Giving 150%

Ever hear someone say they give 150% in everything they do? They say that hard work, intelligence and attitude will get them everything they want.

So what does it really mean to give 150%? Here’s a little math to help figure it out:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

But there’s only one thing that will get you there:

J-E-S-U-S-C-H-R-I-S-T
10+5+19+21+19+3+8+18+9+19+20 = 151%

Jesus gave it all, in everything he did.

How much are you giving today?

“Jesus, thank you for showing us what it really takes to give it all. It is my only wish to strive to reflect your effort and sacrifice. Thanks for loving me 150% of the time. Amen.

Iraqi Freedom

I’ve always been amazed how so many people generally believe the media about how we’re “losing” the war in Iraq. That nothing we’ve done has been helpful to them, and how the Iraqis hate us.

I wish I could take those people to Iraq so they could see the truth. So they could see how people have clean, running water in their homes; some of them for the first time in their lives. So they could see how children who have never been educated are now going to classes in schools that we helped build. So they can see those same children being inoculated for the first time! I want them to see how many people love us there, and beg us to stay longer because they’re afraid of the insurgents, and what they’ll do to everyone if we leave now.

If you don't believe that we're making a difference there, check out this story I found on CNN. It’s a story about how people in Bagdad are celebrating Christmas for the very first time. It also has some interesting commentary from the Iraqi people about the terrorists. Yes, they don’t call them freedom fighters; they call them terrorists because that’s how Iraqi’s truly see the insurgents.

It’s real eye opening to see how these people have freedoms they never had before. Freedoms that the United States of America, and George Bush gave them.

So whether you believe it or not, we’re not losing the war, and we’re really making a wonderful difference for the people of Iraq.

Here’s the link to the whole story. Read the entire article, you’ll be surprised by it.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/21/iraq.christmas/index.html

The Book of Love

I was at school one day, and during a break there were a few of us standing around talking. The University I attend requires that everyone take a few specific classes, two of them being a class on the New Testament, and another on the Old Testament.

One person was talking about his Old Testament class and how he thought he knew a lot about it until he got into the class, and then he realized there was a lot more to it. Then suddenly a woman spoke up about how the Bible was full of contradictions, and she knew where every one of those contradictions were at so she could point them out to people.

It made my heart sad to hear this person talk about the Bible with such disdain. My response is that for every contradiction she can point out, I can point out at least two truths of the Bible that outweigh her contradictions. I have found that people who brag about knowing all of the specific contradictions in the Bible only know those few versus because they have never truly studied the rest of the Bible.

The Bible is a book of love. It’s a clear road map for living a life of purpose that adds value to the world around us. It’s a testament to the simple saving grace of Jesus Christ, and how we can receive salvation.

Yes, there are some very controversial things in the Bible that don’t seem to make sense. But those things are only confusing if you don’t look at the rest of the Bible. Read it all, and you’ll find that it’s a book about loving one another. It’s about helping those who are less fortunate than we are. It’s a book about giving of yourself, and becoming a better person.

The Bible is the best self-help book ever written. That's why it's been the #1 best selling book in the world since it was published. 6 billion copies sold, and counting.

"God, sometimes I feel like I don't have the right words to tell people about you. Please help me to speak your truths in a manner that will be impactful on others, but not turn them off. Amen."

Reconciling Truth

I’ve been challenged lately to look at what being a Christian is. I’ve written several times about subjects that play down certain ideals, but I don’t want anyone to think that I’m not progressive, or that I don’t think outside the typical evangelical box. So I think I’ll try to explain my feelings on religion.

The Bible is the Word of God. If I don’t believe it, in its entirety, then I don’t think I could ever claim it’s truths as being relative.

I’m a New Testament Christian. I believe Christ was here to be a sacrifice so that we can be forgiven for our sins, and that we have a New Covenant which changes a lot of things as related by the Old Testament. Not the teachings of God, but the fallacies of man.

I believe that I’m here to tell people about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, no matter who they are. I love them regardless of their ideals, and I will always try to be a light that shines in His name for others to see.

I don’t believe that I should set aside the truths of the Bible for any reason. So I cannot vote for leaders who have values contrary to Biblical teachings. I can, and will, pray for them if they win; and if given the opportunity I will discuss with them how Christ can change their lives.

