The Beat Goes On

Farewell 2008

2008-12-27T07:33:00.001-08:00

So, here it is, my final blog of 2008. A toast to the past and to the future. But first, let me share again that this blog appears in a few different places, so references to comments and such may or may not be obvious to you and where you see it. A word about your comments - they are encouragement to others who may be experiencing something similar, so I encourage yo to enter into the conversation.

The last post of 2008 issues a challenge: Share some highs and lows of 2008 and what your hopes for 2009 may be. I'll go first.....

In looking back and taking a big picture view, 2008 has brought it's share of loss:

I lost a pastor and friend whose vision and leadership both challenged and fulfilled the work I do. (Lost = he moved to a new ministry)
My youngest daughter lost a bit of her "care free" childhood as she faced test after test searching for answers to a medical mystery.
With the economy taking it's toll in all our lives, I find myself losing my perspective of doing what I want to do to doing what I have to do. This applies both personally and professionally.

Lest you think 2008 has been a total bummer, there have been some highlights:

2 daughters, both in college, continue to make the Dean's list and make good choices for their lives.
After all the testing, the current course of treatment seems to be helping my youngest daughter.
Had an amazing vacation this year.
Celebrated 21 years of marriage with the love of my life.
It seems the hardware they put in my chest last year is keeping my heart beating pretty well.
Built a guitar for the first time in my life and it rocks!

As I look forward to 2009 I share some uncertainty with most of the U.S. about our economy and such, but I'm also hopeful. Here's a few:

My church will recover it's vision.
I will travel to see family & friends I haven't seen in a few years.
I will continue to watch all my daughters grow and enjoy life.
Someone will experience hope in their life because I'm willing to share Jesus.
I will not break any bones when I go skiing next week!

There you go, now it's your turn. I wish all of you a Happy New Year. If you're attending a celebration, I hope it's with friends and loved ones and remember "all things in moderation". See you in 2009.

Peace......

A Christmas Miracle

2008-12-11T05:18:00.000-08:00

It's been some time since I last posted. I've had trouble with the blog with several posts not appearing (hoping as I type that Blogger has it's bugs worked out, though it seems to be picture related, hence no picture), and frankly, the season I find myself in hasn't allowed me to be as persistent in getting something up. What season am I talking about? The Christmas season? ...well, yes...and no.

Surely you haven't missed the decorations and sale ads that signal what has become America's Christmas. Or maybe, like me, you're experiencing the added activity that comes with the season. And while much of it is "Christmas related", most times it seems like work for works' sake with no real benefit identifiable. Forgive my "Scroogeness", 'tis the season to be jolly, but I'm finding it difficult. Let's be clear, I'm not blaming Christmas, it's an unfortunate coincidence. One of my daughter's birthday is December 24, it's not her fault either.

What I'm referring to here is a season of difficulty I find myself in. It seems to be coming from all directions, job, finances, etc. Perhaps it's the economic "recession" that the media finally admitted we're in which is affecting us all. Its easy to point to specific things, but I know it's my soul that seems to be taking things hard. And if you know me at all, you know that I don't write this for your sympathy.

I write this because I know this is part of our human condition. All of us,from time to time, find ourselves in "seasons" of life that are utterly draining on our souls. The things that used to energize and fulfill us become just another thing on the "list" of stuff we're expected to accomplish. The roles we take on in life, spouse, parent, leader, etc.; that most times give us a sense of purpose and responsibility, suddenly become pressures that add weight to the "load we carry". Life moves from enjoyable to difficult. Stress is a word that is often used. For many, such times lead us into depression which is a very real condition that requires professional help. If that last sentence resonates with you, be encouraged to seek that help out, it's a good thing.

So here I am, and perhaps you too, in a difficult season. As I said, I don't share for sympathy. Just like everything else I blog about here, I share to share...to connect...to make the point that we're not alone. The feelings you and I have are common to all of us. But what to do in such a season? I must confess that I am limited in solutions, in fact I only know one. His name is Jesus.

He said some things about times like this. He said, "In this world world you will have trouble...", I think that's exactly what I've been saying. He said, "Take heart, I have overcome the world...", which leads me to believe that something different than what I'm experiencing is possible. And He said, "I will never leave you...", that gives me some comfort in the difficult times. None of that changes specific situations, but it changes me. He gives me hope and strength that this world tends to drain me of, and because of Him, I know it will be alright. He's proven Himself many times in my life, and while I might hope for the miracle of things just changing overnight, I'll take the miracle of Him every time.

Let me close by wishing you a Merry Christmas. May all of us experience the miracle of Christ in our lives now and in the days to come.

Peace......

Test

2008-11-30T08:59:00.001-08:00

I'm testing the blog, it hasn't been working for me lately.

Taking Stock

2008-10-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hola! That’s hello for all the gringos reading. Hope you’re well.

With all the bad news that we’re being bombarded with lately that seems to be literally going on worldwide, and fear of losing everything growing daily, I’d thought I’d take stock of what’s really important:

A Savior.
A Wife who loves me and shares the good and bad.
Children who continually amaze me and make me glad their mine.
Friends who care and share.
Pets that love unconditionally and make me smile.

They can take all the rest. What about you?

Peace……

The Same Ol', Same Ol'

2008-09-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Back after an extended hiatus and glad to be blogging again. I hope that the last couple months were kind to you and that you are well. I’ll let you define that. In my last entry, I stated that when something arrested my thoughts I would share here…well, here I am.

What’s going on in my mind has been there for a long time, but certain events have once again brought it to the forefront. You see, I have this theory – let me restate that – it’s much more than a theory, it’s a truth about human nature that I’ve watched play out over and over again in my lifetime. What I’m talking about is this:

When we don’t know what to do, we do what we’ve always done.

Think about it, let it sink in, and let me explain. We actually share this behavior with other creatures in this world. Cows, given acres and acres to graze on will wear thin paths from one point to another as they move in single file day after day. Birds fly the same migratory routes year after year. Sea life behaves in much the same way, which is why an industry can be made from fishing, we have learned their patterns. These are but a few examples that lean more toward a natural behavior; but when it comes to the human race, this behavior can be troublesome.

It’s being played out right now in Washington with the proposal of the financial bailout that we are hearing about. The powers that be don’t know what to do, so they are proposing doing the exact thing that led to this mess in the first place! Not to get too political but, the proposed “bailout” of our “financial system” is really the bailout of a banking industry that got greedy. Is giving them more money really the answer? I know this could be a topic of it’s own, but let’s stay on point.

Here’s another example: I am employed by a church, and it’s a known fact that is statistically proven that the American church is in decline. That means that less people than ever are attending and it’s been a trend for some time now; we’re talking a looonnng time. And in the face of this, the church (and yes, I’m lumping them all together) continues to do the same thing over and over. Not only that, but it regularly condemns movements of freshness that attempt to infuse new life into the “system” and continues in the same direction. Having been at this for some time now, I’ve seen the church (plural institution) “recognize” the problem and lament it’s consequences, but I’ve yet to see a course correction. Now let me make it perfectly clear that I’m talking here about the “institution” of religion, not the Spirit-filled lives of believers that Jesus referred to as the church – the gates of hell can’t stop that!

And finally, let’s make it really personal. As I’ve shared before, I am a former drug addict. Over 21 years ago, I was a daily drug abuser who couldn’t stop. Regardless of how bad my life got, and how sick of myself I was, I didn’t know how to end it. And so, day after day, I did what I’d always done. This tendency of ours leads to countless people, maybe even you, getting stuck in destructive behaviors that ruin lives. Drugs, drinking, sexual abuse, gambling, smoking, verbal abuse, lying, stealing, anxiety, depression, physical abuse, obesity and on and on. And for many it continues day in and day out because we simply don’t know what else to do.

So I challenge you to take a look around, can you spot this behavior taking place in your world? Now look inward, are you stuck? If so, let me tell you what changed my situation over 21 years ago – Jesus. I simply cried out one day that if He was alive, like I had heard He was, and if He loved me like I heard He did – then I needed His help. He helped me and He’ll help you. And maybe you already know Him but are in a situation where decisions are made to keep the status quo rather than rise above it; if so He cares about that too. Call out to Him, ask Him for direction – but then listen and be bold enough to move in that direction!

Never again will I be satisfied with the same ol’, same ol’ in my life, Jesus didn’t change my life for that. What about you?

The Floor Is Yours

2008-07-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Good day to you. Just a really quick post today about the pace of things in my world. Furious is the word that comes to mind. I can honestly say that I am busier at this point and time than I can remember being in a long while.

That’s not a bad thing, so far. The stuff that I’m running to keep up with is all of my own scheduling and planning. But in the midst of it, I find myself thinking at times that if one more “fire” starts that I need to put out it’ll throw everything else off kilter. Of course that isn’t the case, but the feeling begins creeping in from time to time.

For me, that’s a signal to do a couple things. The first is rest. I need a solid eight hours of sleep every night, if I don’t get it feels like I’m always behind, operating at a deficit if you will. The second is rallying the troops. My troops are my family, and I’ve found over the years that when things get crazy, a good way to de-stress is spend time with the ones I love and who love me the most. Doesn’t have to be planned or something we go do, just hanging and being close does the job.

So, with that in mind here’s the plan. I leave town next week for a week long conference. When I return it’s “troop” time and down time for me. That means this blog won’t see an update for awhile. I hope that doesn’t stop the discussion that has begun from the previous posts. I’ve had some great comments and thoughts come my way concerning them. I encourage you to keep chewing on and wrestling with the notion that God is so much bigger (and different) than any religion you’ve ever experienced, and worship service you ever attended, and anything you’ve EVER read about Him.

I’ll keep checking in, and should a profound thought assault me, I’ll share. Until then, the floor is yours.

Peace……

Don't Be Shy

2008-07-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Back from vacation and thankful to be able to connect with you here in this forum. Again, I really appreciate all your comments, as I don’t evaluate or place a judgment of right or wrong on them, I simply enjoy the conversation. Why some of you choose to comment here and others privately is always a curious thing, but all are appreciated none the less.

I’ve obviously struck a nerve by suggesting that modern day, western civilized church (regardless of denomination) is broken and far removed from Jesus’ intent and idea of church. The comments and conversations have been all over the map. Curious and defensive are just a couple of adjectives that come to mind, but as they say, “It’s all good.” Regardless, they have led me to some new observations that I’d like to share.

First, it’s quite obvious that whoever warned against discussing religion (along with politics) as a place you just don’t want to go was on to something. It’s very difficult to have simple discussions and share differing ideas in that it’s a subject that is very personal and causes folks to debate their points of view with passion and a certainty that I find curious. Not the passion, I fully endorse passion, in fact a life without passion for something is a life I don’t want – it seems a dull place that I probably wouldn’t thrive in. But the certainty is the curious part for me.

I cannot understand why people believe God can’t exist beyond their personal understanding of acceptable practices and behaviors, rites and rituals or traditions. Here’s what I’m certain of: for all the different flavors of religion that the world has ever known, not all can be right and conversely not all can be wrong. From my point of view people gravitate to the form, function and style that is most attractive to them. If that’s true, isn’t religion and the many, varied religious practices (think denomination here) simply an exercise in selfishness?

The pursuit of God is really my only non-negotiable. Sure that can lead to some strange and even dangerous places. But if one is able to be honest with one’s self, identifying places and practices that demand something from you in order to come close to God as self-serving are easy to spot. God requires nothing of you to be His child, that’s your identity by default. Finding a place that allows you to express yourself to Him, share your faith in Him, love others as a response to His love is your choice. Mine will not look like yours and why should it? I am also certain that God is so much bigger than any denominational box or even humanly conceived practice.

Secondly, I am curious as to why some people don’t even want to discuss anything beyond their understanding. It seems as if it’s not okay to have questions without answers. They have all the answers that explain absolutely everything when it comes to God and His ways, and they are presented (almost as if they were memorized) in succinct fashion that is worthy of an “Amen!” every time. I’ve stated this before but the God who has changed my life, and continues to do so, constantly leaves me with more questions than answers. I have no need for a god that I can fully understand; that would make me his equal.

Lastly, I see God in each and every point of view…with the exception of the memorized, know-it-all ones. In those I see a little army of drones that have traded their thoughts for someone else’s. But in the differences I see the love of a Creator who has given each of us something special that this world needs. And only by sharing with one another do we take our place in it and reflect more of Him, which is, exactly what this world needs.

Don’t be shy, He can handle all the questions, doubts and debates we may have. I look forward to hearing from you.

Peace……

When Did That Start?

2008-06-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

Summer greetings to you all. As the days get longer, and certainly hotter, I hope this finds you healthy and at peace with yourself. This is my pre-vacation post, as I’ll be heading for the hills (literally) to spend a couple weeks relaxing with the family.

I just started reading a book that peaked my interest and I can tell by just the introduction that I’m going to like it. It’s called “Pagan Christianity” , and it’s written by Fank Viola and George Barna. It’s a look at why the modern church does what it does – where did all those traditions come from anyway? Not surprising to me, the book lays out that many of our Christian traditions come from pagan rituals and not directives from God or Jesus. My suspicion is that this very tendency of man to “institute” forms and rituals and ascribe them to God may be at the root of them impotency of today’s church.

Listen to Barna describe what he calls a “revolution” of people leaving organized religion seeking more of God:

“…they are seeking more of God. They have a passion to be faithful to His Word and to be more in tune with His leading. They ardently want their relationship with the Lord to be their top priority in their life. They are tired of the institutions, denominations, and routines getting in the way of a resonant connection with Him. They are worn out on the endless programs that fail to facilitate transformation. They are weary of being sent off to complete assignments, memorize facts and passages, and engage in simplistic practices that do not draw them into God’s presence.

These are people who have experienced the initial realities of a genuine connection with God. They can no longer endure the spiritual teasing offered by churches and other well-intentioned ministries. God is waiting for them. They want Him. No more excuses.”

Does any of that sound familiar to you? I know people that fit that description to a tee. Should be an interesting read anyway. I’d love to hear from you about your experience with the forms and traditions that you currently experience or have experienced. Ask yourself if you know why those things take place on a regular basis, when did that start?

I am thankful to be with a group of believers right now who are tired of doing things just because “we’ve always done it that way”. Ironically, moving in that direction often leads to more questions than it does answers, and most people are looking for answers. I’m learning to be comfortable with the questions, after all, who really has the answers when it comes to God?

Peace……

Danger!

2008-05-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

Howdy! That’s Texas speak for “hi”, if you didn’t know.

So, continuing the thought of the current day church being broken and far removed from what Jesus intended when He said to Peter, “…upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 16: 18-19 NLT
I’m reminded that the early Christ followers did so under the threat of death, which as it turns out, was more than a threat. Most of the early believers died at the hands of the government and religious leaders by crucifixion or stoning because of the threat they posed to the power held by those entities.

So I ask you, is the “church” of today threatening or dangerous at all? Do you ever hear anyone worried that organized religion is going to shake up the status quo and bring about real change in society? Perhaps the medical community is worried that too many people are being healed in Jesus’ name, or the welfare department is concerned of going out of business because believers can’t sleep at night knowing a fellow human is hungry. I did hear once that going to church could in fact cause death…..from boredom!!!! (That was a joke when I heard it and I say it as one now - but it was born from a bit of truth.)

Let me repeat – following Jesus isn’t an institution or religion. It’s an eye-opening, life-changing choice that will, by His very nature, put you at odds with the ways of this world. Shame on those of us who are satisfied with the modern-day church system as we know it, and are willing to call that following Jesus. I’m praying for following Jesus to once again become dangerous.

Peace…….

In Memorium

2008-05-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day weekend I am reminded just how consumeristic the country I live in has gotten. The majority of time and effort spent seems to be on furniture sales, automobile sales or just about any other line of goods you can imagine. Many people use this weekend to travel, perhaps to see family, but often just to blow off steam at the lake. And while blowing off steam is something I consider important in this culture we have created, it's not the purpose of the weekend.

The purpose is to remember those who have fought and died for the freedom we take for granted. That's it. Please take a moment to do that, won't you?

Peace......

Still Chewing?

2008-05-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

I suppose your still chewing on last week’s entry; it’s been strangely quiet on the reply front. That’s good; I hope it’s causing you to think, to wonder, etc. Good, thoughtful people need to be addressing this issue instead of just walking away from church like too many do. Here’s your thought for the week:

Jesus never intended following Him to become a religion.

