I Have A Confession

My name is Nate, and I like country music. It feels so much better to get that out in the open. I have been fighting it for quite some time, but I live in a family that likes country music and every time we get in the car the radio is set to a country music station so I have been hearing a lot of it.  Not exactly sure how it started, but I have been relentlessly worn down to the point to where I had to give into the music.

Now please allow me to state this disclaimer: I do NOT like honky-tonk or bluegrass music.  I would rather bang my head against the corner of a brick building than listen to some honky tonk. Country music has come a long way since I was a kid, and I find myself enjoying the newer contemporary stuff.  I still prefer good ‘ole rock ‘n roll, but my musical taste has been broadened.

I actually downloaded some county songs a couple days ago.  The first one I downloaded was “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” by Toby Keith.  I am a red-blooded American and I love the patriotism that comes through this song.  While I don’t personally agree with his choice of words when he names a part of the body that we are going to put our boot, I agree with the concept 100%.  I get goose bumps every time I listen to it. Here’s the video:

The second one I downloaded was “It’s America” by Rodney Atkins.” Again, a very patriotic song.  Here’s the video for this one:

The third one I downloaded was “Cleaning This Gun” by Rodney Atkins.  It’s about a guy who is cleaning his gun while talking with his daughter’s new boyfriend to “put the fear of God” in him.  Having two teenage daughters myself, I appreciate this and plan on doing the same thing or something very similar. So boys, be warned.

That’s enough of my country music confessions for now. I feel free now that you know. I no longer have to keep the volume turned down while listening to some country or quickly switch the channel when someone comes around.

My name is Nate, and I like country music.

You Can’t Be Nice

The other day I stopped by a large store in Ames that will remain unnamed so it doesn’t trigger any google alerts.  I talked with them and filled out the paperwork so we could hang out in front of their store and give away free sno-cones.  I’ve seen different organizations do this kind of stuff, although they are usually selling something and not giving it away.

When the store called back to get more info, they confirmed we were a church and that we were doing it for free.  When they found that out they said “You can’t do that, so the answer is NO.”

I couldn’t believe it.  Now if we were to charge money for the sno-cones, then give that money to a women’s shelter, then we would be able to do it.  But to sit out there and pass the things out for free was not going to happen.  You just can’t be nice anymore.

Do The Right Thing, Part 2

Yesterday I shared with you 2 principles I have learned in my life as a pastor about making decisions and doing the right thing. They were 1.) the right thing is not always the easiest thing, and 2. some people will hate you for your decision.

Today I want to share 3 more principles with you that will hopefully help you do the right thing.

3. Don’t second guess yourself. This is when you get into the arena of “what ifs?” and that is not a healthy place to live. Now if a trusted coach points out how it could have been done more effectively, don’t be to arrogant to adapt and/or regroup. But just because people whine and complain doesn’t mean your decision was wrong. Which leads to …

4. Stick with it. You may be tempted to give into the whiners, because that would be THE EASY THING TO DO (refer to #1). Again, if you’ve made your decision based on God’s vision for you then you’re OK. The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, “…never tire of doing what is right.” If it’s right, stick with it regardless of the pain, discomfort, or temptation to give up. Then …

5. In the end, people will understand. Some of them may never tell you, but in their heart of hearts they will appreciate the fact that you did the right thing and didn’t waver from your convictions.

Moses in the Old Testament worked with the largest group of whiners in history. Moses just rescued them from bondage (through a bunch of really cool God-thing events, I might add), and they were whining from day one! But he stuck with the task God had given him, and God was able to work through it.

If you stick with your decision and people NEVER understand it is not your problem, it’s their problem. At least you did what God wanted you to do.

Now go do the right thing.

Do The Right Thing

Decisions, choices, are a part of life. Someone once said that our life is a sum total of all the choices we made. Sometimes the decisions come easily to us; they are a no-brainer. Then others call for a little more thought. Some call for courage.

Those in leadership positions face decisions on a daily basis, and these decisions will affect the organization either in a positive or negative way. It can be daunting, but it is necessary. Putting off a decision is in essence a decision you are making … deciding not to decide. And I’m sure I don’t have to convince you that only leads to many fires needing to be put out later down the road!

Don’t make decisions that only serve to pacify the masses or a few people; I want to encourage you to do the right thing and make the tough call. I’m by no means perfect, but here’s what I’ve learned as a pastor;

1. The right thing is not always the easiest thing.

Everybody knows this. Dumbledore of Harry Potter fame (I’ve read all the HP books and seen all the movies) said, “We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” Very true, Dumbledore! If you just make the easy choice or decisions, you are NOT leading … you are coasting. And you can only coast downhill; it requires no effort to go with the current.

