Happy Memorial Day!

Let's take a minute to stop and think about the many, many soldiers who have given their lives in serving to protect our beloved freedom in the United States. Freedom isn't free; it comes at a great price.

Let's also remember those who are alive and still serving, even now. Thank you Jesus, for the men and women who posses the moxie to selflessly defend their fellow countrymen.

Good Night

Sing With Me

I just have to say, after a turbulent morning of household drama and lawn-moving, we ended up having a nice family movie (The Toothfairy), great dinner together and finally prayers before bed. Thank you, Jesus. I love you.

Sing with me...

Good Night

We Are Not Alone

It's no secret that I've vented about issues we're dealing with lately; money (or the lack thereof) and an endless list of things we have to do, or should be doing this year and several thereafter. With items piling up, some expected and many unexpected, there seems to be no room left for things we want to do. There's always something... It feels like bondage. When you're getting beaten up nearly every month, you can only endure so much before you begin to question whose' side you're on. Of course, God's your side. However, sometimes getting knocked down again and again can set you back, and dim the brightness of the light you bring into the world.

If the attacks in your life aren't financially related, it's easily something else. Perhaps it's a struggle with an addiction, shame, abuse or health. The enemy knows our "buttons" and precisely how to press them. If he can just separate us from our God, just a little bit, he has an opening. The love of money (or rather the freedom and opportunity that it brings) are a hot button of mine. I don't necessarily love money, but I do love having plenty in the bank once all the bills are paid up, so that we can move ahead. I feel "safe" having a nest egg and completely vulnerable when we have nothing. Sadly, that nest egg hasn't happened as quickly as I'd hoped. I've felt alone, as if there's no protection from these financial crises. "Where are you, God?" or "I must have done something horrible and I'm being punished" or "How am I going to fix this?" have rattled around in my head. It's easy to feel alone and helpless when you're not focused on the Lord.

God said he'd never leave us:

Hebrews 13:5 (New International Version)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

Jesus warned that there would be trouble in this life, but there is good news:

John 16:33 (New International Version)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

We are over-comers:

1 John 5:3-5 (New International Version)

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

We'll get through this daily life together, leaning on the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sick of trying to handle all of my own problems, aren't you? I can't wait to turn over all of the baggage to the Lord, trusting He'll be there to help straighten everything out in the end.

Good Night

It's a Short Fall

Yep, I'm talking about King David again tonight. Here is a guy who has been called "a man after God's own heart". We've already discussed his God-inspired rise from a shepherd boy, to King of Israel. In 2nd Samuel, everything was firing on all cylinders.

Then things went wrong. Very, very wrong.

The tragedy is that the failings of this great king happen in this world all the time. Maybe not to same extent, but certainly in the same league. In this story we see king David elect to stay home in the season when the armies typically went off to war. This wasn't necessarily wrong in itself, but through this change of decision, David set a series of choices and actions in motion which had catastrophic affects on his life and those around him.

2 Samuel 11 (New International Version)

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then [a] she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."

6 So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house.

10 When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?"

11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!"

12 Then David said to him, "Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

16 So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17 When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

18 Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19 He instructed the messenger: "When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20 the king's anger may flare up, and he may ask you, 'Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn't you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21 Who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth [b] ? Didn't a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?' If he asks you this, then say to him, 'Also, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.' "

22 The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23 The messenger said to David, "The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance to the city gate. 24 Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king's men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead."

25 David told the messenger, "Say this to Joab: 'Don't let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.' Say this to encourage Joab."

26 When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

We saw David fall from obedience to the Lord, to willingly committing adultery and impregnating another man's wife. Then, David tried to cover his tracks by sending Uriah home to [hopefully] sleep with his wife- which would have concealed the infidelity. When this didn't work out, the final outcome was murder. This was such a sad story and a "neon sign" for the believer today, that shows that we need to keep up our guard at all times against the lusts of our flesh and the temptations from the devil. And above all else, our choices matter.

Good Night

Dinner Out with the Family

Tonight, the family met up at La Hacienda Real for some great Mexican food for dinner. They have tasty chips and salsa waiting for you once you sit down. And, it just gets better from there.