In closing I’d like to honor a friend and reader of this blog who passed away this week. Her name was Linda and she was kind and thoughtful and encouraging. She replied to this blog frequently, accepting my invitation to this journey together. Her passing reminds me that one day, I will know the answers to all the questions this life has caused me. Until then, I invite you to ponder them with me here.

Peace……

Broken

2008-04-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Today’s post marks a huge change in this blog that’s been brewing for some time. Since the beginning of my electronic journaling over 10 years ago, my posts have been fairly generic, “stuff of life” entries. I have endeavored to share the hope of my faith with my readers without sounding judgmental, condemning or otherwise narrow-minded when it comes to differing views. In fact, I have solicited those views in an effort to broaden my own thinking about this thing called life. I have intentionally side-stepped or soft-pedaled issues regarding how one’s faith is lived out when it comes to church related issues because I am employed by one (more than one over the years), and I wanted to avoid the appearance of stumping for or railing against my employer(s). Today that changes.

Let me say up front that I am not going to begin stumping for or railing against my employer (past, present or future), so those of you drooling can stop now. Rather, I am continuing to solicit your opinions, thoughts and experiences because I sincerely believe that as widely separated and different as they may be, reality and the truth live among them. And I am going to be posting about the church. More specifically, the evangelical, protestant (sadly) western church system.

I have come to the conclusion, that it is broken and in need of real change if it has any hope of being an entity of any relevance in this society. Otherwise, it will continue to see declines in membership and continued dismissal from a society that increasingly views it as unnecessary. Again, I’m talking about the structure or system of church as most of us know it, not faith or individual spirituality. This causes me great angst when I head to work each morning.

So with that – let’s get started. First, let me suggest some reading for you. I’m not the only one who feels this way and there are several authors you might want to get familiar with. Brian McLaren & Tony Jones are just two who have written volumes about it and have consequently been labeled heretics and worse for it, a good place to start. From there you will glean other names and organizations that can further inform you. You may agree or disagree with what you read, but they frame the picture clearly. I want to leave you with a couple questions in hopes of starting the conversation here.

What is the Church’s purpose?

If you attend one, is what happens in your church every week what Jesus told us to do?

Looking forward to journey. Peace……

Easter

2008-03-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

I never know what brings people to this blog. I do know that I am grateful for the many folks who have subscribed to it; that for some reason like to read and comment on my thoughts. But I also know that I have many readers and get comments from folks who just “happen” across these pages. Maybe it was a search engine that brought them here or a link from another website. Regardless, as I type I envision each of you (I know – that sounds totally weird). But it’s more like having a conversation – I’m sharing what’s on my mind and hope that you will do the same.

So here’s what’s on my mind today…Easter. I’m curious as to what that means for you. Oddly, I’ve found that it’s a lot of different things to most everyone. I guess all of life really is. You can take the exact same “thing” and have as many different views of it as you have people. That’s the very thing I try to get at with this blog – “here’s my experience, what’s yours?”

For me, Easter is a time of remembering mostly. Because of my faith, it’s a time to remember the hope I have in Jesus. I’ve stated before that I’m a “hope junkie”, its fuel for me. If I have hope, I can conquer the world! The hope I remember at Easter is the resurrection of Jesus. He was actually seen by people after his death, and promised that there’s something beyond death for me too. And that jives with this feeling I have inside that there is more to life than what I see and experience. So I have hope.

It’s also a time of remembering family. I have fond memories of family gatherings and activities at Easter that make me smile; some from growing up and some from my own children. This particular Easter is unusually close to spring break, so I’m enjoying my kids at home for awhile before they head back to school. Some of these memories are warm and fuzzy like the whole family snuggling in bed before we go see if the Easter Bunny left a basket.. Some are hilarious remembering Easter egg hunts that ended in tears because “I didn’t find as many eggs!” or not finding all the eggs that got hidden until days later. Some are bittersweet remembering loved ones who aren’t alive anymore. Good times, good memories.

I am also not immune to the “pressures” of Easter. Even though my kids are pretty much grown up, shouldn’t I at least get them a chocolate bunny or some Peeps?! Funny, my mother actually still sends my kids candy through the mail at Easter! And of course I’m expected to attend church on Easter Sunday, right?! (Added humor here because I actually work at a church!) What about a new outfit?! An Easter bonnet?! Oh, the humanity!!!!

What is Easter for you? I think I’ll stick with remembering this year. And for you, I pray that you too will have hope and fond memories. But if you do get yourself a snappy new outfit, I’d love to see it! Happy Easter everyone.

Peace……

Cooperation

2008-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Snow is falling in West Texas this morning. Not much, but enough to remind me that winter isn’t quite finished even though I am thoroughly ready for spring to arrive. I am reminded today that it is God who holds time in His hands and not me…all things happen in His time, not mine. I hope today that wherever you are, you are warm, healthy and happy – the first two contributing to the last!

I was pondering a verse today from the book of Exodus in the Bible. Chapter 9 verse 16 says “But I have let you live for this reason – that you might see my power and that my fame might spread throughout the earth.” This was part of the message God gave Moses to tell Pharaoh when he sent Moses back to Egypt to free Israel from slavery. Now this is just part of the message for Pharaoh, but it captured my thoughts today, here’s why:

As a believer in God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, I operate in the belief that my life is not my own – it belongs to Him and I do my best to live it in a way that honors Him. This verse reminds me that all life belongs to Him, not just believers. He is at work in the lives of everyone.

There are plenty of other places in the Bible that support this, but this particular verse speaks of our actions in the midst of God being God. We can cooperate with Him, or not; but neither action will change the fact that He is moving in the world. His purpose will trump our behavior every time. That may or may not bring you to the same question that it does for me…so I’ll state it here: “What is His purpose?”

As it’s stated in that particular verse – “that you might see my power and that my fame might spread throughout the earth.” More questions…..Is God an egocentric deity? Is He starved for attention? Why doesn’t He just set the hills on fire, or do a little sky writing to make Himself known? Simple answer….He desires a relationship with each of us.

Each soul, each life is precious to Him. He longs for us to know Him. Not just know of Him, but to know His heart, and the depth of love He has for us. When we begin to know Him, which like any relationship takes some effort; our lives begin to reflect His passions and purposes. When we see others suffering through life for whatever reason, our hearts begin to ache like His does, and we begin to move with Him to cooperate in changing those situations. And we begin to see His power and His fame spreads throughout the earth.

My cooperation with God has let me witness some pretty incredible things in my life (His power), and because I’ve seen that, I can’t shut up about it (His fame). What about you? Are you a willing participant in this life or not? No judgment here, I’m confident God will use you either way.

Peace……

Give It Away

2008-02-28T07:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings from my corner of the world to yours. I’m happy to report that I’m feeling much better and have been able to beat back the crud that was assailing me the last couple weeks. I’m hoping you haven’t had to struggle with sickness, it’s just no fun.

So I’m writing today to encourage you to give your passion away. That’s right, just give away that fire inside that gets you out of bed in the morning, pass along that idea or vision that motivates you to go the extra mile…just give it away. You may be hesitating at the thought, thinking that if you give away your passion you’ll be left empty, but I want to tell you different. I will share my own experience and perhaps you can do the same by leaving a comment or two.

If you’ve read this blog at all, you know that I’m an advocate of people finding out what inspires themselves (their passion) and pursuing it with all they’ve got. I also believe that life is too short and precious to arrive at the end of it with regrets, so if there’s something that you’ve always wanted to do, why aren’t you doing it? Anyway, I have discovered my passion to be music. Through my relationship with Christ, I use that passion for music to lead worship. But that’s not where it ends. Sure I could be content to just lead worship, after all, it affords me the opportunity to play and practice music on a regular basis, almost daily; but I’ve learned something over the years. I’ve learned that by sharing my love of music, it not only inspires and moves others but it increases my love for it. So here’s what that looks like for me:

In addition to leading worship through music, I instruct and lead other musicians and vocalists in assisting me do that. I teach guitar lessons as well. I look for opportunities outside my career of being a worship pastor to share music. Don’t tell anyone, but I actually play in nightclubs and bars on occasion! Just kidding about not telling….in fact tell everyone and check your local listings to see where I’m at and come on out! I also share by providing music and leadership at youth events, adult retreats and gatherings. I’ll come and play your private party, birthday or bar mitzvah too! All because I love music and each time I share that love with folks in any setting, it fans the flame inside of me, satisfies me to no end, and makes me want to do it even more.

And that is why God has given us each a passion for something - for us AND for others. It’s music for me, but it may be caring for orphan children for you, or working on cars, or mowing grass…it could be anything! But by pursuing it and sharing it, a couple things will happen. First off, you may hit your pillow at night completely exhausted from the pursuit of your passion, but you’ll be extremely content. Secondly, others will be blessed by your passion and will either benefit in some way from you sharing it with them or will be inspired to pursue their own. Maybe both!

I’d love to hear how your pursuit and sharing is going. I’m heading out tomorrow night to share with a group of youth at an overnight event. Two sets of music, one at 10:30pm another at 4am! Doesn’t that sound like fun!!! Being tired is a small trade off and one I’m willing to make. What about you?

Peace……

What Dreams May Come

2008-02-14T06:43:00.001-08:00

I’m sick today. It’s been coming on for a couple days and I feel officially crappy today.

This won’t be a long post, I just wanted to connect and let each of you know that I appreciate you. I may not know you, but I appreciate the time you take to read and respond to these posts.

Above that, I believe that as part of God’s creation, you are unique and full of potential to change this world for the better. So, as I head for home and bed to recoup…I pray that today, right now, you gain a sense of all that God has for you. Nothing is impossible for those who believe in Him. Your dreams, the desires of your heart, even ones you haven’t had yet – all await you...in Him. May you discover all of them.

Peace……

Life

2008-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all. I hope this finds you healthy and happy, two qualities I place great value in. First off, a disclaimer: I’m not really sure why I’m thinking along these lines today, perhaps it has something to do with the change going on in my life right now. Regardless, as always, I share my thoughts with you in hopes that you’ll share yours with me and let the conversation take off from there. Humor me……

In his sermon this week, my pastor alluded to the fact that he only has 5 months to preach. If you don’t remember, he and his wife have taken a position with a ministry that will take him out of the pulpit in June. (read about it the last post) I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that before, but it hit me on an emotional level…for him. After giving 30+ years to preaching, in June he will no longer prepare sermons for Sunday mornings – something I happen to know he loves to do. And I felt a sense of loss for him.

Now, I totally believe that God is going to fill his days with other things that are equally as fulfilling for him, but think about that for a moment. Could you do it? Would you do it? Voluntarily? And so, I began thinking along the lines of the make up one’s life. Yours, mine, no one in particular, just anyone. Here’s the simplified thought:

For practical purposes, let’s say that 75 years is the given span of one’s life. The first 1/3, or roughly 25 years is spent in discovery mode. You learn and you discover who you are, what your giftings are, and ideally, begin to position yourself to be true to those for your lifetime. You begin to make choices to help you find your place in this world with a sense of fulfillment using those gifts and skills you’ve discovered and acquired.

For the next 25 years (again a simplified estimate for theory’s sake), you use those skills and talents to better yourself and help others in the process. The skills you possess are valuable and marketable and in return for your time and effort, you secure an income and a sense of security. You may provide for a family or be part of a group that accomplishes great things that benefit mankind as a whole. This stage of life labels you a productive member of society. Don’t you hate labels?

And finally, the latter 1/3 of one’s life arrives and suddenly, an strange fork in the road appears. Many take the road to retirement, unplugging from the working world to rest and settle into a soft life. Not a bad choice if you can swing it. Yet others take a path that leads them to sharing with and investing in others the same skills that carried them to this point in life. A lot of time that looks the same as the middle 1/3 of life because it can be hard work, but the thought process of the person who takes this path is far different. They have achieved a level of comfort and security in their lives, and the motivation for the hard work at this point looks to the future; a sense of passing the baton, if you will. In some instances it resembles teaching, in others it’s the continuation of a business that will operate and succeed for years to come. In both respects, it’s a very giving attitude; you might say “blessed to be a blessing”.

Okay so there’s the thought, but what’s the point, right? For me it’s this: I believe our lives are not our own. We are created in the image of God to display His goodness, and pass it along. That can happen without wearing a pope hat, you know. Sadly, too many people relate the things of God to church and religion, and while the things of God are on display in those arenas, God doesn’t have any problem being part of your life and my life right now, at whatever stage, in whatever field we happen to be in. In fact, many times He shines brighter there.

So, whatcha think? Agree, disagree? Where are you at in this life theory? Are you having trouble finding your place? Perhaps you have a different theory…I’d love to hear it. May God show off in you and through you today, may those around you have no doubt He’s alive and well because of you.

Peace……

Winds Of Change

2008-01-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings all! Thank you so much for stopping by this corner of the internet, I’m always amazed at how far this little blog reaches in terms of geography. It’s really the coolest thing that I’m able to share some thoughts with not only the number of you who read, but in the states and even countries you connect from. The only time it gets better is when you connect and comment, and then it’s truly a global conversation.

Today's post has the same title a weekly newsletter I used to publish years ago did. I'd like to share with you some of the latest news in my world, because it seems the winds are picking up around here. Just this week, my pastor (senior pastor of our church) announced that he will be stepping down so that he and his wife can begin a new adventure ministering to others in ministry. It’s a very cool outfit called Sonscape, and the work they do is awesome, I encourage you to check them out for anyone you may know in ministry. In my opinion, part of the excitement for them is that my pastor’s wife can now truly step into a role that will allow her to use her gifts in a more pronounced way working with him. The role of a pastors wife is not one many women I know are lining up for.

So this hits me on a couple different levels. On a personal, selfish level I feel apprehension and fear of the certain change it will bring both professionally and personally. Questions like “Will the new pastor and me see eye to eye on worship?” A perfectly normal question since I’m the Worship Pastor, right? Will this new pastor have the vision and leadership that my family and I crave in a spiritual leader? A question we should all ask of those we allow to lead us spiritually. And the questions go on and on, but ultimately there is no answer to them for me now. In addition, my pastor is my friend. He and his family will be sorely missed for sure. You may have heard the saying, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.” (The “Who” being God Himself) In times like these, He is the only sure thing, and I need to stay close.

On a more philosophical level, which I tend to air out here in this forum; I’m excited, not just for them, but for those of us on staff and our church members. If you’ve read any of my posts, most of them contain a thread of how change really is the only constant of this life. And this is big change for my life - God is on the move! I’m sure it will bring new challenges that will require effort on my part to manage and overcome, and certainly an abundance of faith; but those are things that make me feel alive and connected to the One who gave me breath. And I know that challenges cause me to grow as well, something I need – growth that is. Let’s face it, many of us complain about the routine of our lives, we get bored with the same old, same old…. I won’t have that dilemma in the months to come! don't get me wrong, if I had a choice - this change wouldn't be happening - but I don't have that choice, so......

What about you? How do you view change? Do challenges excite you or make you cringe? I’d love to hear any words of wisdom….I may be needing lots of them. God’s grace to you and yours.

Peace……

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

Perhaps a few days late, but is it ever really too late to wish someone happiness? By now perhaps you’ve made your resolutions, maybe even kept them so far; but I simply wanted to share a few things you might find helpful in the new year.

I have to admit that 2007 was a tough year for my family and me. Some of it I’ve shared here, and some I’ve kept to myself – but trust me, 2007 won’t be remembered as one of my favorites. Regardless of that, I’ve persevered by standing on 3 simple things. Here they are:

Faith. When this life gets crazy and the stress of it begins to take it’s toll on me; remembering that there is One who is in control of it all helps – even if I don’t understand it. Another way I’ve heard this said is, “There is a God and you are not Him.” I need to believe in something bigger than myself because, as I’ve said before, my own best efforts have resulted in running things in the ditch, a place I don’t much like being.

Hope. This one builds on the first actually. It helps to build hope when you believe in the One who holds the future. This life and world we live in doesn’t offer much lasting hope, it’s all very temporary at best. Real hope doesn’t exist in tangible things. No, real hope exists in the heart which holds your thoughts, ideas and dreams. To have hope means to have a future. Keep your hope alive at all costs.

Love. What can I say? Love is the driving force in this life. I believe it fuels most all of human interaction whether it’s seeking it, returning it, dealing with losing it, etc.; it’s a powerful motivator. But more than that, it is life sustaining. When things get tough for me, the love of family and friends is the most comforting thing in the world. It doesn’t change situations much, but it lets me know I’m not alone. And when I think that God sent His Son to die for my junk just so I can be with Him for eternity, well….there is no greater love I know.