Fear of the unknown or uncertainty can cause decision-paralysis. Knowing this, someone much wiser than Dumbledore said, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.” That’s King Solomon talking in Ecclesiastes 11:4 in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Having a clear cut vision from God and understanding His mission for your life and church will help deter the decision-paralysis. So step out, step up, be a leader and realize you need to do the right thing and make the right decision. When you do, realize …

2. Some people will hate you for your decision.

You can’t make everyone happy, and you don’t want to. Look at the life of Jesus. He was always ticking people off! It’s not because He was being a jerk, but it was because He was sticking to His mission and wouldn’t let the urgent detract Him from the greater goal.

When you have God’s vision for your church as the driving force for your decision making, you will tick people off. They will call you an uncaring-selfish-empire-building-dictator and may try to make life miserable for you. If you have made your decision in line with God’s vision for you and His principles, then don’t sweat it! There’s more important things to do than worry about what people think of you.

In a previous ministry I had to make a tough call of removing someone from a leadership position and it angered a lot of people, but it was the right thing to do and the church was better for it. It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.

Come back tomorrow and I’ll share three more principles that I’ve learned about doing the right thing.

An Observation About Encouragement

I recently came across this great post about encouragement. I copied it below, or you can see it in the original form here …

Pardon me for a moment while I make a pointed observation:

I have never met an over-encouraged pastor.
It’s almost an oxymoron. Almost all are walking-wounded. Bitten by their own sheep.

It has always boggled my mind when someone who has never undertook the tremendous physical, mental & spiritual challenge of planting a church criticizes a church planter. That takes a lot of gumption, y’know?

Likewise, it has always astounded me when someone who has never pastored a church criticizes their pastor. I think Paul said something about this in 1 Timothy 1.6-7.

It would be like me trying to tell my primary physician he’s doing everything wrong while he’s trying to treat me. Ludicrous & judgmental, right?

Further, it has also always struck me as audacious when seminary students criticize pastors. This is like a first-year med student walking up to a tenured brain surgeon with years of mettle and experience and saying, “Hey Doc, I’ll take the scalpel here. I obviously have a steadier arm having been watching from the sidelines. You can scrub out.”

My point? Your pastor doesn’t need your criticisms & judgments, trust me. He needs your prayers and loud encouragements.

Allow me to go a step further with this observation: If you have a long critical email/blog post/phone call that you can’t wait to use to get your pastor’s attention, read Hebrews 13.17-18 first. And then if you’re still feeling moved to speak, watch Session 2 from Unleash (unpacks Heb 13.17 perfectly).

Bottom-line: It’s hard to create something beautiful with a sledgehammer. Criticize by creating. Trust that the true Senior Pastor (1 Peter 5) is consuming
& guiding your local pastor’s heart – the workman already approved.

What Kind Of Life Do You Want?

When we were younger and growing up we had a pretty good idea of what our happy life would look like. But then as we grow up and grow older, the responsibilities come, reality sets in, and life throws us curve ball after curve ball. I can remember playing whiffle ball and kick ball as a kid in our yard wanting my parents to call me “Jack” and hoping it would never end. Life was good.

Life is a series of choices that we make. We cannot control everything that life throws at us, but one thing we can control is how we choose to respond to the situation. Make the right choice (respond the right way) and life goes a little better. Make the wrong choice (respond in a destructive way) and you heap more troubles onto yourself.

At Freedom Ridge all of our lessons will be Bible based and will be done in such a way to provide you with practical life changing information. We can’t and won’t make your life choices for you, but we will provide you with the tools so you can make wise choices. Then you can turn around and share what you’ve learned with all your friends. It’s a win win for everyone!

Father’s Day Is The Most Important Day Of The Year

I think it’s ironic how Father’s Day is treated. It doesn’t get the attention and respect that it deserves. This year it is stuck right in between Flag Day (June 14th) and National Fudge Day (June 16).

I am of the opinion that Father’s Day is more important than Mother’s Day; maybe that’s because I’m a dad. Maybe it’s because I know the importance of a dad being involved in the life of his child. Maybe it’s both. I’m a dad and there’s not much more that I enjoy than being a dad.

