Lucky or Blessed?

I just read an interesting and thought provoking article from the LA Times about the tornadoes that ripped through Union University and God's hand in all of it.

Check it out for yourself by clicking here.

Three's a Charm

I don't recall posting to simply recommend reading someone else's blog, but today I am doing just that. In fact, I'm pointing you in three directions.

For a compact and cool look at "preparing for the tests of life" click here.

For a random look at little (and yet truly big) things in life, click here.

And for a delightful piece on vintage aprons and the stories behind them, click here.

Enjoy!

PS: I go into 7-eleven every morning for a Glaceau Vitamin water and a Snicker's Marathon. I engage in intentional conversation with a young clerk named Abby. Today Abby finally asked me where I was going at 5:30am every Sunday. I told him, "to church" to which he replied, "pray for me."

I did. I will continue to do so. Will you join me? Next week I will ask him what specifically I can pray for him. I'll keep you posted.

Oswald's Been "Reading My Mail"

The following are yesterday's and today's entries from the classic, My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Talk about meeting me where I'm at...man! Oswald is all up in my head! Enjoy. Yeah right! More like - "Buckle Up!"

February 5th - Are You Ready To Be Offered?

“Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.”
Philippians 2:17

Are you willing to be offered for the work of the faithful - to pour out your life blood as a libation on the sacrifice of the faith of others? Or do you say - "I am not going to be offered up just yet, I do not want God to choose my work. I want to choose the scenery of my own sacrifice; I want to have the right kind of people watching and saying, 'Well done.'

It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism, but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by God means being a door-mat under other people's feet. Suppose God wants to teach you to say, "I know how to be abased" - are you ready to be offered up like that? Are you ready to be not so much as a drop in a bucket - to be so hopelessly insignificant that you are never thought of again in connection with the life you served? Are you willing to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work and remain saints because it is beneath their dignity.


February 6th - Are You Ready To Be Offered?

“I am already being poured out as a drink offering.” 2 Timothy 4:6

"I am ready to be offered." It is a transaction of will, not of sentiment. Tell God you are ready to be offered; then let the consequences be what they may, there is no strand of complaint now, no matter what God chooses. God puts you through the crisis in private, no one person can help an other. Externally the life may be the same; the difference is in will. Go through the crisis in will, then when it comes externally there will he no thought of the cost. If you do not transact in will with God along this line, you will end in awakening sympathy for yourself.

"Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." The altar means fire - burning and purification and insulation for one purpose only, the destruction of every affinity that God has not started and of every attachment that is not an attachment in God. You do not destroy it, God does; you bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar; and see that you do not give way to self-pity when the fire begins. After this way of fire, there is nothing that oppresses or depresses. When the crisis arises, you realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do. What is your way of fire?

Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be.

Nehemiah

I had a great Bible study this morning with my fellow IronMen at our Tuesday morning study, The Edge. We have been working through the book of Nehemiah and following this great leader's journey from apathy to action. It is an amazing story.

This morning we were all challenged by the simple fact that private worship precedes public witness. Nehemiah did a great work for God, but only after God did a great work in Nehemiah. It is a very simple truth, but it trips me up most days. I can't do a thing for God until God does a thing in me.

God give me favor and a big project. But first break my heart over the very things that break your heart.

Amen.

Trusting Us With Silence

We had some great people (Matt and Jessica) over tonight for dessert and coffee (and Kim's famous apple cider) and we got to sharing stories about life. As we shared with them the story of how God brought us to Lake Cities, we told them of the blog entry that was instrumental in God bringing us here. Check it out here.

I read the following a while ago and I thought I'd share it.

As I read Fenelon (he's talking about, Francois Fenelon, the French mystic of three hundred years ago) on silence, I was reminded of what Oswald Chambers wrote about thanking God when he “trusts us with silence.” Fenelon put great emphasis on the value of silence—not only environmental silence, but silence of the soul, stillness of the heart, and tranquility of the mind.

Fenelon writes, “Sometimes the annoyances that make you long for solitude are better for producing humility than the most complete solitude could be. Do not seek God as if he were far off in an ivory castle. He is found in the middle of the events of your everyday life.

“Listen to the voice of God in silence. Be willing to accept what he wants to show you. God will show you everything you need to know. Be faithful to come before him in silence. When you hear the still, small voice within, it is time to be silent.

“Try to practice silence as much as general courtesy permits. Silence encourages God’s presence, prevents harsh words, and causes you to be less likely to say something you will regret. Silence also helps you put space between you and the world. Out of the silence that you cultivate you will get strength to meet your needs.”

Most of us aren’t silent often enough. A chief executive officer of a large corporation attended a weekend retreat recently. He told me that his most meaningful experience of the retreat was the exercise of listening to someone for ten minutes—without saying anything. He realized how much he learned in that listening silence.

God trusts you with silence. Don't let him down.

{Smith, F., and Goetz, D. L. (1999). Vol. 5: Leading with integrity : Competence with Christian character. The pastor's soul series (40). Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers.}

A Weak You Can Be a New You In a Week!

My son John is the healthiest person I know. He is also one of the most disciplined. I praise God for the way he is leading me towards better health. Recently he sent me the following information which I thought I would pass on. This isn't his own work and I really don't know where he got it. But the important thing is that it is good stuff. I'm trying to improve in this area so that I may better steward my body and bring God glory through my body. Improved health has far reaching effects including:

- Better relationships (more energy and focus, less stress and sickness, etc)
- Better work production (more energy and focus, less stress and sickness, etc)
- Better financial stewardship (heart attacks and back surgeries and stress meds aren't cheap!)
- Better self esteem (It's hard enough to like you somedays let alone like you plus 50lbs more)
- Better relationship with God. (It's hard to be close to the giver when you know you've abused his greatest gift beside salvation - your life!)

I could go on and on. But I won't...

Read, FOLLOW (or at least attempt) and enjoy! A new you is just a week away. Not a completely different you, but a better you for sure!

