Shipwreck

Call me crazy, but some of the most enlightening and inspiring parts of the Bible are in the appendix. Turn to the back of your Bible and look at a map of Paul's missionary journeys. Malta is in the southwest corner. It was a detour. Malta wasn't on Paul's itinerary. It took a shipwreck to get Paul to Malta. But sometimes it takes a shipwreck to keep you on course. Sometimes it takes a shipwreck and a snakebite to get you where God wants you to go!

I'm not suggesting we sabotage ourselves. Don't put a hole in the bottom of your boat. Don't play with poisonous snakes. But God is in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. It often seems like the wrong place at the wrong time! But give it some time. See what happens. God may use this delay or this detour in ways you never imagined. That is really the story of Scripture.

The prison sure seemed like a detour to Joseph. But God used it to position Joseph as prime minister of Egypt. The lion's den sure seemed like a detour to Daniel. But God used it to position Daniel as Prime Minister of Babylon.

For that matter, the cross seemed like a detour. The Via Dolorosa seemed like a wrong turn for three days. But God turned that detour into the road to salvation.

Gotta try this!

One reason I love this time of year. I've had at least 6 of these in the last week and a half.

If a grande caramel apple cider from Starbucks is wrong...I don't wanna be right!! Amazing!

Stars tonight

I'm going to see the Dallas Stars play the Chicago Blackhawks tonight here at the American Airlines Center in Dallas with my brother and some friends from church. I got my Stars jersey on as I type this (the green one, and not that nasty looking 3rd jersey they have now with bull on the front...what does that have to do with stars???).

I was watching ESPN last night to catch some of the NHL highlights, and couldn't believe how high the goal scoring has been. I know it's all due to the recent rule changes, but who would believe you'd see a score of 8-7 in an NHL regular season game....KA-RAZY!

Journaling

I've been thinking a lot about Kyle Lake and his family this morning. My heart goes out to his family and church right now. In a way, we can all relate (to some degree) to what UBC is going through right now.

So all of this got me thinking about journaling - which is a discipline that I've recently begun with greater consistency. That is part of the reason I've decided to focus in more on journaling.

Don't get me wrong, I don't write anything profound or earth shattering - just what I feel like God is saying to me right now in my life, events going on and then of course, things that I can't necessarily blog about.

Probably more than anything, it's a great way for me to look back and realize that God is indeed at work in my life. In fact, just recently, I pulled out a journal from a few years ago and I was amazed at how many of the "concepts" and ideas have become a reality in my life since then. Things that were blurry and not too clear back then are now a part of my life. It blows my mind. I'm thankful.

So.......here is a picture of the journal I now use. It's a Moleskine journal which interestingly enough was recently written up in Fast Company magazine as being the "new" PDA. Anyway, it's a great journal and one that I would recommend. It's slim and not to big - so I can carry it with me in my backpack or laptop bag.

One of the things that I stay very intentional about is not pressuring myself to journal everyday or when I DO journal, I constantly remind myself that I don't have to write a novel. There are days that I write down a quick prayer or just a couple of thoughts.

Do you journal? What have you learned by doing it?

Make Today COUNT!!!

Make Today COUNT!!!

I was full of energy and excitement as I sat down at my computer a few minutes ago. I have this routine that I go through nearly every morning...I get a bagel and a glass of milk, drive to work (usually listening to FOX news), check my e-mail and then start to work.

But this morning my plans changed...I am stunned...I am numb...I can't believe what I have read.

Maybe you have heard about the story--maybe not--but Kyle Lake, the pastor of University Baptist Church in Waco, TX (the one where the David Crowder Band leads worship) died yesterday during a worship service. He was only 33, and left behind a wife and 3 small children. Apparently he was preparing to baptize someone and, while standing in the water, grabbed the microphone--something that he had apparently done many times. However, yesterday something apparently went MAJORLY wrong.

My heart goes out to this church--to this mans family--to the people he had the privilege of teaching and leading. I can't believe it! In fact, when I first read the story I thought, "This is a sick joke--a REALLY sick joke." However, the story is true...and my heart is broken.

Let me make you a promise--Kyle did not get up yesterday morning planning to step into eternity, but apparently it was his time...I believe that--I believe that God reigns, He is Sovereign, and that He has a reason for everything that happens.

In Scripture we are promised a lot of things--but we are never promised a tomorrow. My question to you is this, if you knew you had six months to live--what changes would you make? How would you treat your wife? Your children? Your friends? How would that affect your relationship with Christ?

My challenge is to answer those questions--and then begin to implement the changes. WE DO NOT KNOW how much time we have on this big ball of dirt called earth--we need to make our lives count.

Please pray for Kyle's family and his church as they go through this time. And as far as you and I--we are still here--God still has a purpose--let's live life to the fullest.

Caffeinated Caption

At 13 months old, my friends daughter Julia is already consuming three venti Starbuck coffees a day.


Ok, maybe not. But I had to capture the moment and share it.



Anyone got a creative caption for this one?

World Series Predictions

It's down to 2 teams: The Astros and the White Sox.
So here's my question: Who is going to win it all this year? Post your prediction...The winner and in how many games.
My prediction: The White Sox win in 6 games...(Sorry Astros fans. But they aren't going to score any runs against the White sox starting pitching)

Sometimes you have to laugh

Whether you like it or not--you will offend someone. No matter who you are or what you do...for some reason there is a person or group of people who will get mad. You don't even have to try to be offensive...trust me, I learned this on Monday morning upon arriving at work.

Let me set this up--I drive a new 4Runner that has one of those remote thingys that you can lock your door with. (I remember the first car I had with one of these...I would stand and lock and unlock the door just because I could!). When you lock the car it makes a "beep." (I know, some go "beep beep;" however, mine is just one "beep" to lock & "beep beep" to unlock).

So I get out of my car, lock it while I am on the way in with my remote...and I see this older guy walking in...and he's giving me a really dirty look. So I smiled at him (not the wise thing to do--I found this out later) and said, "Good morning--how are you?" (Once again--not the wise thing to do).

This dude nearly melted down! He went off on me by saying, "I'm not good at all...these stupid people with these new cars...they are too gosh darn lazy (his exact words) to lock their stupid car...all they have to do is run their finger over a button--but NO, they have to blow their stupid horn and scare people half to death--there's just no sense in that".

Keep in mind that this was Monday morning...I had just spent all morning leading worship at church the day before, and most of that evening at The Afters concert, and was still sort of out of it...so I didn't realize at first that he was talking about me--so I kept smiling at him and said, "Man--that's awful".