Needless to say I over ate and now I've got a very full tummy. I'm not sick over it, but I'm right at the stage of being uncomfortable. I wish I hadn't eaten the last few bites of my tostada... Where was my discipline? How did my actions tonight aid in my overall goal of becoming slimmer and more physically fit? I chose to give in to gluttony and now I'm paying for it. Ugh!

Proverbs 23:20–21 (NIV)

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 28:7 (NIV)

He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

Boy, the Bible sure has strong opinions of this subject, doesn't it?

Good Night

Are You a Phony?

"Are you a phony?" This is the question that's ringing in my head, as I sit down at the keys tonight. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but it bears careful consideration. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is gently reminding me of things which are out of line in my own life. Let's take a few minutes and answer the following questions together.

1. How are you living your life- is it reflecting the nature of Jesus?
2. Are you bearing the genuine fruits of the spirit in your actions, words and deeds?
3. Have you given God a front row seat (the driver's seat) to all areas of your life?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no", it's time for some careful self-examination.

John 14:6 (New International Version)

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Galatians 5:22 (New International Version)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Deuteronomy 6:5 (New International Version)

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Matthew 6:33 (New International Version)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Good Night

The Making of David's Mighty Men

You hear stories in 1st and 2nd Samuel about the humble beginnings of King David. He began as a humble shepherd boy and through his own faith, God's guidance and blessing, grew to eventually become the King of Israel. His story wasn't easy- there were many obstacles in his way. His rise to kingship is both impressive and inspiring; worthy of Hollywood. It's a great example of how God can grab a hold of your life when the odds are stacked against you, and yet He can take you places you'd never dreamed of. (If your heart is pure and you're obedient to Him)

David's entourage, his "Mighty Men", also came from humble beginnings. It says in 1 Samuel 22 that men who were in distress, debt or unhappy in life came to follow David. David didn't seek out the best qualified, most trained warriors to be on his team. The worst of the worst, the outcasts sought out and came to follow David while he himself was on the run from Saul. It was God's direction through David's leadership, that these men were "made" to be great.

1 Samuel 22:2

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

Doesn't that sound very similar to the caliber of people who followed (and hung out with) Jesus?

Mark 2:15-17 (New International Version)

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

The common thread to these two examples is that God can use absolutely imperfect people to do great things. In fact, I believe God prefers to work with people that know and readily admit that they don't have it all together, don't have all of the answers or know what to do next. It's in these lives (like yours and mine) that God will begin to restore and grow character and purpose.

Of course, this is purely my opinion, but a broken heart and spirit is easier to work with than an arrogant and closed off soul. There is meekness in brokenness. I think scripture will back me up on this.

Psalm 51:17 (New International Version)

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

So, if you're not feeling like a "winner", that's alright. If you are genuine in your repentance and are open to being used as a conduit for the Lord's purposes, rest assured that He will eventually show up to call upon you.

Good Night

This Spoke To My Soul Today

Lately, I've felt more like King Saul than King David. I've been in a rut, not living God's best, not feeling His presence and feeling that those around me have assumed the anointing I once felt God placed upon my life. I've felt used up, discarded, hopeless- a lost case. I hate the thought of being "away" from the Lord.

However, today while listening to a podcast, this section of Psalm gave me a glimmer of hope. I pray that God grants me the grace and mercy to be the one that He wants to use, instead of discarding my life in favor of another...

Psalm 116:1-19

1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave [a] came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD :
"O LORD, save me!"

5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.

6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, he saved me.

7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,

9 that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.

10 I believed; therefore [b] I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."

11 And in my dismay I said,
"All men are liars."

12 How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.

14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.

16 O LORD, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant [c] ;
you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the LORD—
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD.

Good Night

Real Heroes

On Saturday, the day began pretty early. I was up and at the church before 7:00 AM, for a Men's breakfast and a special guest speaker. Technical Sergeant Donald G. Malarkey (born July 31, 1921) is a former non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. (Mr. Malarkey was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers)

Sitting and listening to this treasure of a man was simply amazing. He shared so many of his experiences in World War II and made some of these larger than life stories feel very real and personal. He's an honest to goodness American hero (and one tough and funny old codger!). It's people like Don whom fought to allow us to freely decide where we want to live, to pursue the career or our own choosing and to say what we want to say in this great country of ours.