7-Day Starter Program: Guidelines

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES QUICK TIPS:

• Eat ORGANIC! Eat at least one green salad each day, two if you can.
• Start out each day with lighter foods and move toward heavier foods later in the day. Heavy foods for breakfast can weigh an individual down throughout the day.
• Make your cooked meals simpler. Eat only one type of cooked food or animal food at each meal, and always have raw salad vegetables and salad fruits such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers with it.
• Remember to drink plenty of water. Try to drink water 30 minutes before meals. Drinking water during or after a meal dilutes the digestive juices and interferes with proper digestion.
• Chew your food! Your stomach doesn't have teeth! The famous Dr. Fletcher recommended 50 chews per mouthful.
• Change it up! Enjoy and experiment by adding a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, sprouts, grasses, herbs, flowers, and superfoods.
• Eat your favorite meals on the weekend so you don't feel deprived!
• If you enjoy alcohol with dinner, consider a healthy choice, such as an organic, sulfite-free wine. Numerous studies have now demonstrated that wine, when consumed in moderate amounts, provides antioxidant (flavonol and resveratrol) protection against numerous cardiovascular problems.
• Exercise. Walk around the block. Take the stairs at work. Park a little further away from the shops and walk an extra five minutes. Exercise increases your energy, builds muscle tone, curbs your appetite, and increases your metabolism. " Get plenty of rest.
  
  IMPORTANT! Daily inspiration and education are your keys to a successful first seven days. We encourage you to visit this link often and listen to the many programs we have available for you!

7-Day Starter Program: SAMPLE MENU 1

GENERAL SAMPLE MENUS:

BREAKFAST

Daily Essentials:

• 1/2 liter (quart) of water mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of MSM crystals
  
  Raw Choices:
  
  Any of the following types of fresh fruit:
• papaya, figs, grapes, berries, melons, apples, grapefruits, pineapple, etc.
• A smoothie containing superfoods
• A fruit salad
  
  Heated or Cooked Choices:
• 1/4 liter (8 ounces) of herbal tea. Squeeze in fresh lemon if desired. Use
  fresh maple syrup or raw honey to sweeten.
• Oatmeal (Steel-cut oats are best.
• Oats contain the beauty mineral silicon)
• Toast with coconut butter/oil or 1/2 avocado (made from whole grain bread or sprouted bread).
• Toast is easier to digest than regular bread.
  
  LUNCH
  
  Raw Choices:
• 1 shot (1-2 fluid ounces) of wheatgrass juice. (Wheatgrass tends to suppress the appetite.)
• 1 liter (quart) of fresh vegetable juice containing at least 50% green vegetables. 50% apples or pears
• One small leafy-green vegetable salad Guacamole: avocado, cilantro, olives, lime juice, tomatoes, onions, celtic sea salt, etc.
• One durian (fresh, if possible…frozen is okay, if fresh cannot be found).
• One whole durian is a big meal!
• Cantaloupe (contains a high amount of beta-carotene and antioxidants)
  
  Heated or Cooked Choices:
• One sandwich containing toasted sprouted grain bread, avocado, clover and radish sprouts, diced red bell pepper, sliced olives, onion and diced cucumber.
• Rice (or bean) burrito containing lettuce, onions, lime juice and tomatoes. No cheese.
  
  Animal-Based Foods:
• Including animal-based foods in one's diet is an individual choice. David Wolfe does not include them in his diet. Fish and wild game are more mineral-rich, contain better quality oils, and leaner protein.
• Goat's milk is much more digestible than cow's milk. Most of the world's population is allergic to cow's milk.
• Smoked fish (only from clean, organic sources - not herring, capelin, menhaden, anchovetta or cod)
• Goat's milk (preferably unpasteurized) Goat cheese (preferably unpasteurized)
• Goat kefir (preferably unpasteurized) Goat yogurt
• 
  

7-Day Starter Program: SAMPLE MENUS 2

GENERAL SAMPLE MENUS:

SNACKS

Daily Essentials:

• 1/2 liter (quart) of water mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of MSM crystals
  
  
  Raw Choices:
• 2 cucumbers
• 2 ribs of celery or bok choy
• One papaya or bowl of fresh figs
• One appetizer bowl of olives
• Dehydrated crackers
• 1 handful of hemp seeds
• 1 handful of macadamia nuts
• A young coconut
  
  
  Heated or Cooked Choices:
• Popcorn made with cold-pressed coconut oil
• Baked, no-salt corn chips with guacamole (avocado, cilantro, olives, lime juice, tomatoes, onions, celtic sea salt, etc.)
  
  DINNER
  
  
  Daily Essentials:
• 1/2 liter (quart) of fresh vegetable juice containing at least 60% green vegetables, 40% other vegetables or fruits (apple, cucumber, etc.)
• One large leafy-green salad
• Raw Choices:
• Gourmet raw food
• Dessert Sprouted bread (Essene bread is a dehydrated, no-yeast, flat bread made from sprouted grains).
• One cup of nettle or chaparral tea (after dinner or before sleep as a nightcap)
• Raw soup
  
  
  Heated or Cooked Choices:
• Toasted whole-grain bread (kamut bread, spelt bread) with cold-pressed coconut oil
• Steamed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, etc.)
• Steamed artichoke hearts (the best of all cooked foods)
• Brown rice (turmeric powder can be used on this meal).
• Baked yam (turmeric powder can be used on this meal).
• Baked sweet potato (turmeric powder can be used on this
  meal).

• Tofu is high in protein. Be sure to select only soy products that are NOT genetically modified. Genetically modified foods contain irregular DNA and enzyme inhibitors that may have long-term damaging effects on our health.
• Rice (or bean) burrito containing lettuce, onions, lime juice and tomatoes
• Hummus with fresh vegetables and vegetable fruits (celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers and tomatoes).
• Vegetable soup (containing more mineral-rich vegetables and less carrots and potatoes).
  
  
  Animal-Based Foods:
• Smoked fish (only from clean, organic sources - not herring, capelin, menhaden, anchovetta or cod).
• Young, organic, free-range, or wild game (turkey, quail, wild birds, venison, etc.).

