tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75643990100447811192023-11-16T12:16:28.807-05:00The middle of lifeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-11348397693637011132011-07-13T22:35:00.004-04:002011-07-13T23:22:49.189-04:00The chosen onesLast week, the guest preacher was a missionary from the "armpit of Africa", Equitoral Guinea. The man and his wife came and spoke about missions and the effect that they have on the people around the world and the effects that need to be had. Some of the staggering statistics he shared were:<br /><br />~There are 6,900 world languages, and 2,100 still need to start to have the Bible translated into their language.<br /><br />~The percentage of all missionaries who work to serve the unreached is 2.5%.<br /><br />~There are more Evangelical Christians in China then there are in the United States.<br /><br />That last one-that one stopped me in my tracks. I could not stop thinking about that statement, how the country best know for it's opposition to America, liberty, freedom and democracy had so many people that were fighting against the norm, the accepted, the 100 million-plus strong Buddhist juggernaut. Not how a country where labeling yourself a Christian could result in persecution, harm and even death could still have so many people willing to do that, but how I lived in one where labeling yourself a Christian did not result in that most of the time, and we had less willing to "take up the cross."<br /><br />Is America the blessed nation of Christians that we think we are? Sometimes, it is easy to think or even say that God blesses the USofA, but to what extent? More than other countries? There are more people proclaiming and practicing Christianity in China-are they a blessed country or people also? God is not an American. He is also not Chinese. He exists and lives and functions outside of our walls or country lines or divisions.<br /><br />On the brink of destroying the people God had set them to do, Joshua sees an Angel of the Lord, and has this conversation with him:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied..." Joshua 5:13-14</span><br /><br />Neither, he says. Not on their side and not on his. God wins, ultimately. We cannot expect Him to line up to our side, and we must be willing to line up to His.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-44797947096918780852011-06-18T23:11:00.002-04:002011-06-18T23:15:31.086-04:00InstrumentGod, use me as your instrument, as a voice that speaks not from within myself but as a voice that calls out from the wilderness of 2011, the suburbia and comforts of today and my setting and proclaims the Lord.<br /><br />Help me to be the blessing you designed me to be, for as a man blessed beyond my wildest hopes I am inclined to focus inward-help me to focus outward, to be a blessing that your plans set forth so long ago for all of us.<br /><br />I pray that when given a chance to speak, or stand or demonstrate your love, I do that and give that situation my all. Help me to less of a fan, and more of a teammate.<br /><br />Amen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-43039195357779998072011-06-01T23:09:00.004-04:002011-06-01T23:20:20.682-04:00Circle<div style="text-align: center;"><span>"The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are."<br />C.S. Lewis<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span>I appreciate these words, and the more I converse and church with those around me, the more I am assured of this. The people and the places around us shape us and mold who we are and how we grow.<br /><br />I had a conversation this last week with a friend about a lot of different </span><a href="http://isaacbvilla.blogspot.com/2011/05/orthodoxyorthopraxy.html">Orthodoxy/Orthopraxy</a> subject matter. In this discussion, we were able to (at least in my opinion) challenge each others thoughts and ideas, and hear what the other person said and see how they worked it into their own life. I have heard and try to practice the idea of putting what I believe "on a shelf" and hearing what someone else is saying, and I think this friend did as well.<br /><br />The neat thing about it-there was no fighting, no name-calling, no childish behavior exhibited...we were sharing how we felt and what we thought and believed and how that looked in practice with an open, inviting discussion. I love that. I need that, and I think we all need that. We all need to be challenged and to challenge someone else, if it is the same person or with others in your life, you need those that fit both areas in your circle.<br /><br />I appreciate the wisdom of friends, and I hope they appreciate mine. It is my hope that when we do this thing we call "church"--aka "body of believers", that it is done in a positive, engaging fashion that screams wisdom, love and Jesus to those around us. <span></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-54497901861425871742011-05-25T23:54:00.002-04:002011-05-26T00:27:09.115-04:00Orthodoxy/OrthopraxyThere is a word that has continued to be an important, spoken word in the Christian world that is the subject of books, discussions and the like. That word in Orthodoxy. But there is another word that goes along with it, and it is not discussed, and not as popular. That word in Orthopraxy. Odds are, you have heard of one and not the other.<br /><br />According to the website for <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/">Merrian-Webster's Dictionary</a>, these are the definitions for the following words:<br /><br />Orthodoxy-<span class="ssens"><strong></strong>Conforming to established <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">doctrine</span> especially in religion<span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><span>conventional.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>Orthopraxy-</span>Correctness of action or practice.<br /><br />Most of our focus in the Western Churches is on the subject and training of Orthodoxy, and what we believe, should believe and know. The doctrine, the ideas and the proper way to process out what we think.<br /><br />But what if, instead of Orthodoxy our focus was on Orthopraxy? What would it look like if the actions, the activity of my life was more important than what I studied and what I wanted to believe was the right thing to do? Instead of thinking and discussing, I acted and practiced the right way, the way I was intended to function.<br /><br /><br />For me, I an trying to be less focused on what i read and formulate in my head, and more on how I treat those around me, how I communicate God's love and His plan to the world. Today, what is your spiritual walk focused on? Are you more concerned with proper thought, or proper action? <span class="ssens"><span class="break"></span><em class="sn"></em><strong></strong> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-82854233557792086112011-05-22T22:56:00.008-04:002011-05-22T23:30:37.720-04:00What I learned about the Rapture predictionThis week, we waited and watched on Saturday, May 21st for the "Rapture" to happen, and well; as far as I know it did not. But a few things struck me the most in this process...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Christian or not, many people found this funny. </span><br />Yes, I know the group that originated this on <a href="http://www.familyradio.com/index2.html">FamilyRadio </a>has done it before, and there are claims that should not be made, because no one knows when Jesus will be coming back. I agree with that, hands-down. We don't know the date, the time and should not make those predictions or promises or assumptions.<br /><br />But do we need to laugh? And what are we laughing about? And why are we laughing? Don Miller, in his book "Searching For God Knows What" talks about the notion that we are all on a lifeboat, pushing someone else over the edge or "under the bus" if we can. Trying to make ourselves look better but at the expense of another. It is the school bully/bullied persona-if we can get out of the way so others can laugh at someone else, than no one will laugh at me. These are fellow Christians who need help in better understanding the Words of Jesus-they don't need us to join in with the "Rapture Party" humor and laugh at them.