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Monday, October 02, 2006

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 09:04:11 GMT

MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE A DATE NIGHT EVERY FRIDAY WITH MY WIFE, BUT YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANOTHER DATE NIGHT AS WELL. EVERY TUESDAY I DATE THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN MY LIFE.....MY SWEET EMMA! LAST TUESDAY'S DATE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL. IN ADDITION TO EMMA AND I, A FEW OTHER FRIENDS OF MINE CAME ON OUR DATE. WE CHOSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT I THOUGH EMMA WOULD LOVE......WE PLAYED "TIGER WOODS 2006". BEFORE YOU THINK, "BRIAN, YOU'RE A TERRIBLE FATHER", JUST WAIT.....YOU'LL HAVE MORE OF A REASON TO SAY THAT IN A MINUTE. AS WE STARTED TO PLAY, EMMA STARTED GETTING A BIT FUSSY. I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS HUNGRY, SO I GOT HER A BOTTLE. THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM....IT'S REALLY HARD TO FEED A BABY AND CONQUER THE WORLD OF GOLF AT THE SAME TIME. SO I DID WHAT ANY LOVING FATHER WOULD DO: I LAID HER ON THE COUCH AND POSITIONED PILLOWS AROUND HER IN A WAY THAT WOULD KEEP THE BOTTLE AT THE ANGLE IT NEEDED TO BE FOR HER TO EAT IT WITHOUT MY ASSISTANCE. NOW YOU HAVE A REAL REASON TO THINK WHAT YOU ALREADY WERE THINKING (BUT IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER, I SHOT A GREAT ROUND). IN SPITE OF MY POOR JOB OF FATHERING (WHICH I FELT TERRIBLE ABOUT AFTERWARDS) EMMA DIDN'T HOLD MY MISTAKES AGAINST ME. SHE STILL DID SOMETHING THE NEXT DAY WHICH I'VE GROWN TO LOVE. EVERYTIME THAT SHE WAKES UP, SHE LOOKS AROUND TO FIND NATALIE AND I BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE. NO MATTER WHERE SHE IS OR WHAT SHE WAS DREAMING, IT SEEMS LIKE THE THOUGHT OF "WHERE IS MOMMY AND DADDY?" COMES TO HER MIND BEFORE ALL ELSE. WHEN SHE FINDS US, SHE THEN FEELS AT EASE TO WORRY ABOUT THE BUSY SCHEDULE SHE DEALS WITH EVERYDAY. HEY, EATING AND SLEEPING REALLY IS AN ALL DAY JOB!
IT'S EASY TO WAKE UP AND START THINKING ABOUT THE MANY TASKS THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGHOUT THE DAY. MANY OF US LEAD BUSY LIVES, AND IT'S NATURAL TO LET THE BUSYNESS DOMINATE OUR THOUGHTS. I'M DEFINITELY GUILTY OF LETTING THIS HAPPEN TO ME! I WONDER HOW DIFFERENT MY DAYS WOULD LOOK THOUGH IF I WERE A PERSON THAT LONGED FOR MY HEAVENLY FATHER EVERY WAKING MOMENT. KING DAVID WAS A MAN WHOSE THOUGHTS WERE FIXED CONSISTENTLY ON GOD FOR A GOOD PART OF HIS LIFE. WE GET SOME INSIGHT FROM THE SCRIPTURES INTO HIS SPIRITUAL HABITS THAT LEAD HIM TO THIS. IN PSALM 63 HE SAYS, "O GOD, YOU ARE MY GOD; EARLY WILL I SEEK YOU". AND THIS WAS HIS MINDSET EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A DESERT AS WE SEE FROM THE CONTEXT. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE PROBLEMS HE FACED THERE THAT COULD'VE EASILY GRABBED HIS ATTENTION FROM GOD. I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I'M GOING TO ASK GOD DAILY TO GIVE ME THE DESIRE TO SEEK HIM FIRST AND FOREMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT I LIVE. I WANT TO BE SOMEONE WHOSE EARLY DESIRE FOR GOD SETS THE THOUGHT COURSE FOR HIS ENTIRE DAY ON GOD'S GREATNESS AND GLORY. I'M ASKING GOD TO FIX M MIND ON HIM THE MOMENT I WAKE. I CHALLENGE YOU TO DO THE SAME. EVERYDAY, LOOK TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER BEFORE LOOKNG TO ANYTHING ELSE!