I cannot reconcile liberalism and Biblical beliefs. Christ is not a liberal. He is God incarnate, and God’s Word is specific and undeniable. Christ spent His life teaching. He worked specifically with the dregs of society: murderers, thieves, prostitutes, etc. Not because He was a liberal, but because they needed Him the most. But he never strayed from the Biblical teachings of God’s Word.

There’s a fine line between displaying a kind heart, and standing up for what you know is right. I have a kind heart because Christ lives in me. But like Christ, I will not stand down from what is right, and true, and God led. And if that causes controversy, then I’m in good company, because Christ was killed for that very reason.

“God, please give me the strength to stand up for the truths of your Word, and the wisdom to know what those truths truly are. Amen.”

This just in...

CNN reported today that Obama chose Rick Warren to deliver his inaugural invocation.

This was a pretty gutsy move on his part, and I have to give him credit for either making a shrewd political move, or showing that he really wants to reach across political and religious lines to include everyone.

It’s made a lot of people mad within the ranks of abortion activists, homosexual rights groups, and even some in the Democratic party.

I read that Kathryn Kolbert, President of the group “People for the American Way” said she was “deeply disappointed,” and that Obama should have given the powerful platform to someone who is “inconsistent with mainstream American values.”

Huh?

I hate to tell you this Kathryn, but did you see the local ballots this past election? I think Americans made it quite clear what their “mainstream” values are, and they aren’t what you’re trying to sell.

She also said Warren had a moderate tone, but his ideas are radical. Again, where exactly are you getting your information? It’s obvious that you haven’t spent much time outside your little bubble, because the Americans who don’t get put on the news every night, which is the majority of America, have pretty conservative ideas. So it’s you who is radical.

It amazes me that liberal groups focus on a few topics to try and discredit conservatives, but Rick Warren is more than just someone who apposes the destruction of traditional marriage and the killing of unborn children. Rick Warren has been a champion of such “insignificant” things as reducing global poverty, human rights abuses, and the AIDS epidemic.

Obama may disagree with Warren on certain things, but he agrees with him on several issues, such as advocating on behalf of the poor and the disadvantaged, and people who suffer from HIV/AIDS.

So I have to say to you liberals who are writhing in your seats because of Obama’s decision to have Rick Warren deliver his inaugural invocation… grow up. Stop hating everyone who disagrees with your liberal views and lets find a common ground to work together to help those who really need help.

What would Jesus buy?

Christmas shopping is tough sometimes. I want to buy people stuff they will appreciate and use, which is why I love gift cards, but they’re kind of impersonal.

I wonder what Jesus would buy if we were on his Christmas list? A Bible verse bookmark? Maybe a cross tie tack? Or perhaps a new study Bible?

I think His gifts would be more personal, since he knows what’s in our hearts. But then again, maybe that’s not such a good thing?

Imagine if we received Christmas presents based on our inner thoughts, on who we are on the inside… the person that no one sees. What would you get?

It’s true that the real person we are is how we act when no one is looking. We think no one knows, but in fact the one person who matters most of all sees us every moment of every day. He hears our thoughts, sees our actions and knows what’s in our hearts.

If you’re struggling inside, don’t beat yourself up about it. We’re all human and are very imperfect. The thing to do is stay focused on Christ. I guarantee that looking to Him for guidance will give you a different perspective on things, and the junk that weighs you down will start to disappear and be replaced by Christ.

“Jesus, thanks for your patience, and for giving me the best Christmas present ever… your unending love. Amen.”

Deleting Christ

As Christ’s birthday draws near I’m always reminded of the struggle between good and evil. The Bible teaches us that Satan has a specific agenda: “…to steal and kill and destroy.” John 10:10.

In the enemy’s efforts to blind people to the truth he employs very subtle means. One of them is to delete Christ from the events that are meant to celebrate Him.

Think about it, just look at the major holidays we have in America: Easter, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. Now look at which of those holidays have been slowly changed over the years. We have celebrated the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Halloween the same way since they were created. The only ones that have changed are the ones in which we celebrate the Christian faith.

In his efforts to delete Christ, Satan has introduced ways for refocus people’s attention from the true meaning of these holidays to something else… our kids.