I Miss The Office

Do you love The Office? I do! And I miss it! A lot! So ... I thought I'd share a few of my favorite quotes:

* Michael Scott: It's simply beyond words. It's incalculacable.

* [during a "Diversity Day" exercise; Angela is wearing a sign on her forehead that says "Jamaican."]

Kevin: Hey.

Angela: Hey.

Kevin: You wanna go to the beach?

Angela: Sure.

Kevin: You wanna get high?

Angela: No.

Kevin: I think you do, mon.

* [Jim set a fence of pencils up between Dwight and his desk]

Dwight Schrute: Your pencils are creating a health hazard. I could fall and pierce an organ.

* Dwight Schrute: Someone forged medical information, and that's a felony.

Jim Halpert: OK, Whoa, all right 'cause that's a pretty intense accusation. How do you know that they're fake?

Dwight Schrute: [reading from a sheet] Uh, Leprosy, Flesh Eating Bacteria, Hot Dog Fingers, Government Created Killer Nano Robot Infection.

* Jim Halpert: Because right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in front of a train.

* Michael Scott: This is our receptionist, Pam. If you think she's cute now, you should have seen her a couple years ago.

* Michael Scott: What is the single most important thing for a company? Is it the building? Is it the stock? Is it the turnover? It's the people. The *people*. My proudest moment here wasn't when I increased profits by 17%, or cut expenditure without losing a single member of staff. No, no, no, no. It was a young Guatamalan guy, first job in the country, hardly spoke a word of English, but he came to me and he went "Mr. Scott, will you be the Godfather to my child?" Wow. *Wow.* Didn't work out in the end. We had to let him go. He sucked.

* Michael Scott: I guess the atmosphere that I've tried to create here is that I'm a friend first and a boss second, and probably an entertainer third.

* Pam Beesley: I don't think it would be the worst thing if they let me go. Because then I might...

[pauses]

Pam Beesley: Its just, I don't think it's many girls' dream to be a receptionist.

* Michael Scott: I'm friends with everybody in this office. We're all best friends. I love everybody here. But sometimes your best friends start coming into work late and start having dentist appointments that aren't dentist appointments, and that is when it's nice to let them know that you could beat them up.

* Michael Scott: Yeah, I went hunting once. Shot a deer in the leg. Had to kill it with a shovel. Took about an hour. Why do you ask?

* Dwight Schrute: Would I ever leave this company? Look, I'm all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I'm being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I'm going wherever they value loyalty the most.

* Pam Beesley: The thing about Jim is... when he's excited about something- like the Office Olympics- he gets really into it and he does a really great job. But the problem with Jim is that he works here so... that hardly ever happens.

* Phyllis: [the employees are listing what books they would like to read on a desert island] The DaVinci Code.

Angela: The DaVinci Code. I would bring The DaVinci Code. So I could burn The DaVinci Code.

Dwight Schrute: Yeah right, that would keep you warm for like 7 seconds.

* Dwight Schrute: Yes, I have acted before. I was in a production of Oklahoma in the seventh grade. I played the part of Mutey, the mailman. They had too many kids so they made up roles like that... I was good.

* Michael Scott: Yes. It is true. I, Michael Scott, am signing up with an online dating service. Thousands of people have done it, and I am going to do it. I need a username, and... I have a great one. "Little Kid Lover". That way people will know exactly where my priorities are at.

* Dwight Schrute: In the wild, there is no health care. In the wild, health care is, "Ow, I hurt my leg. I can't run. A lion eats me and I'm dead." Well, I'm not dead. I'm the lion, you're dead.

* Michael Scott: The most sacred thing I do is care... Today I am in charge of picking a great new healthcare plan. Right? That's what this is all about. Does that make me their doctor? Um, yes. Like a specialist.

* Jan Levinson-Gould: Some times a manager - like yourself - has to deliver the bad news to the employees. I do it all the time.

Michael Scott: Oh yeah, when have you ever done that?

Jan Levinson-Gould: I'm doing it right now, to you.

* Jim Halpert: Last night on "Trading Spouses," there's... did you see it?

Pam Beesley: No, I have a life.

Jim Halpert: Interesting, what's that like?

Pam Beesley: You should try it some time.

Jim Halpert: Wow. But then who would watch my TV?

* Dwight Schrute: Okay, first, let's go over some parameters. How many people can I fire?

Michael Scott: Uh, none: you're picking a healthcare plan.

Dwight Schrute: Please knock, this is an office.

Jim Halpert: It

[pointing to sign]

Jim Halpert: says "work space".

Dwight Schrute: Same thing.

Jim Halpert: If it's the same thing, then why'd you write "work space"?

* Dwight Schrute: Through concentration, I can raise and lower my cholesterol at will.

Pam Beesley: Why would you wanna raise your cholesterol?

Dwight Schrute: So I can lower it.

Jan Levinson-Gould: [on phone] Dwight, listen to me very carefully: you are not a manager of anything. Understand?

Dwight Schrute: That's not entirely true, because he put me in charge of picking a healthcare plan.

Jan Levinson-Gould: Really? Okay, when Michael gets back, you tell him to call me immediately.

Dwight Schrute: Call you immediately, good. Hey listen, since I have you on the phone, um, can I fire Jim?

Jan Levinson-Gould: No.

* Michael Scott: I think if I was allergic to dairy I'd kill myself.

* Jim Halpert: God, this is so sad, this is the smallest amount of power I've ever seen go to someone's head.

* Dwight Schrute: Studies show that more information is passed through watercooler gossip than through official memos, which puts me at a disadvantage because

[picks up water bottle]

Dwight Schrute: I bring my own water to work.

* Toby: I need to talk to you in your office, it'll just take two seconds.

Michael Scott: Literally two seconds?

Dwight Schrute: [Diversity Day exercise; Dwight has a card on his head that says "Asian"] ... lots of cultures eat rice, that doesn't help me.

* Dwight Schrute: I have been Michael's number two guy for about five years, and we make a great team. We're like one of those classic famous teams. He's like Mozart and I'm like Mozart's friend. No, I'm like Butch Cassidy and Michael is like Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart, you're gonna get a bullet in your head, courtesy of Butch Cassidy.