So, for 2008 I not only wish you a “happy” new year, but one filled with much faith, hope and love as well. See you down the path.

Peace……

Processing

2007-12-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

Good day friends. Please forgive today’s post for it’s utter selfishness, but I just need to process this stuff and blogging it helps.

So a friend calls me this morning and shares with me that someone we both know and love has passed away overnight, and in the wake of the phone call I’m left with an overwhelming sense of sadness. You may think that’s perfectly normal, and I guess it is, but I’m sad for me and for you.

After I prayed for my friend and we hung up the phone, all the plans of my day, of which there were many, seemed so insignificant; and yet when I left my house (before the phone call) they were so important. And if I’m honest, every day of my life is like that – filled with activity that ultimately is trivial.

May I remind you that my life’s work is sharing the hope and power of One who I believe gives us eternal life, and I regularly share that hope and comfort in funerals and memorial services so death is a known reality for me. It’s never been something I’ve feared or didn’t want to think about it, it’s a reality I’m okay with. But today, for whatever reason - in light of this particular death, it’s our lives that are saddening me.

I could go on and on, but I guess what I’m needing to say today is that life is temporary. I need to evaluate every moment and be very intentional about how I’m spending it. My stuff will get done today I’m sure, but if for some reason it doesn’t, I don’t’ think it will bother me so much……not today.

I pray for you reading this that each moment of your life is filled with unbelievable joy, unshakable peace, and deep abiding love. His name is Jesus.

Peace……

How's Your Christmas?

2007-12-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

As I face another Christmas celebration at church, I brace myself for the rigorous schedule. I think of the huge investments of time and energy that go into it. I quietly wonder if we're really getting our money's worth out of all this, spiritually speaking. What does Christ think of our Christmas celebrations anyway? How much of it is even pleasing to Him? After all, isn’t He the very reason we have Christmas?

Remember that He is the One who saw straight through empty words and ceremony. He was absolutely ruthless toward such "praise". His quotation of Isaiah 29:13 is never from from my thoughts as a Worship Pastor:

These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain. (Matthew 15:8-9, NIV)

When the disciples were impressed by the beauty of the Temple, Jesus spoke of God's displeasure and foretold its complete destruction. He was a bit upset as He condemned the Pharisees for their pomp and pride. They made a show of their religion while ignoring what matters most to God.

Instead, Jesus connected with and was impressed by the faith of a widow, the honesty of a prostitute and the plight of the beggar. He gently rebuked His good friend Martha for her well-intentioned busy-ness. Her sister Mary had chosen the only thing that was needed: to sit and quietly listen at the Lord's feet (Luke 10:38-42, NIV).

What would this Jesus think of our Christmas celebrations?

Instead of pointing fingers though, what would He think of my Christmas celebrations? That's the real question, not my church's activity. All true worship takes place in the heart, so if true worship is lacking, the problem is in me.

In spite of all the "religious activity" that goes on, I've found that Christmas can be a tough time spiritually. Sadly, I must admit that often this time of year too little happens between God and me; too little real celebration of what He has done, too little true worship, too little heart-to-heart with my Father, but plenty of activity. If nothing is happening in my heart, what good is any of the celebrating?

So this year I’m asking, “God how can I give this Christmas to You? How can I be sure that my activity is pleasing to You?”

What about you, how’s your Christmas going?

Peace……

Thanks

2007-11-20T07:20:00.000-08:00

Greetings, I hope this finds you well. I also hope it finds you in a place where Thanksgiving is truly a celebration for you, whatever that looks like. I really think that all these years (centuries) later since it’s inception, Thanksgiving has morphed into something far from its original intent. It can be stressful for many, sad for others – certainly something other than a celebration.

If I am honest, I have to admit that I am often focused on what’s not quite right in my life or things I’d like to have changed rather than being thankful for all the blessings in my life – it seems to be my nature. So right up front I’m thankful for Thanksgiving. It allows me a time to stop and reflect – a time to take stock of just how fortunate I am. And if you are familiar with me at all, you know exactly Who I give credit to for all of it.

The short version of my story is that left to my own devices, my best thinking seems to drive my life in the ditch every time. Only when I seek God and His will for my life do I see anything that resembles goodness. It’s just that simple – He’s good, I’m not.

So today, this week, whenever you find yourself reading this I encourage you to take time to take stock. The very fact you are reading this is something to be thankful for on so many levels. And know this; you are among the many things I’m grateful for. I really appreciate you and the time you take to read and respond to this blog. Sharing ourselves with one another makes life a little more bearable; at the very least it helps us to know we are not alone in this. May God’s blessings be abundant in your life.

Peace……

The True You

2007-11-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

“To thine own self be true…..”

Most of us are familiar with this quote taken from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but how many of us know the rest of the verse: “And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou can not then be false to any man.” The thought being that unless we can be true to ourselves first, we cannot be true to others. In my opinion, self-awareness, knowing one’s self or being “true” about who we are is critical to every relationship we have.

In my last post I shared that my wife and I just celebrated 20 years of marriage. I think the reason we made 20 years has something to do with this thought. Had we given our lives to one another at the cost of losing who we are as individuals in the process would have led to distress on both our parts. When we allow someone else to define who we are, we lose our ability to discover and grow inwardly. But accepting one another for who we are and growing together has been a wonderful journey, one I highly recommend.

Truth….truth is a word that brings out such negative reactions to many of us. In fact it seems to be becoming more and more subjective everyday – what’s true for me may not be true for you, etc. But that kind of thinking makes even the ground we’re standing on start shifting. Webster defines truth as “conformity to fact”. Facts aren’t subjective; they're pretty black and white. Perception on the other hand, is very subjective, but it doesn’t change the facts or the truth. Many will debate the truth while in fact, they are really arguing their perception of something, but again it doesn’t change the truth.

For example, I could perceive myself as being 6’10” tall with an incredible inside move to the hoop and show up at the Dallas Mavericks training camp for tryouts. However, it won’t take long for the truth to bear witness to the fact that I’m 5’7” and might sink a free throw every now and then. In the same way, not being honest to myself about my strengths and weaknesses will put me in difficult situations in life as well. It will cause my relationships to be built upon falsehoods that will ultimately lead to hurt feelings and emotional rifts.

Unfortunately too many of us are less than honest with others about who we are. Somewhere along life’s path we learn to put on masks and claim that everything’s fine or pretend things don’t affect us. Do they teach that stuff in school? I suppose it stems from the idea that anything less than that would look like weakness to others. The reality, the facts, the truth is that when we live our lives that way, our lives become false and empty. That creates problems that none of us really need. The truth solves a bunch of that “stuff”.

The second part of this verse is a natural occurrence if we hold true to the first part of the verse, but it begins within one’s self. So, when in doubt as to our motives of not being truthful with someone….look inside and ask, are we being less than truthful to ourselves?

”This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
Shakespeare - Hamlet

Peace……

Sharing

2007-10-18T13:27:00.000-07:00

Greetings to my friends around the globe who take time to read this. I apologize for the gap in consistency lately, but if you’ll read back a few posts, you’ll see I’ve experienced some life changing events recently and finding a routine has been difficult. Not to make excuses however, you keep reading and sharing and I’ll keep writing.

With that said, depending on when you read this, I could very well be on a beach in the Caribbean. As the saying goes, “Wish you were here”. In just a few short days my wife and I celebrate 20 years of marriage with an additional 5 year courtship thrown in for good measure. As the applause dies down, I need to tell you that equals more than half my life I’ve shared with the same person. I can’t even begin to share all we’ve seen and done together; the joy, the sadness, the miraculous and the mundane, tears, laughter, children (life), funerals (death)…..the stuff of life. It’s been an incredible 25 years and I can honestly say that I love her more now.

But I’m not here to promote marriage, even though I’m an advocate; rather I’m here to sing the praise of having someone, anyone, to share your life with. It could be a friend, it could be a counselor, etc.; the point is that the human heart and soul wasn’t made to go through life alone. There is a built in need to share and process with others. In fact, scientific studies have shown that people who have strong, long lasting friendships are generally healthier and live longer than those who don’t - given other health related factors being equal.

Lifechurch.tv, an emerging, video venue church with locations across the country and even around the world now (just launched locations in 2 foreign countries); proved this point in an astonishing way recently. As a way to get people connected and involved in a series about the secrets we all have, they invited folks to connect to a website and share anonymously the stuff nobody else knew about them. Amazingly, within the first two weeks they had over 5000 “confessions”; ranging from affairs and embezzlement, to bulimia and just plain doubt and fear. People need to share.

And it’s not just the stuff we’re ashamed of either. Its sunsets and walks, it’s how you feel at a given moment, it’s your hopes and dreams – that stuff has to be shared. I’d challenge you to try and prove me wrong by going 90 days without sharing a single thought with anyone, but I know where you’d end up - you’d be miserable. The life around you with all its wonder (the people, the scenery, etc.) would simply become a backdrop for your comings and goings. Your hopes and dreams would wither and become mocking reminders of failure while despondency would soon set in as you begin to believe that no one even wants to hear about how you feel. You see, sharing one’s life with others is part of living; the alternative slowly snuffs it out.

It’s why counseling actually helps people. The simple exercise of voicing the thoughts we carry within ourselves has an incredible way of enabling us to gain awareness and understanding of what motivates us, or why we’re feeling the way we are. Just the opportunity to express an emotion or feeling without judgment in return can be freeing.

I count myself very fortunate to celebrate such an anniversary with someone I’ve shared more than half my life with. I pray that you too have someone, anyone that you can share a moment or two with. And as always, I’d love to have you share with me.

Peace……

Grass Mowing and More

2007-09-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Good day to you and yours friends. Thank you for stopping by and reading this blog. If you find any value in it at all, please pass it along to someone you know. As always, this forum exists for conversation. While I really appreciate all of you who read this, I’m really looking for comments, dialogue….I want to know what your experience is. Life is, or should be – a shared journey. Look around, it’s no accident we’re surrounded by billions of other people. We weren’t intended to go through life alone, and when we take time to listen to others, the potential exists for us to learn and grow, to become better people because of time and thoughts shared with others. So, here’s what’s on my mind….

Earlier this week, I mowed my yard for the first time since my medical procedure, that would be some 3 ½ weeks ago now. Fortunately, I was blessed to have a friend send over a yard crew a couple weeks back so I wasn’t facing a complete jungle. But with edging, the hedges needing attention and the front and back yard to mow, I knew it would be quite a task – especially since I hadn’t been “released” by my doctor to resume such activity until just a couple days earlier. I am happy to report things went well, no problems. It took a little longer because I intentionally took my time so I didn’t “over do” it, but all is good – I felt fine every step of the way.

Now here’s where I might lose you, but I enjoy mowing my yard. Yes it’s work, but unlike other things in my life, I enjoy immediate results when I do it. The payoff for the effort is very clear, it’s the same reason I don’t mind ironing my own clothes, but that’s another story I guess. I suppose I’m merely a product of the society I live in – instant coffee, microwave cooking, convenience stores, etc. The western culture really caters to such a mentality. You want it…you got it.

However, I’ve found that the really important things in my life don’t exist in the parameters of this mindset. I’m talking about the relationships in my life, which I consider the most valuable things I have. There’s not one of them that I can put forth an effort into and see immediate results. Yes, my wife and children respond to kind words and acts of love and affection, and don’t forget gifts…they like gifts too! But those things don’t make a relationship, time does. And it’s over the course of time that my friends and family really come to know me. And the relationships in my life that last are the ones that after we know each other, I mean really know each other warts and all, we still care about each other. And the only way to do that is over time.

Which brings me to my most important relationship, the one above all the rest, my relationship with God. It’s been my longest and most consistent, not on my part mind you, but on His. I’ve left Him, I’ve comeback, I’ve ignored Him, I’ve acted like I never knew Him and he still loves me, period. I don’t have to jump through hoops, I don’t have to act a certain way, I don’t have to do anything, and He loves me. I wish I was as consistent.

He’s done incredible, miraculous things in my life – saving me from a drug addiction and allowing doctors to find a huge problem with my heart before it was damaged or killed me, just to name a couple. And yet, often times I find myself viewing our relationship like I do my lawn - I want to put forth the effort and see immediate results. Our relationship doesn’t work that way, and really I’m glad it doesn’t.

I don’t want a Santa Claus who I hand my wish list to, or a slot machine that I take my chances with. I want to know the heart of my Creator. I want to know who He believes I am and what I’m capable of. And I want to be able to see others around me the way He sees them as well. And that only happens over time.

Yes, I’ve known His power when my drug addiction was gone in an instant. Yes, I’ve seen His mercy when doctors said, “You are a very lucky man, most people don’t go home from this.” But it’s only over time that I discover His faithfulness to provide for me, His love that doesn’t stop when I’m an absolute jerk, and His Spirit that gives me strength and guides me when I seek Him.

I’m not here to try to convince you to believe in God, not my job. I just want to share with you my experience. More than anything, I hope you have relationships in your life that are meaningful. Because after all, the satisfaction I get from mowing grass doesn’t last that long. In fact….I think I hear it growing now!

What’s your experience?

Peace……

Dream On

2007-09-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings blog friends! News of my demise has been greatly exaggerated – to quote someone famous, but I am feeling much better. And as of yesterday all my doctors have given me the “all clear” to resume some activities I’ve had to restrict while recovering such as taking walks, playing tennis, mowing the grass, etc. Some of those activities I’ve looked forward to more than others, but regardless, it’s good to get back to “normal”.

I’ve started reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Erwin McManus. He ranks as one of my favorites because his books always speak to our humanity and it’s connectedness to God, which pretty much sums up my belief system. Anyway, the book is called “Soul Cravings” and it’s written in a journal entry style that allows the reader to take it in small bites (a good thing). I won’t give you the whole synopsis of the book, you’ll just have to trust me that it’s good or click the link and check it out.

A particular entry got me going the other day that I wanted to share with you. It’s about the part of our nature that enables, or perhaps causes us to dream beyond our present reality. It’s that “something” that cause an infant to pull itself up on its feet to walk and dare to take a step when all it’s ever known is crawling. Or what is that makes children believe they can become Olympic athletes, firemen, astronauts, or anything beyond what they experience as reality? Listen to McManus:

“All of us long to be something more than we are. We are driven to achieve, moved to accomplish, fueled by ambition. It burns hotter in some than in others, but it is within all of us. We’re all searching for our unique purpose, our divine destiny, or simply a sense of significance or some measure of success. When we are optimistic about the future, we find the energy to create it”.
“We may disagree violently about what success is; we may even change our own minds about what makes our lives actually significant. But all of us are united in our desperate attempt to make a future for ourselves. We all desperately want to achieve something, to accomplish something; we just don’t know what. Worse than that, we don’t even understand why. Yet that doesn’t stop us from searching.”
“All of us have dreams. More than that, all of us need dreams. Some of us sadly are just sleeping through them.”

Every one of us held a dream that was beyond our reality at some point in our lives, I believe our Creator – God, places them in us. Some of us are fortunate enough to still be pursuing those dreams but far too many of us are asleep. We begin living in “reality” and are lulled into merely existing instead of living. I believe with all my heart (new and improved, by the way) that real living – the kind God intended for us involves moving towards those dreams.

I close with this encouragement…

wake up.

Peace……

This Moment

2007-09-08T07:59:00.001-07:00

Greetings. It’s been quite some time since my last post in which I stated that I was taking a break to focus on some neglected areas of my life. Since then, quite a bit has happened; life is really funny that way. But today I share the most recent turn in my personal journey. Some of you may have heard, others will read this with surprise, and for that I’m sorry but this is the easiest form of mass communication I have. But since part of my mission here is to have us share our journey of life with one another, please indulge me.

Many of you know that I lead worship at a large church in West Texas, which I did last Sunday as usual. However, it turned out to be anything but a usual Sunday. I woke up experiencing some chest pain that morning, but nothing so extreme to keep me from doing what I love to do most; so off to church I went. The pain never really left during the morning, and at the urging of some dear friends, and a loving wife, I went to the medical clinic after services. Long story short – I was released from the hospital Wednesday after having 4 stints placed in 3 arteries of my heart. The main artery was 100% blocked, the secondary 80%, and a “diagonal” artery was blocked as well. The doctors say that most people don’t go home from something like that, in fact, they refer to the blockage of the main artery as “The Widow Maker”.