Monday, September 11, 2006

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 12:27:04 GMT

LAST WEEK THE FURY OF THE TERRIBLE STORM ERNESTO KNOCKED OUT OUR POWER FOR A FEW HOURS. I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED 10 MPH WINDS LIKE THAT BEFORE. I WILL ADMIT THAT THE LACK OF POWER WAS KIND OF NICE FOR A WHILE. NATALIE, EMMA, AND I WERE SITTING THERE IN OUR HOUSE JUST TALKING BY CANDLELIGHT AND ENJOYING THE PEACE AND QUIET YOU RARELY FIND IN OUR BUSY WORLD. IT WAS PEACEFUL AND QUIET THAT IS FOR A SHORT WHILE UNTIL I HEARD A TERRIBLE SHREAK COME FROM MY WIFE. AT THAT MOMENT NATALIE JUMPED ON MY BACK, STARTED PULLING MY HAIR, AND CONTINUED TO SCREAM BLOODY MURDER IN MY EAR. SO, I QUICKLY RAN TO RETRIEVE MY BOW-STAFF FROM THE CLOSET TO DEFEND HER LIKE ANY GRAND MASTER NINJA WOULD. BUT, AS I WAS RUNNING, I FINALLY REALIZED WHAT CAUSED NATALIE'S REACTION. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT....A DEADLY COCHROACH THE SIZE OF A VERY SMALL FINGERNAIL HAD CREPT UP BESIDE HER AND WAS ABOUT TO EAT HER ALIVE. LUCKILY SHE GOT AWAY IN TIME. IF YOU HAVEN'T REALIZED ALREADY, NATALIE HAS A SMALL FEAR OF BUGS THAT CAUSES HER TO OVER-REACT A BIT. THE STRANGE THING WAS THAT SHE EVEN ALLOWED IT TO GET THAT CLOSE TO HER. USUALLY, SHE SPOTS THESE THINGS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE ROOM AND HAS A SLIGHTLY MORE MILD REACTION. IT THEN HIT ME......THIS ONE GOT SO CLOSE BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE DARK!
I HEARD RECENTLY ABOUT ONE OF MY OLD FRIENDS WHO HAS FALLEN AWAY FROM THE LORD. I WONDERED HOW SOMEONE WHO USED TO FOLLOW HARD AFTER GOD HAD FALLEN INTO SIN HE NEVER WOULD'VE DREAMED OF COMMITTING. MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THIS......OR, MAYBE THIS IS HAPPENING TO YOU RIGHT NOW. YOU WONDER HOW IN THE WORLD SOMEONE CAN GIVE INTO SOMETHING THAT ONCE DISGUSTED THEM. THE ANSWER IS THIS: IF YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH DARKNESS, SIN IS NOT AS OBVIOUS AS IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE IN THE LIGHT. THE APOSTLE JOHN CHALLENGES US TO "WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE (GOD) IS IN THE LIGHT". WE'RE TO PURSUE TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOT LET SIN AND DARKNESS INFILTRATE OUR MINDS. WE MUST CONTINUALLY ASK GOD TO TAKE THOSE INFLUENCES AWAY FROM OUR LIVES SO THAT WE CAN SPOT SIN AND STAY FAR FROM IT. THE MORE DARKNESS WE'RE EXPOSED TO....THE MORE DESENSITIZED WE'LL BECOME TO IT. SO, CLING TO TRUTH, WALK IN THE LIGHT OF IT, AND BE VERY AFRAID OF THE DARK!

