An Inadequate, Inept, Incapable Loser

An inadequate, inept, incapable loser! That was me. I know, I know, there are those who might read that and think to themselves that using a present tense verb would be just as accurate of a statement. However, that is an incorrect assessment of who I am today. The person I used to be is no longer the person I am. I actually don't even resemble that loser anymore. Some who knew me then and know me today, might struggle with that last statement, but it is the absolute truth.

Many years ago, I died. No really, I died. The person I was had a real encounter with death. Yet, here I am alive today. However, the life I live today is not me anymore. What??? I must admit it can seem a bit confusing. Paul said it like this in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The cross of Jesus is a powerful thing. While dealing with my sin was an important thing, His crucifixion and the blood He shed did more than erase my sin. It erased me. That cross dealt with me, the sinner. Yes, my sin was nailed to that cross, but so was I. As a believer, many times we understand the concept that our sin was washed away by His shed blood but we fail to wrap our brain around the truth that the sin manufacturing plant that we were was crucified with Christ. When Jesus cried out "It is finished," He meant it. His death has once and for all dealt with our sin and us as sinners. He dealt with what we've done and who we are. Our identity was changed on that cross.

We often make statements like, "I'm just a sinner, saved by grace." While it sounds humble, that statement is not consistent with the new birth experience. If we were crucified with Christ, and according to Scripture we were, then the sinner we used to be is dead. We are new creatures according to II Corinthians 5:17. The new man we are is completely different than the old man we were. It is true that we still sin, but what we do does not define who we are. What God says about us is what determines our identity. Our Christian life is more about trusting what God says about us rather than striving to be something He already declares we are. We need to learn to trust God when He says the sinner we used to be no longer exists and the new person we now are is a son/daughter and a saint. It is not prideful or arrogant to declare what God says about us, but it is actually humility when we understand that who we are is completely the result of what He has done and has absolutely nothing to do with what we have done. When we insist on holding on to our old identity it is not an act of humility but it actually belittles the sacrifice He made for us.

When we look in the mirror it may be difficult to recognize the person that God declares we are. Our perception however doesn't change the truth. We may see an inadequate, inept, incapable loser. We may see a person bound by habits or sin they can't get victory over. We may see someone who is defeated and depressed. It's in those moments when we must determine to trust what God says about us. Striving to prove to ourselves or to others that what He says about us is true, is actually the result of not believing what He declares about us. When you know who you are, it is not necessary to prove anything to anyone. We see a great example of that truth in the life of Jesus. At His baptism, speaking of Jesus, God declares "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). I find it interesting that when Jesus is in the wilderness and is tempted by satan, the very first thing satan tempts Him with is to doubt what God had said about Him. "If you are the Son of God, then turn this stone into bread" (Luke 4:3). If Jesus struggled to believe what God says about Him then He would have been tempted to prove who He was. Notice how Jesus, who is confident that what God says about Him is true, responds. "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God'" (Luke 4:4). It is abundantly clear that Jesus finds God's declaration at His baptism the only necessary proof the He is indeed the Son of God. It is therefore unnecessary to perform any miracle to prove to Himself, satan, or anyone else who He is. He is the Son of God because God declares it, and no other proof is needed to establish that truth.

In the same way, we too should learn to trust God's Word concerning us above all else. Above the opinions of others, above our own self-assessment, and above every other voice out there. As a believer, our identity is not rooted in what we do, or in what we or anyone else thinks about us, but in what God says about us. While the cross serves as a reminder of Christ's sacrificial death for us, we desperately need to understand that it also serves as a reminder of our death. It is only then that we can view the resurrection as a new birth and the creation of a new man/woman. Only when we understand that there was a death, can we comprehend that what now exists is someone entirely different.

Like Paul, I've come to the realization that I have indeed been crucified with Christ and that the life I now live is no longer I but Christ in me. So, if you happen to see someone that looks like me that appears to be an inadequate, inept, incapable loser, just know that he is nothing but an impostor. For that man died many years ago and the man I now am is no longer even related to that loser.

Apart From Him We Can Do NOTHING!

We all have natural abilities. While we may not be able to play like Michael Jordan on the basketball court, there are certain natural skills that we all possess. Some may be good with numbers, while others may be great at fixing things with their hands. Some may have excellent problem solving skills, while others have a 4 octave vocal range. Some may be great speakers, while others can throw a football 60+ yards. While I would love to throw a football 60 yards, or glide through the air like Jordan, I was not endowed with the ability to do either. Regardless of how hard I tried or practiced, I would never be able to measure up to Jordan or even a bench warmer on the worst team in the NBA.