Have I told you about the God I serve before? He loves showing off His power, which I believe He did in me this past week. I’m so thankful for a loving family, caring friends and doctors who are skilled, but according to what I was told, something (Someone) else was at work in this. I’m feeling better each day and recovery is in sight.

If I’ve gleaned anything from this experience it is this: this moment is all I have. I am not guaranteed tomorrow or even later today. I’m sure you’ve heard that before, probably to the point of nauseousness, but take it from someone who has lived it quite vividly this week. I chose this moment to share with you my journey in hopes that it might cause you to engage your life fully, no longer waiting for the “what ifs” and “if onlys” to happen or letting the fear of failure to stop you. Failing is merely a reflection of an effort put forth, and if I die today…I’ll die trying. What about you?

Let me close by saying that I’m glad to be back, figuratively and literally! Enjoy the moment.

Peace……

Balance

2007-07-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

This post will serve as notice for all of you faithful readers of my end of Summer hiatus. Next week I leave for some much needed R&R on a secluded beach, and following my return, I will be devoting my time to some important items that I've been neglecting. If all goes well, perhaps these posts will pick up again in late August.

The need for balance is paramount to all of us. A well balanced life leads to a happier, healthier life in my humble opinion. Surely you've heard the saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Well, it's true. But in this day and age we define dull as depressed, on edge, sick, etc. Us humans need rest, we also need variety to stimulate our senses.

So as I set out to re-balance things in my world, I encourage you to do the same. Maybe it won't involve a secluded beach for you, but something as simple as watching a sunset might do wonders for you. Let me know how it goes.

Peace......

Go!

2007-07-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore once said, "You can't cross a sea by merely staring into the water." At first glance, that may seem really obvious. But how many people do you know who seem to be in a perpetual state of preparation? Maybe it's you.

Short and sweet today: change only comes with action. Wishing for it doesn't get it done. There are things in all of our lives that need changing. Habits, situations, relationships, etc. Some big, some minor, but all important. Perhaps you can't even see what change might look like; it's as vast as any ocean you've ever seen, but you feel it in your soul that it's necessary. Use that feeling as fuel for action.

I happen to know that right now, Jesus waits to hear from you, and He can change everything you need changed. Perhaps your first action is to talk with Him. Don't wait...go!

Peace......

A Little Help

2007-06-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

If you read this blog with any regularity, you know how often I write about change. In fact, about every other post has been change related. The reason: I believe that this life we live is simply a progression of changes that takes us from birth to death and beyond. From the physical changes that occur with our bodies as we age, to the mental processes that allow us to “mature” and function in a society that expects a certain level of civilized behavior; as I’ve said before – change is constant.

Then there are the moments of lucidity along the way that enable us to gain a little traction on our journey. Oprah calls them “breakthrough” moments, I’ve heard them described as “ah-ha” moments as well. Those times when we see things clearly and are able to change a behavior or understand how things are really affecting us. Usually, those times are life changing, because we finally see something for the first time and fully realize the impact it’s having on us and our lives and because of that new point of view, can make a course correction that forever changes us. Counselors and therapists are trained in helping you discover those. I purposely write this blog to hopefully get you thinking in those kinds of directions.

But today, I write about a different kind of change – changing someone else’s life. What if you could radically altar someone’s future for the better, would you? What if just a little money, the cost of a meal out, could help someone be successful at the work they do, would you help? Read on……

I have long believed in helping others, it’s a central point of the faith I profess. But I must tell you that I often wrestle with the effectiveness of the help I give. I work in an area that often sends teams of missionaries around the world to underdeveloped countries to help build or give medical treatment, or just spend time with orphans; you know – being Jesus in the flesh, meeting people at the point of their need. However, I have always had trouble in my own mind reconciling the amount of money it takes to get a single person from this country to another, to spend what amounts to a few days laying bricks or driving nails, or whatever the scenario is; and how helpful that really is. Listen closely here: I am not condemning those who do this or the ministry that comes from it, I’m only saying that in my own mind I have trouble justifying it, period. There is no doubt that lives are touched on such trips and I encourage you to do that if you feel led.

A dear friend of mine told me years ago to “maximize my ministry”. In other words, spend your energy on those things that have the greatest impact. For some time, the thoughts in my mind have been that if there was a way to put that money (the cost of getting me somewhere and back) in the hands of the people I was going to help, it could change their lives even more. So today I want to share with you something I’ve found that does just that.

Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (it’s called microfinance). By doing so, people like you provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty. These people are already working at changing their lives and most would pay exorbitant interest rates if they were able to obtain loans from sources in their countries. The money you loan is offered to them at greatly reduced interest, enabling them to succeed. I encourage you to check out the website and educate yourself about it, I think it could change the world, or at least offer a little help to someone.

Kiva.org will take the top spot on my link list to the right. You choose whether or not it has place in your life. My family is pretty excited about this too. We spend an evening now and again, choosing who we’re going to help, we keep their names in a journal and pray for them regularly. For me and my house, this makes sense in our minds at this point in our lives, and if you know me at all, you gotta know that could change, right? I’d love to hear your thoughts about this.

Peace……

You Matter

2007-06-21T06:35:00.001-07:00

To be known is the cry of many a heart. In our western culture we call it celebrity. We consider people famous for achievements that are ultimately petty and meaningless. But even those of us who will never see our names in a headline or mentioned around a water cooler have an inner need that longs for recognition.

The need be recognized and affirmed that one matters haunts so many and drives us to behavior that oftentimes resembles a train wreck. Sometimes in very public ways that cause others to scratch their heads and ask, “What were they thinking?” Most often though, it’s subtle and goes unnoticed by much of society as we put in the extra effort and hours working for employers who never seem to notice, leaving loved ones at home wondering if they matter to us. Or tie ourselves in emotional knots trying to prove our “goodness” to parents who never learned how to affirm us. This need, this desire, this void in all of us can be insidious, and cause frustration in our lives.

I have good news for all of us. We do matter and we are important. So much so, that the One who created us saw our deepest need – the need for salvation and eternal life – and died to give it to us. And He wants to tell us every day how much He loves us, if we’ll listen. Take time today to stop, step off the path you’ve been running on, and listen for His voice. It may not be something you hear with your ears, but deep within your soul, you will know it’s Him. God loves us with a love we cannot understand or comprehend. It isn’t conditional, it doesn’t keep a record of our mistakes and it never ends.

I’m praying for you today to know that love. To know how much you matter to Him.

I’m rather fond of you too, in my human-bound, finite understanding of it all. ;o)

Peace……

Change Is Constant

2007-06-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Hope you’re having a great week like I am. I must tell you though that I’m tired, but it’s a good tired. Ever been there? I hope so because the fatigue usually comes from putting forth a good effort and getting a good return for it. In the midst of it - it may be tough, but at the end of it - it’s usually very satisfying. Let me share my week and I hope you’ll share yours.

I have 2 out of 3 girls that still live at home. However, one is in college and spends about eight months out of the house at a campus across state, but still has a room at home. Until now, it’s been the bigger of the 2 girl’s rooms. The time has come for the youngest to occupy the larger space, another transition is at hand! Granted, it’s coming much too late according to the youngest, but the time has come.

In preparation for “the move”, new paint colors where scoured over and chosen last weekend. With great excitement, they made their way to the paint store with their mother and purchased the new hues that would adorn the walls of their new living spaces. With absolute giddiness, they arrived home to show me these wonderful bright, very “girly” colors. While not my cup of tea, I expressed my approval of their choices and exclaimed to their mother that now was the time to make “the list” of things that needed to be done before painting could begin. Obvious things like cleaning, removing wall hanging, filling holes, preparing the surfaces, etc. And while not too extensive, completing the list would require probably a full day’s effort to complete.

Well, you’d have thought I killed the family dog from the looks I got from my children. Apparently, in their minds, the “work” had been done – the color was picked! From their reaction, the list I made could have been written in a foreign language, because it made no sense to them at all. What was all this other “stuff”?! The process that I had outlined had never entered their minds in relation to exchanging rooms. Blame it on all the home improvement shows that never really capture the amount of “work” it takes to transform a space, blame it on their youthful exuberance for something new and exciting, or blame it on me ‘cause I’m an ogre (I actually think that crossed their minds)…regardless, it rained on their parade a little.

Fast forward to today – one room is completely finished, the other will be done before I hit the pillow tonight, dad’s tired from working day and night, mom’s tired of the mess and chaos and 2 girls are returning to giddy. It’s been a good week and one that is my entire life compressed into 7 days, maybe yours too.

God knows me because He created me. He sees what I can be. Jesus has picked out my new colors and has begun the work, the “list” if you will that needs to be completed in my life to get the new color on my walls. I get frustrated that it takes so long, and often I’m sitting in mess and chaos. But day by day, I see progress. Progress leads to hope, hope gives way to sight and I begin to see the vision God has for me. When I choose to lend a hand to help, or at the very least get out of the way – progress comes quicker.

Occasionally, people notice the changes that are occurring and I become aware of just how much in my life is different. And I stop and thank God with all my heart. I’m committed to becoming all that God sees in me, which means there’s still plenty of work to be done in me. Which is why it’s the absolute truth that change is constant? What do you think?

Peace……

I Wonder......

2007-06-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

I find myself wondering today (aloud here, as it were), “Can people really follow Jesus in an authentic, real, and sustainable way in the ‘American’ church?” I suppose the perplexing part is that I work in an American church. And I’m perfectly happy doing so, but……

Following Jesus doesn’t seem to always fit into the programmed, pre-packaged, organized, systematic, time-regulated, have all the answers for all your questions box that far too many American churches seem to operate in.

Perhaps you’d agree that life is difficult. Even if you’re not personally dealing with pain and struggle in your life, I bet you know someone who is. Or at least have heard of the pain and suffering that goes on around the country and the world. What happens when the stuff in the church box doesn’t have any affect on those situations? What happens when “doing all the right ‘church stuff’” doesn’t change any of it one bit?

I’ll tell you what happens because I’ve seen it over the course of my career. People get disillusioned and lose hope in something they were told makes a difference in their lives. They stop going to church because the people there are no different than anywhere else, and apart from meetings that take up space on their calendars, it has no impact on their lives.

I’m not claiming to have an answer to my original question, in fact I’m wondering myself. I am not disillusioned or losing hope, but I wonder. I wonder out loud to you to see what your thoughts are. I know this for a fact:

Jesus radically changed 12 guys that decided to hang out with Him for a few years. Those 12 guys were so changed that their friends and families noticed and became changed as well. And on and on it went. More than 2000 years later, Christianity – the belief that Jesus is the Christ (Savior) continues to change lives, mine included. I know in my heart that the difference is a relationship with the person of Jesus, and not just “doing all the right church stuff”, but does everyone else?

What about you? Do you have any experience with church - life changing or no? What about Jesus? Does it make a difference in your life? Would your friends and family agree? I’d love to hear from you.

Peace......

Bye Bye Biker

2007-05-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Well it’s happened. I sold my motorcycle and rejoined the ranks of 4-wheeled transportation. It was a calculated transaction that’s time had come. And while I’m going to miss it, it’s okay. You see, while most bike owners have them as “toys” or something to ride occasionally, it was my sole source of transportation. We’ve been a 1 car / 1 bike family for 2 solid years, and while my wife enjoyed riding with me on a trip or two; her preference for leather seats, air-conditioning, tinted windows, sunroof and multi-disc CD player usually got her nod.

So, “Why the change?” you ask. Our family situation warranted it. My youngest daughter will start driving soon, and guess who’s the driving instructor? Yes, it’s my honor, but not on a motorcycle! And while the motorcycle brought me great joy, even in my daily commute to work, at this particular time in my life – a change is required. I would love to have kept the motorcycle, but my income doesn’t allow me to have toys of that caliber.

I’ve blogged before about change, but the willingness to change course when necessary is the point of my blog today. Not everyone is willing. Many are stubborn, or determined might be a kinder word, and refuse to change even when confronted with overwhelming data that makes it obvious a change is needed. Some folks go through life perpetually frustrated because they feel they just can’t get a break from circumstances in their lives, when actually a simple change of direction on their part might help things go their way. If I may, I’d like to share a few ideas that could help all of us make the changes we need to in life.

The first concept is the ability to see outside yourself. While it’s true that we never know what tomorrow will bring; through evaluation, we can estimate where our current course is taking us. Tunnel vision isn’t an asset and shouldn’t be confused with focus; it’s not the same. Be willing to draw back and take an unbiased look at what’s really going on in your situation.

Secondly, is feedback from friends, or as I stated in my last blog – counsel. I have stated in the past and firmly believe that we need one another, and the sooner we learn to help and receive help, the better off we’ll be. We can’t go through life without our actions affecting others; a person who is self-aware takes note of that. Do you bless others or does it seem people avoid you? Even without asking for a verbal opinion, how others respond to you is a clue as to how they view you. People are naturally drawn to others who are honest, fair, and have hope and purpose.

The Holy Spirit is whom I’d like to share with you lastly. It’s been my experience that when things get tough in my life, when I have to work really hard to make the simplest things happen, it’s usually the Spirit speaking to me that a course correction is needed. Conversely, when things are going well, blessings are coming my way and even difficult things are handled with ease; the Spirit confirms in my heart that I’m on track.

So what about you? Are you willing to change when it’s necessary? Do you always know when you need to? Do you listen to counsel from friends? Do you know the Holy Spirit, is He a part of your life? I’d love to hear from you about it. And I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s time to get my next motorcycle!

Peace……

Counsel

2007-05-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

Good day to you my friends. Been a couple weeks since I last blogged and the cause for the delay is the usual suspects, the busyness of life and yes…the weather. The continued rain in my area of the world has posed certain daily challenges for a guy who rides a motorcycle every day. But that’s not what I came to blog about today.

Counsel is what I’m talking about. Not counsel such as Denny Crane, the quirky lawyer portrayed by William Shatner in one of my more liked television programs Boston Legal. But then again, the premise is the same. The definition found at www.yourdictionary.com is as follows: n. 1. The act of exchanging opinions and ideas; consultation. 2. Advice or guidance, especially as solicited from a knowledgeable person. The second definition is where I’m headed today.

As I contemplated this subject, I found it rather ironic that my view on this has changed during the course of my life; perhaps your experience has been similar. As a young man, before I had left the care of my parents, advice and guidance was the last thing I wanted, from them especially. I am now on the other side of that coin, and one of the most common phrases I hear from my own teenager is, “You just don’t get it!” I used to feel that way…a lot. In fact, that feeling led me to drug use and addiction. I was convinced that no one could possibly relate or know how I felt and the drugs were an escape and way to numb the emotions and feelings I didn’t know what to do with. More correctly stated – the emotions and feelings I wouldn’t share with anyone.

I now have a completely opposite view of advice and guidance; I know the importance of counsel. Accepting sound counsel helped me to walk away from drugs. Accepting counsel keeps me from walking away from family, friends and situations that get tough. Good counsel is priceless, and can be found in many different places, not just a lawyer to represent you in a court of law. But for the record, I recommend one should you find yourself there.

People who love you often give good counsel because they care about you; they want what’s best for you. Teenagers would do well to learn that lesson early on. There are times in life when a professional counselor may be warranted, a completely neutral voice viewing your situation from the sidelines can give you a perspective you may not have considered. One of my favorite counselors is the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus was crucified, he told those he spent time with that after him would come a helper, a counselor – the Holy Spirit who would lead, strengthen and guide us. I’ve found that to be true.

And the coolest part is that because it’s a spirit thing, that spirit appears in those I love, my family and friends, people who appear in my life and help me. God, in His infinite love for me moves among those I come in contact with and does what He said He would – never leaves me alone. I challenge you today to open your spiritual eyes and look for the counselor that God has promised you, and then listen. I’m sure good advice or guidance is sure to come.

Peace……

Would You Share?

2007-04-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings to you today, I hope this finds you well. What a couple of weeks it’s been since I last blogged. Tragedy at Virginia Tech, storms that have impacted lives across the country including my own brother’s neighborhood in Flower Mound, Texas; all in contrast to the peaceful and much needed getaway I had last weekend that left me feeling rested and re-invigorated.

I just deleted three paragraphs of type that I began to write this morning when I was struck with this thought: What are you thinking?

If you’re a regular to this blog, you know that it’s my stream of consciousness that I share, warts and all, hoping to elicit your thoughts on any given subject. But as I typed today, I was more compelled with what may be on your mind than what was on mine. Remember, presently I am rested and re-invigorated (no axe to grind, nothing bugging me, etc.), I’m sure that will change, but for now……

So, do you dare share what’s on your mind? Yes, I really want to know. It doesn’t have to be philosophical or even important (who decides that anyway?), just share. I don’t mind using this space to create dialogue; it’s really the intended goal to begin with. But today instead of prompting you with my thoughts, I want to turn the tables – prompt me with yours.