Monday, August 28, 2006

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:01:45 GMT

LAST WEEK I FOUND MYSELF IN A RATHER AWKWARD SITUATION. IT WAS FRIDAY NIGHT AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO GO OUT ON A HOT DATE WITH MY WIFE. I FINISHED PRACTICE WITH OUR JUNIOR HIGH SOCCER TEAM AND WAS IN A HURRY TO CHANGE BEFORE NATALIE ARRIVED TO PICK ME UP (IT'S OKAY FOR THE GIRL TO PICK YOU UP FOR A DATE IF YOU'RE MARRIED). SO, I RAN INTO THE FIRST BATHROOM I FOUND. ON MY WAY IN I NOTICED A GROUP OF GIRLS, STANDING OUTSIDE THE BATHROOM, GIGGLING TO THEMSELVES AND LOOKING IN MY DIRECTION. IT TOOK ALL THAT I HAD TO KEEP FROM GIVING THEM A "Z-SNAP" AND YELLING, "GET UP OUT OF MY GRILL, GIRLFRIENDS". WELL, I PUT THEM BEHIND ME AND PROCEEDED IN. AS I TURNED THE CORNER, I NOTICED A BARRAGE OF PINK IN THIS PARTICULAR RESTROOM. EVERYTHING FROM PINK BAGS, TO PINK SHOES AND SOCKS WERE THROWN ABOUT ON THE FLOOR. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE BOYS IN THIS SCHOOL WERE INCREDIBLE PANSIES. A HALF-SECOND LATER I REALIZED WHAT I'D DONE. YES, I'M THE LOSER WHO RAN INTO THE GIRLS BATHROOM. I RAN OUT OF THAT RESTROOM (WHICH, I'M VERY THANKFUL, WAS VACANT) ONLY TO HEAR AN UPROAR OF LAUGHTER COMING FROM A GROUP OF GIRLS THAT THOUGHT FOR A SECOND THAT I HAD A SERIOUS IDENTITY COMPLEX.
I THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST HAVE A SPIRITUAL IDENTITY COMPLEX. THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS HAD A CERTAIN STATE OF MIND ABOUT WHO THEY ARE THAT HAS LEAD MANY OF THEM TO A LIFE OF HOPELESSNESS AND DEFEAT. I'VE HEARD SO MANY BELIEVERS SHARE STORIES ABOUT SINS THEY'VE STRUGGLED WITH FOR YEARS THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME. IN MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THOSE CASES YOU CAN SEE A COMMON THREAD......THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST! I'M TIRED OF HEARING THE STATEMENT FROM MY OWN MIND AND ALSO THE LIPS OF OTHERS, "I'M JUST A WORTHLESS SINNER, SAVED BY GRACE". THE TRUTH IS THAT WE ALL WERE COMPLETELY WORTHLESS AND INCAPABLE OF DOING RIGHT AT ONE POINT IN OUR LIVES, BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE FOR THOSE WHO'VE COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. NOW WE ARE "A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST" (II COR. 5:17). THANK GOD THAT WE'VE "BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS" (ROM. 6:18). WE MUST CONTINUALLY REMEMBER THAT GOD IS NOW WORKING IN US, ENABLING US TO LIVE IN LINE WITH HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. KNOWING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE INTO TEMPTATION IS A GREAT START TO OVERCOMING IT. THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR LIVES, EMPOWERING US TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS PLEASING TO HIM. THE POWER OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST WILL SET YOU FREE FROM LIVING A LIFE OF DEFEAT. SO, PUT YOUR IDENTITY COMPLEX BEHIND YOU! REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!

NO PAIN, NO GAIN!