Then he gave me a look that told me I should go to somewhere I can't go because I am a Christian and walked in the door ahead of me.

Then it hit me, "He's talking about me!" I realized that I must have scared this dude when I locked my door and that he was going off not on some random person--but me!!!

I stopped in my tracks...and then I just started laughing...I could not help it, I tried not to--I guess if I had been godlier I would have felt sorry for this guy--but I could not get the picture of what it must have looked like when I locked my car out of my mind.

Trust me--I didn't mean to offend this dude. I didn't sit in my car and scope him out and then blow the horn...I had no idea that this would even remotely affect anyone in a negative way. But nonetheless...he was ticked.

So what should my response have been? Maybe I should have apologized. Maybe I should not use my remote thingy anymore. Maybe I should just not lock my car! I am not sure what the Biblical thing to do was--but I could not help but laugh.

Like I said--sometimes you will offend people without even trying...and if you take the time to run around and apologize for every misconception or misunderstanding that you are involved in then...well...let's just say you are going to live a miserable life.

I had a friend tell me once, "words don't have meanings...people have meanings". And that is so true--people hear what they want to hear and believe what they want to believe. Our job as followers of Jesus is to live a life that is above reproach...realizing that sometimes people will get offended without our knowledge...and we have to live with that. I suppose from time to time an apology might be necessary--but I didn't feel that doing the "beep beep" thing with my remote was a clear violation of Scripture.

So how has this altered my life? Well...not really at all. I will continue to use my remote...I do not feel that repentance is in order here--but I will try to make sure when I use it that this dude isn't even in the parking lot (unless I am feeling mischievious!).

Have an awesome day--and remember that our job is the relentless pursuit of who Christ called us to be--anything else is sin.

Playoff controversy

The absurdity of the call will renew cries for instant replay in Major League Baseball, but the entire incident never would have occurred if the umpires had simply ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul had caught the ball. If plate umpire Doug Eddings didn't see that, then one of the base umpires should have stepped in to ensure that the ruling was correct. Sure, replay could help fix such mistakes, but it also would create other issues, lengthening games that many fans already believe are too long. The vast majority of the time, the umpires get it right. This time, they did not.

Late Night Tuesday

Great movie on TV last night...Godfather Part 2 on AMC.

Flipping channels I overheard on Laguna Beach in less than 8 seconds:

"So I was like......like...it was like..."

"I know! Like no way! ............like."

"Like...........awesome...like for sure......"

People watch this show?

I did something

I went out this past Saturday to go casually looking at new cars, and I ended up coming home with one!

It was time, really. My car was a 1997 Toyota Camry with 163,000 miles on it. I traded it in on a beautiful Toyota 4Runner. Believe me, this was a total God thing. The deal I got was amazing (turns out the finance manager recognized me from church and is a believer...cool!).

I know what some of you may be thinking...the gas prices will kill you. Well, for those who know me, you know that won't be the case for me. But I can't tell you why on this blog.

I'll post some pics later.

Be Still

Confession time...I have to do this--I have heard that it is good.

Somewhere in the Bible, ok, in Psalm 46:10, is that familiar verse that leader types like me can quote all day long BUT have a really hard time following, you know, "Be still and know that I am God..."

What? Is God joking? Be still? In today's society? I am sure that might have worked back in the days that this was written...but these people didn't have to face what we face did they? Seriously, we have schedules to keep, soccer practice for the kids, meetings during work, meetings after work, meetings about having too many meetings. Those people didn't have that type of lifestyle did they?

Uh, yep, I am afraid they did. God's word shatters all boundaries. Including the one of time--and if what was written was true a few thousand years ago...then it works today.

"Be still and know that I am God."

Easy to memorize--hard to apply. I think that is the reason that many of us walk around wondering why can't we see the Lord, why can't we hear the voice of Jesus. Simple--many of us are in too big of a hurry. Take the following test to see if this is you. (By the way--I FAILED this test with flying colors!!!)

When you come to a stoplight...and there are two cars in front of you, one in either lane...do you attempt to get in the lane behind the car that you think will go faster? You rationalize it this way, "I can get behind this car and then when we pass the other car I can get in the other lane and pass the car directly in front of me now." How did we do here?

"Be still and know that I am God..."

Or how about this--you are at the grocery store...two lines are open and they look to be equal in length. Do you begin to size up the cashiers to see how fast they are getting the customers through? Do you begin to count the items in the cart of the people in front of you before making your decision? Do you, after choosing a line, watch the other line to see if you had chosen that line if you would have made it out faster. Uh, yeah--I didn't do so well here.

"Be still and know that I am God..."

How about when you get in the car and are either heading to work or are on the way home. Do you begin to scan through your cell phone to see who you can call? Do you call people just to talk, not having any reason to call them...and if you would have had the option of calling that person or doing something else then that person would have lost hands down?

We are all guilty--we attempt to go at the speed of light--and we burn out.

"Be still and know that I God..."

My problem is that I hate being still! It's not fun--there is no rush--no one has ever been awarded for being the most "still" person...our society does not recognize people being still--but God does. Why? I think it's because it's during those times that He can communicate to us on the deepest level...and I want that.

So the rest is up to me. I must be intentional about making time to be still--not to be in such a hurry. I will continue to push hard, to do my job to the best of my abilities--but on the way to work tomorrow...I think I am cutting my cell phone off and not turning the radio on--that's a HUGE step for me. What about you? Are you in a hurry...or are you practicing the art of being still.

"Be still and know that I am God..."

Ice Ice Baby

My brother and I were driving home from dinner last night. (we had the top down and the windows open since it was a cool evening). Anyway, on the radio station we were listening to, they had an "all request" night...and someone requested, "Ice Ice Baby."

I was so excited! I know this is going to ruin the view that some of you have of me--but I love that song. And if you are anywhere around my age--there was a time that you loved it too. In fact, you still know the words, "Rollin' in my five point O with my rag top down so my hair can blow..." Go ahead, finish it--you know you want to!

So here we are, jammin' to this song--and we pull up to a stoplight. Do you know what my first reaction was? You guessed it--I reached and turned the radio down...I didn't want anyone to actually see me enjoying that song. But then I sat there and thought, "Wait a minute--I like this song--I don't even know the people in the cars around me...and I am letting what they might think about me control my behavior--NO WAY!"