Here’s how it goes: on Mother’s Day the mom says, “Honey, it’s Mother’s Day and I REALLY need a break from the kids. Why don’t you take the kids and go do something with them?” Then on Father’s Day the mom says, “Honey, it’s Father’s Day and it would be a good idea for you to spend some time with the kids. Why don’t you take them and go do something?” Somehow, it’s been turned around on us. But that’s OK.

So to all the Dads out there, please realize how important it is for you to be there for your kids and to be a huge part of their life. Maybe you have said “I spend quality time with my kids.” That’s usually a cop out for someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time with their kids. But here’s a harsh truth: quality time comes out of quantity time. The more time you spend with your kids, the better chance you have of having quality time with them.

So if you’re a dad, be a Dad. You’re a king, you’re needed, you are important. Don’t be an absentee wannabe.

Back It Up

We have this Dodge Neon with a standard transmission. It’s a stick shift. The other day it decided to quit going into reverse. We can drive forward just fine, but when it comes time to back the thing up you are out of luck. You have to get out and push, and even though it is a small car it is still pretty heavy. So we’ve had to adapt a little bit in how we drive. You need to pull through the parking spaces so you don’t have to back up. Instead of parking in the driveway at home, you park in the street … drive around the block instead of turning around.

I took it to the garage to find out how much it will cost to go in reverse again. $500. And that’s $500 more than we have right now.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of “backing up” or “going in reverse” in life, it has a negative connotation to it. The way I am wired, I am always looking forward. But every now and then it is good to back up just a little bit, get a different perspective and evaluate, and then adjust course if need be or continue moving on like you were. But you have to keep moving forward.

I’ve learned in church planting, you need to have a plan and a strategy; that’s a given. But you also need to be flexible enough to adapt your strategy as you become more aware of the community’s culture, or as different opportunities arise. Just because it looks good on paper doesn’t mean it is going to work out in reality.

When it comes to life, you can’t go through life staring into the rear view mirror. I know people who live that way, and it’s a miserable way to live.

So even though “reverse” is a necessary gear, don’t get stuck in it. Keep on keeping on.

Blind Spots

I’ve shared with you how my oldest daughter now has her learner’s permit so she can drive. She’s been doing pretty good. The other day I was trying to teach her about the infamous “blind spot.” I was driving down the highway with her in the passenger seat, and a car began to pass us. When it got into my blind spot, I sped up a little so he would stay there. I then calmly had my daughter look and explained to her how she needs to be careful and always aware so the blind spot doesn’t end up causing problems for her.

I’m sure the guy in the other car called me a few choice words, and my daughter was the typical teenager and acted like she would rather eat glass than listen to my important life lesson. But because I love her and want her to be safe, she got the blind spot lesson.

We don’t just have blind spots in driving, but also in life. The other day someone lovingly helped me see some blind spots in my life. I would have rather eaten glass than listen, but deep down I know if I listen and learn that I will be a better person.

What are your blind spots? Chances are you don’t know, so it is best to ask someone you love and respect and ask them to point out some blind spots in your life. It won’t be fun. But you’ll be better for it in the long run.

Did Superman Need Jesus?

Do you remember that thermometer I told you about awhile ago? It is wireless, we have a sensor outside, and the base tells us what the temperature is outside and inside as well as the lowest and highest yet registered. So far the warmest day we have had was 75 degrees, until a couple days ago.

I was outside grilling some stuff for supper and I went inside to get a drink. The base to the thermometer sits next to our fridge, so I glanced at it to see what the temperature was outside because it felt good. I mean I was grilling outside, so it had to be decent. It said the temperature was 90.7 degrees!

I was amazed it was that warm, then I remembered where the sensor was. It needs to be covered so it is out of the weather. I had put it on the shelf underneath the grill with the wire hanging out a couple feet behind it. It was picking up some radiant heat from the grill. It still felt good outside, but it wasn’t 90.7 degrees.

This reminded me of something Jesus said when he spoke about how he is the vine and we are the branches and we can’t do much of anything unless we’re connected to him. We may feel like Superman and we’re invincible and don’t need Jesus, but sooner or later we’re gonna be reminded that we do need him. We might as well make it a point to be connected to him on a regular basis now so we don’t have to go through a potentially painful reminder later.

As a pastor and church planter, it is too easy for me to hit the ground running or get bogged down in details when I should be spending time with Jesus and working on my connection with him so that I can indeed bear fruit. I’ve got to be intentional. How about you?

How Do You Treat God?

I went to the Redbox at McDonald’s this evening to return “I Am Legend.” Good movie. I had to wait for a couple minutes because someone else was using the machine trying to rent “27 Dresses.” The machine wouldn’t accept his card.