* Pam Beesley: I suggested we flip a coin, but Angela said she doesn't like to gamble. Of course by saying that, she was gambling that I wouldn't smack her.

* Meredith: I'll take the oven mitt.

Michael Scott: Sssssssucker! See, I wanted somebody to take it! Reverse psychology!

Michael Scott: Reverse psychology is an awesome tool, I don't know if you guys know about it, but basically you can make someone think the opposite of what you believe, and that tricks them into doing something stupid. Works like a charm.

Kevin: I got myself for Secret Santa. I was supposed to tell somebody, but I didn't.

[smiles]

Dwight Schrute: Yankee Swap is like Machiavelli meets... Christmas.

* Jim Halpert: I want to clamp Michael's *face* in a George Foreman grill.

* Dwight Schrute: Otherwise it's just malfeasance for malfeasance's sake.

* Michael Scott: You know what they say the best medicine is.

Kevin: Well, the doctor said a combination of Interferon and Dacarbazine.

Michael Scott: And laughter, also.

* Dwight Schrute: I.D. badges are long overdue. Security in this office park is a joke. Last year, I came to work with my spud gun in a duffel bag. I sat at my desk all day, with a rifle that shoots potatoes at 60 pounds per square inch. Can you imagine if I was deranged?Jim Halpert: [Michael's hands are tied to the rail of the Booze Cruise ship] What happened to you?

Michael Scott: Captain Jack has a problem with authority.

Jim Halpert: Oh, right, 'cause you announced that his ship was sinking

Michael Scott: He just totally lost it. If you ask me he caused the panic.

* Michael Scott: Last week I would've given a kidney to anyone in this office. I would've reached right into my stomach and pulled it out for them. But now, no. I don't have the relationship with these people that I thought I did. I hope they ask, so they can hear me say, "Uh, no, I only give my organs to my real friends. Go get yourself a monkey kidney."Pam Beesley: Jim cannot speak until he buys me a coke. Those are the rules of Jinx, and they are unflinchingly rigid.

* Dwight Schrute: Yes, I have decided to shun Andy Bernard for the next three years... which I'm looking forward to. It's an Amish technique; it's like slapping someone with silence.

Dwight Schrute: I was shunned from the age of 4 until my 6th birthday, for not saving the excess oil from a can of tuna.

* Michael Scott: I don't want somebody sucking up to me because they think I'm going to help their career. I want them sucking up to me because they genuinely love me.

The Four Hour Twitter 306 Birthday Dancing Horse

I loaned Stephen Bailey a book the other day that I really enjoyed. I hadn't thought about the book for a while, but I've since recalled to mind how impacting it was at the time I read it. I'm not going to say much about it - just check it out for yourself here.

I found a pretty cool application called Twitter. Kinda like a Facebook-Lite. Check it out here.

We had 306 in church yesterday! Beautiful, yet bizarre. Beautiful because each number represents a soul, a smile, and a story. Bizarre because every Sunday before that had been significantly less attended. Our previous record (for lack of a better word - and I don't like that word because of the baggage it carries) was 262 for a "regular" Sunday and 285 for an Easter Sunday. The week before we had 251. So where did the extra 55 people come from? Good question. We will find out this week.

Check back tomorrow (or in April...) for a recap of my sweet Laura's 18th birthday blowout! It was awesome!

And finally... like dancing horses? (and who doesn't, really) then click here.

Consistency

I'm watching Tiger Woods right now. Tiger is on the verge of winning his fourth Buick Invitational in a row. I'm on the verge of falling asleep. I pick up my laptop and notice the link on my igoogle homepage that reads: blogger. I realize that I haven't blogged in a long time.

There was time in my life when I was much more consistent in my posting. I often wonder if those days will ever return. It sure seems unlikely if my current pace and priorities remain the same. But I'll be honest with the three of you reading this, I'm alright with it. Sure I miss it but obviously not enough to change it.

Which leads me to back to Tiger. I've come to realize that his greatness is directly related to his incredible consistency. Some golfers rise up and win a tournament or two, but Tiger is winning tournaments with mind boggling consistency. Bottom line is that he is a machine!

Which leads me back to me. I'm not a machine so I'm going to get some much needed rest. Come to think of it...I consistently get less sleep than I should.

What is it that you do consistently? What is it you do infrequently that you wish you did more consistently?

My Master and My Money

A great church down the road, Farmer's Branch Church of Christ, is in the middle of a capital gains project. As a part of this effort, they are sending out daily devotionals. I found today's exceptionally challenging. Enjoy!

A ministry called Christian Financial Concepts receives about 150,000 calls per month from people asking for financial advice. The profile of the average caller:

• Age 30-35
• Owes $15-$20 thousand in school loans
• Owes $17-$20 thousand in credit card debt
• Owes $20,000 on two cars
• Owes $120,000 on the average mortgage

In America today:
• 50% of marriages fail
• 60-80% of these cite financial problems as the root cause of strife
• $1.17 is spent for every $1 earned

Many are not managing their money well. Note this information on the giving patterns in our churches:
• Individuals pay 4 times as much in interest as they give the church (10.2% vs. 2.3%)
• $.80 of every dollar is given by those 55+
• 20% of members give 80% of the money contributed
• 30% give the other 20% of contributions
• 50% give nothing at all
• 1 in 5 churches borrow money to keep the doors open

Why do we consider all of these figures? There are several reasons:
• They reveal the tremendous financial burdens that many live with.
• They reveal the major problem so many face when they think of tithing and/or giving to their church.
• They reveal the few who support the work of the church enjoyed by all.
• They reveal the marital problems caused by financial problems.

Whether you fit into this pattern or not, you can profit from analyzing the situation. All of us can handle our finances more effectively and become better stewards. Perhaps a good beginning is a Bible study of one of the miracles of Jesus, The Feeding of the Five Thousand, found in Mark 6.

