I don't know about all of you, but this video disturbs me. I've never thought of myself as a "hater," but I have to admit at times I fit Penn's definition of one. A good lesson for all of us I think.....you?
How Much Do You Have to Hate Somebody....?
I don't know about all of you, but this video disturbs me. I've never thought of myself as a "hater," but I have to admit at times I fit Penn's definition of one. A good lesson for all of us I think.....you?
Elevator Games
I don't know what it is about an elevator, but it usually brings out the ornery side of me. If you know me well, you know that I'm a prankster at heart. When I first got out of pharmacy school, I worked in a hospital where I used elevators all day long. So here's a list of some of the pranks I've pulled while in an elevator, some of them involving my friends:
- One time I walked into an elevator and didn't turn around to face the door. I just continued to face all the people. It definitely created an "uncomfortable moment" because everyone in the elevator didn't know what to do!
- One time I got on an elevator, and as soon as it started going up I said real loud "I'm too young to die!" I said over and over until the elevator stopped.
- One time I got on an elevator on the very top floor. It was crowded. I rode it down one floor and got off. Then I quickly ran down the stairs to the next floor and when the elevator doors opened I was there waiting and got back on. You should've seen the looks on everyone's faces!
- One time I got on a crowded elevator. As I assumed the normal "elevator posture" (you know, facing the door, looking up at the numbers) I looked at the total stranger next to me and said in a loud voice "I've got new socks on!" Their facial expression was priceless.
- Another time I got on an elevator and there was someone in there about my age. I quickly got excited and said "Hey, it's great to see you! I haven't seen you since high school! You haven't changed a bit!" It was so great to see them squirm and fake their way through the conversation as if they remembered me.
- One of my best all-time great gags was one I pulled on my best friend. He and I got into a crowded elevator on the ground floor. We were going to the fourth or fifth floor, so we were going to be in there a bit. In a loud tone, I asked him "So dude, how's your rash doing?" Immediately, everyone in the elevator got super quiet. My buddy's face turned beet red, but I didn't let up one bit. I continued with "So are you still super-contagious or what? Should I be standing this close to you?" By this time, people were squirming and trying to move away from him as discreetly as possible. At the next stop, EVERYONE got off the elevator! I laughed so hard I nearly wet my pants!
What Are You Bringing to the Table?
Thanksgiving is upon us. I can't tell you how much I love this holiday. Why? Mainly because it's a chance for me to get to see extended family, but I'd be lying if I didn't say THE FOOD! My family isn't shy about bringing the food to the table. In fact, each year there are certain items I look forward to - for example, my Aunt Virginia's taco salad. Now you might think a taco salad doesn't belong on a Thanksgiving table, but her's most definitely does! Sadly, she won't be able to make our Thanksgiving gathering this year, so no taco salad for me. Thanksgiving just won't be the same for me.
I often use Thanksgiving as an example for small group ministries. You see, we all, like my Aunt Virginia, have something special to "bring to the table" for our small group. That something special is your spiritual gift. Maybe it's mercy or wisdom or prophecy or even hospitality. The point is, it can't benefit the group if it's not brought "to the table." Can you imagine Thanksgiving without the turkey? Or your Aunt So-and-so's pecan pie? Your group feels the same when you aren't there.
So, the take home point here is this: you have something everybody wants to enjoy, so be consistent in attending your group, whether it's a Sunday School class or home-based small group. You have something special to give, so bring it!
Thoughts?
I often use Thanksgiving as an example for small group ministries. You see, we all, like my Aunt Virginia, have something special to "bring to the table" for our small group. That something special is your spiritual gift. Maybe it's mercy or wisdom or prophecy or even hospitality. The point is, it can't benefit the group if it's not brought "to the table." Can you imagine Thanksgiving without the turkey? Or your Aunt So-and-so's pecan pie? Your group feels the same when you aren't there.
So, the take home point here is this: you have something everybody wants to enjoy, so be consistent in attending your group, whether it's a Sunday School class or home-based small group. You have something special to give, so bring it!
Thoughts?
Our Family Blog
If you're interested, Michele and I have a family blog dedicated to all things related to our new family. You can check it out here.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Gimme my bottle and nobody gets hurt!
Pic #1: Kari was hungry one night, so she latched onto my honker while mommy was making her bottle & commenced to start sucking!
Pic #2: Sucking even harder. I'm laughing so hard I can't move.
Pic#3: Not willing to let go. No mercy. Look how red-faced I am!
Catching Up
OK. It's been far too long since I last blogged. Much has been going on and it's been a little difficult to get the creative juices flowin', but I think they are rebounding slowly. To catch everyone up, here's what's been cooking in my noggin lately:
- I'm writing a book, which has been fun and frustrating at the same time. I'll spend an hour or so typing, then read what I've typed, delete it all, and start over again. So far I've got the introduction and half of the first chapter in the can. The topic? Our adoption story parallelled with the adoption story of Moses.
- So, did you hear Obama was elected Prez? He wasn't my choice, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be a hater. In fact, I believe God (and America overwhelmingly) chose him to lead our nation for the next 4 years, so I'm going to commit to pray for him regularly. I'm not going to speak negatively about him either. I sincerely hope and pray he holds true to the faith he proclaims and does a great job. Oh, I don't believe for one second he's the Anti-Christ. This kinda stupidity has got to stop!
