jocelyn and family had dinner with their friends Rick & Tracy.

Today it is back to the grind. 

He Is Risen

He Is Risen Indeed

Waiting

Today is a day of waiting.  The time between the cross and the resurrection must have been the deepest, blackest time the disciples ever experienced.  From our vantage point, 2,000 years later we know it was simply the quiet time preceding the most important event since the creation of the world.  Tomorrow many of us will spend the day going to church and being with our families.  Most churches use Easter (and Christmas) as a time of evangelizing as they know all too well that there are many in their congregation that won't step foot inside a church again until the next major holiday.

We will be going over to my parents for dinner after church (and the egg hunt) to spend time with part of our family.  While I miss being with my children, I also recognize that sometimes you need to do what is right rather than what you want.

Today I will be working in the yard (weather permitting) and trying to get my garden started.  Somehow preparing the ground for new life seems like the right thing to do the day before we celebrate Easter.

may you have a blessed day

Travel Lightly

Every day we make choices.  Some choices change our lives - do I marry, do I go to college, do I join the military.  Some choices carry great risk - do I drive after all I had to drink, do I accept that job in another state, do I sign up for the experimental cancer treatment.  Some choices are trivial - black socks or white, mocha or latte, Pepsi or Coke.  Some choices can seem important - Republican or Democrat, Red Sox or Yankees, butter or margarine.  Some choices have grave consequences - follow Jesus or the world, surrender to temptation or stay pure.   Regardless of the choice, one thing I have found to be true is that when we fail to correctly identify the importance of the choice, we can no longer "travel lightly."

Jesus knew how to travel lightly.  He took what He needed and left the rest behind.  Jesus assigned importance to things, place and decisions that were appropriate.  He wasn't bogged down by useless possessions, encumbered by trivia or obsessed by current events.  He recognized that God is in control and never took His eyes off the goal.  Along His journey, Jesus took time to love and minister to people.  He took the time to teach and disciple.   Jesus knew when to rest, relax and enjoy friends as well as when it was time to roll up His sleeves and get the job done.  He was always listening for His Father's voice.  Jesus knew how to travel lightly.

Today is the day we remember the cross.  Today is the day we remember His sacrifice and death.  Today is a day that is often somber and introspective.  Today is day for quiet reflection and prayer.  Today is a day to remember that we too, must travel lightly.

blessings on your day

Plumbing

I almost forgot to comment on my evening last night.  After work we went over to Lowe's and picked up a new disposal.  As some of you may know, plumbing is about my least favorite area household repair.  I thought long and hard about paying my son-in-law to drive up here and do the job for me.

As is often the case, what the box DIDN'T say was of more importance than what it DID say.  Not included was the electrical connection.  Fortunately I was able to scavenge the cord from the old disposal and was able to cobble together a strain-relief out of spare bits I had in the garage.  I also forgot I needed plumber's putty so had to borrow that from one of the neighbor (thanks Phil).  I discovered that it takes 3 people to mount the silly thing as well.  Emma held the ring in place in the sink, Noah held the flange in place while I wrestled the snap ring onto the flange to secure it to the sink.  I have no idea how one would do this without help.

Of course I ended up scarred and bruised but I did manage to get it installed (water tight) in less than 2 hours.

Skillet

I love the Awake album from Skillet.  It is a bit rough and edgy but the emotional content is VERY high.  Quite a few of the songs speak either directly TO my heart or express my own feelings exquisitely.  If you get a chance, check it out at Amazon.

Not So Much

Some days I seem to have lots to say - other days not so much.  This is a "not so much" day.  I liked the way Google renamed itself to Topeka today (You aren't in Kansas).  Besides being the day we play jokes, it is also the day we remember Jesus inauguration of The Lord's Supper or Communion.  Of the two, obviously I consider the second to be of radically higher importance.

Over the years, many churches have published doctrines explaining Holy Communion.  I have no intention of listing them or discussing the relative merits of each.  I will state firmly that it needs to be a regular part of each believer's act of worship.  We are instructed to remember what our Lord did.  Remembering the sacrifice, the love, the gift of life that God placed up there on that cross is crucial to our faith.  When we lose sight of what He did to provide a way for us to be redeemed, we are at risk of taking God, His love and His gifts for granted - and that is a very dangerous thing to do.

So today take a moment and reflect.  Reflect on Jesus' life and His death.  Remember what He was willing to do for YOU.  Perhaps even reflect on what you are willing to do for Him.

blessings on your day