Admit there is a problem - Mark 6:34-37
You know the story. Great crowds were following Jesus to see and hear Him. Seeing their needs, Jesus "had compassion on them." It was dinner time and they had no food. There was a problem and the disciples recognized it.

So many today when dealing with finances stick their heads in the sand and refuse to see a problem. Note the following:

Lending institutions have a criteria to determine if one is in danger of debt destruction:
• You pay only bare minimum each month on credit and never pay more than that minimum.
• You make partial payments rather than full.
• You start falling behind on payments shortly after opening an account.
• Your account balance always seems to grow and you cannot seem to pay it off.
• You have periodic bouts of late payments.

All of this says, "I have a problem and I need to deal with it." Good money management is important because if you do not master your money, your money will master you. The result of poor management is:

• You have a burden of debt that is back breaking
• You can't get out of the maze of discouragement, disillusionment and despair.
• You have no hope for savings, retirement, education of children - the future is bleak.
• You cannot support the Lord's work as you want to and as God wants you to.

Lord, help me master my money. I want You to be the center of my life - not money, not debt. I will take positive steps now to control my debt.

For more information on Farmers Branch click here. For an archive of other devotionals from the One to Grow On Campaign, click here.

And since we are on the subject of money, I'll close with a link to one of my favorite personal finance websites, the Simple Dollar - just click here.

How Sweet It Is!

Kim is an incredible cook. Some of my favs include, meatloaf (Kim makes a screaming tasty loaf), savory chicken satay, stuffed pasta shells, and some killer Cajun dirty rice shrimp dish! She loves to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner but she really loves to make yummy desserts! I love her chocolate chip cookies, home made sopapillas, and incredible hamburger cakes. I'm not a huge dessert guy to begin with, but in addition to Kim's homemade desserts, I do enjoy some good ice cream. My favorites are Starbucks Coffee, Blue Bell Vanilla, and Häagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche.

Kim and I just got in from the Northwest football game. We stopped by Starbucks and I got a double espresso. It was so delicious. It made me crave some Dulce de Leche ice cream. Really bad. Then I saw the link below in my Google Reader. It only made it worse. You know that you are craving ice cream bad when you blog about it.

Dulce de Leche Recipe | Dairy | Quick, Delicious, Easy Recipes : RealSimple.com

Espresso and Dulce de Leche...

Sweet Dreams!

I Second That Emotion

Those of you that know me are fully aware of my accountant-like, analytical nature and my proclivity to constantly contemplate, measure and calculate between stimulus and response thus making me one not driven by emotions.

(insert your own - "yeah right" here)

Okay, so I'm an emotional guy. I'm not like a "let's watch Oprah and then go chat over chi tea" kinda guy, but I'm not your "I just chopped my hand off with a hatchet so let me duct tape it up, kick a few kittens and then have me a Marlborough" kinda guy either.

The emotions I deal with most are on the excitement end of the spectrum and not the depression end. I get way too fired up about something far more often than I get way too bummed about something. I don't get angry often and rarely (like once every 10 years) do I lose my cool. But I do get impatient, frustrated and definitely discouraged. So when I ran across the following article on emotions I just had to pass it on to you. Check it out here.

And if emotionally, you just can't handle trying to get a handle on your emotions right now, I leave you with a few classic "Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handy:

“If I could be a bird, I'd be a Flying Purple People Eater because then people would sing about me and I could fly down and eat them because I hate that song.”

“Once while walking through the mall a guy came up to me and said "Hey, how’s it going?". So I grabbed his arm and twisted it up behind his head and said "Now whose asking the questions?"

“I think a pillow should be the peace symbol, not the dove. The pillow has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have a beak to peck you with.”

Blessed Number 13

Luck had nothing to do with it. God has shown me incredible favor!

13 has been my favorite number since I was seven and yet I know many people consider 13 to be an "unlucky" number (and seven to be a "lucky" number). Well regardless of what people may think about 13, today is my 13th wedding anniversary and I'm so excited!!!

My wife Kim is absolutely the most beautiful example of what loving God, following Christ, and being led by the Holy Spirit is supposed to look like in the whole world!

She is:
- Fine (read: smoking hot)
- Funny (read: she fills my days with so much joy)
- Sincere (read: if she says she will pray for you, she will ... a lot)
- Generous (read: "honey, where's my car?" ... "Well I met someone at
Starbucks who needed a ride ...")
- Godly (read: most every morning the first thing I see is Kim balled up on
the floor on her knees praying)
- Romantic (read: yes...read that. lots of that)
- Compassionate (read: if you hurt and you tell Kim, she hurts)
- Selfless (read: she spoils John, Laura, Emily and most of all me!)

And the list could go on and on and on (read: if you ask me in person why Kim is the most wonderful woman on the planet, you better have packed a lunch!)

On of the coolest parts of our story is that when God gave me a wife He double blessed me with a family at the same time! I will never forget the pure joy I felt as I said, "yes" to Kim and John and Laura on October 1, 1994! Since then, there hasn't been a day that I don't wake up and still can't believe how good God has been to me! And in 2 days, Kim, John, Laura, and I will celebrate God giving Emily to us on October 4, 1996 - yet one more reason to feel so favored!

Every year of the past 13 has been wonderful. I'm sure there have been some tough times and yet I can't remember one completely bad day. We don't have a perfect marriage and we are always praying to grow together and closer to God every day. But we have an incredible marriage! One that has defied the odds and been sweeter than either of us could ever imagined! We are still crazy in love with one another, deeply committed to one another, and forever grateful for one another.

I love you Kim! Always have. Always will. Forever. Thank you for 13 blessed years of marital bliss! I'm praying for a minimum of 37 more!

And God, I love you too! I know that a gift this excellent could only come from you! Thank you for being the Author of our story, the Savior of our lives, and the King of this world!

You have shown me incredible favor. Luck had nothing to do with it!

Don Astronaut, Good Blogging, and Halo 3

One of my favorite stories ever - here.

A good article about blogging - here.

And for those who wonder about the violence of video games - here.

Goodnight.

Links

I don't know about you, but I get my fair share of email. Many of the emails that I receive each day contain links. I've decided to share a select variety of today's offerings in the form of a Top Ten List.