Satan knows that most parents will do just about anything to make their kids happy, so he started with Easter and introduced the Easter Bunny. A friendly, cute little creature that brings kids candy. Parents fill a basket with sweets and hide eggs in the yard each year and watch the “fun” their kids have, all the while neglecting to teach their kids about the true significance of Easter, the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Christmas is an even bigger threat to Satan, so he has concentrated hard on removing Christ from this holiday. He began once again by refocusing the holiday on to our children by creating Santa Claus. A jolly fat dude who brings toys to all of the good girls and boys. It’s a nice touch and on the outside it looks like a good way to give our children incentive to be good. But in the end kids will get toys whether they have been good or bad, right?

The next thing was to remove Christ by changing the name of the holiday, so he introduced a new word: Xmas. It seems pretty blatant to simply delete the word Christ and replace it with an “X”, but you’d be surprised how many Christians do this. It's amazing how many Christmas cards and letters I receive from faith-filled people who title their prose as “Xmas letter” or sign it “Merry Xmas.” Where did Christ go?!?!

There is also the argument raised in our society that Christmas should be more generic for people who don’t follow Christ. My answer to that is why don’t you go pick on someone else’s religious holiday? Seriously, no other religion’s holy events have been more battered than Christmas. I don’t see anyone trying to change Kwanzaa, or Ramadan? That’s because Christ is the true salvation of the world, and the devil knows it, so he’s bent on destroying it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to remove Santa or the Easter Bunny from your family’s celebrations. I’m just saying to keep your main focus on Christ, not your kids during these holy holidays. Give them gifts, that’s fine. I do it too, but I also ensure that my focus remains on Christ, not some imaginary red suited do-gooder who brings gifts. Teach your children the real reason for the season.

Christ is born, and reigns forever and ever.

“God, thank you for sending your son to be our savior. And happy birthday, Jesus!”

Student becomes teacher

I've been snapping pictures for years. It's a fun hobby, and now my daughter has found the joy of photography. She’s just starting to learn, but is already showing a flare for composition and framing. She showed some of her work to me tonight and I was really impressed (as all dad’s are), with her ability to snap an interesting subject, and make critical decisions in lighting and whether or not a picture should be black and white or color.

Here are a couple of samples. Click on them for the full sized version.

The Wall

Being a Christian can be a difficult journey sometimes. I’m sure you’ve felt, like I have, that we get to a place where we don’t feel like a productive servant of God. We feel like we’re spinning our wheels, and no matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to get past this place in our lives.

For athletes it’s called “hitting the wall.” It happens when they get to a place where they don’t feel they can physically go on. My wife has experienced this during the many marathons she’s participated in. She’s told me that everything will be fine, and then suddenly at mile 20 she feels completely drained and wants to stop.

She knows that she has the capability of running the full 26.2 miles of the marathon; she just has to take in water or Gatorade to give her body a boost.

Our faith can be like this. We want to pour more of God into us in order to keep going, but sometimes we find that no matter how much we take in His Word, we’re not getting full.

Solomon noted in Ecclesiastes that although the rivers of the world continually flow into the ocean, it never fills up. This is just like our faith. We will never be able to take in all of the love that God has to offer. He continuously pours it out, and we’re free to accept it, and let it power us past our wall.

When you hit your spiritual wall, accept that you’re human and you have limits, but also realize that you can make it through the difficult times with Christ’s help. With his strength, there is no wall we can’t conquer.

“Jesus, thank you for your love, your guidance, your patience, and your sacrifice. It is a lesson to all of us that we can endure and triumph anything. Amen.”

Thanks for the giving

My wife and I went to California for Thanksgiving. My bro-in-law just got short notice orders to Afghanistan, so we wanted to love on him before he leaves.

California is an interesting place. Like Texas, it takes forever to drive from one end to the other, and there is every kind of climate you can think of going on all year round in one place or another.

We went on a hike through some mountain range, I can’t remember the name, but it was beautiful. My sister took this picture, and I’m impressed with the colors of the landscape.

Anyway, say a prayer for my brother Dave as he prepares to enter the war zone. He’s a strong Christian man, so I don’t worry about him. Well, I worry about him, but I know God has a plan for him, so it’s all good.