This could be fun……if your dare share.

Peace……

Words

2007-04-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings to you from my corner of the world to yours; I hope this finds you well.

Words. Tools of communication, simply a function of humanity you may say. But may I suggest that words go far beyond these simplistic meanings. Unless you live under a rock, or somehow manage to live beyond the drone of news and the public spotlight (and good for you if you do), you may have noticed that the story of “Who’s Anna’s Baby’s Daddy?” is being replaced by a “Don Imus Fired For Remarks” frenzy. I won’t link to a particular story because they are so rampant right now, and most are filled with opinion on who’s right and who’s wrong. I’m not going to add to the fray of that debate, I’d like to focus on words.

Words have the power to build up or tear down. In Don Imus’ case, for thirty years he has built a career on the words he’s spoken, and yet in a single moment, words ended his career. I’m sure he’ll rebound, but consider the impact his words are having right now.

If you’ve read the Bible, you know that God spoke and life was created. He called things into being. We are made in His image, and our words are just as powerful. We can build others up, including ourselves, with our words; or we can tear others down. We can speak words of life or we can utter curses. There is power in our words.

I write this blog because I believe in the power of words. I write words of encouragement and send them into cyberspace hoping to change someone’s outlook. We’ve all had days where just a word from someone completely changed our perspective on something or helped us make it through a tough time. Words can be a cool drink in a long hot and dry season. Words can be hope when things seem bleak. Words can give life. Words can also be damning and cutting. Words can condemn and convict. Words can crush a spirit and kill a dream. Words are powerful.

I’m having lunch today with a young man who recently started working with me to share with him what a great job he’s been doing. When I called him early in the week to see if he was free for lunch, he asked if I was going to fire him already…..somewhere in his past, he’s heard words that leave him doubting. We all have, and they’ve left their mark.

I want you hear these words today more than anything else: You are a beloved child of God. You may find yourself in a situation surrounded by people who don’t value you at all. But you need to understand that your situation and those people don’t define you, your Creator does, and He’s crazy in love with you. There is nothing He won’t do to be in relationship with you. He longs to hear from you and wants to be part of your life. He has a plan and purpose for you beyond anything you’ve ever imagined. He has words of life He is waiting to speak to you if you’ll just ask Him.

In closing, let me say that while I don’t even know many of you who read this, I value you and am so thankful that you stop by. I hope this day is a good one for you.

Peace……

Rain

2007-03-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

I'm watching it rain again today. In my corner of the world, which is usually very dry, it's been raining quite a bit over the last week to ten days. And you wouldn't believe how the plant life is responding. If it was dry enough, I would have to mow about every 3-4 days to keep my lawn looking "normal". Because it's wet, it looks a little bushy. The trees are getting leaves so fast I swear you can hear them growing. Flowers are following suit and of course, so are the weeds. Life is breaking out everywhere you look. And it's caused me to ponder....shocking, huh?

In a place where it's normally pretty dry, keeping up with mowing the grass isn't usually an issue. But a little rain, which is a life giving substance for plants, has changed the landscape for now. It's green and growing, where most of the time it's a more brownish hue without the help of a sprinkler system. Life for me is like that too.

Over the years, I have found myself in places of growth and in places of needing a "sprinler system" just to maintain. It's important for me to recognize the situation I'm in and make adjustments in order to keep growing, which happens to be a goal of mine. And because it's not as simple as "raindrops falling on my head", I have to know the difference between those things that give me life and those things that drain it.

One of the life giving things in my life is my family; to be able to give and receive love with my wife and children makes me feel alive. Friends are another important part of life for me. Now I don't have a bunch of really close friends, but the few I do have are important to me, and much like my family - the giving and receiving that friendship offers is important. Next is an outlet for my passions and talents. I consider myself very fortunate that my job affords me the opportunity to utilize and share certain talents I have and pursue those passions that I've carried all my life. There are other, more trivial things that enregize me from time to time such as camping, a great meal, etc.; but I think you get the idea.

The draining things in my life come in the form of stress, fatigue, hopelessness, etc. The hard part is identifying those things in my life that lead to those feelings. Example: trying to love and support a family member (which if you remember, is life giving to me) that won't receive or reciprocate that love and support. That situation becomes stressful and hopeless and fatigues me after some time. A job can, from time to time, be a draining situation; and for many it's that way on a regualr basis!

The point I'm trying to make today is that it's really important for us to find a little "rain" in our lives, it's a good thing, it gives life and nourishment. Find it and dance in it because it won't last forever. Just like the weather, it comes and goes. But if we become self-aware enough to seperate the life-giving from the life-draining, we can make adjustments along the way that make our days full and meaningful. I had planned to mow my yard today but it's raining...I wonder if I can talk my wife into dancing instead?

Peace......

Duty

2007-03-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Good day…or evening, or whenever you find yourself reading this. In my corner of the world rain is falling and giving nourishment to the plant life that has been dormant for a while and is now anxious to awaken and bloom. Springtime is an amazing reminder to me of the wonder of life and the process of growth. I hope you find yourself growing.

I’m thinking today of the word “duty”. It gets thrown around a lot and refers to one’s obligation to do something. I have to admit to you that I’m not a fan of obligation. For me it seems to have a thread of guilt that runs through it, but that’s just me. I’m more a fan of passion. I believe it’s a much better motivation than obligation for anything. I believe that with obligation there is a limit to how much or how far we’ll go, but passion knows no limits. May I illustrate?

I know a man whose marriage was falling apart and in the course of our conversations he shared that he and his wife had not been intimate for nearly a year. In counseling that followed, he shared that his wife decided that a physical relationship was part of her “wifely duties” and decided to resume that aspect of their marriage. A few weeks later though, he shared that while the physical aspect may have returned, the intimacy was gone. He readily admits his part in the demise of his marriage but admits that he’d rather not have physical intimacy if his wife feels like she’s forced to do it.

Obligation can only lead to a mechanical response that, before long, becomes a drag to us. Only those things that are born out of a love and passion for something or someone can be sustained and moreover, be felt to be sincere. Trust me; we aren’t the only ones that notice when our hearts just aren’t in something.

Passion, or love (for me the words are really interchangeable) is an entirely different animal though. Physical intimacy in a relationship should be born from a deep and abiding love between two people who are totally committed to one another. If it’s not, it becomes something else entirely, or it becomes nothing at all. There is an end to obligation, it is a finite proposition. Passion won’t give up, love won’t quit.

Jesus wasn’t obligated to die for us. God didn’t have to reconcile our broken relationship, but His love for us motivated Him to. If you serve Him or others out of obligation or a sense of duty, the message you take to the world is one of a god who makes demands on you instead of loves you. But when you serve Him and others out of your love for Him, others notice and you won’t grow weary of it.

Perhaps today you will begin to think of the word “duty” as I do…another four letter word that really isn’t appropriate in my vocabulary.

Peace……

Progress

2007-03-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Good day to you. Spring Break is occurring this week in most parts of America. Question: is Spring Break only an American phenomenon, or does it take place around the world? I confess I could have Googled this topic and shared the answer with you, but the thought just crossed my mind as I was typing so I’ll let one of you share the answer with the world.

And speaking of Google…I use it for my default search engine. They’ve updated it with gmail and a customizable home page, etc., that I find cool right now. Anyway, one of the elements that I’ve chosen to appear on my home page everyday is called “Quote Of The Day”. It displays 3 random quotes each day that for me, stimulate thought. Oddly, at this point in my life I’m finding more and more that I need that stimulation to keep from staring into to space drooling for hours……just kidding! (or am I?)

Anyway, one of today’s quotes was from Oscar Wilde, “Who is Oscar Wilde?” you ask…Google him, you’ll find more info than you wanted. The quote was: “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience and rebellion that progress has been made.” I think Wilde is partially correct, and partially incorrect. Let me explain.

I think he’s dead on when he says that man’s (and woman’s) original virtue is disobedience. Think about it, it’s the one thing you can count on when it comes to human-kind. If there is a rule, you can bet someone will break it. That’s been proven over and over again throughout history, as Wilde points out. Which I find interesting in itself; I mean, every “civilized” society has been built on a rule of law…are we just setting ourselves up for failure? I digress, Wilde is correct on this point.

Where I think Wilde misses the point is in the “…through disobedience and rebellion that progress has been made.” Disobedience and rebellion causes brokenness in trust and a breakdown in order. And while the rule of law may go against our inclination to rebel, it does provide an order for a group of people that helps to avoid chaos and turmoil; but it’s not the answer. Wilde seems to be celebrating disobedience and rebellion as the fuel for progress, but I say that left to our own devices, our disobedience and rebellion would doom us.

May I suggest that progress has been had by the hand of God? In spite of our rebellion, in spite of our disobedience throughout history, God has always provided a way of restoration. He seems to be saying to us that no matter how awful we behave, and we can make things pretty ugly at times, He will always love us. It’s that undeserved grace that allows things to progress.

Now before you start abusing that grace as license to rebel and disobey, really think about it. If you fully understand in your heart the lengths God has gone to restoring the relationship that He desires to have with you, would you abuse that love? Maybe a better response would be to try and reciprocate it. Try to love Him and others the best you knew how. And if that happened, how many laws would you need to live by anyway?

Today I pray for progress in your life. May you become aware of it’s abundance around you, and embrace it fully.

Peace……

2007-03-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate the time you spend here. My thoughts today should resonate in some way with you because I believe we all have this commonality. The sameness I’m speaking of is in the wondering where I (you) fit into the vastness of the cosmos. We are part of a planet that is shared by 6.7 billion other people. Look at this number: 6,725,170,264, which is constantly growing by the way. I thought it looked even more impressive that way rather than the word billion behind a single number or two. And I think we can all agree on the fact that life occurs in animal and plants and such, and then my mind by default goes to asking, “Why?”

Before you think I’m about to discuss or debate creationism, evolutionism, or any other –ism, let me calm your fears…I’m not. I think you know my personal beliefs, which by the way, don’t give me answers to all the questions my mind can come up with; but they do resonate in my heart of hearts and allow me to pursue life from a perspective I am unashamed of and confident in. No debate, remember – I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind with this forum, I just want to share the journey of life. I simply want to engage your mind, and if you’ll allow – your spirit as well. What answers, or maybe better stated – thoughts, do you come up with when you ponder the vastness and your role?

While I enjoy my solitude and the few times I’m able to “get away from it all”, I’m really into today’s technology that allows me to be connected with others wherever I find myself. As I type, I can hear my instant messenger notifying me of friends coming and going. I took another friend to the airport today to catch a flight that will take him across the state, but I can talk with him right now if I choose by cell phone. (As I was typing, said friend IM'd me and we had a great chat!) The internet and this forum allow me to communicate with people around the world and share ideas and thoughts with anyone, anytime. I find that cool.

More than cool, I find it essential to my beliefs. The one person I believe in the most said I should love God and love others. (That was Jesus by the way) While I’m not always successful, I make an honest effort to do both well. In order to do that I have to know those I’m loving. In God’s case I seek Him with all my heart, I read the bible, among other writings, and talk with Him often in prayer. I listen and watch for how He’s speaking to me, and while it would really be cool if we could email and IM, our communication is working.

The same holds true for others, and this is the part of the vastness that I can get my mind around: I really believe that I need the other 6.7 billion people I share this planet with. Now there’s no way I’ll ever be able to connect with all of you, but each of us has something to offer one another, something that will enrich other lives if shared. It could be a word, a smile, a gesture at first; it could develop into the sharing of ideas and hopes and dreams and life itself.

For all the answers I don’t have about life, I’m certain it’s meant to be shared…the good, the bad, all of it. What else can 6.7 billion people do with one another? History reveals that we aren’t very good at it though. Many times we have no room in our view of the world for those that might be different, which leads to some of the most horrible scenes from the past.

So I encourage you today to ponder your part, and it is just a part after all, in the big picture.

Peace……

A Better Return

2007-03-01T08:19:00.000-08:00

Good day to you wherever you find yourself. Thanks for stopping by, I hope your time spent here will encourage and inspire you, or at the very least make you stop and think; all noble things in my estimation.

So, I find myself shaking my head once again at the human tendency to be critical and complaining. Honestly, I think it’s a hold-over from our childhood. As infants, it was our primary way of communication. A baby cries when it’s hungry or tired or gassy or whatever. It’s telling mom or dad, “Hey, help me out here!” As children, many of us realized that a temper tantrum helped us to get our way, or at least some attention. But do we really think that as adults, complaining and whining is an effective method of changing whatever situation it is that is rubbing us the wrong way?

God bless America for its freedoms, the greatest country on earth when it comes to individual human rights, period. Sure we have a host of failings we could discuss at length, but I’ll pass. The point I’m making is that we have the freedom to spend our time protesting if we choose. We can protest anything, march in the streets, make banners, shout catchy rhymes, etc. For my money, all that looks a bit like whining and complaining. May I suggest another approach?

I prefer a more pro-active strategy. And I must confess, it’s not an original idea. The phrase "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness" is a very slight alteration on the less common Chinese proverb "'Don't curse the darkness - light a candle." The advice given is "if something is wrong, do something about it rather than complain." And while the Chinese may have summed it up in nice phrase (they do that often, don’t they?), I believe God Himself began this notion.

How often, when God didn’t like something, did He do something about it? Think back now……man needs a partner – make a woman. World filled with sin – send a flood, save a few and start over. It goes on and on, really. But what about today? I haven’t seen too many burning bushes, or entire seas parting so I can escape, have you? What about the miracle stuff now? How does God change those things that need changing? The answer my friend is staring at you in the mirror.

God has chosen to inhabit each one of us, if we’ll let Him. That’s the whole “believing that you need a Savior, accepting Jesus as yours, and inviting the Holy Spirit to live in you” thing, and it’s true. Consider the countless people who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, set aside their selfishness to live for others and make a difference in their lives. At this moment, there are untold people around the world who have left the comfort of life in these United States to live and work in impoverished areas just so those around them would know that Jesus loves them and cares about them. That simple gesture gives a human heart fuel to live and hope to carry on in places where your worth is tied to what you can produce for someone else. It changes lives.

Now, bring it back home for a minute. There is something that bugs each of us, something we find wrong. It may be something that impacts us in a very personal way or something that affects a whole bunch of folks. And while, I believe in the power of prayer, and that God does intervene in our lives on our behalf (I’ve experienced it personally), I believe he wants us to get involved. To be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that needs Him.

Small example: Let’s say that a particular road I travel is littered with garbage and debris that I find unattractive. I can go to City Hall and voice my displeasure and hope something gets done, or I can spend the same amount of time rolling up my sleeves and picking up garbage. I promise you that the greater impact will be made doing the latter. And in the process I might just have the opportunity to share my faith and God’s love with someone. A very simplistic example, but perhaps you get the point.

God is still in the life changing, miracle business. I don’t know why He wants to use you and me in the process, but I know He does. If we’ll let Him, He will do things through us that will bring hope and healing to broken lives, including our own. I’m thinking that’s a better return for our effort than complaining will ever get. What about you?

Peace……

Deconstruction

2007-02-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

The word deconstruction doesn’t often produce good thoughts in folks. I believe most people think of it as demolition, which is something completely different. Demolition is destruction or demolishing of something. Think wrecking balls turning houses to splinters or buildings to dust. Deconstruction is the examination of something such as a theory or system, in order to discover its flaws, often to develop a new and better theory or system.

With the advent of the electronic age, we are living in time of deconstruction. For example, just ask record companies. I’m sure you’ve heard their lament that the internet is ruining the recording industry. And while piracy is a problem, the explosion of new, unheard talent that we now have access to, is a good thing. The technology has allowed us, the public, to have access to this talent and then decide on our own if it’s worth our hard earned money. This is what’s been born from the deconstruction of a system that put those decisions in the hands of a few executives in past decades. Before we only heard what “they” deemed worthy, now we can decide on our own.

The same thing is taking place with the publishing industry as well; this blog is a result of such deconstruction. I can publish my thoughts and writings without the approval of a large publishing house. You decide if you want to spend your time reading it. And while I could use more money in my life, which those publishing companies may or may not get me, I place a higher value on the time you spend here. By the way, there's a new link on the right that will take you a list of other "Christ minded" blogs, check 'em out.