Top Ten Links I Received Today

10. Ministry to Older Adults

9. Stephen Colbert From a Rubik's Cube

8. 30 Great Firefox Add Ons

7. Obama and Hilary Go To Church

6. Sex and the Bible (My head is still spinning from this one)

5. Church Free Christianity

4. Rudy Gets a Call From His Wife (the not his cousin one)

3. Coolest Video Ever (Kim actually sent me this a few days back but I did think it was cool)

2. Conserve Water (I read the simple dollar daily)

1. Ron Paul (this guy really makes sense to me)

"FORE!"

1. I got to golf today. To be brutally honest, I wasn't really looking forward to it. It was an afternoon tournament that I was invited to as a last minute replacement. The tourney raised money for Royal Family Kids Camp. My buddy Stephen Bailey has led worship at that camp the past two summers and has nothing but great things to say about it. I was invited by my former roommate and forever friend, Ty Lovell. Ty is a grand mix of Godly and goofy and is as genuine as they come. Anyway, we had a blast! I hit my usual mix of terrible and tour-ready shots. One of the coolest parts of the experience was that the course was next to Carswell Air Force Base and fighter jets were taking off all day long and doing some crazy maneuvers. All in all, it was a great way to spend an afternoon.

2. My friend Alan Phillips (who is also the leader of our missions ministry at Lake Cities) sent me a great article on church planting. I have such a heart for church planting and pray to see the day when Lake Cities births new faith communities. Check out the article here.

3. I am beginning a new series this Sunday called, Fracture. We will spend our time looking at both the repercussions and rescuing in the story of the Fall in Genesis 2 & 3. Specifically, we will be looking at how sin has effected our relationship with God, one another and ourselves. The part that I'm most excited about is the good news that God can, has, and is restoring those relationships! Sin separates but there is hope! If you have any thoughts, ideas, stories, or other input for me as I seek God's heart and message, please feel free to email me. As always, I covet your prayers.

4. And finally, on the 18th hole today I heard someone yell, "FORE!" I didn't really think much about it until I got in the car for the 45 minute, traffic laden drive. And then it consumed me: "Why do we yell 'fore!' when we hit a shot that might hit someone?" So I did what anybody would do, I rushed in, showered, kissed the family, went to a shepherds meeting, packed up, came home, grubbed some killer cajun dirty rice, talked with the family, and then Google'd the answer. If you want to know, click here.

Streaks

I've always been a "streaky" guy. Probably has a lot to do with playing baseball all those years. Whatever the reason, I just tend to be either hot or cold. Over the years, I've tried to develop more of a turtle approach to life as opposed to the hare. I've experienced some success in many areas of life. However one area that I still tend to be really streaky ... you're looking at it: The blog.

But tonight a new streak begins. We will see how it goes. I'm not making any promises.

Today was a wonderful day in so many ways. Our Sunday morning gathering was really encouraging to me for several reasons. I had a brief but beneficial conversation with one of our shepherds, Steve McMindes who was really encouraging. I walked away thinking to myself, "Man, I've got to have more of those." Just seeing everyone is an encouragement to me. I fall deeper in love with my church family every day. Obviously, as a pastor, so much of how I feel about our time together on Sunday mornings is tied up with my self evaluation of my message. That is rarely a good thing, but usually a reality nonetheless. Today was a good message. Wasn't my best and it wasn't my worst. I know Lou Cullum loved it. The reality is that I prayed and prayed that it would be God's words for God's people for God's glory so I just have to trust that I did my part and He did his.

There was one regret I have from my message today and that was forgetting to share the lyrics of a powerful song. I would have loved to play the song but that is not where we are right now. That is the subject of another post for another day. Anyway, the song is called "Madly In Love With You" and is on the Passion CD

Check these lyrics out:

And I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you

Let what we do in here
fill the streets out there
let us dance for you
let us dance for you
let what we do in here
fill the streets out there
let us dance for you
let us dance for you

And I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you
Yeah I'm madly in love with you

And all of my life and nothing less i offer to you my righteousness
And all of my life and nothing less i offer to you my righteousness
And all of my life and nothing less i offer to you my righteousness
Yeah all of my life and nothing less i offer to you my righteousness

And I'm madly in love with you
Yeah I'm madly in love with you
And I'm madly in love with you
Yeah I'm madly in love with you


Since I was speaking about reaching the lost with our entire lives,
this song was especially appropriate.  My favorite part of the song is:

"Let what we do in here
fill the streets out there"

That is my prayer for Lake Cities.

I closed with a challenge and a story.

The challenge was to pray the following prayer every day this week:

"I'm Yours.
Change Me.
Send Me."

And the story:

On July 4, 1854, Charlie Peace, a well-known criminal in London, was hung.
The Anglican Church, which had a ceremony for everything, even had a
ceremony for hanging people. So when Charlie Peace was marched to the gallows, a priest read these words from the Prayer Book: "Those who die without Christ experience hell, which is the pain of forever dying without the release which death itself can bring."

When these chilling words were read, Charlie Peace stopped in his tracks, turned to the priest, and shouted in his face, "Do you believe that? Do you believe that?"

The priest, taken aback by this verbal assault, stammered for a moment then said, "Well…I…suppose I do."

"Well, I don't," said Charlie. "But if I did, I'd get down on my hands and knees and crawl all over Great Britain, even if it were paved with pieces of broken glass, if I could rescue one person from what you just told me."

Tony Campolo, Let Me Tell You a Story (Word, 2000)


There were many other blessings from today including a nap, time at the driving range, time in the kitchen with Kim, and a delicious homemade Cajun feast (dirty rice, red beans and rice, and shrimp with garlic butter) to name a few. We also had a great parent meeting for our youth group. Matt did a really good job and even debuted the new Refuge website. Check it out here.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. They usually all are. I'm so blessed!

Couch Me?