I'm a musician. While there may be some who would debate that statement having heard my skills, I do play guitar a little. I'm not sure how much "natural" ability I have when it comes to playing guitar, but I have to think there is at least a little bit. Afterall, I have tried to teach some people to play that after a few lessons I'm convinced can never be taught to play. So, my theory is that if you can even play a little bit, there has to be just a hint of natural talent at the least. Perhaps I could become a better player if I practiced more, but the truth is if I haven't reached my peak, I'm pretty close. Over the years I have logged in many, many practice hours on the guitar and although I seemed to improve in the early days, that improvement has either stopped or become little more than stagnant. Kind of like my basketball skills. When I was young, I played and played and played and played and at some point hit my peak. I came to the end of my ability to improve.

I know there is always room for improvement, but let's face it sometimes we just have to come to terms with the fact that there is a pinnacle and once that is reached, all that we do from then on is an effort to stay at that level. So, it could just very well be that as far as my guitar playing goes, everything I'm doing now is simply an effort to maintain rather than increase my skill level. What I need now is for God to breath on it. Actually, from day one, that's what we all need.

We are very good at doing life apart from God. While that is certainly true about unbelivers the tragedy is that it is often equally true about believers. We have these natural skills and abilities and navigating through life without God is not all that difficult. Sure, we claim to know God, but we invite Him in only when we truly need Him. Only when we come to the end of our ability. We walk through life leaning on our own abilities and often trust ourselves more so than we trust God. Ouch! Some would argue that it was God who gave us our gifts and abilities so are we really doing life apart from God? Picture Adam and Eve in the garden. Was is not God who breathed life into them? Was it not God who gave them a free will? And what did they do with it? They chose to do life apart from God with the very breath He gave them and the ability to choose granted to them by their Creator.

We do the very same thing as the two of them. We take our natural abilities and we choose to do life apart from God. If and when we come to the end of our ability then we ask God to get involved. Somehow, I think we are missing the point of how we are to do life.

Picture if you will a famous rock star. Maybe a great guitarist. While it might be true that he has a great deal of natural talent, apart from God, it is nothing but the flesh. He may receive the glory and praise of thousands of followers, but in the end his natural ability, that is void of the life of God, does little more than entertain.

In Scripture we are told of David who was a musician. Now, you can't find any of his concerts on youtube, so we aren't sure how great he was at playing his instrument, but the Bible does tell us that he was a skilled musician. We are told that when he played before Saul, the atmosphere in the room shifted and the tormenting spirits that plagued Saul left. If we aren't careful, we'll make the mistake of thinking that David must have been some awesome musician. The fact is that the atmospheric shift in the room was less about David's skill and more about God's presence in the room. Apart from God's breath on His playing, David would have been unable to do little more than entertain Saul.

Leaning on our natural abilities will always leave us inept at living the kind of life God designed us to live. Scripture tells us that apart from Him we can do nothing. Jesus speaking of Himself makes this statement, "The Son can do nothing on His own." Perhaps one day we'll discover that what is true about Jesus is true about all of us. Whenever we lean on our own abilities and try to attempt life apart from God, then all that we do amounts to zero, nada, zip, the big goose egg, NOTHING! Flesh is flesh. Whether its extremely talented flesh or mildly talented flesh, the result is always the same. On the other hand whenever we determine to do life in such a way that we lean on God and trust in His ability more so than ours, we'll tap into the kind of life He designed us to live.

The Lord never intended for us to simply connect with Him when we have reached the end of our ability. He wants to be a part of the ride from the beginning. He longs for us to understand that He is the vine and we are the branches and only when we are connected to Him can we experience true life. Doing life apart from Him is pretty much the equivalence of a branch disconnected from a tree trying to attach itself to something other than the trunk in order to find life. All I know is that all the branches in my back yard disconnected from the trunk are dying or are already dead. So it is with everything we attempt apart from our Creator. It all ends up to be death in the end.

While I could spend endless hours trying to get my fingers to play Bbmaj9, I'm thinking it would be more advantageous for me to figure out how to get God to breath on my playing. Afterall, the former would do nothing but stroke my ego a bit, while the latter just might bring glory to God.

Time-Out, Time-Out, TIME-OUT!

Wouldn't it be good if we could stop the clock? Just like they do in sporting events, as the clock is running down, we could simply call for a time-out. I know we can stop or slow down, but the clock never stops. It just keeps ticking and tocking. The 24 hours you get in a day, the 8760 hours you get in a year, just keeps ticking away, never slowing down. Before long the 8760 hours have long passed and we stand around wondering how the time flew by.

If you're like me, you need at least 48 hours in a day. Even with that, of course we still wouldn't get everything done on our to-do list. We would manage to still load up our day with way too much to do. We would try to cram 72 hours worth of tasks into those 48 hours. And in doing so, we would be even more exhausted at the end of the day. Somehow, I think in God's infinite wisdom, He knew just how long to make a day. He knew that 24 hours was all we needed. Any more than that would be more than we were created to handle.