Later in the evening, our Discipleship and Men's Ministry pastor shared his personal testimony about how he came to know Christ. He said that God is speaking to us all the time, either audibly, internally, through other people or in positive or negative circumstances. God wants us to listen to His voice, obey his will and follow Him on grand adventures in this life. Pastor Dan's real-life examples of God's involvement in his own marriage, steps throughout his career and literal life-saving covering of his entire family during a catastrophic auto accident was truly touching. Listening to this mountain of a man crumble and crack at the thought of his family being spared from serious injury or death was absolutely stunning. (our church will post the podcast here later in the week) After hearing Dan's story, I'm convinced that he too, is a hero. Dan is living the kind of meek and Godly life that I want for myself and for my own sons.

The world needs more leaders and genuine heroes like these two men.

Joshua 1:16

Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

Good Night

Making It Quick

I actually have so much to say tonight, I can hardly stand it! But, it's quite a bit later than I usually start blogging. My wife and I just finished watching Avatar and I'm pretty tired physically. I swear I'll share more with you tomorrow, but it's been a pretty long day and my body is screaming for sleep.

I'll just leave you with some points to ponder tonight, as a stopgap until I can get into some pretty neat observations tomorrow night:

1. This world needs genuine heroes. Heroes come in all forms and not every one is a soldier, policeman, astronaut or sports icon. Heroes can be found in our own backyards.

2. God is not limited to our thinking. Just when we think we have Him all figured out, He displays things in a new way. He's so much bigger than the space allocated between our ears.

3. Ask yourself: Are you truly living your life, or are you simply surviving it?

Think about these things as you drift off to sleep tonight. God Bless You.

Good Night

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAC MAN!

Okay, for those of you who may not know, I'm a HUGE '80's arcade game fan. You know, the kind of games that you'd cruise down to your local 7 Eleven or Circle K after school to play as a kid. Back when games didn't have 15 joysticks, 57 buttons and 20 page manuals. Back when games were GAMES!

There was nothing quite like having a pocket full of quarters and being able to wander around in a darkened local arcade, discovering the latest release from Williams, Midway, Sega or Atari. Journey, Depeche Mode or Def Leppard was typically blaring on the Jukebox, judicious use of black lights and neon accented the blackened walls and regardless of where you stood, the scent of chips and "pump cheese" coagulating underneath a heat lamp lingered in the air. Ah, Good Times.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Pac Man. I can't tell you how many times I've shoveled quarters into that beloved machine. I'd never mastered more than a few levels, but I definitely had the fever. Of course there were other classics; Donkey Kong, Excitebike, BattleZone, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Dig Dug, Galaxian, Galaga, Tempest, Centepede and Pole Position. The list goes on and on... But today it's all about Pac Man, the game that literally launched a gaming revolution.

Google is hosting a cool Doodle this weekend that's actually a JavaScript version of the game. It's quite playable- containing 256 levels. The familiar cut-scenes, Ghosts and the Yellow man himself are all there. No quarters are required. (Here's a hint: The arrow keys control Pac Man, but if you click on the Insert Coin button 2 times, Ms. Pac Man appears! That's right, you can simultaneously play a level with both characters! She uses the w, a, s and d keys)

Quick Facts:

"Pac Man" was originally called "Puck Man", however the Title was changed prior to being officially launched in the United States, as Arcade Operators were afraid that patrons may "deface" the marquee.

Ms. Pac Man was actually an unofficial sequel to the original game, created by Midway in the US. However, Namco later officially embraced the title in Japan.

Super Pac Man was intended to become the sequel to Pac Man, however the popularity of Ms. Pac Man eclipsed Pac Man and became the sequel to the original. Super Pac Man was then released as the "third" game in the franchise. Despite being technically superior in architecture and game play, it remained less popular than the original.

Pac Man used the Zilog Z-80 Central Processing Unit, running at just over 3 MHz. The whole game had a footprint of only a few Kilobytes. In comparison, the iPhone 3GS has an ARM CPU running at 600 MHz and 256 Megabytes of memory (and at least 16 Gigabytes of storage).