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. The people of </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.familyradio.com/index2.html">FamilyRadio </a><span style="font-weight: bold;">had a few things right.</span><br />When was the last time you had a chance to talk to someone about the Rapture? When was it out in the mainstream, or all over your facebook/twitter/work conversations? Although the date wasn't right, they gave us a chance to discuss it and bring it into the forefront. Jesus is coming, there is a plan in the future for a new heaven, and new earth and a reconcilliation with our Creator.<br /><br />A local mega-church preacher was just interviewed on the news about this. And after his joke of "oops, I am here but I did not prepare a sermon", he focused on the "no man knows the hour" idea, and said that the man making the prediction "is a kook". Where is the mention of Jesus or the need to get aligned to God or so many other things? The nightly news just gave you a chance to talk about God's love-instead you used it to showcase humor and "oh, not me-it's him who is wrong"...which brings me to:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Many missed an opportunity.</span><br />The question needs to be asked-did you use it as an opportunity to share God's love and his plan for the world-or did you use it a chance to say something witty and funny, and loose the opportunity to share? This was a chance that you may have missed. What do we discuss now as Christians? How wrong this guy was? How we were in the "correct" camp by not saying he was coming May 21st? How about just telling someone that He is coming-have you done that to anyone recently who wasn't a believer? Really threw out your convictions and faith to them?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Jesus is coming.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>This isn't funny.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span>It is isn't<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span>humor. Jesus is coming.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>He will be here, and we won't know the date or the time-and when He comes, we will know it according to the Revelation to the Apostle John. Make sure you have all of your heart where it needs to be, and that you have done everything you can to help those around you know it as well. Love will win-Jesus will win. That is the side I want to be on.<br /><br /><br /><span class="woj" style="font-weight: bold;">“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Revelation 22:7</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-18618772103608460892011-05-17T00:29:00.003-04:002011-05-17T00:43:49.545-04:00Communion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> 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</w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">In many churches around the world, there is an essence of shared experience that we go through...</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is fellowship, prayer, singing, teaching, offering, invitational </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And all of those components to the experience help move US closer to God. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style=""> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But the Lord’s Supper is different, isn’t it? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">While all of these forms of worship move US towards God, Communion is unique in that it isn’t about us and what we do that is so important, but it is what we receive here that frames the moment</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; For <u><sup><span style="color:blue"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></sup></u>this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. </span></b></p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" >The words of Jesus reflect that it is HIS actions, HIS giving to us.</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal">We understand how we do something, taking the bread and cup but we may not see how God does anything.But during Communion, God does something-He acts.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal">We do not come to the table to learn something with our minds---we come to meet God. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>God and people meet here and something happens. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal">Here we touch eternity. Here God gives love, forgiveness and grace and we receive. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal">He graces us, and for a moment we are in the presence of the Almighty reaching out to us.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Heaven meets earth, like a wet sloppy kiss. There is an essence of God meeting us here on this plane, this moment and reality and it is real and it is present.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">In prayer we go to God. In the Lord's Supper He comes to us.</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal">In the moments you get to experience Communion, focus on the knowledge that God through Jesus is reaching out to you and asking you to remember, asking you to experience His presence and feel His love.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-50500980056126307562011-05-03T23:44:00.013-04:002011-05-04T18:15:41.270-04:00Unity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMls9_u-VutX2pUTDx0bDd7peeZLGhoDddX61WFfAv2LdHbv4EqlkiRF08QDcbLOKW8k93YfMMK7oK8lg5Q486KTKIyUo51KTCtMRhtmfCqv4bb5k4ioo_SdDhqFQb0ddI8fzV90ixNVGv/s1600/SDC14792.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMls9_u-VutX2pUTDx0bDd7peeZLGhoDddX61WFfAv2LdHbv4EqlkiRF08QDcbLOKW8k93YfMMK7oK8lg5Q486KTKIyUo51KTCtMRhtmfCqv4bb5k4ioo_SdDhqFQb0ddI8fzV90ixNVGv/s320/SDC14792.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602892238013769330" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:180%;" class="text_exposed_show" ><span style="font-family:times new roman;">"The most difficult lie I have ever contended with is this: life is a story about me."<br />-Don Miller</span></span><br /><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></div><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >There are a lot of opinions floating around the blog-verse, about the right answer to numerous quandaries and controversies. Each of the topics have sparked a wide variety of responses, and they range from full of love to full of malice. Currently, <a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/">Rachel Held Evans</a> is the driving force behind a "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/restoreunity?sk=wall">Rally to Restore Unity</a>", and it got me thinking about what that unity looks like in light of our "virtual water-cooler discussions".<br /><br />Got an opinion or idea about heaven or hell or Osama or Obama? What makes a good politician or what should those values look like? How about earthquakes, evangelicals, unity or proper ways to react to others around us? Who is Christian enough, or too Christian or too liberal, conservative or too indecisive? These are all open to interpretation and criticism-and if someone will listen, someone else will tell you what they think.<br /><br />But who is asking? Who is listening? What does it look like to someone outside of the Christian-a-verse in blogs and on twitter and book-face and everything else in-between? Have we effectively argued our way into a conversation that looks nothing like the conversations Jesus would have us partake in? What do our interactions look like for those who need to hear the words of Jesus the most?<br /><br />I struggle with telling my side of "how it is" because, really-it is just my opinion, isn't it? And when I strike down a flagpole of what I believe, I choose a side, and that effectively labels everything else wrong or a non-truth because it isn't my view, it isn't my way.