So I cranked it back up, "I grabbed my nine all I heard were shells--fallin' on the concrete real fast, jumped in the car, slammed on the gas..." (I know you hate me right now--that song is stuck in your head--it's going to be there all day long--there's nothing you can do about it!)

So what in the world does that have to do with my faith, the Bible, Jesus, God, church--anything remotely close to some type of religious experience? I am glad you asked...

For a moment I was consumed with what others thought about me--and it was to the point where I let people that I didn't even know--and a fear of what they might think about me--actually alter my behavior. I see this as being a MAJOR problem among people who claim they are Christians.

For example--we gather at church, or go to home group, or youth group--whatever, and we sing songs to Jesus, listen to stories about Jesus, talk to Jesus--in that context it isn't hard to be a follower of Jesus--when everyone around you is doing it then it is easy to simply fall in line.

But what about at work? At school? At the game? Have you ever let your fear of what people may think about you cause you to slip into covert Christianity and back away from doing or saying something that will totally honor Jesus? I have--I think we all have--it's natural to want to back away--but it's just not right.

MAJOR DISCLAIMER--please understand, I am NOT saying that you need to be weird...and this is NOT permission to be stupid--let me explain.

I am NOT saying to go and get your Bible, walk into work, stand on top of your desk, and announce to everyone that they are going to hell. That's not taking a stand for Christ--that's causing people to think you are quite possibly a loon!

So how do we take a stand? How do we become "salt and light" like Jesus challenged us to become? Simple--it's in the little things.

For example--when you go out to lunch with some co-workers and your meal comes--PRAY. And don't do one of those things where you act like you are wiping your nose--seriously, bow and thank God for your food. Or better yet--ask the group if they minded if you prayed & thanked God for the food. I know what some are thinking, "But I might offend..." That is the problem--you are letting the possibility of someone not approving of your actions dictate how you act.

Or how about this--take a shot at inviting someone to church, and then offer to have them over to your home for a meal afterwards. Trust me--people are CRAVING community...and many will jump at the chance.

Or when you notice that someone is going through a tough time...tell them you are praying for them (and then actually do it)--trust me, that comment will mean more than you know.

Christ asked us to be loud--and not to turn down the volume when we get around people who might not like His music. So let's crank it up and live the life He's called us to live, and reach the people He's called us to reach!

"Yo, word to ya mother..."

Baseball Post-Season Begins!

Well, I made my predictions a few months ago about which teams would be in the post season. So I thought I'd share who made it compared to who picked:

AL East: (I picked) Boston (Actually won it) NY Yankees

AL Central: (I picked) Chicago (Actually won it) Chicago

AL West: (I picked) Los Angeles (Actually won it) Los Angeles

AL Wild Card: (I picked) NY Yankees (Actually won it) Boston

NL East: (I picked) Florida (Actually won it) Atlanta

NL Central: (I picked) St. Louis (Actually won it) St. Louis

NL West: (I picked) LA Dodgers (Actually won it) San Diego

NL Wild Card: (I picked) Philadelphia (Actually won it) Houston

What does all of this mean? It means I don't follow the National League that much. I love this time of year! Go Sox!

Slow Down!

I know...it's been a week since I've had a blog entry. I apologize. Life has been busy.

I saw a wreck yesterday AND I almost saw a wreck this morning. (In both cases I yelled "whoa" in my car--totally expecting the people to hear me.)

The one I almost witnessed this morning was a sight to see. I was at an extremely busy four way intersection...every road had a line of cars with the exception of the one to my right. Everyone was being nice and obeying the traffic laws...until this little old lady came tearing down the road (the one without a line of cars) and blew right through the stop sign. (I am completely sure that no curse words were uttered in any of the cars that were nearly obliterated because we were near a church.) :-)

I guess in a way I was a little happy...no one was hurt (the little old lady is still probably tearing down the road somewhere--she was clueless.) I was also happy that this was not one of those little old ladies I would have to worry about getting behind riding down the road...trust me, if you are following this woman...you are making some great time.

BUT the fact is that she ran a stop sign...never even hit her brakes. And I know the stop sign has always been there--I travel that road nearly every single day.

I was thinking about this when I got to the office when it hit me, "That is the way things are with me and the Lord sometimes. I am traveling through life so fast that I never take time to notice the obvious."

Anyone out there guilty of that?

We have our schedules, our deadlines, our meetings, kid's soccer practice...all of the things we feel like we have to do in order to be a decent citizen...and we accomplish great things--yet we blow right by opportunities to see Jesus at work around us everyday AND to thank Him for all that He has done.

So try to slow down today...and be thankful. Instead of screaming at the person who pulled out in front of you--thank God that you are still alive. Instead of complaining about how high gas prices are going to be--thank God that you have a car. Instead of worrying about how high natural gas prices are going to be this winter--thank God that you have a home, there are many that do not.

Scripture says that we need to be still and know that He is God. (That is so hard for someone like me with A-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D...sorry!) But I have learned that the more I pause during the day...the more I can hear His voice...and the more I am able to experience His presence.

What do you believe?

Have you ever asked yourself if you really believe that what you believe is really real? For example, you say you believe in God. You believe that God is. What do you mean when you say you believe God is? Do you believe that God is actively at work in the world He created, meaning He is actively involved in your life, or do you believe that God created the world and then backed away as a passive observer leaving everything, including you, to function according to natural laws? There is a difference! What do you really believe?

Let’s build on the belief that God is. If you really believe that God is, that God created the world, and that God is active in the world in which you live, how do you explain the presence of evil? You say that you believe that evil exists because of sin. In other words the real problem with our world is the fact that human beings are sinners. Do you really believe that to be true? Do you believe that pain and suffering, disease and death are really the result of a power called sin that works in the heart of man, or do you believe that humans are intrinsically good and that under the right social conditions, their good nature will emerge? What do you really believe?

If you believe that sin is real, what do you believe is the solution to fix the problems that sin working in the hearts of man has created? How do you fix mankind? What is the antidote to sin? You say you believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the answer to humanity’s problem. If men would confess their sin and receive Christ into their hearts as savior and Lord, the problem of sin would be fixed. Do you really believe that to be true? What do you really believe?

I raise these questions because what you believe is really real is important. Why? Your beliefs are your personal GPS that direct your daily decisions and actions. What you believe to be really real determines how you live your life. So what do you really believe is really real?

Billboard Irony

I saw this on the way into work this morning. Do you think they were placed together on purpose?

Big Mistake

TORTURE = watching Food Network at 12:15 in the morning. (The Secret Life of Fried Chicken)
Not good...