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 10:15:15 GMT

WELL, LAST MONDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE FOR THE INCREDULOUS LCS JUNIOR HIGH SOCCER TEAM. I HAVE THE PRIVILAGE OF BEING ONE OF THEIR COACHES THIS YEAR. BEING PART OF THE TEAM TAKES ME BACK TO MY DAYS OF PLAYING COMPETITIVE SOCCER. ONE THING THAT I LOVED ABOUT IT WAS THE PHYSICAL SHAPE I WAS IN. MY COACH WAS CRAZY ABOUT CONDITIONING. HE SEEMED TO TORTURE US IN PRACTICE, BUT WE LOVED HIM FOR IT WHEN GAME DAY ROLLED AROUND. ANYWAY, COACHING IS DEFINITELY SHOWING ME HOW I'M FAR FROM BEING IN PRIME PHYSICAL CONDITION. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE GUYS I'M WORKING WITH, I DECIDED TO DO THE CONDITIONING WITH THEM. I STARTED OFF PRETTY STRONG BUT SOON STARTED TO FADE. AS I FADED I BEGAN THINKING OF MY WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT HAS CONSISTED OF HOLDING EMMA, SETTING UP CHAIRS, AND PLAYING GOLF FROM TIME TO TIME. AS THESE THINGS CAME TO MY MIND, I WASN'T SURPRISED THAT I WAS STRUGGLING (AND BELIEVE ME I WAS....AN OVERWEIGHT 6TH GRADER WITH AN INHALER IN ONE HAND AND A TWINKY IN THE OTHER WAS YELLING AT ME TO KEEP UP). I DEFINITELY FAILED THE PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST I GAVE MYSELF THAT DAY.
CHRISTIANS FACE TESTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE TRUTH IS THAT HOW WE DEAL WITH THEM REVEALS THE SPIRITUAL "SHAPE" THAT WE'RE IN. BELIEVERS WONDER SO OFTEN WHY THEY CAN'T WITHSTAND GIVING INTO TEMPTATION. ALL THE WHILE THE ANSWER TO THAT LIES IN THIS STATEMENT: WE ARE WEAK AND WE GIVE IN BECAUSE WE DON'T DAILY PREPARE FOR THE TESTS WE WILL FACE. TO SUCCEED AND PASS THE TEST IN A WAY THAT HONORS GOD WE MUST COMMIT TO HAVING A CONSISTENT "SPIRITUAL WORKOUT". LAST WEEK MANY OF THE TEENS AT HERITAGE MADE A COMMITMENT TO READ GOD'S WORD THIS YEAR. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO STICK TO THAT COMMITMENT. THAT IS WHAT WILL ENABLE YOU TO PASS THE TESTS THAT COME YOUR WAY. REMEMBER THAT THE SCRIPTURES ARE A LAMP TO YOUR FEET AND A LIGHT TO YOUR PATH. WHEN YOU KNOW THEM, THEY WILL EMPOWER YOU TO STAND UP UNDER THE TEMPTATIONS YOU FACE AND REMAIN ON THE PATH GOD DESIRES FOR YOUR LIFE. SO, MAKE SURE YOU MAINTAIN A STRONG WORKOUT IN GOD'S WORD THIS YEAR.....WHEN THE TESTS COME, YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

REACHING THE GOAL!