<br /><br />I am tired of choosing sides, tired of needing to think the right way or say the right things about stuff that doesn't tie into who Jesus is and how I can be his hands and feet. How much minutia do we swim around in, only to miss the focus, the mission, the ways we can unite as one?<br /><a href="http://donmilleris.com/"><br />Donald Miller</a>, in the quote above, says it well-when "I am" is the focus-I miss out on "I AM", I miss out on you, I miss out on us and the story and the opportunity for the unity we could have as God's people-as <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">His segula</span>-</span>as His treasured possession. That is the unity I want-with the Creator and with you. Let's stop being individual pieces of trinket. Let's be His treasure.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span></span></span><h2 style="font-style: italic;" id="passage_heading"><span style="font-size:85%;">"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession." Deut. 7:6 </span></h2>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-11643826187981329412011-05-01T23:49:00.004-04:002011-05-02T13:16:52.540-04:00Today<sup style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-28255"><span style="font-size:130%;">Romans 12:9-21</span><br /><br /></sup><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. </span><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. </p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: </p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;<br />if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.<br />In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” </p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-56871434637005274282011-04-27T23:06:00.010-04:002011-04-29T13:27:45.478-04:00frustration<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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style="font-size:100%;">"Sometimes in life you meet people that inspire you, sometimes you meet someone you want to inspire, and sometime you meet people that make you want to<span style=""> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">bleepin</span> stab yourself."<br /></span><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">-Jamie Oliver</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I was watching the ABC show "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" a few nights ago, and was struck by this quote. Jamie Oliver, who is a Chef from England and is trying to change the awful eating habits of Americans in our fast-food, our schools and our homes spoke it about one of the fast-food restaurant owners he was interacting with. In the episode, he was trying to figure out how to introduce healthy choices to a man who thought that customers did not need or have any interest in healthy foods or knowing what was in their food. He even said at one point that his customers didn't care about the quality of what they eat, just the quantity. That alone was sad to hear.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal">But the quote was golden-amidst the frustration of running into a stubborn man and many stubborn people around him, he spoke to the honest feelings in his heart. He was angry and he was real, and his emotions were raw and out there. They were the words of a passionate man with a passion he could not get others to understand and subscribe to.</p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal">Sometimes, I feel the same way as him. There are people that are influences or ones I would like to influence, and then there are the ones that make me frustrated to no ends. They may not make me feel like stabbing anyone, but frustration with others is there-it has been there since the fall of man and will always be a source of difficulty.</p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal">As the show goes on, Jamie offers a way for the owner to keep selling his high calorie food while still allowing him to offer his healthy alternatives. He humbles himself to not challenge the owner, but instead to work with him and not against him to hopefully get his passion out there and to as many people as possible.</p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal">When we don't work well together, I need to remember that disharmony dominates and unfortunately will influence that interaction. My points have been remembering to be humble, to see Jesus in the face of all the people around me and to pick my battles. That seems to be the key in my life-working hand in hand with the difficult people I run into, not trying to push against but to flow with them whenever I can. When life hands me a frustration-focused relationship, I have been trying harder to get to know that person's story, and they become more full, more 3-dimensional and easier to understand and (hopefully) eventually easier to work with.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-66275296312683508052011-04-26T09:26:00.004-04:002011-04-26T13:34:41.916-04:00him and I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSY5KdHg9FEWkDqzfYtUwIhjeAhDxwnvDR7qg-QGZ3uf14jOy2pODTAXwBd7y50PlEjRID4pS8JMZ6_Arp3Xs-F6pY-uo7NZLs3IiOsOAKm-O4OeWdAPdo5MfTt5wTKdJ_XqmFNg856H6R/s1600/230450kej9yrmmq.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSY5KdHg9FEWkDqzfYtUwIhjeAhDxwnvDR7qg-QGZ3uf14jOy2pODTAXwBd7y50PlEjRID4pS8JMZ6_Arp3Xs-F6pY-uo7NZLs3IiOsOAKm-O4OeWdAPdo5MfTt5wTKdJ_XqmFNg856H6R/s200/230450kej9yrmmq.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599946463040927586" border="0" /></a>Last night, I played video games, ate marshmallows and m&m's and watched transformers cartoons. No, not by myself, but with my 4 yr. old son.<br /><br />I have seen a shift in my relationship with my son. He and I have had a couple of awesome adventures, time for just him and I including a trip to the Palace to watch the Pistons. During that drive home, he told me that our evening was "the best day he ever had", and-exaggerated or not, still felt awesome to hear.<br /><br />We are closer I think as he gets older, we enjoy doing things together and sharing boy stuff like video games, football, mountain dew and pretend guns. As I teach him what these things mean and how to grow up, I pray that God helps me to guide him into the man he is meant to be.<br /><br />I once read that good coaches don't need to give that one "big talk" if they have done the right thing all year long, talking and communicating their plans and hopes for the team. In that same way, I try to make sure each day is lived in such a way that it speaks to my son as an accumulation of plans, hopes, dreams and focus for his life. It is not the final push, but the season of preparation that will make a difference in his life, and I am honored to be the coach called dad for him.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"Point your kids in the right direction—<br /> when they're old they won't be lost."</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> Proverbs 22:6 (The Message)</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right; color: rgb(204, 204, 204);"><span style="font-size:78%;">photo: Arvind Balaraman</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-20449115145179473212011-04-25T19:08:00.008-04:002011-04-26T07:20:23.615-04:00The Winners Manual<div style="text-align: center;">"In the yearly evaluation process, I’ll talk with a player about something<br />he’s written down. In the “General Thoughts” section beside the<br />Spiritual/Moral component, it says, “Above all else, I realize that my<br />spiritual beliefs and my moral values will shape my life. I will do what<br />is right!”"<br /><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:78%;" >The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life<br />Copyright © 2008 by Jim Tressel. All rights reserved.