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

We all struggle with making decisions, do we not? I saw some people outside church last night having the struggle that has ended friendships & caused family quarrels that have yet to be resolved, "Hey guys--where do you want to eat?"

We all want to make good decisions. No one woke up this morning and said, "Dear Lord, I want to be stupid today." I don't know about you--but I don't need to pray for His assistance in that area--I do a fine job all by myself!!!

So how do we make good decisions, decisions that are not going to result in intense amounts of pain & frustration? Let me give you some things that I do...some questions that I ask...maybe this will help, maybe it won't--but it might be worth a shot.

#1 - What Does Scripture Say About The Situation?

Many have different views on the Bible--my view is that it is the totally inspired, infallible word of God. It is God's instruction book (and love letter) to mankind...and I have NEVER made a bad decision when I follow its council.

For example, if you are someone who is considering living with someone before you get married & you are wondering if this is the right decision...the Bible says "no," that we should refrain from sexual immorality.

If you are considering making a purchase...and you can't really afford it...the Bible says that we should not spend more than we make.

Following Scripture will not mess you up!

#2 - What Would __________ Do In This Situation?

I try my best to surround myself with people that are smarter than me. (It's really not that hard to meet people with those qualifications!) And when I run into a situation that is beyond my scope of wisdom or experience...I ask them what they would do.

For example, when it comes to my finances, I have two or three people who are very wise financially, who have made incredibly wise decisions and are NOT in debt up to their eyeballs, and so I ask them. I have learned that God often uses other people to communicate incredible amounts of wisdom.

When it comes to leadership...I have several men and women in my life that I run decisions by, just to make sure that my thinking is in line with Scripture AND that I am being rational.

In fact, when it comes to major decisions...I NEVER make them without consulting someone who I consider to be wiser than me...in doing so I have been protected from a lot of things that could have gone wrong.

#3 - Will This Decision Make Everyone Happy?

The bottom line is this--whatever decision that you may wrestle with...you cannot make everyone happy. I promise, someone will get mad. However, don't worry about that...the book of Proverbs says that fear of man is the snare of death. One of my prayers has always been to ask God to give me the wisdom to know what's right & the courage to do what's right...even when it's hard.

#4 - Can I Face The People Who Love Me The Most After This Decision Has Been Made?

WOW--that's challenging. This one is deeply personal. I realize as a decision maker that I am going to have to face my loved ones and answer for decisions that I have made...and I always want to be able to face my family with a clear conscience, knowing I have done my best to keep their interest in mind.

Those are some things that have helped me...I promise that I don't always get things right...but when I adhere to the list that I just gave...well...then I do get things right, most of the time.

What? Another new cell phone???

And the answer to that questions would be a gigantic...YES!!!

I have been waiting for the folks at Nokia to finally get their act together and come out with a flip phone that had everything that I look for (and need) from my cell phone.

Well they did it at last. It just came out yesterday.

I picked up the Nokia 6101 this morning and think I have finally found a phone I will keep for a long time. It has speakerphone, camera, video & audio recording, picture caller ID, an FM radio, and much much more.

Starfish & Shells

Rob Bell, of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI tells the story of his young son who has just waded into the water after collecting two handfuls of smashed sea shells.

Now these shells were the type that are all over the beach. Thousands upon thousands have washed up and been trampled upon. The child decides to wade into the water with shell fragments in hands. After a while his father notices a beautiful starfish floating on top of the water within reach of his son. Rob yells to his son to pick up the starfish.

Anxiously the boy looks at the starfish and then looks at his fists, full of broken shells. And then back to the starfish and then again, back to his hands. Suddenly he bursts into loud sobs. Rob shouts out, "What wrong, buddy? Just pick up the starfish!" To this the son blurts out through his tears, "But then I'll have to drop these shells!"

Isn't that the case we often find ourselves in? We want the broken shells that are in our hands when our Father wants to give us the coolest starfish in the ocean! We'd rather hold on to what is comfortable or what we know, rather than give up control and allow God to bless us beyond what our human minds can fathom.

I learned that lesson this weekend. God blessed me beyond my imagination by taking away something that I thought I wanted. For this lesson and for the blessing, I am eternally grateful.

May we all trust God - the giver of every good and perfect gift.

The Doers, the Dreamers, and Me

One of my favorite movies is the original, "Muppet Movie". No, not the highly lame, "Muppets in Space" or "Muppet Treasure Island" - uh, definitely not. We're talking where it all started. The movie begins with a wide angle pan shot of the Florida Everglades. We gradually focus in on a log with a frog, or a frog with a log, whichever you prefer. My favorite childhood green buddy, Kermit busts into "The Rainbow Connection". The final line being, "The lovers, the dreamers and me."

Kermit has a dream - to go to California and make a movie. The tension throughout the rest of the show is between how some characters believe in this dream and that others don't.I think we all live in this tension.

Each of us has "dreams" we would like to fulfill and each of us has stuff that we simply need to "do". The problem is that I often find myself dreaming and then feeling guilty that I haven't gotten things DONE. Or I find myself in this frantic state of doing, so much that my soul starts to wither because it hasn't DREAMED in days.

Rarely, if ever am I in a state of balance. So I guess I'm either a frustrated dreamer or an exhausted doer. I think I'd rather be the former and dream with a little guilt. It is here that I find fulfillment, even if just for a time. Even if the dream never really results in anything tangible.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, "Better to have dreamed in vain, than never to have dreamed at all."

"The Muppet Movie" ends with Kermit and the gang finally getting the chance to make a movie and yet somehow Animal destroys the entire set. Even through this seemingly disastrous ending Kermit still holds onto "The Rainbow Connection" - the dream. Something about human... err... frog souls - we've gotta keep dreaming the dream.

My Big Ball

Did you laugh your head off watching Napoleon Dynamitee and Dodge Balll? Then you've gotta check out:

"The true adventures of Chad, the guy who was so into Super Monkey Ball Deluxe that he decided to live in a ball."

The Swim Meet episode made my sides hurt!

Here's the link: http://mybigball.com/

Check it out!

Apple unveilved its new IPod Nano today. This thing is teeny tiny. I thought my IPod mini was small, but this thing borders on the ridiculous. It's about a quarter of an inch thick, 3.5 inches long, and 1.5 inches wide, and holds about 1,000 songs.

Instead using a hard drive for storage like the mini's do, it uses flash memory chips. Not sure if I like that or not. No word on battery life yet. It'd have to beat the 26 hours that my Ipod mini gets for me to consider purchasing one.