Anyway, while I was waiting I noticed a young mother who was dining there with her child. The reason I noticed her is because her child was throwing a fit. The kid was sitting in a high chair and couldn’t have been more than a year old, but was making enough noise for 5 or 6 kids. I turned around and looked, and this mother was sitting there with a smile on her face, holding a huge ice cream cone, saying, “No, I need to hold it. No, I need to hold it.” It was obvious that she was sharing her ice cream, but the kid was wanting to hold the cone and eat it all himself. How ungrateful. How immature. But not really surprising.

We expect that kind of behavior from babies, don’t we? I thought it was cool that this young mother was being patient and kind and cool under pressure. I give her props.

But how often do we act like that child towards God? You know what I’m talking about. God gives us a gift, but we focus on what he hasn’t given us. He grants us goodness, but we want so much more and we want it right now, so we view his timing as a lack of compassion.

Do you act like a whining, blabbering, snotty-nosed, fit-throwing kid towards God sometimes? I know I do.

Track Meets & What They Taught Me

Last evening I went to my daughter’s track meet. She just runs a couple events, so I am only fully engaged for about 3 minutes of the 4 hour track meet. But as I sat there watching, I finally noticed something that is really cool.

Something that has bugged me was how at each track meet so far they run at least a dozen 100 meter dashes. The kids line up, the gun goes off, the kids run as fast as they can across the finish line, then the next group of kids line up and the process starts again. I always thought they were wasting time.

But last night I was actually paying attention and I noticed as each group takes their turn, it becomes obvious that the slower and “less fit” kids are taking part. During some of the other events, some kids are even lapped.

Here is what I have witnessed so far … no kid has ever quit. Even though they do not look the type and are running well behind the leader, they are giving their 100%. They are trying their best. And as these lone runners are making their way past the stands, the crowd claps and cheers and many of their team mates encourage them on as if they were about to set a record and win a gold medal. Very cool. In the big city the competition is so much that these kids would not even be allowed on the team.

I’m glad we’re back in an area where kids can be kids and everyone is part of the team. It’s amazing the things you notice when you pay attention.

Confession: Prayer Is Hard

I don’t like to talk on the phone. As a matter of fact, I hate it. I would rather jump in my Jeep and drive across town to talk to you face to face rather than call you on the phone. I want to see you, see your expressions, when we talk. But logistics, time, and common sense don’t allow face-to-face meetings all the time. So I call you on the phone.

I told you a couple posts ago I was going to share some confessions pertaining to areas of dissatisfaction in my life. Here’s the first one: prayer is hard for me. Maybe my dislike of talking on the phone might be related to my stinkiness at prayer. I don’t know.

When I first got out of college I bought a book called “Spending An Hour A Day With God” and it had the whole outline for each day of the year so you could spend a whole hour every day with God. I was excited and committed to doing this because I was going to become a great man of God. I sat down at my desk in my office, opened the book, and began following the outline. I made it about 27 minutes. My personality isn’t wired for long moments of silence or endless contemplation.

Some think since I am a pastor that I have a direct line to God. Some pastors may have that, but I can tell you this is one pastor who doesn’t. When it comes to prayer and Bible reading, I have to work at it. It doesn’t come naturally to me. Don’t get me wrong, I pray and I read my Bible, but not nearly as much as I should. I’m not as intentional as I should be.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray continually. I am pretty good at shooting up short little prayers all the time, like “That’s cool, God” or “Give me the words, Jesus.” But when it comes to sitting down, folding my hands, bowing my head, and spending time in prayer, I fail miserably. I think this might be a stumbling block for a lot of people, because they think if you spend a looong time in prayer it makes you more spiritual. It doesn’t work for me like that in my life. I’m not sure the fact that you pray lengthy prayers automatically increases your spiritualness.

What do you think? How are you at prayer?

By the way, don’t be afraid to call me on the phone. I will talk to you.

contentment vs contentment

I visit dictionary.com all the time. It is one of my favorite sites. It defines contentment as “the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind” or “happiness with one’s situation in life.”

I think of myself as a content person, even though I want more for myself and my family. I don’t mean in a materialistic sort of way at all; I just want what’s best. I disagree with the above definition of contentment, because it uses the term satisfaction. I am content, but I am not satisfied.

Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

I have come to this realization about myself: I am a Content person when it comes to life; but I am not content when it comes to satisfaction. Does that make sense? In the next couple days I’ll give you a glimpse into my head and heart (which might be a scary thing!), but it will kinda let you know how I am dissatisfied and what it does to me.  I guess you can say it is confession time.

Hang on to your hat!

Evacuate! Pt2

I made a post earlier about how we had to evacuate once because of a hurricane. You can read the original post here. My friend Betty made a comment that sparked some conversation at our house about our evacuation experience.

I had mentioned that we took our two dogs and left the cat behind. In the spirit of accuracy I want to make a clarification. We originally intended to leave the cat behind, but actually ended up taking her with us. It was my brother’s cat who stayed behind. I did not remember taking the cat, but it makes sense that we would take her because there is no way our daughters would allow her to be swept away in the storm. I would have, but it’s amazing what you do for your kids.

I’ve been blogging since February 3rd, and this is my first retraction. Not bad! Sure it’s not the last, but if something needs correcting I’ll correct it.

Sunday Is A Good Day

Easter is the day we celebrate, for obvious reasons. It is the day, the morning, that Jesus came back to life and everything that he went through just a couple days earlier was made worth it. He had defeated death, he had paid the price, and as a result we can now have a direct connection with him. We have his power and peace to live day by day, and we have his promise of life on the other side of death. Pretty good for us, huh?

As I was reading Matthew 28 this morning, a verse really stuck out to me. It says the disciples were meeting Jesus on a mountain for a reunion after his resurrection … some worshiped him, but some “held back, not sure of worship, about risking themselves totally.” That’s a sad verse in the middle of a great story.

So if you are a Jesus-follower, I want to encourage you to take a risk for him. Don’t hold back, but step out and make a difference. If you’re not a Jesus-follower, I encourage you to look at all the benefits of making a commitment to him.

Sunday is a good day.

Is Good Friday Really Good?

I can remember asking my parents when I was a kid why this particular day of the year is called Good Friday. They explained it to me, and I understand it on the surface, but it still doesn’t seem that good.

Think about it. This would be the worst day ever in the life of Jesus. He was put through a sham trial, beaten beyond recognition, and had nails driven through his hands and feet. He lived for awhile hanging on the cross, but eventually died. Read Matthew 27 to find out more.

So for Jesus it was not a good day. The ultimate reason of why he went through all of it is good news for us. I guess that’s where we get the Good Friday.

I saw in Scandinavia they call it Long Friday. I think that’s probably a better description. So while you’re hunting Easter eggs, eating jelly beans, peeps, and the Easter Ham, remember the reason for this long holiday weekend. Hopefully it is a good one for you.

Evacuate!

My family and I once had the experience of evacuating because of an impending hurricane. My brother and his family were in a mandatory evacuation zone and were coming to our house to camp out. We needed extra supplies so I headed to Wal-Mart. I knew a hurricane was coming, but I didn’t think much about it until I arrived at the store.

The bread was gone (and I’m talking all bread items from loaves to bagels), the bottled water was gone, the eggs were gone, the milk was gone, and toilet paper was running low. Not a good situation. I imagine it looked like a store does here in Iowa when a blizzard is headed in. I saw this and went home empty handed. We watched the news and saw what was happening all over town, saw the projected path of Rita, and we decided we should evacuate.

It was an odd experience because I went through the house wondering what we should pack up and take, and what we should leave behind. The family videos and photo albums were definitely loaded up, the computers were taken, some office stuff and important papers were saved, and most everything else was left behind not knowing if we would ever see it again or if it would be damaged. I was proud by how much we left behind. We then drove to Emma’s parent’s which usually took 2 hours but on this trip the traffic made the trip an enjoyable 5 hours.

The whole experience really helped put things into perspective. What is important in life, and what is not? We let things rule our lives sometimes. What part of your life do you need to put back into perspective?

By the way, we took our two dogs … we left the cat behind.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I have this green t-shirt that says “Ireland” on it as well as an Irish flag. I went to my closet today to put it on in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but I couldn’t find it. It must be in a box in the basement.

What do you think of when you think of St. Patrick’s Day? Parades … wearing green … pinching people who don’t wear green … eating corned beef and cabbage … going to the pub and drinking a pint? What do you think of?

Did you know that St. Patrick is not from Ireland, he is actually from England? When he was a youngster, he was taken captive as a slave and was sold in Ireland. He eventually escaped back to England, but really felt God’s calling in his life to return to Ireland and minister to the Irish people. He did return to Ireland, not as a slave, but as a missionary, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Kinda puts a whole new meaning on Jesus’ words, “But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

Who does God want YOU to reach out to?  Think about it.