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I just started reading the book "The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life" today. Ironic, isn't it that the day I start digging into it is the day that Yahoo! publishes this article: http://tinyurl.com/43gy468 that highlights the formal NCAA charges against Jim Tressel laid down today.<br /><br />The first chapter highlights "The Winners Manual" and what it means to those who have read it and will read it. It sounds like a great book and resource that these athletes that are growing into men can have at their disposal to grow into the upstanding citizens that many have done.<br /><br />But now, with this news-what does it say about Tressel? What does it say about the words in the quote I started with? "I will do what is right!" is a strong mantra-but he didn't this time, did he?<br /><br />And we all fall short, and we all eventually and many times over will fall on our faces-but what makes this bad is he played Adam, he hid and tried to make it ok-he played Cain, and by burying it into the ground he wanted to make it all go away.<br /><br />But it doesn't, does it?<br /><br />Our words speak-our books and blogs and conversations they speak volumes to those around us. What I write frames me, it helps you to get a better understanding of who I am and what I believe and think and feel.<br /><br />But our words aren't us-are they?<br /><br />Our actions, our visible and observable activities are what we do and subsequently who we are. It doesn't matter how nice I frame something in words, it is what I do that screams who I am. And to me, that is what is sad about this event, his words do not reflect his actions. I respect his coaching and team-focused approach towards football and life in general, I do. But he sets out to be an example, a mentor and what he has done is not right. I can only hope that when placed in circumstances to influence, I say and do "what is right".<br /></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-58593099881520845232011-04-21T23:38:00.004-04:002011-04-21T23:51:46.414-04:00Relate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8jUMxwH73MJufoBAFC3Zq3tN_SgcckNRmyGQgx3RCHxHuGUQi2J7TXxRk05D66h1z8a5cXO5A5CdE0RU2kLywe-R9NFkkE8gU9isS2xlFi2XzWBIHLKSOBAKccVHSRxRGMblcIWZS9RJ/s1600/handss.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8jUMxwH73MJufoBAFC3Zq3tN_SgcckNRmyGQgx3RCHxHuGUQi2J7TXxRk05D66h1z8a5cXO5A5CdE0RU2kLywe-R9NFkkE8gU9isS2xlFi2XzWBIHLKSOBAKccVHSRxRGMblcIWZS9RJ/s200/handss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598249280596784482" 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mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->I have heard people ask, “How do I do a relationship with Jesus, when I can’t see or hear Him or touch Him?” The frustrations that are accompanied with the lack of a present God in the here and now ring deep for many people, and I can say it has been a frustration I have experienced as well-if we compare the child-to-parent relationship, or the bride-to-groom, each one of those relationships at least has a two-way aspect, a reality in the moment of interaction and discussion for both parties.<br /><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">But what does it look like to have the relationship when you can’t interact? I can’t have a discussion or feel a bond to someone who doesn’t talk back to me, or discuss things or embrace me, or can I? I can’t really say I have a friendship with Paul McCartney, even though I would like too-it is a 1-way street, even if I do know (or at least think I know) how he feels and thinks and what he believes. Without the interaction, what kind of connection is it really?</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">But for us, Jesus gives us a keystone to starting and keeping a relationship with Him. Numerous times in the Gospels, He tells us that the way to Him is through each other…that the way I interact with Jesus is the way I interact with you. And not just my minister or wife or guys I like to hang out with, but how I interact with that person that annoys me, or the not-so-popular person at school, or the atheist/agnostic/non-Christian in my life. It has little to do with me, but more to do with them.<br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">In John 21, Jesus asks Simon Peter if he loves Him, and in response to that with a yes, Jesus tells Him "than feed my sheep". In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus tells us that there is a time in the end, when there will be two camps you can be in-the group who saw Jesus in the ones around us and cared for Him through them, and the ones who didn’t. <span style=""> </span>The sick, the broken, the homeless and the ones truly in need around us-these people are Jesus. These individuals are the way we relate and bond to God.<br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">When I look you in the eye-I see Jesus. And in that, I can treat you like a friend, like a person who I need and desire to love and serve. How can I see you any other way if I really yearn to be in a relationship with an Almighty God?<br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"> </p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNoSpacing">"If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20</p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;"><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1708">Image: tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></span></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-88677416248779951182011-04-15T00:00:00.009-04:002011-04-17T00:01:51.045-04:00Horse and the Cart<span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="messageBody">"The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy of it." AW Tozer</span></span><br /><br />Sometimes, in my own life, I feel like I am trying too hard to put the cart before the horse as it were. Many opportunities to "spread the gospel" arise each and everyday, and when I am posed with those chances, I either take the chance to speak or feel a sense of guilt for not doing it later.<br /><br /><span class="woj" style="">In the Acts if the Apostles, Jesus tells his apostles:<br />"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”</span><br /><br />And we read this, and the first notion is--do it, spread the Word and get it out there in whatever package that looks like and however we can. That sometimes is productive and worthwhile and positive in growing people in their realization of their walk with God, but sometimes...sometimes it's a bullhorn or a judgment with condemnation or a harsh tongue or a clanging cymbal.<br /><br />But what does it look like to put the spreading of the Gospel in front of the actual implication and understanding of it in our own lives? Tozer touches on this, in that as Christians, we get to the latter-the spreading of the Word and message of God sometimes well before we are truly worthy of it. Our lives become more of a check mark-based system of do this, do that and "get them in the doors", with little regard to our own self-reflection of growth and deemed worthiness of the gospel message of love. When we try this, we are literally trying to get the cart to lead the horse-it isn't going to go where you point it and ultimately leads way off path or sits there and does nothing because it wasn't constructed to work that way....all of which leads to danger or idleness. Which is worse?<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aniQLTmrKVdP9tOGcIYn0FBIq7FHS4VNG3H2JIsBdySZOk-A-DA0D1hDSkLtccpNTQ65pRDXNaUme0H6AjwjUtyP5jCVfmPO1GPxRrBw1HwS_PPBGy__4NPv2m5ldzE5jlEKq8yG9eSu/s1600/opl_CarriageHorseCentralPark.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aniQLTmrKVdP9tOGcIYn0FBIq7FHS4VNG3H2JIsBdySZOk-A-DA0D1hDSkLtccpNTQ65pRDXNaUme0H6AjwjUtyP5jCVfmPO1GPxRrBw1HwS_PPBGy__4NPv2m5ldzE5jlEKq8yG9eSu/s200/opl_CarriageHorseCentralPark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596396740980055842" border="0" /></a><br />photo © <a href="http://alcinoe.openphoto.net/">Elizabeth Alcinoe</a><br />for <a href="http://6722.openphoto.net/">openphoto.net</a> CC:PublicDomainAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-16096541748307401482011-04-09T20:58:00.005-04:002011-04-09T21:39:18.721-04:00Poetic God<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCIaK0VnW6uoL4bQ0FiWAGZxPs3EXkhUMQeQpWsBsEV98Gw5KgfC7c2OwCEfXVpvlhGptwmhqCsoS6-9ttIqOQN_6qLKTTe0RGrvfEj075BqEjlQ_iZ5g0Z5q-nFHladINyucMHN0zUl5/s1600/hands.