Jesus was in the business of deconstruction. Through Him, we all have access to God’s mercy, grace and love. We don’t have to have the blessing or approval of any church or system. They are the place we can experience relationship with other believers, which is something God wants for us, but we don’t have to do “it” their way to know and possess the love of God.

I hope that is something you’ll take the time to investigate. You make the call, is it worth your time and effort. I know for me, God in my life makes my life worth something. For all the skills and talents I may possess, it is the one thing that I have to offer someone that can change their life. May you know it as well.

Peace……

Post Valentine's Day Post

2007-02-15T06:08:00.000-08:00

I admit, the day after Valentine’s Day isn’t your typical time to post a blog about it. But if you’ve read this blog at all, you know that I don’t have a high regard for the way us in the west, particularly America commercialize anything and everything that might make a dollar. So what’s the point today you ask?

I would imagine that there is a large percentage of the American population today that is actually glad it’s the day after Valentine’s Day. For them, it’s simply a reminder that there isn’t presently someone to love in their life right now. I mean, isn’t that the hype? “Get ‘this or that’ for the ‘someone special’ in your life.” You know, chocolate, diamonds, flowers, lingerie, teddy bears, etc., etc. What does any of that really have to do with love anyway? Most of what we express as love is totally selfish anyway. A couple examples: “I love_____because they make me feel good”, or, “they accept me for who I am”. There is a payoff implied for the one who loves and it comes at the expense of the one loved. Hardly a romantic picture, huh?

Consider the origin of love. The Creator God makes man and woman and causes in their hearts a feeling of longing and caring for one another; a pure desire to simply share the moments of life and give themselves to each other unselfishly. Along the way, things get fuzzy, man and woman get selfish and start demanding of one another, and questioning their Creator to the point of doing things that break one another’s trust as well as God’s. The relationship(s) are so broken now and far removed from their original intent that God, out of pure love, takes drastic action: sends His own Son to take all responsibility for all the brokenness. Why? So that the relationships can be restored. It’s that simple, there is no payoff for the One loving, or no debt owed by the one loved. That’s real love, and we would do good to strive for that in our relationships.

I’m not a holiday Scrooge, really. I’m all for the celebration and the remembering of good things and good times. But I don’t consider the buying of affection, or being made to feel guilty or left out because I don’t participate a good time. It’s simple consumerism at the expense of love in this case.

Love is so simple, yet because of our selfishness, so hard to do. Here’s a broad-brush statement, but one I mean with all sincerity because I know God: I love each of you even when I don’t know you. You are invaluable to this spinning mass in space we occupy and your worth is untold. Because God loves you, so do I.

And just think, you didn’t even have to buy me chocolates or lingerie to hear that! Now, all together….Thank God!!!

Peace……

Apologies and Superbowl Sweetness

2007-01-31T08:21:00.000-08:00

Wow! I am so sorry to all my friends who have been commenting and probably felt like they've been dismissed. Apparently, in the change-over and tweaking going on ant Blogger, all the comments you've been leaving have been amassed in cyberspace, and I just saw them today! I have published all, which is my official policy, so know that if you comment the world will see it. That's really the goal here, to have dialogue with whoever may surf by. I really think we have so much to learn from one another, collectively speaking, if we'll just take the time to listen. That's why I value each one of you so much......you have thoughts I want to hear. Now, here are mine today......

For the rock dwellers in the crowd - the Superbowl is this coming Sunday. Da' Bears (from Chicago) and the Colts (from Indianapolis) are just days away from deciding who is the best this year in the game of Western / Americanized football. I state it that way because the rest of the world regards football as an entirely different game, anywho......

Peyton Manning is quarterback for the Colts, his father is Archie Manning who played quarterback for the New Orleans Saints through the 70's before finishing his career with the Houston Oilers (82-83) and then the Minnesota Vikings (83-84). Archie Manning is highly regarded as one of the greats to play the position of quarterback, he led the league in many statistics during his career, and yet his teams were never able to have winning records. but Archie knew his stuff and could play quarterback.

Now his son Peyton is playing in the pinnacle game for an NFL quarterback. By the way, he has another son - Eli, who plays quarterback for the New York Giants (another NFL team). You're probably thinking that there must be a "quarterback gene" in the Manning family. To my knowledge there isn't such a thing, even though the odds of 3 members of the same family ever attaining such levels of play in the NFL makes one wonder. No, I think the reason for the success of the Manning's is more simple.

There is no doubt that Archie worked hard to achieve his success, but it's what he did with the knowledge he had that produced the success in his sons. Peyton and Eli probably ate their meals with a football in their lap. Time with dad always included throwing the ball around the yard. And beyond the physical aspects of the game, dad would share the mental part of it too. Like the need to "see" the field, read the defenses, and on and on. But the way Archie shared this with his boys is what I believe is the real reason for their success. You see, Archie Manning never told his boys they had to play football, he never punished them for not practicing, and he never made them feel like the game was more important to him than they were. His simply shared with them something that he was passionate about. Seeing that passion and the way it excited their father made those boys hungry to know more about it. I don't think anyone can deny that they learned well, they too have a passion for the game.

Too many of us take a more abrasive approach with the talent and passions we have. We often try to force feed those who might listen our dogma, or system. It could be anything - a talent for cooking, a passion for God, a love of our profession, and the list goes on. Children are a typical target, but we do the same with friends and family to try and get them "onboard" with the stuff that excites us. It's very natural for us to want others to be interested in the things that give us joy and comfort. But it's not natural to be bullied or forced to embrace it, in fact we find that approach repelling.

Today I encourage you to share your passion with someone. First, you may have to identify it; what is that thing that brings you great joy? And then let that joy show for it. I promise others around you will notice and take interest. Not everyone, but who knows......you may plant a seed for a future quarterback, or lawyer, or pastor, or farmer, or .............................

The Manning story really makes a much-hyped, overblown game a little sweeter for me personally. What about you?

Peace......

The Important Stuff

2007-01-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

Here I am, in West Texas, middle America; it's before 8am and all across the television airwaves there is a live broadcast announcing the nominees for the Academy Awards. You know the little golden "Oscar" trophy....

And I ask myself, "Is this the best we can do?" Unfortunately, those who pull the strings about those things think so. And that's precisely why America has the reputation it does around the world. People around the world are dying in wars, dying because they're hungry, dying of exposure because they have no homes, disease for lack of medicine, and the list goes on and on.

That which occupies the airwaves this morning makes me ashamed, and yet I am just as guilty on a personal level. I tend to get more worked up about my "stuff" than the list I just mentioned, and for that I'm sorry. God, break my heart for the things that break Your heart...the important stuff.

Peace......

Happy New Year (Late)

2007-01-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

Hey there...Happy New Year! Okay, so I'm ten days late, but it turns out Blogger was updating and tinkering with the system so I couldn't get in to post. I hope your new year is off to a good start - I was talking with someone yesterday and when I asked them how the new year was treating them they replied, "It hasn't been long enough for me to do any harm!" I understood completely.

So, are you like most people who see this as a new beginning, or opportunity to start fresh? I don't know what got me thinking along these lines, but I'm curious as to why we do that. Why do we mark time? With calendars, with watches, etc.? I understand seasons and such as it relates to preparing for the weather and all, but as a whole, people are very hung up on time. I'm even guilty of it myself, I often think in terms of having only so much time to get something done or accomplish something. Where am I going with this, you may ask...

God isn't concerned with time. I doubt He has a watch or even a sun dial. No, His view is eternal - forever, there is no end. And He's promised that for us as well. The more I ponder this, the less concerned I am about time. Each day becomes an adventure, an opportunity, an experience. I think that's what God has in mind for us in this life - a succesion of days and years (our terms) that hold the promise of newness and fullness and awe and wonder. When was the last time you felt any of that?! It's available, I know that. The question is - "Are we in tune with it?" Sadly, many days I'm not. But the hope of trying again after a night's rest is worth the effort.

So, a New Year's wish for you: May you walk in the wonder of this life. May each waking moment, and even your dreams, give you glimpses of your Creator's intent for your existence. May you come to know the truth of His love and walk in the immeasurable joy He has for you.

Peace......

THE Gift

2006-12-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

Short and sweet today. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know it's Christmas. Unless you live outside the United States, you may have noticed the hype of consumerism surrounding Christmas, you may even be caught up in it. The quest for the perfect gift, the "keeping up with the Jones'" that leads to over-buying, and the pressure you may feel to give at all. The western view of Christmas tends to lean towards spending and buying.

My plea this year is for you to just stop and consider the real meaning - the birth of Christ. A Savior for all of us, and trust me - we need saving! And while many will tout the virtues of giving instead of receiving (which is true), in the perspective of eternal life and our inability to obtain it on our own; it's imparitive that we receive the gift of life that Jesus brings to us. Take time this holiday season to do that, would you?

And for my unbelieving friends out there I have a challenge - prove me wrong. Study the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus with all seriousness and show me how off track I am. I will listen I promise. Perhaps next year we can celebrate together the greatest gift of all.

Peace......

The Unexpected

2006-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

I sit here this morning chugging coffee and popping aspirin, I was up late and my head hurts. I don't think I'd trade it today though. Let me tell you how I got here.

Yesterday was a long day. It started out early at the office with a crisis of someone who needed me (part of my job which I actually enjoy), which pinched the time I normally have to make preparations for evening rehearsals and made for a very busy afternoon. Rehearsal was moved back 2 hours to accommodate a performance of our Creative Arts teams (which was fantastic!), and rehearsal got a bit grueling at times while we hammered out some new tunes. I finally left the office @ 10pm. My daughter had gotten in from college for Christmas break earlier that evening, and like me, hadn't eaten any dinner, so my dear wife and I picked up a bag of fast food (I won't confess which "nearly food" establishment got my money) on the way to the house. We enjoyed a late night meal while our daughter shared the story of her drive home along with letting us peak at Christmas gifts she has for her sister, as well as showing off some of the projects she has worked on this last semester (she's an art major).

It is now 11:30pm and our daughter proclaims her desire to go catch up with friends..."goodnight daughter, be careful, lock up when you get home." And then my wife proclaims her desire to jump in the hot tub and watch the meteor shower. If you didn't know, the Leonid meteor shower is visible in our parts right now, boasting up to 100 visible "shooting stars" per hour. Honestly, we had talked about that earlier in the day, but I had no idea it was going to be this late when we finally got around to it. And that's where it happened, the unexpected.

You see, my wife knows me and my habit of rising early and facing the day. She knew that at this hour, our plans of star gazing probably weren't going to happen. I would want to get a little sleep and after all, if you've seen me you know that my beauty rest is necessary! But I did the unexpected and said "grab the towels!". I'll spare you the details, but a couple hours later I drifted off to sleep having had a marvelous evening. I am paying the price this morning for my lack of sleep, but I don't care, my wife is a natural night owl and connecting with her last night was priceless. Especially this time of year when things are busy and most of our conversations are in passing or revolve around a particular issue instead of just talking and listening to one another's heart.

"Great, good for you, blah, blah, blah.....", you may say, but I do have a point. It is this: more than 2000 years ago, something unexpected happened that is very good news for you and me. An unmarried virgin girl became pregnant, her future husband decided to stay with her and be a father to a baby that was born in a stable. This baby grew into a man who upset the religious leaders of the day by proclaiming Himself the Messiah - a Savior for all of mankind. They had expected a more regal and royal personality to arrive on the scene and Lord his authority over all. He was a commoner, born in a place where "nothing good comes from" and he hung out with fisherman and prostitutes, lepers and tax collectors and the like. And He did unexpected things like heal the lame, cause the blind to see, feed thousands with nothing and raise people from the dead. And He said that when He died, He would rise from the dead and offer the same everlasting life to all who believed in Him. And He did. This is all historic fact about Jesus. And because of the unexpected, you and I can wake up each and every day knowing we will live again with Him no matter how we feel or how bad we think we've screwed up.

If you're faced with doing the same old thing, the same old way or trying something new and different - I encourage you to do the unexpected. From personal experience I know that it has it's rewards. In fact, you might say that life itself is found in the unexpected. Choose life.

Peace......

Time Flies

2006-12-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, again almost another month has past since my last post. Time is flying these days! I suppose the obvious question is "Am I having fun?" You the saying - Time flies when you're having fun. I suppose that's true, but it hasn't necessarily been the case here. Let me share...

Thanksgiving travel - don't get me wrong, I love the holidays, especially Thanksgiving which I think gets overlooked too often for Christmas. And I love my wife's family who we traveled to see and had a very enjoyable time with, but catching up from the time away is difficult. And then there's the 2nd job. Yes it's true, I have taken a part-time job in the evenings to help with the impending Christmas expenditures (family ski trip - YEAH!!), and to alleviate some debt, and it's been eating my lunch. I have come to appreciate down time, of which there isn't much these days. And last but not least, last week a water pipe burst in our home, in the concrete slab. If you don't know about these things, it's bad, it's expensive and the time and hassle I've spent dealing with plumbers, flooring people and my insurance company is not something I'd wish upon my enemies. Happy holidays right?!

But before you begin to think I'm complaining, I need to tell you how I feel aside from the flying time thing. I feel good. Tired, but good. I'm very grateful for my family's health, everyone is doing good right now. I'm very, very thankful for the 2nd job that is providing some relief to my budget, and I get to develop new associations and friendships there that I probably wouldn't otherwise. And for the first time in many years, I'm excited about Christmas. I have a deep seated joy and peace that I haven't had in years this Christmas. I can't really put a finger on it, other than I know it's Jesus just doing what He promised He would.

You see, that's why God came to us in human form, suffered and died for us, and overcame death - to give us joy and peace among life's troubles. He didn't say my plumbing wouldn't crap out (pardon the pun), or I'd have more money than I knew what to do with, or that I'd have too much time on my hands. No, in fact He said that all of that and more would probably happen, but He has overcome it, and if I place my life and trust in Him - I can overcome it too. And I am, even in all the stuff of this life I can find joy and peace in Him. It's real, it's mine and I'm enjoying it.

What about you? Is time flying? Are the holidays stressing you out? Would you like something different? His name is Jesus and He'd love to hear from you. Merry Christmas.

Peace......

Courage

2006-11-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

Greetings and apologies for the passing of time since my last post. A crazy schedule and some much needed family time has kept me away. Don’t know if things will settle down, but for the moment, I feel better!

My thoughts today have turned towards courage and what I believe is the absolute necessity for us to possess a measure of it for this life. Now most of us think of courage as a very noble character, you now – knights in armor slaying dragons and men going off to war and such - and perhaps it is, but I see it as more of a practical tool. How so, you say? Well, I’m glad you asked.

I have seen and experienced first hand the crippling nature of fear in one’s life. Fear of rejection causes many to never risk themselves emotionally and limits a life of relationships to a superficial level. Fear of failure stops many of us from striving for more or even just different experiences in life. Fear of the unknown keeps far too many of us locked in situations that we wish were different, but without knowing how things might work out, we never move.

Courage is the answer to fear. And as I said before, it’s a practical answer. Courage will enable us to be ourselves in all our relationships, to be heard and understood and know what it truly means to love and be loved. Courage will allow us to try something new - take a different route to work, sit in a different seat at church, go to a concert or show, backpacking or skiing, or any number of things we may never “normally” consider in our daily routines. Courage will help us see clearly situations that are unhealthy, even though familiar, and cause us to walk out of them knowing that something better is on the horizon.

Fear causes the “stuff” of our life to become dragons that look impossible for us to slay. Courage calls us beyond our fears to step into the fullness of life we have been promised. God always keeps His promises.

"Be strong and courageous……The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Those words are from His word, the bible. Now that’s fuel for slayin’ a few dragons!

Peace……

VOTE

2006-11-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

Today’s blog is simple and revolves around one word – VOTE. I’m not endorsing any party, any candidate or any politics, I’m just saying VOTE.

VOTE – it is your right. And why, in a country that is known for it’s freedoms, would people neglect that right and in essence be enslaved to those that did vote?

VOTE – it is your voice. Sure, you can protest in the streets or picket the White House but at the end of the day – has anything changed?

You’ve read of my beliefs in this blog and may wonder how they line up with this voting process. Well here you go – I am called to be salt and light in the world wherever I am, to constantly point to my Maker in my actions, words and deeds. I live in America, the process here is voting. I will enter that process and vote today, I hope you will too.

Peace……

What's The Difference?