Good Night and God Bless!

I'm Completely Empty, But I'm Forgiven!

I've got nothing... I'm not sad, depressed or upset about anything. I'm simply tired and ready for bed. I just wanted to pop in and say "Goodnight" to all of you, before turning in for the night.

I'll leave you with something that stuck with me today in a podcast I was listening to. You've likely heard or read it before, but take a minute to read through these verses carefully; soaking in each sentence.

John 8:3-11

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Whoa. Think about the freedom from condemnation that Jesus just imparted into this woman's life! He wasn't condoning sin, but he wasn't condemning her, either. Our Lord forgave her. This story dovetails so beautifully into another set of scriptures as well:

Romans 8:1-3 (New International Version)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man

Good Night

More Trials

Today started off pretty well, but toward the afternoon, my loving wife called me with news about our car. Again. It seems that after last month's ordeal and this weeks' window repair, the air suspension misbehaved for her while she was picking up the kids. We had a low-rider with fault alarms illuminated in the dashboard.

Great. How much is that going to cost? This blessing of a vehicle has cost us over $2000 in repairs this year and today's event appeared to seemingly add to the total. Thankfully, the next couple of trips in the car revealed a "normal" ride. I'm not certain if the issue was a fluke, or if we're going to be facing more costly repairs soon.

Now is the time to sit back, relax and trust that God is allowing this for a reason. It's either a test of faith, character building or He's going to show up in a big way. One day at a time, we'll get through it. Lord, thank you that you know every outcome for all situations!

Matthew 6:34 (New International Version)

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Psalm 9:10 (New International Version)

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Good Night

30th Anniversary of Mt. Saint Helens Eruption

It's difficult to believe, but for many of my generation who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens serves as a marker in our childhood. Most of us have clear memories of where we were and what we were doing at the time. As young children, we may not have understood exactly what happened that morning in 1980, nor did we have a clue of the magnitude of the event, or the breadth of its reach. It was big news in our town, but it was inconceivable that other towns knew what was going on. Little did we know that this was a genuine "world event".

In my neighborhood in Oregon, the sky grew dark and the ash fell like snow. I remember being cautioned to remain indoors and not to inhale any of the ash. Despite being ordered by my parents to stay inside, I remember looking outdoors and seeing cars with their headlamps on, wipers swaying back and forth, etc. The appearance of morning almost suddenly appeared as dusk. It was such an odd experience, you just had to sit back and take it in. As I grew older, I learned more about the people who died, the impact on the animal and plant kingdoms, homes, bridges and railways that were lost that day. Such an awesome, yet devastating force. I pray that those lost souls knew Jesus.

Although the volcano has remained active to some degree through mid-2008, there hasn't been anything like the "big one" in 1980. The landscape is still scarred. There is no mistaking the heritage of this volatile mountain. However, signs of life began to re-emerge in the years following the carnage and life has continued to eclipse death with each passing decade.

If God can bring life back to a devastated monolithic rock, how much more is He willing to rebuild our lives, if we allow Him access? We're infinitely more valuable to Him, so no matter the level of damage, God is up to the task!

Isaiah 61:3 (New International Version)

"and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Good Night

It's All For the Kids

Today, we started a new program with the kids. It's a series of positive changes that we hope to keep around for the rest of our lives. We're trying to be consistent in how we discipline our kids, but in turn we also want to stop codling them. We want them to realize their responsibility to themselves and the family. We want them to understand that rules are rules. It's not fun in the short term, but in the end it will be totally worth it.

Trust me in the "not fun" part. Our daughter is testing our patience tonight, even now.

God give us the strength to make it through the night, and through tomorrow...

Psalm 37:7-9

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

Good Night

Well Deserved Rest

Tonight I'm physically exhausted. After trying to fix the broken truck window to no avail, my wife and I went to True Value for some supplies for the house (and a few for the car), so we could salvage some productivity on this fine Sunday afternoon. Once home, my wife and I headed out to the yard for some pressure washing and digging holes for the supports for the gate we're installing in the side yard. (If you recall, last week our neighbor and I joined forces to install a new shared fence section.) All I did was dig a couple holes with a manual post hole digger, but it was enough to absolutely wipe me out. My wife was toast after pressure washing the driveway and entryway. How sad is that?