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:28:01 GMT

I REMEMBER ALL OF THE EXCITEMENT, HOPE, AND EVEN FEAR THAT COMES ALONG WITH STARTING A NEW YEAR OF SCHOOL. TO ME, IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE I HAD A NEW BEGINNING OF SORTS. ACTUALLY, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL TO ME WAS KIND OF LIKE NEW YEAR'S DAY TO MOST PEOPLE......IT WAS THEN THAT I SET MY GOALS. I GUESS IT REALLY SEEMED LIKE THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING BIG TO ME. I REMEMBER A GOAL FOR ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS WAS TO GET RIPPED, TONED, AND CHISELED. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, "MAN, BRIAN, YOU MUST HAVE STUCK WITH THAT GOAL BECAUSE YOU LOOK STRAIGHT UP DIESEL NOW". WELL, JUST KEEP READING!
I WOKE UP ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR DETERMINED TO DO AT LEAST 300 PUSH UPS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE FIRST DAY WENT REALLY WELL. OVER THE COURSE OF IT I DID 350 PUSH UPS. I WAS SO PUMPED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS GOAL. WELL, THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL ROLLED AROUND AND I WOKE UP EXCITED TO GET TO MY WORKOUT. I WAS EXCITED FOR ANOTHER 2 SECONDS.......IT WAS THEN THAT I TRIED TO MOVE. YES, I THEN REALIZED THAT I OVER-DID IT A LITTLE ON THE FIRST DAY. I COULDN'T EVEN BRUSH MY TEETH THAT MORNING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WASN'T VERY PLEASANT TO BE AROUND THAT DAY....ESPECIALLY TO THOSE I TALKED TO IN CLOSE QUARTERS.
THE NEXT YEAR I WENT WITH A NEW, "MORE SPIRITUAL" GOAL.....TO READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR. I FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THIS GOAL A LITTLE LONGER, BUT EVENTUALLY MY DRIVE TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL WAS STIFLED AS WELL. YOU, LIKE ME, HAVE PROBABLY FAILED TO REACH GOALS THAT YOU'VE SET FOR YOURSELF, WHETHER SPIRITUAL OR NOT. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU WHY I HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST, AND YOU MAY SEE THAT IT'S THE CAUSE OF YOUR PROBLEMS IN ATTAINING GOALS AS WELL.
WHENEVER I FAIL IT'S BECAUSE I RELY ON MY OWN STRENGTH TO ACCOMPLISH WHATEVER IT IS I'M TRYING TO DO. THAT SEEMS PRETTY "ELEMENTARY", BUT IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. CHRISTIANS THINK THAT IF THEY HAVE A "SPIRITUAL" GOAL THAT GOD MUST BE INVOLVED IN IT. THE TRUTH IS THAT HE OFTEN ISN'T INVOLVED. EVEN OUR GOALS SET SUPPOSEDLY FOR CHRIST'S HONOR ALL OF A SUDDEN BECOME ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO ATTAIN THEM. WE SO OFTEN LEAVE GOD'S POWER OUT OF THE EQUATION. BECAUSE I'VE FOLLOWED THIS PATTERN SO MUCH IN MY LIFE, GOD HAS BROUGHT ME TO THE POINT THAT I KNOW I CANNOT REACH ANYTHING FOR HIS GLORY WITHOUT HIS STRENGTH WORKING IN MY LIFE. I AM TOO WEAK TO DO IT ON MY OWN. PRAISE GOD THOUGH THAT "WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG". BECAUSE GOD HAS ENLIGHTENED ME TO MY INABILITY TO HONOR HIM IN MY OWN STRENGTH, HE HAS SHOWN ME THE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS FOR HIM BY LEANING ON HIS POWER.
SO, AS THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS, DON'T GO OUT TRYING TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD AND THEN FORGET ABOUT HIM IN THE PROCESS. ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S ONLY THROUGH HIS POWER WORKING IN YOU THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING WORTH ACHIEVING!

"BABY STEPS"