Thanks Dave, for giving. For giving yourself to stand in harm’s way to protect the freedoms the rest of us enjoy back here in the states.

We love you.

“God, take care of my brother while he’s overseas. Keep him safe, and help him as I know he will continue to spread the redeeming word of Jesus no matter where he is, or who he’s staring down. Amen.”

The Final Frontier

I watched a documentary the other night on UFOs. It showed a lot of homemade video clips of strange lights zipping around in the sky. One clip showed a group of eight lights that made an outline of what looked to be a very large space craft slowly flying over a town. Of course you can’t see the ship itself because it’s dark outside. All you can see are the lights.

I sat there watching the videos and thought “how smart can these aliens be if they forgot to turn off their headlights?” Seriously, they’re able to hide all day long and then come out at night so no one will see them, but left their parking lights on?!

I can’t say for sure that there are no aliens, because I honestly don’t know. I think the chances of us being the only “intelligent” beings in this vast universe are pretty slim though.

I’m sure we’ll have the answer some day. Hopefully it won’t be when we’re looking down the business end of an Illudiom Pew36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Maybe I Will

A young, talented lady who writes her own songs, makes her own vidoes, and does it all with a Ukulele. You gotta love Julia Nunes.

Get out of God’s way

Christians are a very helpful lot. We go out of our way to help those who need it, in ways that a lot of times include money, a place to live, a car, counseling, etc.

I recently saw a friend in need, and witnessed others try to help him through his troubles, and it occurred to me that perhaps without knowing it we were letting our Christian helpfulness get in the way of what God was trying to do in that persons life.

What if God needed for that person to be in the situation they were in? What if He was working on that person to break them, or show them a path he needed them to travel? And by intervening we were actually giving that person an easy way out, when all along God didn’t want them to have an easy way out.

Tough question, isn’t it?

I guess my only answer is that God puts people in our lives for a reason, and if I have the ability to help that person I can only hope that it’s because God wanted me to do so.

All we can do is pray for guidance. In the end, God’s plan will happen whether we get in the way or not.

Just my random thoughts. What are yours?

Keep the Change

Our new President will be in office in a couple of months. He’s touted himself as a President of “Change.” So I’m anxious to see what happens, as well as a little scared.

I came from poverty. Really. We’re talking walking around in ditches picking up cans to cash in for food, kind of poverty. But I worked hard and dug my way out of that life. But now Obama is saying that other people shouldn’t have to do the same thing. That he’s just going to take it from me instead, and “spread the wealth.”

My biggest concern in all this is that I won’t be able to give to the charities of my choice. I won’t be able to afford it anymore.

What will happen when Obama taxes the rich into middle class?

People’s ability to give to charities will go way down, and perhaps the poor will see a few dollars of these new taxes, but I don’t have much faith in the government’s ability to manage the process. I’d rather manage the process myself and give directly to the faith-based charities that I know are helping people.

So I disagree with this concept of spreading the wealth. I’m already doing that.

Sorry Mr. Obama. Keep the Change.

"God, thank you for blessing my life and giving me the ability to help so many others. All I have is yours, no matter how much, or how little. Amen."

Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid

I watched a documentary about the Jonestown massacre last night. I’m old enough to remember when it happened. It’s a tragedy that still doesn’t make sense to this day. 909 people dead, plus several news reporters and a congressman.

It’s a testament to what can happen when people stop believing in God and start believing in the person leading them down their version of a godly path.

The lesson of Jonestown is being grounded in the Bible, and knowing that there is only one person “higher” than you, and that’s God.

We must always keep our guard up against putting a religious figure on a pedestal. I’ve seen pastors of mega-churches become rock stars, and soon they lose their focus on God, and start believing they’re above everyone else.

Pastors are people. They’re just like the rest of us. They have faults, and they sin. They struggle with life’s daily problems from family issues to how to budget their money.

Good pastors are grounded in the Word, and have a personal relationship with Christ. They are humble, because they know their job is important, and if they do it wrong then people are led astray.

The only difference between you and your pastor is that he’s able to immerse himself in a life of following Christ. Where as the rest of us have to work a full time job while we follow Christ. It doesn’t make us any less valuable to God; we just don’t have people coming to us every day for spiritual guidance.