Then, it was in for the night. We finished cleaning up house and made pizza and garlic bread for dinner. If you've never assembled a pizza from Boboli, or Mia, I wholeheartedly recommend it- delicious.

Now it's time to settle down for the remainder of the evening. Hopefully the kids will go to sleep without a "fight fest". Once still in the house, I think the right thing to do is to dive into the Word, listen to a podcast, or meditate on something positive.

Either that or eat a pecan bar which just finished cooking in the oven!

Good Night

About Face

Before we get to my post, I just wanted to give a huge shout to my friend Scott, who was baptized this evening. Way to go, man. We're very proud of you! If you missed it, take a minute to watch the video clip and share in the moment. Go ahead and do it now- I'll wait.



Let's get started. I want to say I'm sorry to my family and friends. The past week has been really tough on me and I've handled it pretty poorly, both online and offline. The items I'm up against weren't even very serious in the scheme of things, but it's just been several issues aggregating together. If it were a test, I'm afraid I'd have failed.

Between messages from dear friends, a heart to heart with my wife, and worship tonight, the Lord gently reminded me of what's important. My problem is that I wasn't running to Him when things were boxing me in. I was selfishly trying to process through it under my own power. I never once thought about how my family must have felt while I was "knotted up"- or that they too, share in my burdens. The results were sub-optimal. My wife and kids were upset with me, my stress level went through the roof and the problems didn't go away. Like a dog returning to his vomit, I keep returning to this lesson: I need to repent and surrender to Him. I need to chill out...


2 Peter 2:22 (New International Version)

Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"[a]and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Webster's definition of "Repent"

1 : to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
2 a : to feel regret or contrition b : to change one's mind

Lord, I'm sorry that when it comes to day to day issues and activities, I almost always fall on my face. It's easy for me to intellectually understand what needs to occur in order to live in an upstanding way. However, it's difficult to apply it- and that's key. Please grant me your grace to cover my faults. Please give me strength to rise up and pass your next test. I long to please you, my heart is inclined to you. I love you. Thank you for your covering. You know me inside and out and you understand the needs my spirit has, which my heart and body cannot wholly articulate right now. Thank you for everything, father. Thank you for life. Amen.

Good Night

It's Friday and I'm Not Even Thankful

That's right. I'm not thankful it's the weekend. I know I should be, but I'm stressed out and grumpy. While working late at work tonight, I got a text from my wife informing me that the rear driver side window of our truck had come out of its track and was no longer working. To make matters worse, the window is DOWN and I can't force it up without fear of making it worse. Our cottonwood tree is blooming, spreading it's fluff everywhere and we're busy tomorrow and it's supposed to rain within a couple of days. Of course it's working out like this. Why not?!?

One thing after another, it seems. I'm completely frustrated. I know that this is NOT God's best for us, but we keep getting slammed with things like this, so that we can't climb forward. We keep spinning our wheels and resources just trying to survive. In some ways, we're sliding backwards.

Please pray for us, would you? Please pray that God reveal the areas in life where I've obviously wandered way off course and stepped out of His protection. If it's laziness, anger, lack of passion, whatever, I need to know. Please pray that we'll begin to gain ground in this life, instead of treading water.

Thanks,

Good Night

The Whole Point

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Amen to that.

Good Night

Have A Day

There was going to be a discussion of how our choices matter and I was going to cite examples of this fact in scripture for tonight's blog. While I do feel that's important and will likely share that vein of thought before the year is through, I just didn't feel it tonight. I really intended to go for it this morning, but now that I'm at the keyboard this evening... Meh. The last thing I want to do is regurgitate concepts I've heard from other people, biblical podcasts or even myself from previous posts when I'm running on fumes.

I finished some technical illustrations (which I do enjoy creating) and a procedure for work, which will help guide the installation of a new mainframe computer system. It felt good, knowing I "pushed the boulder a little further along" today, but my heart wasn't invested in it. Sometimes I wonder if what I do actually matters. How ironic, when contrasting that thought against what I was originally going to speak about tonight. Of course our choices and actions matter!

