Empty Inbox

Is there any better feeling on a Friday than an empty inbox?

It's literally been weeks since my email inbox has gotten down to zero! But it just happened. Well, almost...I'm down to 1 (thanks for the email Melissa!) Man, it feels good. It feels like the occasion should be celebrated.

You know how there are dog people and cat people? I think there are phone people and email people. I'm definitely an email person. I love it. But sometimes there is this internal angst because there is almost always an email in my inbox.

So I'm enjoying the moment until my inbox informs me "You've got mail."

No Tengo Dinero

Had a funny experience yesterday afternoon :)

A few months ago I bought a shirt that said No Tengo Dinero. For all the non-Spanish speakers out there that means "I have no money." I bought the shirt because my brother Lance and I have this longstanding joke about how poor my Spanish is. But I claim to be his "Spanish mentor." So I bought the shirt to flaunt my Spanish skilzs.

Anywho...

I went over to the bank yesterday, and I was wearing that shirt. It was totally unplanned. I've only worn the shirt twice. But it dawned on me as I was walking in to the door: I'm going into the bank wearing a shirt that says "I have no money."

It cracked me up!

Fortunately, I don't think any of the bankers spoke Spanish!

Hasta Luego!

Mercy to worship

Romans 12:1 says, "In view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices."

It doesn't say "In view of your righteousness." It doesn't say, "In view of your brilliant mind or witty sense of humor." It doesn't say, "In view of your impressive spiritual resume."

It says, "In view of God's mercy."

The prerequisite to worship is mercy. And the prerequisite to mercy is doing something wrong. So if you've done something wrong you qualify for mercy. And if you qualify for mercy you qualify for worship.

Here's my point: don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God.

Here's the challenge. I came across some research last week that suggests that we talk to ourselves 50,000 times a day. And studies have found that, on average, 80% of self-talk is negative. "I'm not good enough. I'm not smart enough. And, doggone it, people don't like me."

One of the enemy's tactics is to get you to focus on what's wrong with you. Why? Because you'll get so fixated on your problems that you'll totally forget how good and how great God is. We need to stop focusing on what's wrong with us constantly and start focusing on what's right with God. I honestly think that is the key to worship!

I like the way The Message says it, "Embracing what God has done for you is the best thing you can do for Him."

Here's the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion is focused on what we can do for God. Christianity is focused on what God has done for us.

It's for the kids

Every once in a while I'm impulsively goofy. Alright, pretty frequently :)

When I paid for breakfast yesterday I got three pennies in change and I threw them on the floor of Chick-fila. One of my co-workers looked a little bewildered like "Why did you do that?" I impulsively responded, "It's for the kids."

I know that throwing change on the ground seems like poor stewardship, but finding pennies on the ground can make a kid's day. I loved finding change as a kid! That totally made my day!

So all day long I decided to throw my change on the ground and say "It's for the kids." Try it out.

It's for the kids!

Diddley-Squat

Ephesians 2:8 says, "God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so that none of us can boast about it."

A few weeks ago I had a thought: without God we're Jack Squat. I had a similar thought this week: we don't deserve diddly-squat. That's my spiritual starting point.

A sense of entitlement is the beginning of the end spiritually. Repentance is coming to a point where we recognize that we don't deserve diddly-squat. When you start there then you recognize the reality of James 1:17--"whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above."

Here's the bottom line: It's not about what you can do for God. It's about what God has done for you.

Every time we kneel at the foot of the cross we are reaffirming that truth. We go back to where it all began. We go back to the place where our sin met its match-the grace of God. And we discovered that "where sin abounds, grace does much more abound."

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace. Every day should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone.

Human Billboard

I know this is "old news" but I just read about Andrew Fischer in the November issue of Entrepreneur magazine.

He is the founder of humanadspace.com . He got a great idea for a business venture earlier this year. He decided to rent his forehead as advertising space. He went on ebay and auctioned it off. A pharmaceutical company won with a bid of $37,375. That's one expensive noggin!

For what it's worth, I'll rent out my forehead to any blog readers for half-off! $18,687.50 and my forehead is yours for a month!!

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!