Don’t ever think your pastor is above anyone else. Gauge what they say based on how it lines up with the Bible, and the teachings of Jesus.

As long as you have a personal relationship with Christ and take time each day to be in the Word, and follow the teachings of Jesus, you’re a pastor too, because the people around you will see Christ living through you. And that’s your daily sermon.

“God, I pray for the families of those still here dealing with the tragic loss of their loved ones 30 years ago in Jonestown. Give us the wisdom to know that it is only You who is worth following, and no mortal. Amen.”

Veteran's Day

The price of freedom. It’s a tough thing to calculate. It isn’t something you’re entitled to. It can’t be purchased, or traded, or gifted. It’s something men and women from all walks of life have fought for since the birth of this great nation. And not just ours, but the freedom of millions of other people around this globe who couldn’t fight for themselves.

How many? Take a look:

War of Independence	25,000
Quasi-War	20
Barbary Wars	35
War of 1812	20,000
Mexican-American War	13,283
Civil War	623,026
Spanish-American War	2,446
Philippine War	4,196
Mexican Revolution	35
Haiti Occupation	146
World War 1	116,708
World War 2	407,316
Korean War	36,914
Vietnam War	58,169
El Salvador	20
Beirut	266
Persian Gulf Support	39
Invasion of Grenada	19
Invasion of Panama	40
Gulf War	269
Somalia	43
Bosnia	12
Afghanistan	609
Iraqi	4,507

That’s right: one million, three hundred thirteen thousand, one hundred and eighteen people have given their lives so that you could stop on your way to work today and buy that Starbuck’s coffee.

Freedom isn’t free.

Take a moment today to remember those who have gone before us and fought for freedom. Some are still here, but too many never came home.

They deserve to be remembered.

“God, I pray for those who are in harms way today. Wrap your loving arms around them and keep them safe. Amen.”

YYZ

I was flipping through the channels tonight and found a RUSH concert in progress. I’m old enough to remember RUSH when they were still 3 young men making innovative, original music. Not that they aren’t now, they’re just older and Geddy Lee can’t hit the high notes.

Being a musician I really appreciate well made music. And I love watching accomplished players. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. Pound for pound three of the best musicians around. It’s amazing the amount of music these three guys can produce on stage. It’s full, perfectly played, and oh yeah… their songs are great!

I sat in awe as Neil Peart launched into one of his famous solos and I was mesmerized for the next 10 minutes watching this guy play. It’s like his hands and feet have different brains! They play independently of each other, and it just blows me away.

Of course I have to say something about the other two members of RUSH. Geddy Lee is pretty amazing. Just his Bass playing alone is note-worthy for the speed and accuracy he can play while singing at the same time. And then to raise the bar he plays pedal organ with his feet!

And then there’s Alex Lifeson. He’s an incredible, charismatic guitar player who is tremendously creative and fun to watch. I love listening to the complicated tones and chords he comes up with. And one of the best things I like about this guy is that he's one of the few guitar players that really takes the time to reproduce his solos on stage. I hate when I go to a concert and I'm expecting to hear a great guitar solo I heard on a studio album, only to hear just the first few notes of it before the musician ad libs a bunch of junk. Alex doesn't do that. He plays his solos almost note for note with the studio version. It really shows a great attention to detail, and a love for the original song.

Music today just isn’t the same as when these 3 gentlemen started. I’m not saying it’s bad, but it’s definitely not as good, or thought out, or produced, or played.

Here's one of their best tunes. No words, just hard playing rock-n-roll!

And away we go…

I’m really happy the election is finally over. I think we should pass a law limiting campaigns to 6 months, because 2 years of campaigning really wore out the entire country!

I’m excited about the historical marker set by this election, and although I didn’t vote for Barack, I think it’s great that we have our first African America President.

I’ve listened to a lot of radio talk show hosts complain about the GOP loss, and say that this is a “war” and they have only lost this battle. I was disappointed to hear talk like that, because in the end we’re all in this together and should work towards a common goal of being one nation.

Whether I like Barack’s politics or not, the fact is he is the next President of the United States of America, and I’m an American. So I will support my new President to the best of my ability without compromising my values, morals, or beliefs. I hope the rest of the country will join me in this view so we can make this country better.