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:49:32 GMT

NOW THAT I'M A FATHER I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO EXPECT EVERYONE TO BE AMAZED, IN THE SAME WAY THAT I AM, AT THE THINGS MY DAUGHTER DOES. I REMEMBER BEING TOLD STORIES BY MY FRIENDS ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN THAT I HONESTLY WASN'T TOO THRILLED ABOUT......AT LEAST NOT HALF AS MUCH AS THEY WERE (DON'T GO THINKING I'M INSENSITIVE; YOU ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT). ANYWAY, I'VE REALIZED THAT I'M NOW THE GUY TELLING THE STORIES ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS MY DAUGHTER DOES THAT SEEM INCREDIBLE TO ME; AND, YES, I REALIZE IT'S PROBABLY NOT AS BIG A DEAL TO YOU. JUST HEAR ME OUT THOUGH!
IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS EMMA HAS STARTED TO TALK (NO, SHE'S NOT A CHILD PRODIGY....IT'S ONLY GIBBERISH). I SAY "TALK" THOUGH BECAUSE HER GIBBERISH IS IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO NATALIE AND I AS WE TALK TO HER, WHICH IS MOSTLY DONE IN GIBBERISH AS WELL (I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW FUNNY I MUST SOUND). WHEN I LOOK DOWN AT HER AND SAY THE WORD THAT GRABS HER ATTENTION MOST....."OUOOGAH", SHE USUALLY RESPONDS WITH SOMETHING VERY SIMILIAR TO IT. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS I'VE EVER HEARD. IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IF SHE'S SAYING ANYTHING THAT HAS MEANING. THE FACT THAT SHE'S TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME ABSOLUTELY MELTS MY HEART. THE LITTLE WAYS THAT EMMA IS GROWING BRINGS SO MUCH JOY TO ME!
I BELIEVE THAT BEING A FATHER HAS GIVEN ME MORE OF A GLIMPSE INTO THE HEART OF GOD. ISN'T IT AWESOME TO KNOW THAT GOD IS OVERJOYED AS WE MAKE WHAT SEEM TO SOME AS "INSIGNIFICANT" STEPS IN OUR WALK WITH HIM! HE IS DELIGHTED MORE AND MORE AS WE GIVE OURSELVES OVER TO HIS AWESOME POWER THAT CAN CHANGE US INTO THE PEOPLE HE DESIRES US TO BE. IN MY OWN LIFE, IT'S EASY FOR ME TO LOOK AT MEN WHO ARE SO MUCH FURTHER ALONG IN THEIR WALK WITH THE LORD AND DESIRE TO BE LIKE THEM IMMEDIATELY. I MUST CONTINUALLY REALIZE THAT ME GROWING LIKE THAT OVERNIGHT IS JUST AS IMOSSIBLE AS EMMA TEACHING LAW AT HARVARD TOMORROW. THE COMFORT IN THIS IS KNOWING THAT BECAUSE GOD DESIRES FOR US TO DRAW NEAR TO HIM, IT'S A DELIGHT TO HIM WHEN I TAKE A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. YES, GOD DESIRES FOR US TO REFLECT WHO HE IS COMPLETELY IN OUR LIVES, BUT HE IS TRULY GLORIFIED IN THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION.. ..OR THE PROCESS OF GETTING US TO THAT POINT. WITH ALL OF THIS IN MIND, HERE'S A GOOD IDEA: MAKE A COMMITMENT TO WALK CLOSER TO THE LORD EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE. TO SOME THIS MIGHT MEAN CONTINUALLY GIVING UP SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT DOESN'T HONOR GOD. TO SOME THIS MAY MEAN SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TIME WITH THE LORD. WHATEVER IT IS, ASK THE LORD TO WORK IN YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT DRAWS YOU CLOSER TO HIM EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT YOU LIVE. YEARS FROM NOW YOU'LL LOOK BACK AND REALIZE HOW GOD HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED YOUR LIFE BY CHANGING YOU LITTLE BY LITTLE EVERYDAY.
I KNOW THAT MY LITTLE GIRL WILL GROW INTO A WONDERFUL LADY SOMEDAY (EVEN THOUGH I DON'T REALLY WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW). BUT FOR NOW IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL TO SEE THE LITTLE "STEPS" SHE TAKES IN THAT DIRECTION. SO, LET'S ASK GOD TO HELP US TAKE STEPS THAT DRAW US CLOSER TO HIM EVERYDAY. LET'S REMEMBER THAT EVEN THE LITTLE STEPS ARE A BIG DEAL IN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S EYES!