After a family dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, it was time to clean up and get into the nightly routine of preparing for sleep. The kids are in bed and my wife is finally home from picking up our eldest son from church. As she strolled through the door, she shared a scripture with me which seemed rather timely tonight. It was given to her by a dear friend and was intended for our son, as a word of encouragement to ignite a passion for working hard and succeeding in his assignments.

I'm apparently not above this lesson, either.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

Good Night

Fishers of Men

Tonight, the fellowship of the men's group was wonderful. We spoke about what it means to be a disciple of the Lord. We shared stories and ideas of when we came to know the Lord, or how we've felt the Lord has used us as "conduits" to reach others in our world. A common theme vocalized among the men was that God will use events, experiences and people to knock on the doors of our hearts. It makes a lot of sense; a loving God reaching out to us in any way He can, so that we may hear the good news and accept Him.

Sadly, we aren't always open to Him when he calls on us.

This got me thinking. If we are honest and upright in our daily lives and in our walk with the Lord, we'll bear the nature of Jesus, right? This nature is the unexplainable quality that the world sees in us and naturally draws them in for a closer look. If we're not authentic, non-believers will see right through it. This could be a missed connection.

It's not that we're out prospecting or hunting for souls. No, we're to be living examples- and the nature of Jesus will draw people into our lives, so that we too can minister to them and share the Gospel. We'll literally become fishers of men, without having to worry about the bait. It's not only about preaching. Sure, that's an element of ministry, but it could be as simple as smiling at someone who's having a rough day. It's a ride to work when someones car is in the shop. It's being honest when it counts. It's a cup of coffee for a homeless person. It's an ear that's absolutely willing to listen. It's all of these things and more.

Let's evaluate where we're at in our relationship with the Lord. Are we living genuine lives, or are we faking it? Are we open conduits for the Holy Spirit, or are we old, clogged pipes? Remember, if we aren't living for Christ, we're not only hurting ourselves, but we're also not making the divine connections God has designed for us. That hurts other people; maybe a stranger, a co-worker or dear friend. Maybe even a family member.

Matthew 4:19 (New International Version)

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Good Night

Bad Monday

Today was not a pleasant day. I've certainly experienced worse, but today wasn't a barrel of fun.

It all actually started yesterday; I gave the dog some bacon grease from the Mother's Day breakfast I'd prepared. I knew better, but didn't think my decision through clearly at the time. In the end, my poor puppy dog was terribly sick. He proceeded to vomit all over the stairs in the evening. The little bissel barely made a dent in the abhorrent bacon scented stain. I had a raging headache at the time and the 100 plus decibel whine of the motor didn't help matters.

Fast forward to this morning. I awoke at 6:00 AM, as I do each day during the week. I was perhaps 5 minutes into my morning routine, when my daughter came in and informed me that the dog had vomited again in the hallway and once more near our back door. Instead of getting ready for work, having breakfast, etc. I spent the next hour cleaning up more bacon-tainted grossness before heading off to work. I wasn't well put together; no coffee, no breakfast, no sack lunch and no access badge for work. Not exactly a strong start to a new week.

The work day was actually a bright spot, as the agenda of the day consisted of writing a technical procedure (of which I actually find enjoyable) and a few other items. A quick trip down to the local cafe for lunch and I was ready to finish out the day much better off than how it started.

Once home from my commute, I proceeded to prepare dinner for our kids while they played outside for a few minutes. After dinner, it was a stressful time trying to get them to settle down for bed. I also gave the newly acquired carpet stains another shot of 409 carpet degreaser and tossed in a load of laundry. I'm not certain how it happened, but it all came together shortly after 8:00 PM. The kids were headed off to dreamland and my wife and I finally got to sit down to our own dinner and watch a few sitcoms which were queued up on the DVR. Monday had finally turned around.

Although I'd classify today as a 'bad day', it was nothing in the scheme of things- not even a blip on the radar. It's nothing in comparison to the struggles I'm sure some of your are facing, or have faced in the past. Today was a training exercise to see where my heart and attitude were focused. Sadly, I was all over the map. I hope to learn from this, to trust in God even when things are stressful. He loves me and in the end, I know everything will be alright. He's promised!