Congratulations President Obama. Now do something to live up to your new title and bring this country together, fix the economy, and keep your hands out of my pocket!

“God, bless our new President and his family. Please give strength and wisdom to the incoming administration and help guide them as they make the decisions that will affect everyone in this country. Amen.”

Election Results!

I approve this message

I read something interesting today that I thought was worthy of posting. Mike Myers (Austin Powers) was asked during an event what he thought about the current economic crisis. His response was:

“I have made some comedies and that’s how you know me, so … I don’t know what the etiquette is about one’s political beliefs. I am very concerned for people that the economy turn around. … The strength of democracy is not how well we agree but how well we disagree. The strength of a society is how well we take care of our most disenfranchised.”

At last, a famous person who understands their relevancy in this world.

He didn’t pick a target and try to pin the current economic crisis on them, and he didn’t take a political side. He simply pointed out that he made comedies so his political beliefs are of no consequence, but that he is a concerned citizen. And what we need to do is work together to help those who aren’t able to help themselves.

It’s a shame the rest of Hollywood doesn’t share Mike’s humbleness. For that matter, a great many of us would benefit from this mindset also. Me included.

I don’t know if Mike is saved, only God knows his heart. But he seems to have a heart akin to how Christ wants us all to be. In Jesus’ day the world was in a lot of turmoil. Israel and many other countries were being occupied by Rome, and the political scene was one of such sensitivity that being on the wrong side could get you killed.

Jesus didn’t bother with any of that. He stayed on task. Focused on what really mattered. He preached love, and salvation. He said help each other, especially those who have little. Give generously, and don’t believe everything you hear.

Don’t get me wrong, when it came time for Jesus to answer the tough questions, he didn’t back down. Not from the religious leaders or the Roman leaders. When he was told to go against his teachings or die, he valiantly stepped towards the cross.

This is our lesson from Mr. Myers. Stop spouting your political rhetoric and help people. Work together and find an answer because people are suffering.

Thanks Mike, not just for the laughs, but for a simple statement that puts things in perspective this political season.

Yeah Baby!

And the Emmy goes too…

I’m sitting here watching the Emmys and I’m wondering if they really think no one knows they're purposely trying to promote their political agenda in between (and sometimes during) each award.

It blows me away how these liberal Hollywood types so blatantly act so partisan and have the nerve to say they’re not? To watch Martin Sheen say his old show “The West Wing” was nonpartisan just made me laugh out loud. Seriously, do they really think everyone in this country is that stupid?

Anyway, everything on the show seems to be wrapped around promoting the left’s agenda, and it’s really sickening. I know I can change the channel, but it bothers me that I tuned in to see who won an Emmy and instead I’ve been assaulted by a bunch of haters spouting their liberal rhetoric and disguising it as "humor."

All I can say is get out there and vote, and I’ll really be glad when this election is over.

Vitamin “G” Deficiency

Things are heating up in the political world. In a very short time we will elect a new President, and the two major parties are starting to put the screws to each other.

One of the trends I’ve seen over past few years has been celebrity endorsements. For some reason people seem to think that if you’re famous you have an intelligent world view, and since these people have easy access to TV and radio, they go on the air a talk ugly about the candidate they don’t want to win.

I’m sure it happens on both sides, but the left seems to be more brazen about it. I’ve seen over and over celebrities using their fame to defame the other side. Watching Tina Fey make Sara Palin look like a ditsy idiot was funny to a lot of people, but it doesn’t paint a true picture of who she is.

Even worse, Chevy Chase went on the air and said he loved Tina’s impersonation and wants her to “decimate” Palin by doing more skits as her. What kind of person says something like that?!?! How hate filled do you have to be to wish that kind of ugliness on someone?

It suddenly came to me today. It isn’t so much an over abundance of hate, it’s a lack of God.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life changes you, at least in me it has. Wishing ill will on anyone doesn’t make sense to me anymore. Just because I don’t like a candidate is no reason to be hateful towards them. I want my candidate to win, but I don’t want the other person “decimated” in the process.

It’s probably going to get a lot worse as we draw closer to November. I hope you’re all going to vote. It’s a privilege that you must not let pass by.