I guess by the very definition of the word "best" you should only have one best friend. I have three best friends. Three people who have brought blessing to my life by the dump truck. Kim is first and "bestest" by far. She knows me more, loves me more, and puts up with more than the other two combined. A lot of guys wouldn't count their wives as a best friend. Two thoughts on that: They're not married to Kim and I'm not a lot of guys.

The other two "best" friends of my trinity of community are Mitch Wilburn and Grant Boone. These two brothers have a permanent place in my heart and I am confident that I wouldn't have ever met Kim if it wasn't for them. I wouldn't be half the man I am today without the encouragement, equipping, and example of Mitch and Grant. I talk with them both at least 3 times a week and 99.9% of those conversations include some serious laughter. Mitch is the Preaching Minister for the Park Plaza Church of Christ. Grant is a sports writer and broadcaster for pga.com and the Golf Channel. Both are borderline nuts.

To offer even a hint of my friendship with these two (even more so with Kim) and the impact they've had on my life is the stuff of future posts. I could write a book on each. Today I just want to share a quick story about my buddy Grant. (note to non Lake Cities members: this post is basically a microcosm of how I preach - long intro to get to the point!)

Grant and his 8 year old son Nicholas flew from Abilene to DFW yesterday and arrived shortly after 10am. At 10pm (12 hours later for the chronologically challenged) I heard the words that I love to hear, "Couch Me?" which is Boone for, "Can I crash at your house?" As with last night, the "Couch Me?" usually involves travel to or from DFW airport, although we've couched the entire Boone family on their way to or from Nashville as well.

Last night I had just walked in the door from some pick up basketball when the text arrived. I was looking forward to a hot shower and a cold ice pack. But when I get the "Couch Me?" call, time stops momentarily and I become giddy with excitement! I headed out the door and down the road on the short 15 minute trip to the airport. As I pulled to curb in terminal B, I expected to see a frustrated father and sad son (they were supposed to catch an Indians game as a part of this father-son trip, but missed it due to the weather related flight delays). Instead, I was greeted by two truly joyful and Jesus filled people! Grant immediately began bragging on how incredible Nicholas' attitude had been all day (including both the three hours they sat in the plane on the tarmac and the three hours they stood in line to try and get on another flight) and I didn't have any trouble believing him. Nicholas was in great spirits and full of tales from the day's travel.

When I hear, "Couch Me?", it is always a good thing. Yesterday, it was even more special.

A Good Sermon

One of my favorite church bulletin bloopers is, "During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit." Ouch!

Every Sunday I hear "That was a good sermon!" or "That was one of your best!" or "You hit the ball out of the park on that one!". Yet I am not naive enough to believe that everyone feels the same way. In fact, most Sundays, I don't feel like that so I know that at least one person thought it wasn't all that great.

Yesterday, I ran across the following article on "What Makes a Good Sermon" which is a question with which, I'm constantly wrestling. I pray consistently to be used by God, filled by the Spirit, and poured out like wine every time I step up to the pulpit. I have a burning desire to passionately communicate God's message to God's people with God's power. This article assisted my quest. I've included it below and invite anyone to comment with their own input on the subject. What points do you agree with and are there some with which you disagree? What would you add? Who are some preachers that you believe consistently communicate God's story dynamically? What is the best sermon you've ever heard? (Sermon on the Mount doesn't count) I'm anxious to hear!!!

PREACHING SKILLS Lessons from Preaching Today Screeners Ten criteria used by our experts to choose the best sermons Lee Eclov

I have the privilege of being one of the sermon screeners who review about 250 sermon recordings sent to Preaching Today Audio each year. It is a rare opportunity to hear a wide variety of the best (usually) of American preaching. What follows are the 10 questions by which we evaluate all the sermons received by Preaching Today, and some of the lessons we've learned from listening.

Is this sermon grounded in Scripture?

Most sermons we hear are Scriptural, but many do not " keep their finger on the text. " Listeners are not taken to Scripture frequently through the sermon. The effect is subtle — the source of authority seems to shift quietly from the Bible to the preacher. Too few sermons actually try to follow the reasoning — the logic — of a text.

I carry a PDA — one of those little hand-held computers. The screen is bright and colorful, but if I don't touch the screen the light goes off after about a minute. The words are still there, but there's no light. It is hard to read. Sermons are like that. We need to keep tapping the Scripture as we preach — reading the next sentence in the text, pointing to a phrase explicitly, asking them to look at a certain verse — if we hope to keep the light on the Bible and not ourselves.

Is the exegesis and theology sound?

My most frequent reaction to this question after hearing a sermon is: Sound? Yes. Deep? No. A few sermons unload so much exegesis that you'd think this was an oral final exam in seminary. But most sermons, while true, do not display well the surprises, ingenuity, or depth of Scripture. I suspect the preacher didn't study well.

When it seems the preacher and the original writer are in sync with each other, that is a unique work of the Holy Spirit, and upon that sermon there is unction.

To the natural mind (versus the spiritual mind), the Bible is always counterintuitive. Good sermons reveal how the text teaches us to think differently, showing us how God's truth and logic challenge our " old man " way of thinking.

Screener Jeffrey Arthurs, associate professor of preaching and communication at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, noted another issue: " I am sometimes concerned with 'how-to' sermons typical in the seeker sensitive movement. These often take verses out of context and elevate other sources of authority (especially ethos) on a par with Scripture. "

As to the theology in a sermon, preachers are sometimes surprisingly careless in their choice of words, belying fuzzy theology. But more often, I have the feeling the preacher didn't realize the rich nuances of theology in the text before him, like someone looking at the Grand Canyon and preaching, " Boy, is that big! " We shortchange God's people when we shade their eyes from the glory of theology.

Would you describe the sermon as having unction/anointing?

This is the most difficult question to answer. Screener Scott Wenig, associate professor of applied theology, Denver Seminary, says, " If the sermon really 'connects,' then I'll answer yes. I would guess that less than 15 percent of the sermons I screen meet this specific criteria. "

A sense of passion is a possible tip-off to unction, but sometimes that is more a matter of personality and style than the work of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the most sure sign to me is if Scripture speaks loud and clear; if not only the full sense of a passage is made clear, but also the passion of the biblical writer. When it seems the preacher and the original writer are in sync with each other, that is a unique work of the Holy Spirit, and upon that sermon there is unction.