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 14:59:45 GMT

"SUNSCREEN IS FOR WIMPS". THAT'S A QUOTE THAT LINGERS IN MY MIND AS I THINK ABOUT THE TEENS' BEACH TRIP THIS PAST WEEKEND. IT LINGERS IN MY HEAD BECAUSE IT CAME FROM MY MOUTH. YOU SEE, I SOMETIMES TRY TO BE MACHO. IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET, I'M ONE OF THE FARTHEST THINGS FROM MACHO, BUT, FOR SOME REASON, I FEEL THE URGE TO ACT THAT WAY FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS MANLY ACT IS BEHIND MY HATE OF SUNSCREEN. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT SEEMS A LITTLE GIRLY TO ME, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I DIDN'T USE ANY OF IT EVEN THOUGH WE SPENT CLOSE TO 6 HOURS IN THE SUN AT THE BEACH ON SATURDAY! IN THOSE 6 HOURS WE SWAM, PLAYED SOCCER, FRISBEE, AND FOOTBALL WITHOUT A CARE. IT WAS AWESOME, UNITL WE WERE GETTING READY TO LEAVE. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED I LOOKED LIKE I'D IMAGINE AN ALBINO MAN WOULD AFTER BEING SLATHERED IN BABY OIL AND HELD AT GUNPOINT IN A TANNING BED WITH NEW BULBS FOR A WEEK. I SHOULD'VE LISTENED TO ALL THE TEENS WHO GAVE ME MANY WARNINGS TO PUT ON SUNSCREEN. THEY KNEW IT WOULD PROTECT ME FROM WHAT IS DEFINITELY THE WORST BURN OF MY LIFE. INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THEIR ADVICE, I'M NOW SUFFERING FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING UNPROTECTED.
PROTECTION IS NOT ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT, ALTHOUGH THE CONCEPT OF IT IS NOT AT ALL NEGATIVE. WE LIVE IN AN INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURE WHERE MANY WANT TO LIVE LIFE THEIR WAY FREE FROM THOSE WHO TRY TO SHELTER AND PROTECT THEM. I REMEMBER AS A TEENAGER NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING SOME OF MY PARENT'S RULES, AND WONDERING WHY THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO EXPERIENCE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MY FRIENDS WERE EXPERIENCING. MAYBE SOME OF THE TEENS READING THIS ARE IN THE SAME POSITION. WHAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND IS THIS: LIVING YOUR LIFE THE WAY YOU WANT TO APART FROM ANY TYPE OF PROTECTION WILL END IN DESTRUCTION. PROVERBS 4:23 SAYS, "GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, FOR OUT OF IT IS THE WLLSPRING OF LIFE". THAT'S SAYING THAT YOU WILL BE DRIVEN BY THAT WHICH GETS INTO YOUR HEART. THAT'S WHY PROTECTION IS SO IMPORTANT. IF YOU'RE CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO SIN, IT WILL EVENTUALLY GAIN POWER IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, MOST LIKELY WITHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWING IT. SO BE THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS PUT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE THAT TRY TO SHELTER YOU FROM THE MANY EVILS THAT COULD PERMEATE YOUR HEART. DON'T REBEL AGAINST PROTECTION....
..EMBRACE IT. IF YOU DON'T, YOU'LL MOST CERTAINLY GET BURNED!

CARS ARE OVER-RATED!

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:36:17 GMT

Last Tuesday began as a great day. I finished all of the work I had planned for the day at the office, so I headed home a few minutes early to see my wonderful wife and daughter. The weather was so nice that I decided to roll down my windows and take in the fresh air. My spirits were up as I looked around at the beauty of God's creation. All of a sudden, a little creature caught my eye. There, looking straight at me, and piercing me with his beety, black eyes was a tiny squirrel. Now, normally, at the sight of a squirrel in the middle of the road, I would speed up and let the squirrel play a rousing game of "try to dodge the tire". But it was different this time. The squirrel looked at me like I was his friend. This, along with the beauty of the day, made me decide to let the little guy off the hook. As I took my eyes off of my little friend I looked up in just enough time to realize that I was about to rear end the car in front of me. I slammed on my brakes, but it was too late. Sure enough my front end smashed up like an accordian. The moral of the story is this: don't ever think squirrels are your friend. That little guy was trying to get my attention off of the road. Never slow down for them! Maybe I'm being too harsh, and I guess I might be able to learn something else from all of this!
I sat there in my car saying over and over again in my head, "no way, now way, no way"! At the sight of my car I was devastated. The devastation only laster for a moment though as I began to process all that had happened. I ran to the car in front of me and saw that all were okay in there, and as I was walking back to my car a wave of thankfulness suddenly came over me. It was then that I saw Emma's car seat. I realized how gracious God was to keep her and Natalie from the accident. So, as I sat in my wrecked car for a few moments, I had my own little praise time with God. Philippians 4:6-7 popped into my head. It says, "be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". You see, I'm not too worried about my car. I know that my God is in control, so all I can do is lay my requests at His feet and thank Him for all that He has done in my life that I don't deserve. His grace was evident in this situation, and I am grateful for it.
Another great thing is that I have some great pictures of what my car looks like. Check it out!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Tue, 16 May 2006 12:32:50 GMT

