Irregular Heartbeat

If I had a dollar for everytime someone in my family said something so wonderfully beautiful you might be shopping at Qu-Mart.

Kim, John, Laura & Emily surprise me often with their insight, humor, and compassion. Tonight it was Emily. Here is a brief quote from some of our conversation:

Emily: Dad, is everyone in Trophy Club rich?

Me: No, not everyone. But a lot of people have more money than most people do.

Emily: I think that most people are rich here.

Me: Yeah, a lot of folks are honey.

Emily: That is not good!

Me: Why?

Emily: Because I can't be friends with poor people and live here. Well, I can, but I will just have to drive far to go play.

Me: Long awkward pause as I reflected on the depth of her answer and the often shallowness of my world view.

Emily: Hey Dad?

Me: Yes Emily.

Emily: I'm going to be president someday.

Me: You'd be a great one.

Emily: I want to help poor people. If I was president I could make things right.

Me: Yeah...

Emily: I'd make it "Square and Fair"

Me: Yeah you would!

Emily: Plus you and mom can live in the White House when your old and stuff.

Me: That would be great! (my heart skips a beat as I ponder the beauty of her heart!)

Emily: Do you have to be rich to be president Dad?

Me: (thinking - "do I tell her the truth?" I don't - I lie.) No, you don't.

Emily: Good, cause I'm just a regular girl.

Me: (thinking - "do I tell her the truth?" I don't - I lie again.) Yeah, you're just a regular girl Emily. (with an amazing heart!)

Emily: Thanks Dad.

I'm glad that I have a family whose hearts beat for others. It makes me want to care so much more.

Elected Officials Keep Promise. Sounds Fishy.

Just read this world changing article and have some brief comments at the end to help you, the reader, make sense of it all.

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. (AP) — A couple of Washington state teens are in a bit of trouble for eating seafood, of sorts.
Two boys swallowed live goldfish during an assembly at Todd Beamer High School (search) in Federal Way. A school district spokeswoman said the kids were apparently fulfilling a promise they made if one was elected a class officer.
The boys got a stern talking-to and a letter to their parents.
But some animal rights activists feel the boys should be in hot water for eating live fish.
A spokeswoman for PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (search), said the stunt deserves harsher punishment. PETA said killing fish in the name of school spirit is unacceptable.

Some Thoughts:

1. That is why we always had our students eat dead fish at our youth ministry retreats...

2. The boys should have been commended for keeping their promises. That is rare among elected officials these days.

3. Man how things have gone done hill since I was in high school. We never had problems like that. That is scary. Just plain frightening I tell you. Sends a shiver right up my spine. Those horrible boys should be locked up!

4. A stern talking to? A letter home? Boy that ought to discourage future fish felons! Nothing sends a message like a stern talking and a letter. Poor teens are probably emotionally scared.

5. PETA might do well to consider that their view of "unacceptable" is not necessarily "accepted" by the rest of the emotionally competent free world.

Full

Kim and I traded cars this morning and when I got back into mine I looked down at my previously semi-empty tank and noticed that I now had a full tank of gas.

Thank you Kim.

And as far as my spiritual tank goes...

Full.

Some time with God, a breath of fresh air, dinner with the family, gathering with my brothers and sisters in Christ, teaching (okay, so Kim does most the work) 2-5 year olds on Wednesday nights, putting out a fire or two (ministerially speaking), praying with my kids, getting a good night sleep, the beautiful cool weather, talking with a friend and mentor, making progress on a project, finding out a friend is coming to town, lunch with an encourager, a time to talk with the world's most amazing wife, and a whole lot of God's presence will do that to you.

I'm full.

For now.

ps: Thanks Keith for praying.

Empty

Moving to the Metroplex has had numerous positive financial advantages. No complaining on my part. However, purchasing gasoline is not one of them. In fact, neither is conserving it. I left Abilene at $2.34 per gallon while filling up about once a week. A month or so later I fill up about every 3 -4 days for a few cents short of $3.00 per gallon. Consequently, no matter how hard I try my gas tank is usually running closer to empty than to full. It is a bummer to have to keep getting gas so often. Today I've got about 1/4 of a tank in regular unleaded.

Most of you saw the analogy coming in the title of this post...

Today I'm running on empty and it has nothing to do with a petroleum based fuel that runs my car.

Holy Spirit Come.

Creativity, smiles, passion, focus, hope, patience, effectiveness, joy, and the list goes on, are approaching fume like levels.

So I will pull into the pump of God's presence and pray that He fill me.

He will.

Full.