2006-10-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Hi there, how are you? Well, I hope. I'm finding myself a bit reflective today, perhaps it's the turn of the season to Fall (which I love), or any number of other things that makes my mind ponder this and that. Regardless, I find myself thinking about all the years I have invested in my faith in God. In particular, Jesus Christ...yes, I am a christian. Maybe you share that belief, and if you don't I'd love to have coffee with you and discuss it, but it's not imparitive to this blog.

No, my thinking is more along the lines of what difference does faith make in your life? Or is it merely another component of your personality, like being a Leo or Virgo. Does it change your life or do you still struggle with the same issues as those who have no faith? I've heard christians say that of course we still struggle with the same issues, but our reward is in heaven when we die. And while I believe eternity in the presence of God will certainly be rewarding, I happen to know that this life should be different as well. Jesus said so.

He said things like, "I have overcome this world." "I have come that you may have abudant life." And, "the kingdom of God is at hand." My take on those and other statements isn't a future tense, but a present reality. One that makes each day here different. I'm challenging you today to examine your faith, does it make a difference in your life? Really? Does it make a difference in others' lives?

While you're pondering that, check out this article written by a friend of mine called "What's a Christian". It tells of some great differences that his faith has made. I pray today that your faith becomes something that literally changes your life. Change - like different than before. Oh yeah, and a great way to know if does or not is to ask someone who knows you, of course you have to be willing to listen. Here's to different days ahead......

Peace......

Change......Again!?!

2006-10-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Can you feel it? The chill in the air, the leaves of the trees beginning to change color, major league baseball entering the playoffs and Halloween right around the corner? Fall is here, and I for one love it. It happens to be my favorite time of year. I associate many of my fondest memories with Fall, with the best being marrying my wife some 19 years ago.

But the point of this blog isn't about me or my fond memories, not even Fall. No, it's about the endless rhythm of change in our lives. The changing of seasons is simply another reminder that this rhythm of change is constant. I guess knowing that leaves me perplexed as to why the majority of people don't embrace change. Something I read recently said that nearly 80% of us either view change with caution or reject it completely. Why would we do that when it's obvious that it's occurring everywhere all the time?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this life is about change. The figure above leaves me with a feeling that nearly 80% of us are missing out on great things coming or at least arriving late to the party. I encourage you to CHANGE your viewpoint. Join in the rhythm and dance! Enjoy the ripples in your life that require you to adapt, learn and grow. And perhaps when we find ourselves at the end of our time we would find ourselves weary from the dance instead of the daily grind.

Peace......

And So It Begins

2006-10-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Remember those stories about machines taking over the world that we used to hear when we were growing up? Please read the following story from the Associated Press:

The average American home now has more television sets than people--a threshold crossed within the past two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people, the researchers said. In the average home, a television set is turned on for more than a third of the day--eight hours, 14 minutes, Nielsen said. That's an hour more than it was a decade ago. Most of that extra TV viewing is coming outside of prime time, where TV's are on only four minutes more than they were 10 years ago. The average person watches four hours, 35 minutes of television each day, Nielsen said. (Associated Press)

Clearly, it has begun. And while you're laughing, take a quick count in your home...It's true isn't it? The TV's in my home took over just this year when one of my daughters went to college. She didn't take her TV from her room, no, she bought another one for the dorm thus tipping the numbers in the TV's favor in my home. My family is outnumbered, I fear for our safety.

I'm not exactly sure what the implications of this are , though I'm sure they are deep and profound and should be causing us as a society to plan a strategy against this uprising. It's clear that the intentions of the TV's are nothing short of total domination. We need to mobilize, organize.....

Then again, maybe we just need to rediscover the joy of conversation with others, the beauty of sunsets and fresh air (where you can find it), and just unplug a few of those nasty old TV's. I'll let you know how this works out.

Peace......

Discovery

2006-10-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

In honor of Columbus Day, I submit the following:

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it..." That's the opening sentence of Psalm 24 in the Bible and I happen to believe it. I don't always live like I believe it, but it's true. I mean, most days I'm ticked at the government or gas prices for taking more of MY money. I have thoughts about MY home, MY kids, MY job, etc. I could add infinitely to this list, but I'll save you the pain, I'm sure you have your own. The truth is, I don't have anything.

I found myself at a conference in Atlanta last week where the first speaker on the first day reminded me of this fact with his very first sentence. And I knew that's what God had sent me there to hear. Oh sure, I heard plenty more, and it was all good; but that was the word for me. Not a new discovery for me, but certainly a reminder.

Perhaps though, it's a new discovery for you. Do you find yourself in knots or stressing over the things and people of this world encroaching on YOUR time, YOUR money, YOUR rights, etc.? "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it..." That one sentence alone is freeing for me this morning. This life I find myself living isn't even mine, it belongs to God Almighty, I just get to enjoy it. I believe I'll thank Him for it and enjoy it a little more.

Peace......Tom

Are You One?

2006-09-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

Alright, it's confession time. I need to confess something that I discovered about myself over the weekend. Not something I didn't know about myself, but I must admit the exact ramifications weren't on my radar screen. Here goes:

This blog, and other newsletters before it, along with devotions and snippets I have written over the years are born from my mind as I ponder those things that catch my interest. The "what ifs" and suppostions fill my head until I must share my thoughts with the world. Not that I believe I know more or think more, on the contrary, I believe there are other thoughts held by dear folks like you that I'm simply trying to evoke and hear from. Just one thinker sharing with others. That's the part I knew.

This past week as I shared the company of friends and a not-so-serious game of Scrabble, I layed the tiles W-E-E-N to form the word ween. I was immediately challenged by the resident "spelling police" saying I was wrong; apparently, this particular "officer" only knew of wean. Now I must admit that I wasn't completely sure of the word I played, but thought I had seen it before. However, without a dictionary at hand, and the fact that I valued the company more than my need to be right, I removed the tiles from the board and continued on. What followed was an evening of laughter and fun with many more challenged words by all. I did not not win for those of you keeping score.

A couple of days later, one of the more competitive members of that group decided to check those words that were disputed in that game, which I find odd because they had actually won. Anyway, my word ween was valid. Check it here at dictionary.com. I don't want to spoil your fun, so you'll have to click the link to find the meaning.

Now for the part of the confession I did not know: I am one who weens. A weener if you will. Imagine my surprise. Perhaps you're one too.

Peace......

Movement

2006-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Life is about movement. Take yourself for example. Upon conception the movement began, and thank God for it because I’m thinking single celled people walking around wouldn’t be pretty. But movement was required to even grow legs! Cell multiplication is movement. Babies continue to grow (movement) into children who learn and become adults who continue to age until death when apparently the movement stops. I don’t believe that, but that’s another topic for another blog.

Another example is this crazy technology we’re surrounded by. Just this week, the hard drive (think computers here) turned 50. You can read all the wonderful details here: Hard Drive . Why has the hard drive progressed? Why has any man-made technology progressed and changed from its inception? Movement. It’s necessary.

Okay, once again, I’m writing about change; but I’m referring to it as movement. Why? Well, some folks view the word change in a negative context; I thought movement might sit better with some of you. Some folks call it progress while others bemoan anything new or different. Regardless of the spin you choose to put on it, it’s inevitable. While the Bible says that there is nothing new under the sun (I believe this to be true concerning human nature), this world is ever changing. Clothes, cars, any technology for that matter, etc., etc., etc. By the way, I may propose to accept change and see myself as a change advocate; but in the matter of my property taxes – I don't!!!

So if you’ve bought into this notion that movement is happening all the time around us, have you considered your options. Here they are as I see them:

Dig in heels, resist change and be passed by. Usually resulting in a bitter outlook.
Embrace any and all change. Usually resulting in a “things are out of my control” feeling.
Survey the landscape, view changes as opportunities, choose which ones serve you (after all, it’s your life), and position yourself to leverage those changes for your benefit. Usually resulting in a more grounded, “I’m a participant and not a victim” mentality.

I’m recommending #3 by the way. Take a moment today, or in the days to come to try and identify the movement in your life. It’s all around but perhaps you’ve never viewed it as such. Decide which stream is good for you and jump in. Enjoy the ride.

Peace……

Is Talent Necessary?

2006-08-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

In my post dated July 20, I spoke about having a passion in life that stirred your soul. Today, I find myself wanting to build on that, partly because of a story I read, and partly because of events happening to me personally. Since the events are personal and I respect the other individuals privacy, I won't share them. But here's the story:

Ted Williams was a legendary baseball hitter, some say the best ever. Apparently, he was once asked to coach a rookie who just arrived from the minor leagues. As Williams watched the rookie swing unsuccessfully at a few 95 mile per hour fast balls, he called out, "Just watch the stitches."
The rookie replied with a puzzled, "Huh?"
Williams repeated, "Just watch the stitches."
"What stitches?", asked the rookie.
"The stitches on the baseball!" Williams shot back, and then proceeded, in detail, to describe how the rotation of the stitches influenced how the ball behaves between the pitching mound and home plate.
In disbelief, the rookie asked, "You can see the stitches?"
Other players who commented on that story say that a 95 mile per hour fast ball is a blur for the first 10 feet after it leaves the pitchers hand and for the other 50 feet and 6 inches it is invisible! His teammates asked him what else he could see on the baseball to which he replied, "On a good day I can read the commissioners signature."
Ted Williams gave that advice in all seriousness, not knowing that he possessed a talent no one else did. It's what made him a great hitter, above all the others.

Obviously, he had a passion to play baseball, but his talent made him great at it. I believe all of us have a talent like that; something that comes easy to us, something we may not even think about, like seeing the stitches. It's that talent, that when used in conjunction with our passion, enables us to excel at something, do big things, help others, make a mark on this world, have a meaningful life.

Unfortunately, we live in a society that is obsessed with weakness. Just let a student come home from school with a report card that has 4 A's and 1 C. What do you think the conversation will be about? And we can all probably recall a coach or teacher or parent who pointed out our lack of talent in one area or another. And too often, those kinds of things make such an impression that we spend the rest of our lives trying to prove someone wrong instead of pursuing what we're good at.

My favorite sport in school was football. I was a running back in high school, not the fastest, but I enjoyed that game more than any other, you could even say I was passionate about it. Now I'm not a big guy, and football is a physical sport, one that requires a bit more mass than I have. (though I seem to get more as I get older) I could have let the passion I had for that game take me down a path that led to ultimate failure as I competed with bigger, stronger, faster, more talented athletes than myself. Fortunately for all of us, that didn't happen.

My point today is that passion without talent is merely a dream. Most of us don't give our talent, whatever it is enough credit. In fact, many of us are simply naive about our talent because it comes easily and we don't really give it a second thought. We can rattle off a list of the things we don't do well, but identifying what we are truly good at seems more difficult. So, building on the post I mentioned earlier (What Stirs Your Soul, July 20), here are a few suggestions to help you identify your talent:

What stirs your soul? The thing that makes you feel like you're doing what you were born to do. You feel fully alive when doing it, and could do it all day long.
Real talent can't help but show off. Even if you don't value your talent or don't intend it, others will notice. Perhaps not full-blown excellence, but glimpses of greatness that point to underdeveloped talent. It's that something (seeing stitches) that sets you apart from the rest of the pack. Practicing that talent is an effective strategy for making your best contribution in life.
You will be able to learn quickly in the area of your talent. In areas you aren't talented in, learning is a struggle. This is a good clue to identifying your talent. Again though, our culture too often chastises for us for not "toughing it out" or "hanging in there" even when it's obvious there is simply no talent for something.
In the area of our talent, we are both willing to grow and capable of continued development. We don't grow weary of using our talent. This is why professional athletes who are paid millions of dollars for their talent still show up for practice and hire personal trainers to help them get better. I believe we are practicing for eternity when we practice our talent.
Other people can be a great source of affirmation and confirmation if we will simply listen when they begin telling us what we do well. I can't stress enough how our society has brought us to a place where we obsess over negative feedback and simply blow off anything positive. This is a recipe for continued mediocrity at best. It attaches our productivity to problems and is very demoralizing. Newsflash: it's okay not to be good at everything.

And on that last note, that's what makes us human. That's what makes us need one another, an idea God has for us. I need your talent to fully experience what God has in mind for my life, and vice versa. Today, I'll answer my own question: talent is definitely necessary. Have you found yours?

Peace......

Unlearning

2006-08-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well my daughter is at the dorm, and after a lonesome first night, seems to be finding her place among the community there. And so begins her college education, which many of us would equate with learning. But are you aware that one of the best ways to learn is to unlearn.

College professors know this, which is why I cautioned my daughter about being challenged at college. Her professors, as well as some of her peers, will challenge the things she thinks she knows to be true. However, until an idea is tested and proved to be true, it is merely a theory. So, many times in order to really learn something we must unlearn some things we believed to be true, that when tested prove not to be.

Just ask the Apostle Paul. He was a Pharisee ( a religious expert, if you will) who believed that the messianic kingdom (the coming of the Messiah) would occur at the end of time. He also believed that only the righteous were to be raised from death. His beliefs led him to assume the role of an early church persecutor, condemning and even killing those who claimed Jesus had been raised from the dead and was the Messiah. All done in the name of defending the faith.

His box of Hebrew understanding was challenged and broken when he was confronted on a road one day by Jesus, an unrighteous man long dead mind you, or so he thought. Jesus simply asked Paul why he was persecuting the Messiah (Himself), someone whom Paul was actually waiting for. At that point Paul had a choice: he could dig in his heels and stand on what he "knew", or he could open himself up to unlearn a thing or two and change his life. I'm happy to report that he chose the latter.

Life is full of opportunities for learning and I like to consider myself a lifelong learner. But this I know: it doesn't happen just by taking in more and more information. There must be times when I have to be willing to unlearn in order to learn. I've found it true that some of the things I held dear, have been things that kept me from moving and growing. Actually, in hind sight, those things usually just kept me comfortable.

Are there things in your life that you need to unlearn? Are willing to do that? I'd love to hear about them.

Peace......

In Addition...

2006-08-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

In addition to the last week's post, I'd like to submit the following:

Change is hard. You may find that a rather obvious statement, but don't discount it's truth.

Case in point: my daughter goes to college tomorrow. She will be staying in a dorm room on a campus some 300 miles away. This is a change I've been watching approach for 18 years. I've prepared the best I can, am entirely "ready" for it, yet it is hard. And this pain I feel, the emotions that I wrestle with, are precisely what I'm talking about. That's what makes change hard.

Certainly we are all adaptable enough to function in different situations, but the way we deal with how we are feeling about it will make all the difference. Whether your personality is that of a thinker or a feeler, we all have emotions. And many times it's those emotions that cause us to act certain ways. If we don't like someone or something, generally we stay away from that, conversely those things that make us feel good get our attention and time. Emotions are powerful motivators for human kind.

The point I'm trying to make today is that it's okay to feel bad during change in your life, I happen to know it won't last. Unless you ignore how you're feeling. Dismissed feelings tend to leak out and demand attention at the most inopportune times. The most benign moments become times of drama because of unresolved issues, related or not. The key is to give those feelings a voice, find a way to express how you feel about the change. It may be to your spouse, a close friend or professional counselor.

A word of warning here: it won't stop the change, but it will help you move with it. I would never consider stopping my daughter from leaving home to go to college just to make myself feel better, yet that's exactly how some of us try to deal with change in our lives - "If I can stop it, I feel better." Here's another - "I'll pretend it's not happening and convince everyone, including myself, that everything's fine." Unfortunately those common responses are both unhealthy and unrealistic.

So today, I'll continue to let my daughter know how much I love her and how much I'll miss her when she's gone. I'll shed a tear as I think about not being able to hug her when I want and "fix" things for her......and it will be okay. What about you? How are you dealing with the change in your life?

Peace......

Patience or Preparation

2006-08-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I wrote this yesterday but due to technical difficulties it never got posted. In fact I'm having to recreate it from what I remember. My writing style is "stream of consciousness", and once it's out there, recapturing it may prove difficult....I'll do my best.

Here's the thought I was having - I know some folks who I'm watching go through change in their life. They can see a glimpse of the future, what it may hold, etc.; but it hasn't come to pass yet. Many get frustrated with the lack of detail on how to get from "here to there", others find an odd comfort in a place of "patience", simply waiting on things to change.

I'd like to suggest that either response is lacking. What if the time between a glimpse of the future and the time it comes to pass is intentional? What if, in the bigger picture, it was meant to be that way? What if that time was for your benefit? I speak from experience here, I happen to know that unresolved frustration can lead to anger, an emotion that is often more destructive than constructive. And why would anyone want to be patient? I mean, isn't that the word they use for sick people? I jest...but just a little.