Still in those 24 hours, there are those moments when a time-out would come in handy. A moment when the clock stops and we sit to take a breather and regroup. As great as that would be, we don't get any. The clock just keeps rolling....tick, tick, tick, tick. If you manage to live to be 90, you'll have just under 789,000 hours. I know that seems like a lot, but if you're like me, I'm quickly approaching the half-way mark and man did those first 300,000+ hours fly by. Regardless of where you find yourself on the journey, the fact remains that at the moment you were born the clock began and it hasn't stopped since.

While we all have different life-spans, the truth is we all get the same amount of time in each day. 24 hours. That's it. No more, no less. And once its gone, its gone. We all have lists a mile long of things that need to get done and at the end of the day its still a mile long. Since, time-outs are not an option, then good time management is a premium. Sitting down and doing a survey of what's truly important is a must. Let's face it, we all have things on that to-do list that in the grand scheme of things is of little importance. Regrets are the product or sacrificing the important things for the unimportant. You know as well as I do, that although we may get through most of our to-do list in a given day, if it was at the expense of what is really important there's little satisfaction in the end.

Of course, I try to live life with God's kingdom in my sights. I attempt to value what He values. I try desperately to keep focussed on what is eternal rather than on what is temporal. Trust me, I don't always get it right. That being said, getting it right is my goal. I just know that when its all said in done, at the end of the day those things that are eternal are the things that truly matter. One thing I know that is eternal is relationships. Afterall, that's all we take with us when we leave this earth. Our relationship with our Creator and our relationship with one another.

For me, putting work aside for a time of one-on-one with my sons is much more rewarding than getting the job done right now. Staying up taking in a football game with my son is more satisfying than trying to get a few more work related tasks done before bed. Choosing to take a day to spend with my family each week while I could easily spend the day working, is life-giving. Taking an evening each week to go on a date with my wife is priceless. Hanging out with friends and family, building relationships and doing life together is more rewarding than sitting in front of the tube, or surfing the internet, or getting that last task done on my list.

What I'm trying to say is that in the end when those 789,000 hours have been spent, I want to make sure that the majority of them were spent on the things that truly matter. I know there are things that must be done. I know there are jobs that need our attention. I know there are only 24 hours in a day. But, I hope you'll agree that if we fail to do the truly important things on that to-do list, at the end of those 789,000 hours we'll face some pretty hefty regrets.

I am writing this because, for me, this week has been one that has been filled with way too many tasks. Yes, I've been trying to cram 2 weeks into one. In my attempt to get all the things done that I need to get done, there have been some important ones that have taken a back seat. Remember, I said I don't always get this thing right. Yesterday my oldest son kept asking me to play with him. When I say kept asking me, I mean he asked me alot. But, I had work to do. A lot of work to do. At least 48 hours of work to do yesterday. Finally, he found me exhausted sitting on the couch at the end of the day. He comes up to me and asks one last time, "Daddy, will you play with me?" Up the stairs I stumble to take him on in Madden Football. Thank God it wasn't real football, as I don't think I would have lasted 5 minutes. And thanks Mom, for letting us stay up a few minutes past bed time.

I did a lot yesterday, but the thing that I most remember is that moment when I'm driving for the game winning score and Peyton Manning throws a pick-6 with less than a minute to go. Yep, his Patriots beat my Colts. I just know that of all the to-do's on my list yesterday, that was number one. I know for him, he'll not remember anything else I did yesterday.

It's true I'm tired and it's true I have a lot to do today. But at some point, the list gets put on hold as I have some truly important things to attend to. And as you know, the clock is ticking and there are no time-outs.

Are You Stupid?

Ok, I have to admit I couldn't resist the title. I was reading in Proverbs today when I came across chapter 12 verse 1. "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid." So there it is, the "s" word as we refer to it in our household. While we shouldn't make a habit out of referring to anyone with that term, I think it is important to evaluate ourself in regards to that Scripture. So, here we go...are you stupid? Do you struggle with correction? I'm thinking when defined like this verse in Proverbs, I definitely resemble that "s" word on occasion.

Think about it for a moment. Have you ever been sitting in church when the minister says something that hits you right between the eyes? Not a condemning word, but one that you know deep down is right on and yet there's something in you that is ready to reject that thing? Perhaps, you start looking for some Scripture that can support your position and prove his position to be in error. Or, better yet you just try to find someone who will agree with you. Its amazing how often we reject the truth as long as we can get a couple people who can agree with us. Have you ever had a difficult time being corrected or receiving instruction from a parent, a teacher, a boss, a co-worker, a friend, or anyone else? If so, then I hate to say it but....well, let's just say God's Word indicates that you may not be acting intelligently.