I wonder how the public will react?

Lucky?

A couple of weeks ago was at Ikea with a good friend looking for things for my house. Walking into the store, I immediately saw a piece of furniture that was exactly what I was looking for. To make matters even better this particular piece was marked down 75%.

Needless to say, I purchased the piece. As I was leaving the store, my friend turned to me with a big smile and said, "Keith, this is your lucky day!"

Lucky is not a word I use except when talking about the jeans I wear. I do not consider myself a lucky person. I do not wish people good luck. My life is not about luck. Why?

The word luck means an unpredictable factor influencing events or circumstances for good or ill. The unpredictable factor in this definition means impersonal chance. To say I am having a lucky day is to say that my life is like the roll of dice. I am at the mercy of a force that is random without purpose or meaning. I don't believe that for a moment.

My life is not a craps game.

So what do I believe? I believe that God made the world and everything in it and that He is the Lord of heaven and earth. The Bible tells me that that "from one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth." The Bible goes on to say that God "determines the times set for men and the exact places where they should live ... for in Him we live and move and have our being."

This is hardly the stuff of luck. This is the truth that there is a God who governs my life. This is the truth about my Heavenly Father who is not only sovereign over the world He created, but most importantly the one who governs my life.

Lucky? No, blessed! I am blessed by God and thankful.

Friday thoughts

It feels like my mind has been consumed by the destruction and crisis in New Orleans and other areas of the south. It just blows my mind that while I'm sitting here on my couch in my air conditioned home with a fridge full of food and very few material worries, that there are people who have no where to go or any idea what to do as they recover from this horrible tragedy. For me, this is somewhat of a reminder of the suffering that is going on all over the world all the time. It might be new to America, but it's not new to the world.

I Love Technology...maybe

Technology is not a bad thing; in fact, I love it! I love the fact that my home has an air conditioner. I love the fact that I can talk on the phone anywhere I want (sometimes!!!) I love the fact that I can listen to hundreds of songs that seem to all fit in this little thingy called an I-pod.

BUT--yesterday I realized how much I depend on technology by the fact that I was frustrated because the computer would not work right. As many of you know--I am A-D-D, and a person like me cannot focus too well on things, unless it is a problem--and then we tend to hyper-focus. I guess I must have tried to figure out the problem about 15-20 times...and that is funny to me since I know nothing about computers.

I finally went home so I could send out some e-mails and check a few things...and there was instant relief. Technology was once again a part of my life and I could rejoice.

So I had a thought this morning...and I am pretty sure it was from God, "Hey Keith, what if you depended on the Lord the way you depended on technology yesterday?"

OUCH!!!

What if I were to be that dependant upon God? How would that look? I know that He is the Vine and I am a branch--but I was challenged to continually surrender every single minute of my day and depend on Him more than my computer or cell phone--WOW--that could relieve some major frustration!

Hurricane Katrina tragedy

I can hardly believe the images showing up on Foxnews and other networks. 80% of New Orleans is underwater, a city-wide avacuation is in effect and massive rescue efforts are underway.

I received an email from a good friend whose family has lost their home and business down in Mississippi. It's horrific.

I'm asking myself how I can and should personally respond to this - as well as how our church community should respond. It seems that responding is always better than reacting - so it's probably best to wait and find out what and where the greatest needs are.

What are your thoughts on how the church (nationally) or individuals can and should respond to this?

I Wonder

Google Talk

Well.....they've done it again. Google Talk. It's the latest application out by the creative folks at Google.

They say talk is cheap. Google thinks it should be free. Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free–anytime, anywhere in the world. I just downloaded it but haven't tried it out yet. SO...try it and IM me!

I'll have a screen name for it shortly.

Already have it? What do you think?

Here's the link: http://www.google.com/talk/

Hope

Mark and Darlene Zschech of Hillsong Church are sponsoring a large scale relief effort next year in Rwanda. It's being called Hope Rwanda: 100 Days of Hope.

Mark and Darlene, the worship pastors at Hillsong, are outstanding people, and they are being joined by Bill Hybels, Joyce Meyer and others, along with their home church in Australia pastored by Brian Houston. I attended the Hillsong Conference in Sydney last year, where he explained his vision to bring hope to the suffering people of Rwanda and let them know that in spite of our deaf ears during the genocide of 1994, the world has not forgotten them. I was moved and want to do what I can to help.

You can help by spreading the word and by registering at the Hope Rwanda web site. My hope is that Americans and especially American churches of all denominations will get involved - massively.

Here's the link to the website where you can register to help: http://www.hoperwanda.org/

I came, I saw, IKEA

If you have not heard that Ikea opened in Frisco, you must not care about furniture.

Ikea is a 300,000sq/ft monstrosity of low priced, yet supposed high quality furniture. My Mom has been pumped about the grand opening for weeks so she has been waiting for my day off so I could escort her.

The parking lot is HUGE and it was completely full. We were directed by parkers to a spot in a nearby parking lot. We joined a stream of people filing into the store at 11:00 in the morning. The process reminded me of showing up early in the morning and heading into Six Flags.

The store itself is massive. They have about anything furniture related you could want. Ikea had a lot of unique pieces and designs that you will not find at Rooms to Go or a Roomstore, so I give them props for that. We were not in need of any particular piece of furniture so we made it out empty handed, but we were in the minority.

My mom has already planned a trip back (with my Dad...Lord bless him!) if you were curious about her perspective.

As for me, I thought it illustrated the American “bigger is better” attitude (although it is Swedish furniture). They had some cool stuff, and if I am looking for a particular piece I will probably go back. I guess I would sum it up as Ikea was two hours of my life I can never have back… Just kidding, it was not that bad.

By the way...I ran into Pastor Tommy there. He had his Bluetooth on and looked lost...Happy Trails, to you…

Routines

Have you ever noticed that we tend to strive to create routines in life? There is something about having better control of our lives if we can just set up a system of routines.

It can be as simple as your morning routine to get ready for work. You go through the same processes every morning. Even your job probably has routines that you have built into it. Routines aren't necessarily bad. They help us accomplish many things while on automatic pilot. But there is a great need for breaks from routines.

In a way, I think this is one reason why God created for six days and rested on the seventh. To show the need to break from routine. Why do we look forward to the weekends? We know we can break the routines in life. And those times are refreshing to us. They are a much needed part of our lives.