Try this: prepare. If you have a view, dim or otherwise, of what's facing you - why not use the interim time to prepare? Position yourself to take full advantage of what's coming. Simply stated, be ready when it arrives. Frustration will lead you to digging in your heels, resisting change. Patience will leave you surprised by the change when it comes. Only preparation will make the transition merely a stepping stone along your path of life.

I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. The constant in this relationship has been change, and I don't always get all the details up front! But I have learned that I usually get a sense of the direction we're heading and I have time to prepare for our arrival. The journey, or preparation is seldom easy, but it's so worthwhile. In fact, discomfort is often a sign of movement. And remember, you can't follow anyone without moving.

So whatever you're facing, and we're all facing something, we have a choice. What's yours?

Peace...........

Communion

2006-08-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

The following was taken from the Meriam-Webster online dictionary:

com·mu·nion Pronunciation: k&-'myü-ny&n
Function: nounEtymology: Middle English, from Latin communion-, communio mutual participation, from communis
1: an act or instance of sharing
2: a capitalized : a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Christ's death or as symbols for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and communicant or as the body and blood of Christ b : the act of receiving Communion c capitalized : the part of a Communion service in which the sacrament is received
3: intimate fellowship or rapport: COMMUNICATION
4: a body of Christians having a common faith and discipline

As you can see, the Christian faith has laid claim to this word. Not a bad thing, in fact it's a wonderful thing when the ritual sacrament is done in conjunction with the root meaning of the word. Look at meanings #1 & #3: sharing, intimate fellowship, rapport. That's it, that's what I'm talking about here.

Don't get me wrong, I love the sacrament of Holy Communion as practiced by the protestant faith. It is a wonderful time of rememberance with beautiful symbolism, and one of the most important acts that take place inside church buildings in my opinion. But if that's the beginning and the end of it, I'll pass.

I just returned from 3 days "away" from my normal life. Just a little country retreat away from phones, computers and my usual routine. Let me tell you, it was 3 days of communion. And it was extrememly spiritual. No, it wasn't a monestary retreat with self-imposed silence broken only by mantras chanted in monotone; it was communion in it's purest form.

With my family, the people I love the most - who know me best (and still love me!), surrounded by God's creation (Texas Hill Country, some of His better work), a farm full of beautiful animals and wildlife, and times to sit and ponder along with times of exhilirating activity; I was intimately connected with God. I sensed His presence and shared each moment with Him, marvelling at all He's done and is doing. Truly a time of communion with my Maker.

What's my point? Glad you asked. Don't wait. Don't wait for the Sunday that your particular church celebrates Holy Communion, though I hope you'll be there for it. Each moment of each day is an opportunity to connect, to share, to have intimate fellowship with the One who holds it all in His hands. In nature, in people, in life itself. Each breath is a reminder, and can be an act of rapport with the God who gave it to you. Enjoy.

Peace......

Yes

2006-07-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

Oh my God!!! And a few other choice phrases come to mind when dealing with car dealers. That's been a part of my week, the wifey and I are in process of down-sizing a bit in the transportation department which has had us at several dealerships looking, haggling, walking away, etc. Which has left me with this simple truth: Car dealers have earned their reputation, you know, the not-so-good one?

Now I'm not casting this shadow on all individual salespeople, I'm sure there are plenty that I wouldn't mind spending a whole day with, I have yet to find them though. But it's the system they've created. I mean, where else on the entire planet do people do business this way?

Show interest in product, inquire about price and get several suggestions about options, but no solid figure. Let's talk about a payment, what amount can you afford? Well, what about this amount? (higher than what you just told them, of course) Well, let's look at another vehicle. (even though you're not interested in another vehicle) And then, you're left sitting at a desk while your salesperson leaves for a back room somewhere only to return offering you a deal that doesn't look anything like what you've been discussing for the last hour and a half. Rinse and repeat several times. That's been my experience every trip of the train. Who thought of this? On what planet is this system embraced and thought well of? Enough ranting, I feel better.

However, it has brought to mind something my friend Jesus said. Historians and Theologians call it the "Sermon On The Mount". Also referred to as the "Beatitudes", but basically, Jesus was giving a short course in life.....sort of "Life 101". And as He's going along He starts talking about people taking oaths and swearing by this and that, and He says to stop doing that. A better idea, He suggests, is to simply "Let your 'Yes be Yes' and 'No be No'." In other words, just do what you say you're going to do. Sounds simple, huh? Why is that so hard for most of the world? And why is it so difficult for car salesmen, in particular? (just sayin'...)

I believe it has to do with all of us being broken and needing Jesus to repair that brokenness, I know that from personal experience, not something I read. But imagine the possibilities of people simply meaning what they say. The implications are profound.

So today I say to you, and to Mr. Car Dealer, simply say what you mean and do what you say. That alone will make this world, at least your corner of it, a much better place.

Peace......

What Stirs Your Soul?

2006-07-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Thought for today......

You will not find true, inner, REAL happiness until you can define what stirs your soul. Here in the west, the familiar lie is that "stuff" will make us happy, or money, so many of us jump on the merry-go-round of chasing that money to get that stuff. Don't get me wrong, we've all got to eat and bills to pay, but what if we could do that by doing something that we'd actually do for free?

What is it for you? I can tell you one thing, there is something in all of us that stirs our soul, something that when we can get ahold of it, all of life seems to make sense. Just a warning, it seems to be harder to define the older we get. Our youth made it easy to dream and wish of what we wanted to do and be when we grew up, and somehow, as life goes on, we carry the weight of "responsibility" around like a ball and chain. What about our responsibility to be true to ourselves?

At the risk of garnering criticism and starting arguments, may I suggest that for many, finding that which stirs the soul is a life and death proposition. Spending a lifetime doing something we really don't like to do literally drains the life out of us, but filling our days involved in something that enrgizes and fulfills us can be life giving. So what does it look like?

As I said before, it's different for each of us but here a few general characteristics:

You will be passionate about it. Thoughts and discussions about it carry an emotional value.
There is never a point at which you "get enough" of it. You find yourself coming back to it over and over. (At this point you're thinking it sounds alot like an addiction......read on.)
It has value for others. Others will find beauty and value in the thing that stirs your soul. It adds to the world around you and others notice.

That last point is very important, it's what keeps it from becoming selfish indulgence. For example: you absolutely love to fish, you can spend hours and days on the water, it makes you feel fully alive. The value in this example would be to share that love and knowledge by becoming a fishing guide, and in so doing it may even feed and clothe you.

That may sound completely simplistic and irrational to you. I understand, this world is full of people who love to tell others that their dreams and heart's desires are foolish. But I'm here to tell you otherwise...they are a clue. A clue to that which stirs your soul. May God, the One who placed the clues here for us, help each of us to discover and embrace them.

Peace.......

Laughter

2006-07-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

I spent the morning golfing with friends today. Although I'm not very good, I enjoy the game. More than the actual game, it's the "getting away" I enjoy most. Playing golf forces me away from the office, the computer, the phone, etc. Today's round was pretty typical for me - just trying not to embarass myself and lose every ball in my bag. And about the time I begin thinking that I really shouldn't be on the course, I hit a shot that gives me hope. As I said, that's typical of my game, I just don't get out enough to do any better, and for the most part I'm okay with that. I have no asperations of joining the tour.

However, today's highlight for me wasn't the few tee shots that I sent perfectly down the fairway...well out of sight, or even the scarce pars I made. It wasn't the perfect pitch out of the sand trap or the 20 foot put that I drained either. No, today's highlight was the laughter, of which I provided the fuel for.

You see, in addition to the those shots I mentioned earlier, there was one that bounced off the handle of a rake near a bunker, one that bounced off a curb on the cart path, one that bounced off a tree (even as scarce as they are around these parts), and one that bounced of a tee marker on the tee box (highly unorthodox shot, I don't recommend it). Of course, I wasn't laughing at the first couple of those, but by the end of the round, it had really become comical, so joining in the laughing was easy. And as I say, it was the highlight of my round of golf today - smiling and laughing with friends.

I must confess that too often I'm far too serious, just ask my wife. But laughter feels good and I believe there are studies that indicate a health component to it as well. I find as I grow older that I long for more of it. Maybe I've realized that it's one of the more desirable things life has to offer. In a world where pain and suffering are the norm on the evening news, it becomes pretty obvious.

So today, instead of just knocking the dust off my clubs and reminding myself that I'm not a great golfer, I got an unexpected gift - the gift of laughter.

Oh yeah, and new nickname.....just call me ricochet.

Peace.......

Living A Legacy

2006-07-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Did you see it? Italy won the World Cup, and everyone except the majority of the USA was watching. That in itself would make an interesting blog (why one country seemingly shows no interest in something that captures the hearts and minds of the rest of the world) but I wanted to blog about an event in the game.

Soccer superstar Zinedine Zidane, playing for France, lost his cool and was red carded (ejected from the game) for head butting an opponent in the chest during overtime. (read full story at Yahoo Sports here) And this is what he's being talked about all around the world this morning and undoubtedly will be remembered for.

Zidane is without question one of the premier players of soccer in the world. For years he has played at a level unequaled by most, garnering thousands of fans and numerous championships. And yet, most of that will be forgotten, overshadowed by his momentary lapse of good judgment, left with a legacy of shame.

What a common human dilemma. History is filled with the memories of great men and women whose claim to fame is public shame. (nice rhyme, huh?) No need to name names but many of them were doing good, even great things before that, but unfortunately none of it gets remembered. That's the world we live in.

This world watches and waits for us to stumble and fall, which has always made me wonder about people who willingly pursue the public spotlight. I guess when "it" happens, it gives all of us opportunity to place ourselves above that unfortunate soul. False righteousness at its finest, and such a contrast between the way God sees us.

Jesus said that "there is only One who is good." (Matthew 19:16) To me, that means we all have the same problem when it comes to lapses of good judgment and are prone to stumble and fall at any time, so why do we make big deals about it when it happens? But unlike the world, God knows this about us all too well, and out of His love for us, He's made provision for us when it happens. It's called grace, and like a loving Father, He reaches out His hand. But instead of pointing a finger of condemnation at us, He offers to help us get up and shows us a better way of living.

In this world we will always have the criticism and condemnation of others to deal with, but remember - the One who made it all loves you just like you are and wants to spend all of eternity with you. That's a legacy I can live with.

Peace.....Tom

Abundant Life

2006-07-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

I ran across this quote last week, not sure who's it is:

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - "WOW, What a ride!"

I think I agree. Much like the puppy in the picture here, I'd like to find myself at the end of my life simply overwhelmed with all it had to offer. Without regret because I at least attempted to embrace all of it.

Not to sound morbid, but the only guarantee we have in this life is the end of it - death. Far too many people IMHO (in my humble opinion) spend much of their life in worry about their death. That puzzles me. My days of indulgence and excess are behind me, but I'm always up for something new. In fact, lately I find myself wanting to do things I've never done, go places I haven't been, meet new people, etc. And the more I do of that, the more I feel my life is full, abundant if you will.

I use that word because someone I trust very much said that my life should be abundant. My friend Jesus said that's what I'm supposed to be experiencing here, it's mine for the taking, so I stepped up to get it. Now He didn't promise a life without trouble, He said there would be plenty, and He's been right. But He also said that He would always be with me (He has) and that my life can be full (and it is). That's why I trust Him, the stuff He's told me are things I can count on.

I hope you have a trustworthy friend. I hope your life feels full and abundant. I hope you find yourself saying "WOW! What a ride!" someday.

Peace........

May I Help You?

2006-07-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

This photo had me wondering.....

Did the mouse ask for help? Does the frog mind?

Apparently this was snapped during flooding in Lucknow, India. Not mortal enemies or anything, but certainly a pair not known for hanging out together. But there it is. Probably not a big deal for the frog, but life changing for the mouse, eh?

Which led to my next thought.....

Who can we help?

Peace........

Friends

2006-06-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

Friends are good to have. I have 2 I consider most precious. My best friend, I left sleeping in bed this morning, her golden hair falling softly across her face and the rhythm of her breathing soft and blissful. Even there, her beauty captivates me. My wife desreves all the awards one could think of, including a purple heart for the times I've wounded her, but especially one for her friendship.

My other "best" friend is my guitar, any one of them. I don't know if I can adequately explain this relationship, but I'll give it a shot. Companion would be a good place to start, just knowing it's close is comforting, and here's why. For the majority of my life now, I've made my living with my guitar. Sure there have been times when "other" work was necessary to make ends meet, but it wasn't my friends fault. So a common feeling when me and my friend are together is one of accomplishment, there's a job to do and together we'll "git 'er done!"

Another feeling, and perhaps the one that began the relationship is one of voice. Like no other, this friend has the ability to give voice to my innermost thoughts without words. If you listen, you can get a glimpse into my very soul through the music I play when I'm alone. My best friend - my wife - has learned that, and I appreciate the way she listens. Along with that comes the ability to "take me away". It's easy to get "miles away" with my friend, even in the most crowded, hectic situations. (That goes for both of them!)

So this morning I pray for you that you too have a friend or two like these I've been blessed with. May your friends captivate and comfort you. May they make your work light and your play enjoyable. May they love you for you.

Peace...........

Getting Your Bearings

2006-06-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I suppose the burning question is..."What the heck has been going on the last year?" And that's a fair question, some of you know the answer, and for the rest of you I guess it's only fair I help you get your bearings since I've invited you on this path with me.

It was a little over a year ago that my wife was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. The prescribed treatment was chemo therapy for 48 weeks due to her particular strain. Let me just say it's been a long year. When you're in the middle of something like this, and I was just a bystander although it took it's toll on the whole family; it's gut-check time. I faced it at about 40 weeks in.

"IT" is that place where you wake up and realize that you're unsure if you can "do what you have to do" another day. I surprised myself with that thought, I felt like a failure. Imagine, I wasn't even taking medicine, yet I seemingly had no hope to offer, and was unsure I could be helpful at all. I wanted to quit, and "I" there wasn't anything for me to quit. I was just tired of the circumstances I found myself in and wanted them to change.

I guess that's a classic definition of losing hope. See, I happen to know that I'm a hope junkie, I live on the stuff, and I believe in my heart of hearts that there is always hope for a better tomorrow (my checkered past is proof positive). But in this particular situation, I had lost mine. I liken it to how prisoners and hostages must feel. Perhaps early on, there is hope that things will soon change, but over the course of time, the day in and day out of being in something that you have no control over begins to wear on you. Your hope slowly fades, and desperation begins to replace it. That's the road I've been walking this past year.

Now I've got to tell you that things have changed. My wife finishes her treatment tomorrow, all the tests along the way have shown that her body is responding positively (though we won't know for sure until December), and the fog of desperation has gone from my view. Hope has returned!

As stated in the title of this blog, it's a shared journey. I'm no one special, not looking for sympathy or help, just telling my story and asking you to share yours. Life can be tough. Are you going through something right now? Do you feel that hope has left the building? Let me tell you that it can return, and most likely will. The key, I've found, is that you have to look for it. God, friends, family, even professional counseling can help you gain a different perspective and I highly recommend all of them.

I hope to hear from some of you. Leave a comment and if you'd liked to subscribe to this blog, just click the link over on the right. Oh yeah, another interesting thing to watch may be the ad link at the bottom of the page. The set up allowed me to choose "relate ad to blog content". Should be funny to see what "they" think goes along with our journey.

Safe travels.

Welcome Fellow Traveler

2006-06-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

So, here it is. After a solid year, I begin anew my foray into self-published views on life. You see, I'm no stranger to this medium, only it's delivery I suppose. Some six years ago, I published a weekly email newsletter that reached subscribers of nearly 300. Web-posted journals have come and gone, mostly due to the demands on my life at the time. And as life is prone to do, the ebb and tide now affords me time for sharing, observing, commenting and otherwise pontificating (not-so-much) about the things that make up my life and the path I'm following through it.

Knowing how life can be, my only promise is an update once a week. Who knows, this blog may become more prolific in it's updating, but I really hope that the time between posts will be time that you share your thoughts and comments. I believe that due to the shear number of oxygen consuming humans on this planet, shared experiences, hopes and feelings are more common than we let on. It's those commonalities, as well as the differences that I hope to discover along the way.

So here's the frame of reference of my views: American male, married with children. A love for God, music and life. We can unpack those down the road. Thanks for joining me.