2 Samuel 7:28 (New International Version)

O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

Good Night

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all you moms out there had a very Happy Mother's Day! Even when these holidays are stressful at times and often don't go as planned, if you were surrounded by family, you are loved.

Good Night

Productive Saturday

I'm really tired tonight. I've got a couple of Advil PM in my system, so I'm ready to drop like a rock in a minute. But first, I'll share the day: Got up and was cooking pancakes for the kids at 8:00. Out in the back yard by 8:30 where my neighbor and I put up the whole shared side of a new wooden fence.

After lunch, it was mowing (with a self-propelled mower that is broken), so its about an hour of hard cutting on inclines. After that, my family went to the movie "How To Train Your Dragon" and then it was home for dinner. Finally, it was time to fix dinner for the kids and then date night. Whew.

God is good! Thank you for the freedom and ability to accomplish much today! I'm so very thankful to be alive and have the family I have. Now it's time for bed, as we need to be up early tomorrow, preparing my wife's breakfast for Mother's Day. After that, it's off to Stayton for a BBQ and more family fun. I hope you're enjoying your weekend as well.

Good Night

It's Time To Recharge

Well, we've made it. It's finally Friday! Is it just me, or did this week seem really long? I don't have much biblical insight this evening, but I'm happy the weekend is upon us and I'll share a couple of things anyway.

In my neck of the woods, the sun is shining, the air is warm and we've got a couple of cool events happening: Iron Man 2 and Mother's Day. Now, I'm not likely to see IR2 this weekend, but several people I know are doing just that. I'm also pretty excited for Mother's Day. We've got a few simple things planned and it should be a relaxing, uplifting time to everyone- especially the "moms" in our lives.

Have a blessed, safe weekend!

Good Night

What Happened Today?

Confession: today wasn't the best of days. It's not that it was overly hard or stressful, either. I didn't give it my best, not even a decent "college try". My effort and motivation just plain sucked. What happened?

I know better than to be passive and lazy. My heart screams to charge ahead, but there seems to be a pull toward not achieving, not striving sometimes. I know what it takes to succeed and how easy it is to fail. We all know that we ought to give our best each and every day, but sometimes we don't do what we should.

We already know what the Bible says about laziness. Let's make tomorrow a more productive day, so our weekend rest is earned and we can feel good about the progress made at the end of the day.

Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-

and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.

Yikes! I do NOT want that! Please pray for those of us whom struggle with this issue.

Good Night

Two Criminals

We've all heard the story before in the gospels; the story of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Without the cross, the Christian faith is absolutely moot. Tonight, I want to focus on the two criminals who were executed alongside Jesus. I'd never before realized how this example is a microcosm of our own lives.

Imagine being in the minds of each criminal for a moment; the Lord himself is suffering and dying on a cross right next to you- feeling the same things you feel. He too is writhing in pain, bleeding, dying. Every breath is labored and could be your last. Is Jesus really the Son of God? Is there truly life after this one?

As their time on this earth drew to a close, each man ultimately had a choice to make; each could choose to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and was capable of redeeming their souls, or they could choose not to believe anything at all. They either had to accept Jesus as Savior or reject Him. Doesn't that sound familiar?

The first man chose to reject the Lord and continue in his own bitterness until death finally consumed him. We didn't hear from this man again. The second man experienced a change of heart when it came down to the wire. He ultimately acknowledged the justness of his punishment and chose to believe in Christ and accept Him. Jesus' response was pretty clear about the destiny of this man's soul. When things were tough (and I can't imagine it getting any tougher than the cross), one man chose death, while the other chose life.

Luke 23:32-43 (New International Version)

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Good Night

Are You In a Rut?

This past weekend, our pastor shared some interesting things, but the one which stuck in my mind, was the saying that "a rut is simply a grave with the ends kicked out". I'd heard this saying before, but listening to it again and pondering what it's like to perpetually live in a rut got me thinking: I've been in a rut for longer than I care to admit- well over a year now. And, it's all of my own doing.

God's best life for us most certainly doesn't involve being average. If living a Christian life only produces mediocre results, ho-hum blessings and lackluster fruit of the spirit- things that are supposed to set us apart from the world, why would any non-Christian want what we have?