As I mentioned earlier, I too seem to act a bit unintelligent at times. There are certainly times in my life when I struggle with receiving correction with a good attitude. Although, I am much better than when I was a teen, there are still moments in my life when confronted with correction that my first impulse is to get defensive. Not sure if you can relate, but my heart starts beating fast, I can feel the blood pressure rising, and I guess its that spirit of "stupid" that begins to take over. It makes no difference if its a person or the Holy Spirit speaking to me personally through God's Word, when I am confronted I usually offer a bit of a fight.

Of course, there are times in our lives when those attempting to correct us have impure motives, but that's not really the point. The point is the attitude of "our" heart. I have discovered throughout the course of my life that even when confronted with correction at the hands of those whose motives are way off, truth can still be imparted to us. Let's face it truth is truth regardless of where it comes from. As the parent of a 7 year old and a 4 year old, I have discovered that God can even offer correction and instruction through their mouths and actions. I'm even reminded of Balaam in Scripture who had a quick course correction when his donkey spoke up and warned Him that his head was about to be chopped off. Yes, God can use anything or any means necessary to bring correction and instruction our way. The key is whether or not our heart is willing to receive it. Those who receive that correction are better for it and those who don't, well, we know what Scripture says of them.

Because we are all on a journey tainted with imperfection, we are constantly in need of correction along the way. When we are teachable and maintain an of attitude of humility, then growth on that journey is much quicker. On the contrary, when we walk through life unteachable and full of pride, not only is our growth in spiritual things stunted, but at some point destruction awaits. Now, while I don't like thinking of myself as stupid, I am more disturbed by the fact that around some corner, destruction is waiting for me. Continuing on a path knowing that it leads to destruction is like driving through a road block that warns a bridge is out. Now, maybe you're ok, with the whole destruction thing, and if so then, go for it. But, as for me I'm thinking I have to agree with Scripture when it says that's just stupid.

Living Like You're Planning On Not Staying

I love life. Well, most of the time anyway. I mean, sure there are those things I encounter that don't just overwhelm my heart with joy. However, for the most part, I love my life. I love the family I've been given and walking through life with them. I love living in the great state of Texas, in the greatest nation in the world. For a non-morning person, I actually even enjoy getting up in the morning. Yes, I roll out of bed slowly, but I still love waking up to a new day.

I love the fact that I have a roof over my head, a car that starts when I turn on the ignition, and food in my belly. I love having air conditioning, especially with the heat during the hot summers here in Texas. I could go on and on about all the things I'm thankful for and love about my life. Yet, as great as it is, I have to constantly remind myself, its all temporary.

Last week, I performed a funeral for my wife's great aunt who was just months away from her 100th birthday. Just think about this for a minute. During her lifetime the Titanic sunk, the Hindenburg crashed, the Spruce Goose flew, and man broke the sound barrier. She lived through World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and both Persian Gulf Wars. She lived under 18 different Presidents, went through the Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, the Golden Age of Radio, and the beginning of the age of television. During her lifetime the Yankees fielded Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Roger Maris, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, and A-Rod. She saw out-houses give way to indoor plumbing, and phones go from ones with built in generators, to rotary dial, to push button, to Iphones.

Pretty amazing isn't it? Yet, even her nearly 100 years on this planet, was still just a vapor when compared to eternity. I know its hard to fathom 100 years as being a short time, but it truly is. Whether we live to be 70, 80, or 100, the fact remains that when we leave this world behind another one awaits us. One in which clocks and watches don't matter. Its a world that knows no end. Eternity...try wrapping your brain around that concept. Forever and ever and ever and ever. And then forever and ever and ever and ever, again. Is your brain about ready to explode?

It's important to keep that world in mind while we are here. If we don't we are certain to fall in love with this world. We are certain to become attached to the things here in an unhealthy way. We will live our life as if we are planning on staying. Now, I'm not saying its bad to enjoy this life. God created us and put us on this planet and desires for us to enjoy our life here. However, He doesn't want us to become so attached to it as to neglect the world that is to come.

A rich man came to Jesus one day and wanted to take hold of this eternal life, Jesus had talked about. When Jesus told him to sell all he had and give to the poor, we are told the man leaves very sorrowful because he is unwilling to part with his stuff. I think its pretty clear that Jesus is well aware of the fact that this man is in love with the things of this world. He has become attached to it in an unhealthy way. God has no problem with us having stuff, but He does take issue with that stuff capturing our hearts.

Remember, this life here is nothing compared with the life that is to come. It's so important to keep that in perspective. Refuse to allow this world and the stuff in it capture your heart. Keep in mind that this world is temporary and determine to live in such a way that it is apparent you are living like you're planning on not staying?