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCIaK0VnW6uoL4bQ0FiWAGZxPs3EXkhUMQeQpWsBsEV98Gw5KgfC7c2OwCEfXVpvlhGptwmhqCsoS6-9ttIqOQN_6qLKTTe0RGrvfEj075BqEjlQ_iZ5g0Z5q-nFHladINyucMHN0zUl5/s200/hands.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593762438966345474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I have been reading Don Miller's book "Searching For God Knows What" recently, amongst many other things I love/need to read. The subject matter continues, like it is in most of his books, to be focused on him and where he struggles/shines/etc. But a recent part got me thinking...<br /><br />He talks about the change in tactic/approach by the church in the early-mid 20th century, and the introduction of Darwinian Theory and science beating down on the door of faith, and how during this time the church gained an apologetic tone, and a focus towards providing answers and defenses to every question. And the most important thing lost during this approach was our appreciation for the poetry of the Bible.<br /><br />Yes, poetry. Obvious books like Song of Solomon, and the less obvious ones like Ecclesiastes and the Lamentations of Jeremiah and the really less obvious ones like Genesis, chapter 1. These expressions of work cannot be dissected and labeled and broken into so many little points, they scream to be felt and explored and enjoyed not in our western approach, but in the more eastern view of things.<br /><br />The Bethel Bible Series taught me that there is a vehicle, and there is cargo; there is the message and the stuff used to get it to us. The poetry of the Bible is part of the vehicle that gets it to us, and when we over-analyze and critique passages and words and structure, we loose the message-the simple truths God puts into writing for us.<br /><br />When we always try to have an answer for something in the Bible, or one of life/science/philosophy's quandaries, there can sometimes be that effort to fill every hole of doubt or question-giving firm, all-compassing answers. But God leaves room for questions, doesn't He? He leaves room for uncertainty and questioning and most important-He leaves room for Mystery. Our God is a mysterious God. But not in a shady way, but in a way that says "You don't know everything there is to know...your laws and bounds cannot hold me...I AM."<br /><br />Our God is poetic, beautiful and transcends any of our attempts to answer for Him or frame Him in to a neat little box.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-32584841256374270892011-03-31T00:00:00.006-04:002011-03-31T00:31:07.296-04:00The Show<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.gardenpark.org/Media%20Files/Pics/DinnerFundraiser%5Bpage%5D.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 495px; height: 353px;" src="http://www.gardenpark.org/Media%20Files/Pics/DinnerFundraiser%5Bpage%5D.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Susan/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.png" alt="" /><br /><br />I had the pleasure of organizing and implementing a Silent Auction/Variety Show/Dinner at GP this last weekend. It was the coming together of months of work, and was something that was hard work but fun all wrapped up together. When we came up with idea, my wife and I, it seemed easy.<br /><br />But it wasn't easy-it was work. It was fun, but it took time and perseverance. We raised a lot of money from it, and we will be able to help quite a few of our kids go to CIY this summer. The important things I learned from this:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. The High School kids will work hard-if encouraged to.</span><br />Like most of us see in all the areas we work, there are those that come in, do their job and work hard and there are others who need some encouragement. We had some of both-and it was a learning experience on how to manage it outside of the workplace.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. People are very, very generous.</span><br />There are soooo many people that came through big-nationally and locally with donations. We ended up with over 170 items up for donation, and some of them were combined. From our professional photographer who donated an entire wedding package to so many restaurants who gave us gift cards-there was no end to people's generosity. I was blown away at how much people wanted to help us. This, above all in the planning process, made me feel great.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. If you built it, they will come.</span><br />Everyone wants to be a part of something fun, something exciting and positive. Frame it in that type of box, and the event will be successful. People came, they had fun and they helped. You can't ask for more for the event we had.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. I don't know how to run a silent auction perfectly.</span><br />I know what I did right, I know what I can do better, and will make the adaptations accordingly. You live it, you learn then you sharpen it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. I way over-estimated on food.</span><br />Which, of course, is better than under-estimating. But we had a lot of food, and we were able to serve everyone more than they could eat and included to-go boxes too! I had a blast making the food with my parents, and serving everyone who came to the counter. Hearing all the great comments about the food made it even better.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. I slept worse than I have in a long time-the night after the event.</span><br />I am a stone-cold sleeper. It is near impossible to wake me up-but after this event, I couldn't sleep, I was so excited and happy for what we had accomplished with God's help. This made me tired the next day, but it was worth it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. CIY, and other events like it are so very important.</span><br />Why did we do this? To help raise money to send our HS youth group to a conference in the summer called Christ In Youth. And the next day, I got to hear stories about it and what it means to be able to do it to the kids. I never had the opportunity to do something like this as a youth, and I see how important and life-changing it can be in them, how it lays down memories.<br /><br /><br />So overall, had a blast. What have you learned recently?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-51776935786865046562011-02-05T13:48:00.002-05:002011-02-05T13:48:50.034-05:00A bitBeen awhile since I posted, should I post something again soon? Anyone paying attention....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-30131416633697690552010-08-16T22:36:00.003-04:002010-08-16T22:49:06.843-04:00Found.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/man-standing-rural-road/image/5066971?term=lost" target="_blank"><img src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/5066971/man-standing-rural-road/man-standing-rural-road.jpg?size=500&imageId=5066971" title="Man standing on rural road reading road map" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Man standing on rural road reading road map" width="500" border="0" height="333" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script><br /></div><br />I thought you were gone, lost and somewhere that I would not be able to get you back from. The more I struggled to return to where it was, the more I floated away. Slippery, like a fish out of water, I just could not grasp you and hold you down. And the more I wondered and stared, the more out of focus you became.