But here is what happens to so many of us, whatever our careers may be. We never break out of our routines and keep doing the same things over and over and over again. Things become stagnant and we get bored or tired of doing what we are doing. Why? We were once excited about the things we were doing. So what has changed?

Every time we create a routine, what we are really doing is creating a process that disengages our minds. And that is never good in the long run. So we have to step back and keep creating new ways of doing things. Creating engages the mind and keeps us sharp. It keeps us excited about what we are doing.

So I am just reminded today that it is a good thing to step back, rest and create new ways of doing things - breaking routines, getting out of the ruts. I know that I will only create new routines, but my goal is to break them in the future too. Routines have a place in our lives, but they should never become our lives. For some of us, that is what is causing us to be so dissatisfied with our lives. So lets throw of the noose that is killing us and create new ways of doing things!

Purpose Driven Rwanda

Rick Warren is not just "selling" the Purpose Driven Life, but he's also trying to make it a reality for......are you ready?

The entire nation of Rwanda.

Wow.

Great job to Rick Warren for putting action behind his message of reaching around the world.

Check out the article here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1093746,00.html

Things I'm learning

Sometimes I am amazed at all that God teaches me. I don't say that to be arrogant. I really say that because I find out every day how much I don't know. There are things that I should know by now that I am just discovering.

Things like how to pray and really connect with God. Things like what it means to know that God is with me all the time or even more by adding to it that He also knows everything about me. I am living different in light of this reality. And then there is God's power. So great to know that not only does God know me, is there with me, but also that He has the power to change me.

Today I was talking with a guy who just so happened to ask me a great question. He asked me why it would matter in heaven to hang out with God if He already knows everything about us. I thought for a moment and answered with this.

Think of the person that you know the most. Does the fact that you know so much about them deter you from wanting to hang out with them. I doubt it. In fact, it is probably the person we hang out with the most. Add to that the fact that even though God knows all about us, we don't have a very large understanding of Him. Heaven will be full of growing in our understanding of God and that will be like discovering new things about those you are closest to.

What a great question and what a great thought to think about the relationship we are invited to be a part of with God!

I had to share this joke!!

The Pope dies and, naturally, goes to heaven. He's met by the reception committee and, after a whirlwind tour is told that he can enjoy any of the myriad recreations available.

He decides that he wants to read all of the ancient original text of the Holy Scriptures, and spends the next eon or so learning the languages.

After becoming a linguistics master, he sits down in the library and begins to pore over every version of the Bible, working back from the most recent "Easy Reading" to the original script.All of a sudden there is a scream in the library.

The angels come running to him, only to find the Pope huddled in a chair, crying to himself, and muttering, "An 'R'! They left out the 'R'”.God takes him aside, offering comfort and asks him what the problem is. After collecting his wits, the Pope sobs again, "It's the letter 'R'... the word was supposed to be CELEBRATE"

IPod Queen

So I just read that the Queen of England just bought an IPod. A silver 6 Gig IPod mini. What does this mean for everyone else in the world? It means that if you don't have an IPod, then the 75 year old head of England's royal family is more technologically advanced than you. And that isn't cool! So throw your 8-track player out and go buy one!


Here's my other thought: What songs do you think she's purchased from itunes?

Here are my guesses:

"Kings and Queens" by Aerosmith
"God save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols
Queens Greatest Hits
The enture Queen Latifa Catalogue (I decided to throw in a little British spelling just to add a bit of colour).

What songs do you think she bought?

Benefits of good ol' H20

Most people who know me are aware that I gave up soft drinks (even my beloved DrPepper) back on May 8th of this year. To date, I have lost 12lbs alone just from doing that. I came across an article today on CNN that had some interesting stats about water consumption here in the US. Here's the main bullet points...

WATER
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger-pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily, decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Now, the question is, would you like a soda or a glass of water??

Top 5 baseball movies of all time!

I have a theory...that there has never been a bad baseball movie. So I decided to share my top 5 favorite baseball movies of all-time:

#5 - The Rookie (The final scene was filmed here at Ameriquest Field!)

#4 - Major League (How can you not love Willie Mays Hayes and crew?)

#3 - The Natural (It's hard to put this movie at number 3 because Roy Hobbs is one of the best movie characters of all time)

#2 - The Sandlot (Hands down, the funniest baseball kid movie ever!) You're killing me Smalls!

And #1 - Field of Dreams ("If you build it, he will come" - One of the most classic movie lines ever! I've never been able to watch this movie without getting choked up at the end. Any true fan of baseball must watch this film.)

-What are your favorite baseball movies??

Pimp my M&M's

The mega M&M's are 55% bigger than the originals and come in 6 "adult" colors.

This will be an interesting campaign to follow. Will it be a disaster like New Coke? A big success like Reese's Pieces? Or just a ho-hum? You prophets of markets may enter your predictions by clicking the comment link below.

My prediction is for a ho-hum. I don't believe what their focus groups said, adults want to revisit the M&M experience from their childhoods. They don't want adult colors. They want the look and feel they knew as children. I think when you chuck one of the new mega M&M's into your mouth, your right brain will tell you it's an imposter.

Let's see what happens.

If anyone out there tries them, since I don't eat chocolate, let me know your impression.

Wonka on marriage

I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory recently. I've always been a big fan of Tim Burton movies, and loved the original version of this film as a kid. The movie was incredible, and I was blown away by the visual effects, and Johnny Depp's charcater development and on screen personality.

I was reading an interview with Depp last night on CNN. Overall, it was interesting to read what he had to say - but the best answer came at the end of the interview, after Depp had just finished talking about his wife and children. He was asked, Is marriage an option? What does it mean to you? And his answer is quite revealing:

Marriage can be whatever you define it as. For example, I don't feel like i need a piece off paper that says I own her and she owns me. I think signing a piece of paper doesn't mean anything in the eyes of God or in the eyes of people. The thing is, if you are together and you love each other and are good to each other, make babies and all that, for all intents and purposes you are married.

Now, before we throw any stones - his answer gave me a lot of insight into a fairly common view in our culture. While I completely disagree with his statement, instead of being negative, I think our desire should be to help people unlock the greater promise of marriage the way God designed it.

Meant to live

"We were meant to live for so much more...

We want more than this world's got to offer...

Everything inside screams for second life."

Switchfoot were right on. And they're not the only ones to express this desire. In fact, everyone is beginning to notice it: when you get to the top, there's nothing there. Yet everything inside still screams for satisfaction...