Did it engage your mind from beginning to end?

Scott Wenig says, " Most sermons I listen to don't do this. The sermon must move and hum to keep attention. " One of the benefits to manuscript preachers is that their sermons tend to be tighter, better edited. But most preachers are more extemporaneous. Their sermons tend to bog down somewhere. A stale illustration will do it, or belaboring a point that is already clear, or trying to milk some humor from a story.

Screener John Koessler, chairman, pastoral studies department, Moody Bible Institute, puts another factor very simply: " Are the ideas interesting? " One thing that will certainly engage our minds and hearts are great biblical ideas, expressed well. It takes work and time to hone an idea to vivid expression.

Is the sermon fresh?

Think garden-fresh. The sermon doesn't have to be something you've never heard before, but it needs to come across as crisp, tasty, and newly-harvested. It seems that sometimes preachers are telling their folks things they surely already know and believe, and doing so in terms the congregation would probably find overly familiar.

Koessler identifies one key test of freshness: " I want the speaker to avoid cliches. " Cliches come when a preacher hasn't thought too much about how he will say something and so naturally reverts to road-weary words and phrases. I listened to a fine sermon recently and found myself thinking again and again, That man thought hard about how to say that well. As a result, a familiar theme was fresh.

Is the sermon well-structured and clear?

John Koessler explains that he wants to " be able to discern the major movements within the sermon. I prefer to have the outline points stated and emphasized. I think it is clearer if they are stated as complete sentences rather than phrases. In a narrative I want to be able to follow the plot clearly and have a smooth transition to application. "

Jeffrey Arthurs adds, " The key to clarity is restatement, review, and repetition. The key moments in sermons where those techniques are needed are the transitions. "

Is the sermon well-illustrated?

Koessler responds, " My first question is whether it is illustrated at all. " Many sermons are not well-illustrated, and I think the reason is that illustrating takes time and work, added to all the other elements of sermon preparation. Many of the illustrations we hear are easy; they came quickly to the preacher's mind and are not sharpened particularly well. Quite often it seems that the illustration isn't quite focused enough — a little too general. It fits the sermon like those baggy jeans on a teenage boy. Increasingly, we're hearing video clips as illustrations. Some work very well, but they tend to be general, and sometimes I wonder what a pastor was doing watching that film.

It is rare to hear metaphors used well. They take time and imagination, but they are such wonderful windows. The Puritan John Owen was a past-master from whom we can learn. For example, he said in one sermon, " The world is but a great inn where we are to stay a night or two and be gone. What madness it is to set our heart upon our inn as to forget our home! "

Analogies work well for giving a fresh understanding of an idea. For example, I recently filed away a news story about a whale carcass exploding on a city street under " life gets messy. " That is an illustration by analogy. It will bring smiles and nods of understanding.

Examples, on the other hand, are stories of people actually working out the sermon's principle — how God provided for a generous giver, for example, or a quote from someone who feels life crashing in on her. Koessler adds, " I want to hear the speaker apply the illustration — tell me its significance. "

Did the message challenge you?

Sermons that challenge listeners as tough as we screeners are pretty special! Again, a rule of thumb is, the more biblical it is, the more challenging. Good sermons have a kind of time-delay medicine pushed into my subconscious mind that keeps treating my soul, keeps dosing me hours and days after I've finished listening.

I often wonder how well a sermon I'm hearing was prayed for. Though I don't know how to gauge it, I think a sermon that has been prayed well carries a long-term potency. Prayer is a means of unction.

For a sermon to challenge us, it has to have a great-heartedness, a grand idea about it. Some sermons feel lightweight.

Is the delivery effective?

All the screeners note something most preachers don't usually think about — the sound of our voices. Scott Wenig says, " Most sermons I listen to for PT leave much to be desired here. " He points to " a lack of variety in terms of voice, inflection, and pacing. "

I listen for a good command of language and emotion. Some preachers are so casual that they undersell weighty subjects. In an effort to " put the cookies on the bottom shelf, " they drop them on the floor. A sermon about sin that is funny, for example, is missing something. Sermons can be warm and human without sacrificing dignity.

Underneath our listening is the subconscious question, " Is this a godly person? Do I discern a Christlike heart and mind? " Somehow we discern that in a preacher's delivery.

Is the application true to Scripture and to life?

Many preachers work hard at this, but John Koessler warns, " Do not tell me the obvious. If it is something that I already know that I should do, help me to understand why I am not doing it. I especially want the preacher to help me explore the nature of the problems I face in implementing the application. "

We usually think of application in terms of what we should do, but much of Scripture addresses how we should think.Romans 12:1 says we will be " transformed by the renewing of our minds. " Show people how their typical thinking is contrary to the truth of Scripture, and then bring sanctified tools of rhetoric to persuade them to think with the mind of Christ. That is application even if we do not speak of doing something.

ACT @ ACU

We just returned from a 30 hour whirlwind trip to Abilene. Laura took the ACT for the first time. She did well enough to be accepted to ACU, but plans to take it several more times in an effort to secure some scholarship money. We left last night around seven and arrived at the Jensen's (some dear friends from Abilene) around 10. It was great to see the Jensen's and wish it could have been longer.

After a some time at Starbucks, I ate some of the best BBQ on the planet (Harold's) with one of the coolest guys on the planet (Cope). Then it was off to the hill (what the locals call the ACU campus - but it's not much of a hill) to meet Kim, Laura, and Emily prior to test time to give Laura her calculator and pray with her. I ran into ACU legends Bob, Jan, K-Ro, and several other friends. I also got to spend time with Phil Schubert which is always a treat.

Emily ended up staying the weekend with Lenda Jensen and going to Highland's Break-Through Retreat (Lenda is a group leader) and will come home on Monday when the Jensen's take Mendy to the airport.

All and all, it was a great trip.


On a side (and sadder) note, please continue to pray for the Brown and Bailey families. For the most up to date information about those wonderful families click here.