<br /><br />I can't ask others about you or wonder how they got you back, because no one shares in it the same way, no one takes the same walk and journey with it daily or weekly or in their life. And somehow I got to where pessimism lies dormant,where status-quo sits and twiddles her thumbs and I tried to wake her up-tried to put her on like a warm robe. Warm and self-sufficient, I saw no need to look anymore. Where we were was good enough, well enough for me.<br /><br />But today-without trying and without knowing-you came back full force and said "Here I am. Here is where I have been all along." And when I looked into what made me my shape-what drives and pushes and motivates and excites and moves me-I saw you. And I know that you waited here for me, knowing like a loyal dog that I would be back and that I would not need to say anything-I can just put you back on like a suit of armor-and joy abounds. I found you, and I didn't even have to look-I just had to see.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-18285269525699603002010-08-09T23:57:00.002-04:002010-08-10T00:09:17.248-04:00The ocean and the fear<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/ocracoke-island/image/7204585?term=ocean" target="_blank"><img src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/7204585/ocracoke-island/ocracoke-island.jpg?size=380&imageId=7204585" title="Ocracoke Island" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Ocracoke31/120701 -- North Beach on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina." width="380" border="0" height="228" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script>
<br /></div>
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<br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";" >
<br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:";font-size:14pt;" ><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >We are His portion and He is </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >our prize,
<br />Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
<br />If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i style="">DCB-Oh How He Loves</i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">I can remember, two distinct times where the ocean tried to get the better of me. Both of which were in Hawaii, both on different areas of the island, and both left me with mixed feelings-each with their own experience and degree of intensity.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">The first I can recall put me in the ocean and had me getting flipped over and over at Sherwood Forest beach on the island of Oahu. I can recall multiple flips and tumbles, each putting me just out of my comfort zone. These left me with a feeling of no control and no certainty-as if my body was subject to the waves and nothing could step in. I saw a man and another person coming in from scuba-diving, and while asking me for help, I frantically pushed off of the man’s shoulders to propel myself back towards the shore. He seemed surprised and probably a little ticked off, but I got to where I needed to be.
<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">The second was on the shores of Waikiki a few years later, and I walked out on a sandbar while the sis and mom hung out on the beach, and dad snorkeled….I can recall walking so far because it was a sandbar, and I was barely waist deep early in the morning sun. Well, come high noon or so, after I got tired of hanging out on the sandbar, I started to walk back. But I soon learned the water was now much deeper, closer to 8-10 feet-and anything deeper than you are shoulder-high is too deep. So I swam, and I swam hard and for a while to get back to where I needed to be on the shore. Exhausted, I made it back to the shore.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">The water, the oceans-the idea of drowning scares me. It eats at my core, putting a chill in me when I think about it. My kids are awesome swimmers; they are fish in the water. The just trust it and do it and love it. Somewhere along the line my fear became real and made loving the water hard. I can swim, and I do it-but I don’t hold it as a favorite love like they do.</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: georgia;font-family:";font-size:100%;" >Grace is an ocean. The kids get it, they love it and they embrace it. Sometimes, in the same way I struggle with the water and fight it harder than I need to-I do the same with God’s grace and the way He draws us into it, asking us only to be engulfed by it. I want to sink into that ocean.</span><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-76778710024456291132010-08-06T23:31:00.003-04:002010-08-07T00:00:46.063-04:00joy.<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/father-and-son-field/image/5078953?term=run+in+field" target="_blank"><img src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/5078953/father-and-son-field/father-and-son-field.jpg?size=380&imageId=5078953" title="Father and son (8-10) in field, playing aeroplanes, rear view" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Ardales, Andalucia, Spain." width="380" border="0" height="253" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script><br /></div><br />The weekend approaches.<br /><br />It is the first full weekend in August, the summer is here and the heat is hot and the kids are staying up late and having a great time playing. There is something fun and spirited about the summer and the way it brings us all alive.<br /><br />So today, may you feel the breeze in your hair and the grass under your feet and the sun smiling down on your head. May it fill your soul with joy-<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Sing to Him a new song;</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Play skillfully with a shout of joy. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Psalm 33:3<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What does your beautiful summer dream look like?</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-38402013101656042862010-08-05T23:18:00.004-04:002010-08-05T23:36:55.191-04:00growth and struggle<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/thinkstock-single-image/image/218532?term=growth" target="_blank"><img src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/218532/thinkstock-single-image/thinkstock-single-image.jpg?size=337&imageId=218532" title="Thinkstock single image collection" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Hand Touching the Trunk of a Towering Tree" width="337" border="0" height="506" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script><br /></div><br />I love to hang out with the kids. There are fewer things that I enjoy, and there are fewer moments that make me feel young and happy overall. Whenever I get to spend time playing or just listening to them interact, it makes me feel good. And even in the moments when I don't like to hear the repetitive nature, or the arguing or ignoring-I still try to experience it as it is, as a whole and not a singular. Listening to them discuss and debate and interact with each other is awesome, and it is a way for me to see how their minds and hearts are developing.<br /><br />I wonder, if in the same way, God really enjoys seeing me interact and learn and touch those around me. When I laugh, or have a blast or discuss with those around me, does God enjoy that? What about when I struggle or really need help, or argue and fight-does He look at the whole more than the moment?<br /><br />My heart and ideas and opinions are always on the move, always growing and questioning and sharpening to shape me. There are loads of things in my mind, and they are always trying to piece out and make sense and lay out a foundation of me. I think, or at least I hope, that the moves I make and growth I experience will be something fun to watch from God's perspective, and like a Father-He can smile and love every minute of it as well.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is growing in you right now?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-89562303296296567732010-08-02T00:31:00.001-04:002010-08-02T01:02:19.536-04:00ice cream and love<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/ice-cream-cones/image/92470?term=ice+cream+cone" target="_blank"><img src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/92470/ice-cream-cones/ice-cream-cones.jpg?size=358&imageId=92470" title="Ice cream cones" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Ice cream cones" width="358" border="0" height="477" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script>