- I've been dealing with work drama a lot lately. I have a staff of three women and I'm the lone male. Enough said.
- I just finished teaching a four week class at church on men and leadership. I called it "MENERGY," and after the final session last night, all the men wanted to continue meeting weekly for encouragement and accountability. Awesome!
- Kari is growing like a weed! She has discovered she has a voice, and likes to use it. A lot. LOUDLY! Each morning she likes to just lay in her crib and babble and scream - just because she can! Her mother and I just lay in bed watching her on the monitor and laugh. She's also somehow rearranging herself in her crib. I'll lay her down in one position only to find her flipped 180 degrees the next morning. I don't know how/when she does it - she can't even roll over yet, but she's trying!
For Those Who Weren't There......
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how
the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could
have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and
again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming,
but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who
spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows,
in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the
worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who knew neither victory nor defeat."
the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could
have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and
again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming,
but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who
spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows,
in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the
worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who knew neither victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt (emphases mine)
This past Monday night I led a "class" of men from my church in a discussion about this very quote. I challenged each and every one of them with these thoughts:
- Every man has an "arena."
- The "arena" is for testing.
- Many men avoid the "arena" because of fear of failure.
So, I challenged them to consider this quote I read in Craig Groeschel's new book "It" (provided by my boy Scott Williams from the N-Dub! Thanks again, buddy!):
"Failure is the tuition you pay for success." - Walter Brunell
I don't know Wally, but that guy has it all figured out! We have to change the way we view "failure." Now, I'm not saying we should rush out and fail, fail, fail. What I am saying is we should be willing to risk failure to experience our "triumph of high achievement."
What about you? What's your "arena?" More importantly, are you in it?
365 days ago....
Yesterday in church, a thought came rocketing into my skull from out of seemingly nowhere...
Immediately my mind "rewound" the last 365 days or so. I realized it was about this time last year when Michele and I were perhaps in the darkest days we have ever experienced. We had just went through an IVF procedure only to find out that it had failed. We were numb with grief. We were shocked from pain. We were angry from feeling betrayed by the Father. Why hadn't He heard our prayers?
Little did we know that He had. He had heard us. He was working. Our answer was already forming even as our tears were falling. Like a mystery that He is, He chose for our baby to come to us through someone else's womb. Our pain, her conception - all of this, approximately 365 days ago.
It's amazing what a difference a year makes. Thank you Abba.
"Do you remember this time last year?"
Immediately my mind "rewound" the last 365 days or so. I realized it was about this time last year when Michele and I were perhaps in the darkest days we have ever experienced. We had just went through an IVF procedure only to find out that it had failed. We were numb with grief. We were shocked from pain. We were angry from feeling betrayed by the Father. Why hadn't He heard our prayers?
Little did we know that He had. He had heard us. He was working. Our answer was already forming even as our tears were falling. Like a mystery that He is, He chose for our baby to come to us through someone else's womb. Our pain, her conception - all of this, approximately 365 days ago.
It's amazing what a difference a year makes. Thank you Abba.
Thoughts about Temperature and God
Now that it's starting to get a little chilly outside, I've noticed something. In my car, I have a digital display that tells me the temperature both outside and inside the car. The other day I noticed it was a chilly 43 degree morning. As I started my car, the air conditioner was already pre-set on 68 degrees from the day before, when the outside temperature was in the 70s. What struck me was this - the day before 68 degrees felt cool, but on that particular morning it felt warm. What gives?
It's not that suddenly overnight 68 degrees changed it's mind and decided "Hey, tomorrow I'm gonna be a warm 68." No, 68 degrees is a constant. 68 degrees is 68 degrees all year round. So what changed? What changed is the environment by which I experienced 68.
God is like 68 degrees - He is constant. Our perception of Him, however, can change much like the temperature. Sometimes it seems as if my relationship with Him is hotter than the surface of the sun itself. Other times, He has seemed as cold and distant as the planet Pluto. What changed? Not God.
Have your times with God become stale? Change the environment. Have your prayers become routine? Change the environment. Has your "family time" become uninspiring and lost its originality? Change the environment. When the temperature dipped into the 40s, I experienced 68 degrees in a whole new and fresh way. Why? Because the environment changed. The same can happen with your relationship with God. Try it!
It's not that suddenly overnight 68 degrees changed it's mind and decided "Hey, tomorrow I'm gonna be a warm 68." No, 68 degrees is a constant. 68 degrees is 68 degrees all year round. So what changed? What changed is the environment by which I experienced 68.
God is like 68 degrees - He is constant. Our perception of Him, however, can change much like the temperature. Sometimes it seems as if my relationship with Him is hotter than the surface of the sun itself. Other times, He has seemed as cold and distant as the planet Pluto. What changed? Not God.
Have your times with God become stale? Change the environment. Have your prayers become routine? Change the environment. Has your "family time" become uninspiring and lost its originality? Change the environment. When the temperature dipped into the 40s, I experienced 68 degrees in a whole new and fresh way. Why? Because the environment changed. The same can happen with your relationship with God. Try it!
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