It's so hard to believe that hospitals let you take home a new life without asking any questions about it. At least they make you take a test to drive a car. I guess steerring a human life is no big deal, right? WRONG! Wow, it's so wonderful being a dad, but it's also quite a daunting task. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it, but there's a lot that goes into it. It amazes me that htis little baby of mine is completely dependant on Natalie and I for her survival. If she needs to eat, we need to feed her (well, mostly Natalie needs to feed her). If she needs a diaper change, we need to change it. If she needs a bath, we need to bathe her. If she needs to be dressed, we need to put on her clothes. The list goes on and on. Our little Emma is dependant on us to live. Eventually, the day will come when she will be able to live on her own. She'll become independant and able to function without her mother and I (although right now I don't really want to think about it). That's just the way life goes.
But that's not the way spiritual life is supposed to go. Yes, we're to mature in our walk with Christ, but maturity is linked to dependancy in the life of a Christian. When we become more and more dependant on Christ to "survive" spiritually, we grow up in our faith. A thriving Christian is one who stays connected to the source that enabled them to be born, spiritually speaking, in the first place. We have a wonderful picture of the dependancy a believer is to have on God given by Christ Himself in John 15. He says, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit unless you remain in Me".
Let me ask you this: Are you staying completely dependant on Christ to live the life He requires you to live, or are you pulling away from Him? If you've commited your life to Him, remember that your commitment will never be lived out on your own strength. Depend on Him to live it out! Apart from Him, we can do nothing!

True Discipleship

Mon, 01 May 2006 16:38:33 GMT

This Wednesday night is going to be one to remember in the Heritage youth group. We're holding our first annual ministry fair. This past month we've been talking about the importance of serving within the body of Christ. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which He prepared in advance for us to do". All of us who have been made new through the work of Jesus Christ in our lives have jobs to do here on this earth for the God who saved us. One of the main purposes of our youth ministry is to equip teens to fulfill the works God has for them. I believe that we've let teens coast through their adolescent years for too long. We wonder why they leave the youth ministries they're involved in and turn away from the Lord only to come back years later. They come back when their faith becomes real to them. It wasn't real in high school because they weren't challenged to live it out. Well, it's our goal as a youth leadership team to make sure we're giving them tangible ways to live out their faith. Pastor Boulet talked about how we are to teach followers of Christ to "observe" all that Christ commanded, and how observing involves more than gaining knowledge. Observing involves incorporating the commands of Christ into your lifestyle and following them on a daily basis. My prayer is that our teens will truly observe the will of the Lord for their life. I believe that plugging them into ministry teams in our ministry will be a way that they can start doing just that.
I pray that we will never be believers who equate discipleship to knowledge alone. True discipleship doesn't happen without knowledge, but if it ends there...discipleship hasn't happened. Knowledge of who God is and what He requires of a life is vital, but if our lives don't then move in the direction of matching up to our God ans his requirements the knowledge is useless.
I praise God for bringing people into my life who challenged me to live out the faith that I professed. I've had wonderful influences in my life who brought me along as they served the Lord. I saw what true Christianity looked like, and seeing it gave me a passion to be a part of it. I pray that this Wednesday many teens would commit to a form of service in our ministry and that myself and other leaders can work with them as they develop a passion for serving our Lord, Jesus Christ. How great it is to see someone devote themselves fully to the work of the Lord. That is why I do what I do! I like it, I love it, I want some more of it!