The enemy wants people to hate and hurt each other. We can combat this by taking a daily dose of God. Pray, study His word, and let Jesus shine in you.

Have you had your vitamin “G” today?

“God, it breaks my heart to see so much hate in this world. Please stay my hand from ever raising towards another; seal my lips from resentment, and sooth my temperment so that others can see you living in me. Amen.”

Godspell

Last week I was at work, as usual. I had a lot of things on my mind, as usual. Suddenly the movie “Godspell” popped into my mind. It’s a musical based on the Gospel of Matthew that was made into a movie in 1972. The cast was a bunch of hippies, one of them named Victor Garber. You’ve seen him in many films, most notably as the designer of the Titanic in the James Cameron movie. Godspell also had some good music. Stephen Schwartz wrote all of it, and one song went to number #13 on the Billboard charts. Can you guess it's name?

I was 10 when the movie came out, and I barely remembered it, so I decided to see if it was available for purchase. A quick search on Amazon garnered pay-dirt, and this afternoon it showed up in the mail. Kathy and I settled in on the couch tonight and put it on, and I really enjoyed it. The movie is about the teachings of Jesus and how he was betrayed. They took a few liberties, but nothing bad.

It was filmed in New York, and one scene sent my heart into my throat as the cast was singing and dancing to a song with the back-drop of Manhattan in the background. They were up high. Really high. So high the amazingly large city looked very small, and I knew even before the camera started to pan back where they were standing… on the roof of the North Tower. It wasn’t even finished; you could see they were still working on the last few floors. It was quite a site seeing the tower in its infancy, knowing it would be gone 29 years later. Tomorrow.

Anyway, it was fun watching the movie. And the hit single was “Day by Day.” I love the song because it has a great chord progression, and only one verse sung over and over:

Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day

What other verse do you need?

If you had the misfortune of being born after the 70’s and never heard the song, here’s a clip of “Day by Day” from the movie. Enjoy!

“Jesus, it is truly my wish to see you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly.”

11

It’s almost the anniversary. You know which one. I was flipping around the channels tonight and the movie “United 93” was just starting. I didn’t see the flick when it was in the theaters. I had no desire to watch helplessly as those people died again. It’s been seven years since their deaths, Sept 11, 2001. A day chiseled into 2,974 head stones, suddenly ending innocent lives. They were just trying to go through their day. They didn’t know. No one knew. How could we know that such evil would visit this country.

I watched the movie. I don’t know why. I sat riveted as the memories of that day sparked in my mind. I was in the military back then, stationed in San Antonio. I started my day later than usual because I was in training that week and didn’t have to be there until 9am. I got in my car and turned on the radio and heard the DJ saying “If you are anywhere near a TV, turn it on now!” He had just witnessed the second plane hit the Trade Center.

My class was in the same building that I worked, but on a different floor. I ran up to my Unit first and checked in. There wasn’t much I could do, so I went to class. I honestly don’t remember a single thing they taught that day. I kept trying to get on CNN’s web site, but it had crashed because so many people were trying to view it.

I kept running up to my Unit during breaks to get a look at the TV. I saw replay after replay of the towers falling. I can’t imagine the horror inside those buildings. How bad must it have been that 200 people decided it would be better to jump from over 100 stories up than stay in there?

I’ll never forget that day, and as the movie came to a close with the passengers attacking the terrorists in the cockpit, the camera angle went out the pilot’s window and the ground came speeding towards them. At the moment of impact the screen went black, and I broke down and cried.

Seven years ago all of our lives changed, and I think we all need a reminder of the evil that’s out there, waiting for us to drop our guard. As John McCain said during his acceptance speech as a protester tried to disrupt the convention, “Don’t be distracted by the ground noise and static.”

Don’t be distracted. They’re out there, patiently waiting because they know America has a short attention span, and it’s just a matter of time before they find a new way to get to us unless we stand our post, and pray.

Pray ceaselessly.

RNC versus the media

I watched some of the RNC last night. Or at least I tried. I kept changing channels between the stations that were carrying the convention, and each time they would stop showing the convention and give some “unbiased” commentary, I changed to the next station. It was aggravating trying to watch the convention when the liberal media outlets kept giving their spin on what was being said, and of course it always made the speaker look bad.