It's got nothing to do with a Western mindset/mentality, either. The whole of King Solomon's book Ecclesiastes deals with this problem. And, indeed, he suggests that the answer does not lie within ourselves, but it comes from above. But shouldn't this be obvious to people by now?

Thoughts to ponder....HMMMM?

Life is sexually transmitted.

Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents?

In the 60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

I had amnesia once - or twice.

Protons have mass? I didn't even know they were Catholic.

All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.

If the world were a logical place, men would ride horses sidesaddle.

What is a 'free' gift? Aren't all gifts free?

They told me I was gullible ... and I believed them.

Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to merge his car onto a freeway.

Two can live as cheaply as one, for half as long.

Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone.

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

One nice thing about egotists: They don't talk about other people.

A flashlight is a case for holding dead batteries.

I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.

The cost of living hasn't affected its popularity.

Is Marx's tomb a communist plot?

Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants off.

It's not an optical illusion. It just looks like one.

Is it my imagination or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?

Suburban Starbucks

Here's something you won't see in a suburban Starbucks like in Frisco, Southlake, or my local Starbucks in Grapevine - local artist's work displayed on the walls. Hmmm... I wonder why? Oh yeah, there aren't any "local" artists in the suburbs - they all live in downtown Dallas. The picture was taken at the one in downtown Dallas.

Stuck with You

Summer is almost over and I hope you've done something about it and had some fun. Or have you let life get in the way? Life will get in the way if you don't grab it by the horns and say, "HEY! Over here!" You've got to make some things happen.

Some people sit by a window waiting for a cloud to roll by with their name on it saying, "Hey Buford! Get off your duff and do something with your life!"

Quit waiting on a 'call', we've got a 'command': Go into all the world and preach the gospel.

The good news! That's what 'gospel' means: good news. And, it's good news that, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Isn't that good news? 'Whosoever' - that means anybody. Republican. Democrat. White. Black. Red. Male. Female. Confused. Anybody! If you've got a pulse, that is good news for YOU! You are the walking, talking image of God. Yes, we were broken in 'the fall'. But, nevertheless, there is a light in us that is Jesus. Because it says in His word that He is the light that lights 'ALL' men/women who come into the world.

I love that about God. He has no standards. He'll take anybody.

People have too many standards. If someone doesn't look a certain way, use the same kind of Bible, wear the same kind of hair, think, speak, smell and act like us (or how we think a Christian is supposed to act), we want nothing to do with them. Aren't you glad God isn't like that? He said, "whosoever will may come." And that's only because He came unto His own but His own refused Him. I know it must've hurt like heck -- you go to your own people and they kick you to the curb. I can't imagine that kind of rejection, that kind of pain. But, if they had received Him, we'd still be on the outside looking in.

So, let's hear it for 'His own'. Because, now, WE are His own! And I don't know about you but I'm NEVER gonna reject Him. He's stuck with me.

Spiritual Warfare

Did the title of the post grab your attention? I'll bet it did (obviously--you are still reading aren't you?)

America is obsessed with the spiritual. (Did you see the craze about the new Harry Potter book?) It blows my mind when I ask an unchurched person to come to church and their excuse is that they are not interested in spiritual matters. I always know that the person who responds in that manner is lying. Don't take my word for it--books that deal with spiritual issues ALWAYS top the New York Times best sellers list.

In spite of all of this it seems that the church has not been able to grab the attention of a world without Christ. Why--because many times we do not focus on the spiritual--we would rather stage a boycott of Disney World or fight over whether or not our children should attend public schools...you know...things that REALLY matter in regards to the Kingdom. However, in doing this we miss an opportunity to engage people at their deepest level--their spiritual level.

And then there is another problem...when you talk about spiritual warfare there are often two responses. The first response usually being that people become obsessed with the subject, begin to see a demon behind every tree, and rebuke everything from stray cats to stop lights...and the other response is that people claim that teaching on spiritual warfare does not belong in the church but rather in fairy tales and movie scripts. (For those of you who are C.S. Lewis fans...you will recognize his influence here.)

I had to wrestle with this subject myself. In doing so I did not seek to read books on the subject or go to countless conferences...I simply read the Bible, especially focusing on the Gospels, to figure out what I believed about the subject. I have a few thoughts...

#1 - Spiritual Warfare Is Real - There is no getting around this from a Biblical perspective. Study the Gospels and see for yourself--Jesus encountered an incredible amount of resistance from spiritual and physical forces (that were influenced by the spiritual.) You see warfare in other places as well.

#2 - Angels, Demons, and the Devil Are Real - Now most of Americans have no problem believing in angels; in fact, many of us are obsessed with them. However, I believe we have the wrong perception about them. Let me explain...

We have these little pictures of statues of angels in our homes...and they are usually small, chubby creatures wearing a toga and playing a harp. My question is, "Where in the world did this idea develop?" In reading through the Bible I see over and over that every time an angel appeared to someone they always had to say something like, "Do not be afraid!" In other words, "I am sorry you just messed your pants...but listen, I have a message..." Angels are powerful and often people were even so in awe of them that they would try to worship them.

And demons--they are not just in Hollywood--they are real. There is debate on their activity and their abilities...and I will not get into that here...but I will say that they have influence over our society...if you don't believe me just watch the news.

#3 - God and satan ARE NOT EQUALS - Many people imagine God and the devil as two prize fighters going back and forth, getting in good punches on each other...and that one day God will get in a good sucker punch and finally win this epic battle.

Uh, nope!

According to Scripture...God created satan...satan can't do a thing without God's permission...and God will ultimately destroy him and all of his work!

#4 - We Should NEVER Focus On The Size Of The Enemy--But rather on the size of our God! All too often Christians will cower in the face of the enemy. Don't get me wrong--the devil is powerful...but he's nothing compared to how HUGE God is. In times of fear or frustration I have learned to focus on how big God is...and I have found that in doing so I am released from fear.

In the words of the famous theologian Forest Gump, "That's all I've got to say about that."
See you at CCC this weekend! Be prepared for the service to be a little "different" this week!

Music I'm digging- MuteMath

I want to introduce you to a band called Mute Math. I downloaded them on iTunes and am seriously digging it. I don't know much about them, other than the fact that the lead singer used to be in the band Earthsuit, but I sure like their name - "Mute Math." That is a good subject to mute. HAHA!!

The song, "Control" reminds me of Midnight Oil. Remember them?
They've definitely got an electronica/jazz/rock mix going on.

Random thoughts

Every once in a while I just have a flood of random thoughts...and today I would like to share them with you...