Tell Me A Story, Daddy

Tell me a story daddy! I hear that a lot at night. Both of my sons like me or their mommy to tell them a story as they lay down at night. I've told literally hundreds of stories over the years. Stories of knights chopping off the heads of two headed dragons. Stories of Jedi knights whippin up on the bad guys. Stories of little boys who grow up to be race car drivers, NBA superstars, fighter pilots, etc. Stories of giant bugs, or giant dinosaurs, or giant something else attacking cities and how two boys save everybody.

I don't mean to brag, but I think I'm pretty good at telling stories. At least, my two boys think so. It's crazy though when I don't tell the story just the way that want to hear it. Both of them will let me know in a hurry when I take the story in a direction that they don't agree with it. There have even been times when they've attempted to have me deviate so much from my original story that I just tell them to finish the story. Afterall, there is only so much compromise a story teller should have to make. Of course, they never want to do that, so onward I push, even though my creativity has been tampered with.

The truth is they want me to tell them a story, but most often they want the controlling rights to the story. They want the license to change it up, if in fact the storyline strays from the way they want it to go. As I sit here thinking about that, I really think our response to God is often the same way. As a believer, we come to God wanting Him to write our story. We truly want Him to be in charge and we want to follow His direction for our life. At least until that story goes a direction we don't want it to go. We think to ourselves certainly, this can't be God taking us down this road. He would never tell the story this way, and if He does then we want a re-write. We want to take back some control as to how the story should go.

It's as if we sing the song, "I Surrender All," but we sing it with a disclaimer at the bottom of the page that says until we get uncomfortable, or don't agree with the storyline. The bottom line is we want to be in control. We want everything to go the way we want it to go and when it doesn't, it is so easy for us to get all bent out of shape. We pray prayers that often try to manipulate God to make everything go our way, rather than praying the kind of prayer that Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. You know that one right? "Not my will, but Yours (God) be done."

Ouch, that even hurt writing it. It's the truth though and we all know it. If we truly want God to write our story, then we'll let Him write it. And when it takes a turn that we don't particularly like, we'll trust that He knows what He's doing. He truly is a masterful story teller, and the story He writes for us, has Him walking through each scene with us. Trust me, Hollywood can't write a better story than the one he has for us. Let's choose to allow Him to write our story and then just walk through the adventure with Him, trusting Him the whole way.

A Go-Kart, A Jr. High Driver, And An Aching Back

I have a bit of a chronic back problem. Nothing serious, or at least I don't think so. It's just a lower back pain that visits me from time to time. Although, I'm sure my over-sized gut doesn't help the problem, the real culprit is the result of a poor decision that I made years ago.

Have you ever made a choice that afterward you regretted big time? Ok, so that's a ridiculous question. The fact that we are breathing puts us all in that category. We all make mistakes in judgment from time to time. We all jump into things without giving it much thought only to realize mid way through we should have put more thought into it. Or, we fully weigh the consequences and jump in anyway. Whatever our method, the fact remains we've all been there and done that.

As for the decision I made years ago that's still affecting my back today? I was teaching at a school a few years back and was on my way home when I saw one of my jr. high students driving his new go-kart in a field. I stopped simply to watch him. He pulled up to where I was and wanted to take me for a ride. Reluctantly, I hopped on board. Now, the thought that flew through my mind at the speed of light was, "Tim, he's a jr. high student. Don't you think you should drive?" Of course, I pushed that thought aside and hopped into the passenger seat.

Its was fun at first. We went flying across the field. Wind blowing through our hair. It was great. Up until the moment. It seemed as if everything slowed down into slow motion. I looked over at him and he was grinning from ear to ear as if to say now watch this. Assuming he was about to show me some move he had perfected I braced myself. Then this jr. high student while at full throttle jerked the steering wheel as hard as he could, throwing me from the moving vehicle. Had that been all, I would have simply escaped with a few bumps and bruises. But, that wasn't all. Every part of me escaped the vehicle except my foot. Somehow my foot stayed in the go-kart a bit longer than the rest of me. Then the roll bars, which are meant to protect me, along with the entire go-kart, driver still in it, rolled over me. Remember the foot that was stuck in the go-kart? It finally came out after bending my back in a way God never intended for the human back to bend.

As I lay there with my face buried in the dirt and pain shooting through my body from head to toe, I remember thinking, "I think I broke my back." In order to make sure I was not completely paralyzed, I remember beginning to wiggle my fingers and toes. Thank God, everything worked. Yes, everything hurt, but at least everything worked.