An Effective Reminder

I was driving down the highway today minding my own business and listening to the radio. A car entered the highway from an entrance ramp and began to slowly lose speed so that I caught up with it. I slid over into the left lane, and as I began to pass this car I glanced over at the other driver. I assumed he was daydreaming or talking on the phone or just trying to make me mad, but as I looked over I noticed he was extremely preoccupied with something. He had his finger in his nose digging for gold. It wasn’t an “I got an itch” kinda dig, but it was in there up to the knuckle.

Now I know nasal cleansing is a fact of life, but I can guarantee you that this guy would not be doing it if he knew I was going to see him. I’m sure he would be embarrassed.

Someone once said that our reputation is what people think about us, and our character is who we are when no one else is around. We are usually more worried about our reputation than we are about our character.

So ask yourself, “Who am I when no one else is around?”  What can you do to improve your character? Work on your character, and the reputation will follow.

Out Of Shape

I’m so out of shape. You remember the treadmill I brought back from Houston? Well, I got on it and did a quick mile, and it about killed me. You can’t tell it by looking at me, but before we moved I regularly went to the gym and lifted some weights and did the treadmill at home. There for awhile, I was doing about 20 miles a week on the treadmill. That’s a goal I want to work towards again.

Anyway, as I was huffing and puffing and thinking that a heart attack was coming any second, it occurred to me how easy it is to get out of shape. The same thing is true spiritually. If you’re not careful and don’t keep it up, your spiritual life can get flabby. That reminds me, I need to go read my Bible.

How’s your spiritual life? What can you do to strengthen it?

A Prayer

There are two things, Lord, I want you to do for me before I die: Make me absolutely honest and don’t let me be too poor or too rich. Give me just what I need. If I have too much to eat, I might forget about you; if I don’t have enough, I might steal and disgrace your name.

- Proverbs 30:7-9

Simple Things

My whole family went over to my daughter’s school tonight, because the school was putting on their first-ever PTA carnival. My wife had signed us up to man one of the games. The game we were in charge of was the bucket toss, which is where the kids stand behind the line and try to throw a ping pong ball in a small bucket. If they make it in the first one, then they try for the second one. If they make it in the second one, then they try for the third one … all the way up to the sixth bucket.

There were probably 30 different games and tons of kids there ranging from preschool up to 8th or 9th grade. It was neat watching them, because they were having so much fun with something as simple as throwing a ping pong ball into a bucket. It was a great reminder for me to enjoy the simpler things of life. It’s too easy a lot of times to get caught up in the stress and all the junk that life throws at you, and you forget what it is all about.

So next time you begin to worry, or the stress starts to pile on, or life gets chaotic, just take a deep breath and remember what is really important in life.

You Don’t Love Me

I was shoveling the snow off our sidewalk today, and I heard this little kid crying saying “You don’t looove meeee.” I looked up and saw this crying kid getting into a van with his mom. “You don’t looove meeee.” And the mom said, “I do love you, but when I’m on the phone you are to be quiet.”

Obviously this kid had gotten into trouble, and because of this thought that his mom didn’t care about him. Sometimes I act the same way. I don’t mean that I cry and whine, but if someone offers constructive criticism or tries to correct me, I tend to get defensive. I’ve gotten a lot better, but still have to make the conscious choice to react the right way.

How about you?

Rearranging

We have this treadmill that I brought back on my recent trip to Houston. We got it down into the basement, but we have boxes everywhere (and I mean everywhere) down there. This is a temporary situation until we can get a house, so we left a lot of stuff in boxes. Anyway, there wasn’t a spot to put the treadmill. So I spent some time yesterday rearranging and restacking boxes to make some room for the treadmill. Now I have no excuse to get my lazy rear exercising again. As I was moving boxes I opened a few up and found some shirts I forgot about, my “treadmill walking shoes”, and a calculator.

Sometimes its good to rearrange things.

Passion

OK. So I met this guy today who is a preacher at an area church. We had never met before today, but we have a mutual friend who wanted us to meet. I walked into his church building, but before I told him who I was, I told him I needed gas money. He said, “Sure. Let’s step in the foyer and talk about it.” Once we got to the foyer, I told him who I was.

Anyway, after talking with him for just a few minutes, his passion for seeing people come to Jesus was obvious. He exuded it. I wish I had half of it. How do we keep our passion for Jesus and leading people to him on fire?