#8 - When people go to the gym...isn't the purpose to work out? I was at the gym once next to a lady with perfect hair, make-up, and perfume! There was another lady the other day that was running and at a very good pace...AND talking on her cell phone at the same time! I was so amazed!

#7 - And speaking of cell phones--how did we live without them? Some people take their cell phone with them everywhere they go! I admit that cell phones are very convenient; however, I had to draw a line in the sand when a few months ago I walked into a public restroom and a dude was in a stall having a conversation on his phone while he was "taking care of business!" There are just some things that should not happen in this great country of ours!

#6 - Why do people get in a real hurry to pull out in front of me...and then they go 20 miles under the speed limit? I don't know about you--but this one really pushes the limits of my spirituality...I know I am a worship leader--but I want to be honest. I know there have been times in my life, and in yours as well, where I wish I were driving a tank or a dump truck. 'Nuf said!

#5 - Christian bumper stickers--WHY? I don't think I have ever seen one that I would actually put on my car. It's not like someone is going to be behind me and say, "Hey Bob, don't get too close to that car--if the rapture takes place it will be unmanned!!!" My other favorite is, "Real Men Love Jesus." I do love Jesus...but that is insulting to a person who might be outside the kingdom, you might as well have another one that says, "And Fake Men Love The Devil!"

#4 - Do radio stations actually play music anymore? Seriously, I was on my way to work this morning and wanted to JAM! (I LOVE loud music!!!) I have 12 stations programmed into my stereo...and on EVERY one of them the DJ's were talking! I know that many of them think that they are funny--but I thought the purpose of a DJ was to play some music every once in a while. And speaking of music...

#3 - What exactly is a "holla-back" girl? I am wrestling with this one...any insight on the matter would be deeply appreciated.

#2 - Why will people go to a football game, sit in the rain, get all wet...and spend money to do it...but if one rain drop falls from the sky on a Sunday morning then they say the weather is too bad to make an attempt to attend church? I have often thought if churches would offer tailgating parties then the attendance would increase!

#1 - Why, when people stick their fingers in their ears and dig, do they always pull their hand away and see what kind of treasure they may have discovered with their finger? I am not trying to be gross--but I have seen this with my own two eyes...and it amazes me that this happens.

Well, that's about it for my randomness for the day...I apologize to those who might have been looking for something deep and insightful...today is not the day for that...I am in a funny mood!

Phone on the way

I just had to order a replacement phone, since my current cell phone is beginning to act up.

So my Nokia 3220 should be here in a couple days. It has a speaker phone (which is a must-have on cell phones nowadays in my opinion) camera with night vision, it can take videos, has flashing lights all over, and can even flash light messages in mid-air. All this for free...T-Mobile Rocks...Cool!!

It's not a flip phone, but the beauty of the GSM technology is that I can switch phones at will, so I've kept my Samsung flip as a backup, in case I get the urge to use the flip now and then.

Need a spot??

One of the most common questions asked in a gym (or health club for the recreational users) is, "Hey, you need a spot with that?"

Let me explain...for those who might not frequent such places...

Let's say a dude is getting ready to do the bench press. He has stacked a lot of weight on the bar--oh, I don't know--315 pounds. You take a look at this guy & figure he might weigh 180 pounds...soaking wet. A battle begins in your mind, "Can this guy really lift that much weight?" As you wrestle with this he begins his pre-lift routine...and you decide something must be done...so you ask him, "Hey man, you need a spot?"

A "spotter" in the gym is there to assure that the weight never becomes too heavy for the other person to lift. In regards to the bench press...if you were spotting the individual in the above paragraph...you would stand behind him, he would lift the bar off of the rack and then bring the weight down on his chest...and if he could not push the weight back up then you would help him. If you are a serious person in the gym...there are going to be times that you need someone to spot you.

Now the problem for me usually comes in the fact that I do not have a regular workout partner...and so I always have to "go and bother" someone to assist me with my weightlifting. But reality is...if I do not ask for help...I could get crushed by the weight I am trying to lift...and so I make the effort to ask for help.

I think we can all learn from this analogy...

Life is tough...that is a fact. Seriously, there are some days that you feel like you are on top of the world...and then there are some days that you feel as if the world is on top of you! However, one of the most awesome things about being a Christ Follower is the fact that we do not have to do this thing called life alone...we've got help.

I must admit that one of the things that I have personally struggled with in the past (and I am sure this is you if you would be honest) is the fact that Jesus is always with me. In my head and in my heart I know this--I have seen His promises in Scripture over and over again...but aren't there times in your life where you need a physical presence...someone who can be there? What do we do in those situations?

It's very simple--we ask for a spot! The weight that we are asked to carry in life will often become unbearable. And I have heard people say that, "The Bible says that God will never put more on us than we can handle." Uh, no it doesn't! The Bible does say that we will not be tempted beyond what we can handle...but Scripture is clear over and over that God will often allow for unbearable weight to be put on us in order to get us to turn to Him AND to one another.

So my solution (and the Biblical one) is that when life is unbearable...ask for a spot. Ask a fellow Christ Follower for help. Ask someone to pray with you. Ask someone for advice. Ask someone if they can just listen to you for about 30 minutes.

I know, I know--this is hard for many people--especially if you are a leader. In my mind there are basically two things that keep people from asking for help.

#1 - Pride - I know there have been times in my life that I feel like I am falling apart--but I wanted to maintain the image that I have it all together. I finally realized one day that this attitude is one of deception.

Here's the deal--many people are clueless to the condition of your heart and soul. They can see your face--but they can't see any type of pain and/or hurt inside unless you are willing to open up and be vulnerable. Don't let pride keep the weight on your chest...ask for a spot!

#2 - Worry - I know that at times I personally have felt as if I don't want to worry anyone with "my little problems." However, the Bible tells us in Galatians 6:2, "Carry each others burdens..."

I heard Andy Stanley say it best once in a sermon on community, "Reality is that I need you...and you need me." That is so true...God did not call us to walk alone. Over and over again in Scripture we see the importance and the beauty of community. (If you want an interesting Bible study...go through the NT and count the number of times Scripture uses the phrase, "one another.")

So...if you are struggling today...ask for a spot. And if you are strong--give a spot, remember in doing so you can be "Jesus with skin on" to a person who is about to be crushed.

And oh yeah...if you are 180 pounds and can lift 315...uh...you are strong...and there was nothing personal about the illustration used earlier. :-)

See you this Sunday at CCC...do you like ice cream?