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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><p class="MsoNormal">This weekend was my daddy-daughter date with my little girl. We had a great plan laid out, and she spent time getting ready (very excitedly) all afternoon, picking out her clothes and earrings and headband and even put on her prettiest dress shoes. Seeing her glowing all day with anticipation was a big slice of awesome for me. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We went to play games and stopped to shop a little after and finished off the date with ice cream cones. While we waited for the cones, she looked at me and said “this is the best date I have ever had daddy.” We talked about everything from video game technique to winning oodles of tickets (to which she totally owned those machines for 500 tickets!) to bargain-hunting to why we go to church to ice cream flavors. We laughed, we sang “Taxman” and had a great time. I don’t know that her and I have had a better time together just the two of us ever. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The best date she has ever had. I could have melted right there on the sidewalk. My daughter has given me the opportunity to teach and guide a little life, but just as important I have been able to learn from her and it has shaped and made me who I am. When I spend time with her, it gives me the chance to really get to experience what she is thinking and feeling in her little mind. It was a great day.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In our interaction, I hope to show her what it means to be a lady little lady who is respected and loved by a man. To be treated like a princess, not in a superior way but in a beautiful and cherished way. I hope I can continue to be an example for her and what it means to be a man, a loving and caring dad who would do anything for his little girl. And I hope she will, someday in the distant future, accept nothing less.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express.
<br />-- Joseph Addison<o:p></o:p></i></p> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-31450869000456709842010-07-29T21:09:00.003-04:002010-07-30T00:01:23.051-04:00Poverty<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="body"><span style="font-size:130%;">"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."<br />Mother Teresa<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/archival/mother-teresa/image/3315119?term=mother+teresa" target="_blank"><img src="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/3315119/mother-teresa/mother-teresa.jpg?size=380&imageId=3315119" title="Mother Teresa" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="July 1971: Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997), who has spent 40 years working with the sick, the destitute and the dying. She is working in a Catholic-sponsored children's home in Calcutta. (Photo by Mark Edwards/Keystone Features/Getty Images)" width="380" border="0" height="515" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script><br /><br /></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="bodybold"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="bodybold"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span>The people around us, the ones we love and the ones we don't love by negligence need us. In this quote, I found an answer to how can we possibly take care of those around us, how can we possibly answer the needs around us for those that are suffering? Mother Teresa granted this amazing quote that touched me.<br /><br />How do I take care of the people Jesus calls the hungry and thirsty and naked and tired? I can love them, and when you love the people around you, and truely reach out to them this is how we learn to serve. A recent sermon podcast I listened to from Rob Bell talked about this, and how when we struggle to feel God's presence, and we are solely looking for Him in our intellect or theology, we miss the place He tells us to find Him-in generosity.<br /><br />God is a generous God-giving a Son who gave His life for the world. Giving is where we need to be in our daily lives, and it doesn't just involve the stuff we thing about. It involved love, care and the feeling of being treated like a human.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in the world than there is for bread."<br />Mother Teresa</span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="bodybold"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="bodybold"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span></div><span class="bodybold"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-34797404985254141682010-07-26T00:12:00.001-04:002010-07-26T00:14:32.849-04:00FPU: Dave Ramsey<span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">We are taking the Dave Ramsey classes, Financial Peace University, at our church with about 21 other people, some we know and some we don’t from inside and outside the church. It is 8 weeks into the 13 week course at this point, and each lesson is a video presentation by Dave lecturing and discussion time after. </span></span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Listening to his radio/TV show, I get an idea of his attitude, and if you don’t know the whole story behind Dave Ramsey and how he got where he is, he comes across as harsh/judgmental/mean/(insert descriptive word here). But what is his motivation for the fire he has? Why does he yell, question and give a lot of “that’s just stupid” kind of comments?</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Dave really comes across to me as someone who realizes that when there is an opportunity to speak truth and it is truth that he has experienced the hard way, and he wants to share that with those around him.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I have always felt there are 2 kinds of people in this world, those that learn by doing and those that learn by listening. If you read Dave’s story, you see a man who learned by doing and getting burned. And once he figured out how to live the right way, how to not be a slave to people through borrowing and how to claim ownership on your own money and life, he couldn’t help but share it. His empire, his ministry is built around that idea. So if he comes across as passionate-that’s because he is, because he doesn’t wish anyone to go down the road that only leads them to destruction financially. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(51, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The best I can offer someone when it comes to paths of destruction is my knowledge and learned experiences and self-improvements made from it. Dave shows a true compassion for others-a desire not to see them learn the hard way. I hope in my life, I can influence those around me that seek that same guidance.</span></p><br /><br /><br /><object style="background-image: url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/oLX3wUY1xGg/hqdefault.jpg);" height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oLX3wUY1xGg&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oLX3wUY1xGg&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><div style="margin-top: 3px;"><div style="font-size: 11px;">Download: </div><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7564399010044781119&postID=3479740498525414168#">FLV</a><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7564399010044781119&postID=3479740498525414168#">MP4</a><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7564399010044781119&postID=3479740498525414168#">3GP</a></div><div style="margin-top: 3px;"><div style="font-size: 11px;">Download: </div><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="#">FLV</a><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="#">MP4</a><a style="margin-left: 4px; font-size: 11px;" onclick="return false" href="#">3GP</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-26926951130205824552010-07-19T23:41:00.002-04:002010-07-19T23:48:42.846-04:00Admiration<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/creative/fan/image/207129?term=pennant" target="_blank"><img src="http://view1.