Now, there were several mistakes I made that day. My first mistake was stopping my car. Had I just waved and continued on my way home, everything would have been fine. My second mistake was getting in the go-kart with a novice at the wheel. My final mistake was not having a camera on hand to video the event. Had I done that at least I would have had a chance to win money on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Life is full of choices. We're faced with them every day. Some of them are big, some of them are small and some of them are life altering. There are those of us who jump in before we think and then there are those who think so long we never jump. On that day several years ago, I jumped and then while I was lying on the ground in pain, I decided to think. Prior to getting in that go-kart, I would have never thought there was a possibility of feeling the results of that decision, years down the road. But, the truth is I do.

I know my story is a bit funny and truth is I get a lot of laughs when I tell it. And I would consider my choice that day to be a minor one. But throughout my life, as it is with everyone else, there are those choices I have had to make that are huge. The ones that we often wring our hands about and lay in bed contemplating. The ones that you just wish God, Himself, would speak audibly and tell you exactly what to do. Of course, if the truth be told we would probably haggle with Him a bit if He did. The truth is, I've never heard His audible voice and I think its safe to say if not all, most everyone else would say the same.

That being said, it doesn't mean God can't direct us. He can. When Jesus walked the earth, He made the statement that he doesn't do anything that He doesn't see the Father doing. Ok, so I know what your thinking, we can't hear God's voice audibly so how in the world are we going to see Him? We see Him in how Jesus lived His life. Jesus said if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. That's great, but how does that tell me whether or not to take a new job that's half-way across the country, right? Here's my point, Jesus lived His life by a set of principles. He lived His life by including God in every part of it. He didn't block out a part of His life for God, He made God the center of it. His life revolved around God. He lived His life in such a way that he put others first. All of His choices were made, remembering that there was a bigger picture than what He saw on any given day. Jesus came to show us the Father and His journey would include a cross. Everything about Him, moved Him in that direction. He lived His live on purpose, with purpose.

When we choose to live our lives consistent with the way He lived His, choices become easier. No, I didn't say we should all be headed for a cross, just that we should be headed somewhere. There are wonderful opportunities that come along in life, and if we're not careful we'll jump on board not realizing how far they are taking us from where we should be headed. I grew up thinking that open doors were God's way of directing us. Through the years I've discovered that open doors are often ways the Father tests us. God has a destiny, or destination for all of us. If we are headed nowhere, we'll flounder through life not getting anywhere. It is only at that point where we know our destination that our choices in life become easier. When we choose to live our life with purpose and we choose to live our lives by the principles that Jesus lived by, then choices become a breeze.

That being said, when it comes to getting into a go-kart with a jr. high student at the wheel....that just takes a little common sense.

Are We There Yet?

Are we there yet? If you're a parent you've heard it plenty of times and growing up I'm sure you said it a few times as well. It comes from the back seat when you are nowhere close to your destination. This past Christmas/New Years holiday we took a trip to Colorado. A trip in which we logged in over 2100 miles total. About an hour into our trip, I heard it for the first time and by the time we had finished our marathon journey, I heard it more times than I care to count. Truth is, no matter how much we love to travel, we all like to get where we are going don't we? Sure, as you drive, its great to take in all the scenery, but it sure feels good when you finally get there.

I don't recall how many hours it took to get there, but I remember seeing the mountains for the first time thinking we are almost there. Then 2 1/2 hours later, we were finally there. You know how it is, you see the mountains in the distance and think it can't be more than another 30 minutes or so. After 30 minutes, you think, ok, it can't be more than another 30 minutes or so. They seem like they are right there when in reality, they are miles and miles and miles away.

As I think about our Christian journey, it's really not all that different. Perhaps you set out on your journey decades ago, or maybe its just been recently. Whatever the case, none of us have arrived yet. It's a journey that takes a lifetime. Sure, we like the journey, but getting where we are going sure would be nice. Sometimes we feel like that little kid in the back seat wondering if we are there yet. Wondering if we are even close. Of course, the answer to that is a resounding, "No!" It's a journey with that destination in the distance that regardless of how close it looks, is still quite far away.

If I can paraphrase the apostle Paul, he said, "I'm not there yet but I'm on my way. I'm forgetting the past and I'm pressing forward. I'm headed for my destination." That's where we all should be, moving forward on our journey. Not standing still, not moving backwards, but moving forward. It doesn't really matter what mile marker we are at, just that we are moving toward the next one. We are all a work in progress, and the key is always to remember that. Like Paul, we haven't arrived yet.

I know when traveling, I can get a bit impatient. When I get on the road, I want to get there. If Google says it takes 9 hours, I want to prove I can do it in 7 1/2. If I'm not careful, I'll get so focused on my destination that I'll miss the whole journey. We can do that in our Christian journey as well. We can get so focused on where we are headed that we miss all the great stuff along the way. God put us on this planet and believe it or not, He longs for us to enjoy our time here. It's a really long journey and it's ok, if you determine to take your time and take it all in. So, let's press forward and move on. But, in all the pressing and in all the moving, let's take time to enjoy the journey.