It's not that we're trying to place a facade on Christianity. No, we genuinely want to experience a Christ-filled life, so that when others see us, they automatically want the kind of life we have simply because we exude Jesus' nature. It's not about material things, it's about authentic life. I don't believe that comes from days of "going through the motions"- although we all experience those days from time to time. I'd bet that God has big plans for each of us. We may not all be predestined to become movie stars, athletes or business moguls. However, we were created to have a dynamic, aggressive, passionate relationship with God. Most assuredly, His plans for our lives are more adventurous, colorful and enriching than anything we settle into under our own steam.

I found this neat article about how to get out of a rut. It features a cute little parable about a frog. Let's walk through these recommended steps together and identify our own ruts. Then, let's actively take small, successive steps to get out of them. Then, we can get to the good stuff that this life has to offer.

Good Night

Let's Unite In Prayer For Those In The South

Let's take a minute to pray for those who live in Tennessee and other Southern states right now. There's been severe flooding in the area; damaged homes, flooded cars and lives interrupted. These are our brothers and sisters, our mothers, fathers and friends.

"Lord Jesus, we ask that you quickly reign in the flooding waters in the Southern United States. Please show your unending mercy and grace to the people there, helping to rebuild their lives as the waters recede. We have faith that you will strengthen local communities, as well as the church's resolve to reach out to those in need. You are the almighty restorer, healer, friend and savior. We know there will be beauty rising from the ashes of this situation. Amen."

A site that's close to my heart, DailyAudioBible, is located out of Spring Hill, TN. They're in the midst of the flooding and have several pictures posted on Flickr. This isn't a third world country- it's right in our own backyard. I believe the Lord has placed his hand on the DAB, as the podcasts are still rolling. The Word of God is still being faithfully broadcast to the globe each day, amidst the natural disasters. Praise God!

Let's band together and help in any way we can. Please consider helping flood victims by donating to
the Red Cross

Good Night

Another Weekend Comes To A Close

Normally, I'm sitting at the keyboard on Sunday evenings in nearly a depressed state. Monday means another lap on the virtual treadmill of life. But tonight, I don't feel that way. It's been a busy, eventful weekend where we didn't get a whole lot of time to ourselves, but we did manage to have a few hours to 'play' between both days and it was just what the doctor ordered.

Tonight, I write this at 7:30PM, a full 2.5 to 3 hours before I'd normally journal my thoughts for the day. It's going to be an early night and I can't wait! I plan on hanging out with my incredible wife and seeing what the rest of the evening brings. We've worked hard this weekend, so our sleep should be sweet. I hope that you're gathering in your own cozy, safe homes tonight like we are. What a blessing it is to be alive.

Blessing to you and yours this week!

Good Night

Sin is Sin, Don't Be A Hypocrite.

I just wanted to put this out there; sin is sin. It's all bad. There is no metric to accurately gauge "how bad" one sin stacks up against another from God's perspective- at least that I'm aware of in my personal walk. As man sees things, there is a gradient; murder is viewed as being "far worse" than jealousy, lying to someone, or stealing a pen from your job. But remember, God is so Holy, everything classified as sin to Him is detestable. He's not tolerant of any sin, or anyone who sins.

Thank God for the blood of Jesus Christ, whom washes away all sin! That gift is available to absolutely everyone. Including me and you- yes you! After letting the Lord speak to my heart, I believe the following action needs to be taken:

1. We need to love one another unconditionally (or as much as we can in this flawed human form), wrinkles, warts and all. We all struggle with different things. We all fall short of perfection.

2. We need to stop judging others in comparison to ourselves. If someone has a gambling issue, they are no better or worse than someone whom cheats. An anger issue is no worse than dishonesty. We should never 'shun' one person for struggling with one kind of sin, when we might be grappling with another type of sin ourselves.

I'm not saying we should be tolerant of sin in our lives, or in those of the people we love. We should absolutely rebuke as required. However, we need to perform some pretty honest and detailed analysis of our own struggles and faults before we cast a stone upon another person.

Romans 3:23 (New International Version)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 (New International Version)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 6:42 (New International Version)

How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Good Night