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/207129/fan/fan.jpg?size=358&imageId=207129" title="Fan" oncontextmenu="return false;" ondrag="return false;" onmousedown="return false;" alt="Fan" width="358" border="0" height="476" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js"></script><br /></div><br />Do you admire Jesus?<br /><br />There are a lot of fans of Jesus, of God, of religion and spirituality and doing the right thing and volunteering or standing up for those whose rights are being trampled and loving others and being a good example or the right kind of Christian according to whatever box you can fit that into…<br /><br />But are you just a fan-or are you on the team?<br /><br />Regarding the life of an admirer, in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-Recapture-Mystery-Steven-James/dp/B002PJ4OBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279597397&sr=8-1">Story: Recapturing the Mystery</a>, there is a quote that reads as follows:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Soren Kierkegaard states:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> "The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, gives up nothing, will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires."</span><br /><br />When I read these words, I had to ask myself---am I an admirer, or a follower?<br />I don’t think Jesus is impressed with my “fan” collection of Bibles, books, etc…I have a lot of memorabilia, that fits into the books or study guides I like to read, the notes I’ve taken, the ideas I write down-but it’s all just a collection of stuff, isn’t it…<br /><br />Jesus didn’t say, “admire me”, kind-of like me but still do your own thing…do it as you’re comfortable…<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea… And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Mark 1:16-18</span><br /><br /><br />Immediately, they left it behind to follow Jesus…<br />Follow Him where? And left what behind?<br /><br />Their lives, their ways, their hurt and rejection and family and friends and everything they were to follow…<br /><br />To follow Him to the cross, to die to themselves and live for God, to follow God’s will<br /><br />Follow me, says Jesus-be on my team.<br />Follow me to death and ultimately to life<br /><br />The road starts right here, right now with each decision we make<br />On Sunday mornings we can make the decision as well with the cup the bread—living the life, not admiring but living…<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“This do in remembrance of me”</span><br /><br />Each day, I try hard to remember that I need to be on God’s team, striving each and every second to trust and obey.<br /><br />Not to enshrine, not to be a fan…<br />Not to admire, but to followAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564399010044781119.post-71582648146963439182010-07-18T20:46:00.004-04:002010-07-18T21:05:38.484-04:00All things of nature<span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >
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mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSectio </style><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:";font-size:85%;" >“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span>-Aristotle</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;">
<br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I drank in nature for all that it’s worth. The smells, sounds, sights and feelings of the earth around me felt awesome. It is hard for me to see all of the creation around us and not attribute it to the Creator who designed it all <i style="">ex nihilo. </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There were sites in the Smoky Mountains that were breathtaking, and by far my favorite was the 1 mile each way hike to the waterfall in Townsend. <span style=""> </span>It was a road off the path, unmarked and not what you would expect to be a great path, it was pretty simple on the sign, “Buckeye Trail”.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciNh5VNfSgh6r3PyPwAGLtqwv3lKK2izP-LP8s4gf_a9o1fL7iR4pyBW4Hrm2DT488FOLV6m3q4ssS-qGGDTuz5uClW417MprPGdleK2kIC4eHqJPEnHcRXASeJrv7Hgec2xozxZkSJA-/s1600/SDC11130.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciNh5VNfSgh6r3PyPwAGLtqwv3lKK2izP-LP8s4gf_a9o1fL7iR4pyBW4Hrm2DT488FOLV6m3q4ssS-qGGDTuz5uClW417MprPGdleK2kIC4eHqJPEnHcRXASeJrv7Hgec2xozxZkSJA-/s320/SDC11130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495414747994904546" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">So we ventured, with the kids, and our friends and set out on the trail. This is an area where the journey was so important to enjoy, and the destination was something that was going to be there regardless. The journey was beautiful; scenic with lush greens and small creatures, and it was even treacherous at times as well. There were plenty of people telling us to turn around,<span style=""> </span>looking at the little ones thinking, oh they are too small, they can’t make it all the way (some even said it out loud). <span style=""> </span>There were many areas that were just wide enough to walk, and off the edge it was a straight drop down the side of a steep fall.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When we arrived-what a sight. The waterfall was beautiful, hard to describe in words. The shoes came off, and we walked around in the water, enjoying the cool refreshing flow. <span style=""> </span>It towered above our heads and down into the bank below, and smelled sweet and pure. The trees and nature around us sat calmly and sheltered us in. As I sat and contemplated and took it all in, I could feel the presence of God among us.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYI1dHSkpGMG8B2KCCOTrzc6-G08dKOliPuWHHQveTjt0YkNtBmw0Gp8d-JjS8XIxXnNiEXzv4qBba1yaot8C_g-DHILE_IRgidq02AfqUVTlAwkW9P1DAWNV_mRDgt_Sqn5_YoEX1QuH/s1600/SDC11004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 390px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYI1dHSkpGMG8B2KCCOTrzc6-G08dKOliPuWHHQveTjt0YkNtBmw0Gp8d-JjS8XIxXnNiEXzv4qBba1yaot8C_g-DHILE_IRgidq02AfqUVTlAwkW9P1DAWNV_mRDgt_Sqn5_YoEX1QuH/s320/SDC11004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495415857878330434" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><i style=""><span style="font-size:130%;">God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
<br /> of seed-bearing plants,
<br /> Every sort of fruit-bearing tree."
<br /> And there it was.
<br /> Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
<br /> all varieties,
<br /> And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
<br /> God saw that it was good.</span>
<br /></i></b><i style=""> (Genesis 1:11-13 Message)</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When God created, He created the World we see around us and it was natural and beautiful and like the trees and the waterfalls, it was untouched and not corrupted by our hands. The more I get outside, the more I can see the good God saw when He created. I would challenge you to get out of your comfort, out of your man-cave or living room or office building and taste, smell, see, feel and hear the world in it’s natural state around you. The Bible tells us that all of creation points to God-you just need to learn to look for it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">What is the most beautiful thing you have experienced in nature?<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06657804289557690387noreply@blogger.com0