I Love The Rain

I love the rain. Sure, it can make life a bit of a hassle. Especially, on those days when you get caught out in it unprepared without an umbrella. Or, when traffic moves at caterpillar speed on your way to and from work. But, still I love the rain.

Sure, I like listening to it fall outside. For some reason, it just has a calming effect. Then, there are times I like to just stare out the window and watch it fall. I even like playing in it. Yes, even as an adult. But, all of that pales in comparison to the real reason I love the rain.

Every time it rains, I am reminded of a story I heard a few years ago. It seems that in 1937, a young lady who already had several children discovered she was pregnant with yet another. She had no desire for another child and had found someone who would be willing to help her abort the pregnancy. She somehow convinced her husband to pay for the procedure and one morning she woke up to find the cash for the procedure laying on the kitchen table. However, it was pouring down rain that morning and she didn't want to get out in all that mess. The story goes on, I've been told, that after that day, she just decided to have the baby.

To think that a little rain saved a little baby's life is a pretty powerful story, but that story carries a lot more weight when it touches your life on a more personal note. That young lady was my grandmother and the baby was my Dad. To think of what might have been, had it not been raining that day. I stagger to think that myself, my 2 bothers, my 2 sisters, my 2 sons, my 4 nephews, and my 3 nieces, all could have been aborted on that raining day in 1937. I just thank God that on that morning in that little town in West Virginia, the heavens opened up and poured down rain.

As you can imagine, its hard for me not to be reminded of that story, when it rains. Sure, I get upset from time to time when I'm inconvenienced by wet weather, but somehow, someway God always reminds me that it was a day like this in 1937, that my life as well as the lives of those I love dearest were spared. So, is it any wonder why I love the rain?

Finding True Life

In Matthew 16:25, Jesus makes a statement that is a bit puzzling. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." It's a bit puzzling until you actually walk it out, and in doing so find it to be so true. Over the course of the last few weeks, life here in southeast Texas has been a little crazy. Things are beginning to get back to normal for many, while others will face months and perhaps even years before things resemble anything close to normal.

In the aftermath of Ike, we've found ourselves with an opportunity to prove this scripture to be true. I don't know of one individual here who wasn't affected in one way or another by this storm. Yet, by in large most people I know began looking beyond themselves in an effort to find someone who needed a helping hand. Whether is was helping with clean up, buying food and supplies for those in need, standing in line at the FEMA pods for someone else, or driving in search of gas for neighbors. People just lived quite unselfishly.

Our church was notified of a family who had left to escape the storm and when they returned found their apartment completely cleaned out. Beds, furniture, clothes, toys, everything completely gone. Once notified, our small church got busy. Within just a few days, that family had new beds, living room furniture, food, and plenty of clothes. I had the privilege of being the delivery man, and I have to tell you I learned first hand that it is when we forget ourselves and live for someone else that we truly find life. I'll never forget the look on the faces of those three young children as we dropped off the clothes, food, and furniture. It was worth more than all the money this world has to offer.

We travel through life so often, striving for things we think will bring us fulfillment and satisfaction in this life. In the end they never do. The words Jesus spoke hold the key to that deep desire in all of us to find fulfillment. Only when we begin to lose our life do we truly find life. Think about the times in life when you've felt most fulfilled and I'm sure you'll find it was those moments when you placed someone else's needs before yourself. Those moments when you've sacrificed for someone else.

The key, of course, is learning to live there and not just visit every once in awhile. When sacrificial living becomes a way of life, then we'll be living right where we were created to live. And we'll find those words of Jesus to ring so true.

It Makes Me Appreciate And Value Life

Over the last couple of weeks, as I've watched the news, I've been taken back by what all has happened. Thousands of lives have been lost through tornadoes, cyclones, and earthquakes. Just think about it, people were going about their everyday lives when all of a sudden it was all over. It's pretty sobering to me. It makes me appreciate and value the life that I have. Let's face it, none of us have been promised tomorrow. I'm not trying to spread doom and gloom here, its just reality. Actually, death for a believer is hardly doom and gloom anyway. The point I'm trying to make is that this life we live is so temporal and in the grand scheme of things, even 70, 80, or 100 years is still quite short. Scripture says our life is but a vapor, here one day and gone the next.

Death for us is certain, unless we are of the generation here when Jesus takes us out of here. The truth is death could visit us today, tomorrow, next year, or it could be 10, 20, 50, or 70 years from now. But rest assured, it'll visit us. Ok, I know this is not my usual encouraging, inspiring BLOG, but stay with me.

Life on this earth is precious, but in comparison to eternity it is extremely short. What we do in that short amount of time is extremely important though. When I hear news like I've heard the last couple of weeks, it makes me think about what I'm doing with my life. It's not a condemning thing, just a gut check. It makes me ask the question, "how engaged am I with my family?" It makes me want to spend quality time with those I love most. It makes me want to put the things that need to be on the back burner on the back burner and put the things that need to be in the forefront in the forefront. It makes me want to play air guitar with my kids even when I've got a list a mile long of the things I need to do. It makes me want to spend time with my wife, and cherish each moment we have together. It causes me to evaluate the things I value and why I value them.

Years ago, my grandmother who was well advanced in years knew that death was getting closer with every passing day. She was a feisty lady and was never shy when it came to speaking her mind. Of course, that often led to her not having the greatest relationships with others, including some of her kids. From time to time she would get to thinking that she would hate to die and not have a clear conscience so she would get on the phone and start calling people. She would call one person after another asking them to forgive her if she in anyway had offended them. I just wonder how our lives would be different if we would not wait until we are in our 80s or 90s before we did something like that.

The truth is that a moment wasted can never be recaptured. We need to make it a point to say the things we so often wait too long to say. We need to forgive those who we often wait too long to forgive. We need to spend more time with those most important to us, and we need to love as if there's no tomorrow.

Of course, the most important thing is not to fall too much in love with this world here. When all is said and done, the stuff here will be gone and the only thing we take out of here is our relationship with our Creator and our relationship with one another. That's it. Nothing more , nothing less. If we travel through this life trying to capture as much stuff as we possibly can, in the end we will be grossly disappointed. I'm not saying that having stuff is bad, just that if it becomes our main pursuit in life, we will realize in the end how worthless that pursuit truly was.

I am convinced that loving God and loving others is the only pursuits in life that are the only things that are truly rewarding. Perhaps its just me, but I just believe that if I'll focus on that, when death comes knocking, I'll have no regrets and can welcome it with open arms. Of course, I'm talking in about 60 years or so.

Worth The Pain

Men are a peculiar species. I can say that because I am a card carrying member of that sect of humanity. Actually, anyone can say that, because its true. I guess it could be just me that's a bit peculiar, by I really don't think I'm alone here. I think its us guys as a whole. If not in whole, at least for the most part. Case in point, picture me in the woods with a .12 gauge shotgun. An old school shotgun, no recoil pad, just a hard, real wood stock that would flat out knock some skinny boy on his can. Lot's of boom, lots of bang, and lots of kick. Now, since I am a couple of decades removed from the skinny boy days, there's not much of a chance of me getting knocked on my can. No, I just get some major pain inflicted in my right shoulder. Now, although I've never been a hunter, I have shot deer rifles before but this was my first crack at a .12 gauge. I knew straight up, this puppy was going to kick a bit, but never thought it would kick as much as it did. Six days later, I'm still feeling the effects of the shotgun recoil in my shoulder.
What's so crazy about the whole thing, and I'm sure you men can relate, after the first shot I had to do it again. Knowing full well that this thing was going to flat hurt, I just had to do it one more time. Now, if it was just me out there, I would be inclined to think that I was just a bit on the weird side. But, I wasn't alone. I was out there with a buddy of mine and both of us were commenting on how much it hurt but we just had to shoot the shotgun again. I would understand it a little better perhaps if we were shooting at some food to bring home to the family, but we weren't shooting at anything but an old structure and some glass. No real pay off or reward for our pain. Just the satisfaction that we were making lots of noise, destroying something, and handling a gun with lots of power. That's it. Plain and simple. And for that simple pleasure, we figured it was worth the pain. So we just kept shooting. Laughing and rubbing our shoulders after each shot.
Ok, so we men are a little peculiar like that, but really life is not all that different for all of us. Life produces bumps and bruises along the way. We stick our necks out to connect with others only to find ourselves "rubbing our shoulders" so to speak. The fact is, building relationships with others produces pain in our lives from time to time. Some of those wounds are simple surface wounds, while others are deep wounds that take years or maybe a lifetime to heal. So, what do we do, quit and withdraw from others? Some do, but that is truly a tragedy. We were never met to live life alone. God created us to live in fellowship with one another. What happens when we withdraw and isolate ourselves is we eliminate our ability to feel the true spirit of family that God desires for us to experience. Sure, its not perfect because it involves people, but it beats isolation hands down. Of course, opening yourself up to others is risky, but isn't everything else in life. Trust me the payoff is worth it.

So, go for it, but get ready cause this thing kicks quite a bit. Believe me though, you'll find yourself rubbing your wound afterward, only to want another shot. Man, life is a blast!!!