After Fred Thompson’s speech, which was really good, the “unbiased” reporter’s first comment was “Well, I like my speeches to have fewer disjointed sentences.” Sheesh.

It’s kind of amazing that for the past eight years we’ve had a conservative president. With 90% of the media working so hard to promote liberal ideas, and bash conservatives, I’m surprised that people still vote Republican. But yet, they do, and it’s a testament to the real people in this country who still have values and morals.

Thank God there are still more of us than them.

Master of Subterfuge

It was a classic moment in history. For weeks the liberal media pandered to Obama who was manipulating them with his game of “guess my Vice President.” The media was so focused on Obama that they weren’t paying any attention to McCain, until he announced his VP choice.

You could here the collective gasp of the Democrats as McCain and the Republicans made one of the all time best political moves in history. You could almost hear Hillary screaming in rage, knowing that she will no longer be able to run her campaign on being a pioneer trying to break the gender barrier. If elected, Sarah Palin will go down in history as being the first woman in the Whitehouse.

It was a bold move, both good and bad, but it’s changed history forever because no matter who wins, there will be a first in this country. We’ll either have the first African American President, or the first woman Vice President. I think that’s awesome!

Long Weekend

Kathy and I took a long weekend to skip town and celebrate her birthday. I surprised her with reservations at a bed and breakfast on Lake Travis. It was a nice place to get away and decompress from working so much. I took her Friday to Spicewood, TX to Cypress Valley Canopy Tours. It’s a zip-line tour, and a bunch of fun. We zipped through the trees for a couple of hours. It costs a few bucks, but worth it for a special occasion. You can even rent their tree house for the night if you have about $350 that you don’t need.

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Now get back to work!

“God, thanks for a great weekend. We needed it!”

The Democratic National Clinton Convention

I’m not sure how the Clinton’s became such an important part of politics these days. Most Presidents retire and do their own thing, but I guess they didn’t have a power hungry wife with her eye on the Whitehouse.

Hillary’s celebrity seems to be larger than life. I don’t really remember a losing candidate having such a prominent part of their party’s convention, but so far we’ve seen Chelsea, then Hillary, and now we’ll have to endure Bill.

Bill isn’t happy though. He had a speech all prepared to discuss what a great President he was, but the DNC gave him a topic that doesn’t have anything to do with him, so he’s mad that he doesn’t get to talk about himself.

Hillary is just as bad. Her speech said good things about Obama, but she still made sure to set herself up for the 2012 election in the event that he loses to McCain.

She’s not satisfied with giving it a good try and then graciously bowing to the candidate everyone wanted. She can’t get it through her head that the Democrats in this country didn’t want her!

I do need to comment about one of my earlier posts where I said that Clinton supporters were going to scare Obama into choosing her as his VP. One of two things happened: either Obama stood firm and said no because he knows what a self-serving person she is and how disruptive she would be in the Whitehouse trying to rest control from him at every turn. Or Hillary’s ego wouldn’t let her accept being second banana.

It was probably a little of both, but in either case I’m glad she’s not in the race any longer.

It’s going to be an interesting election, and I’m not afraid to say that I prefer a more conservative President who has a better handle on world affairs. Obama doesn’t have the credentials needed to run this country, and running around screaming “CHANGE!” is the oldest trick in the book. In the end there would be little to no change, because he really doesn’t have a clue how to make the changes he keeps ranting about.

Just my opinion.

“God, in the end I know that all things are in your hands, and I feel safe knowing that no matter who wins this election, my life with you will not change. Any chance you want to throw your hat in the ring?”

Let the games begin

Now that the Olympics are over, the real games are about to begin: the presidential election, and it’s going to get ugly. I’ve read a lot of stuff, and stayed quiet, but I’ve decided to start posting my thoughts about it. So expect to see some politically charged entries over the next few months. You can agree or disagree, I’m ok with either.

Here we go…

Madonna kicked off a world tour and during her show she shows a video that compares John McCain to Adolf Hitler, and Barack Obama to John Lennon.

First of all, if anyone out there thinks that this woman is the voice of political reason, you’re an idiot.

Madonna has spent her career devaluing women and putting on disgusting displays of sex in her live shows. That is what she is about.

To compare anyone to Adolf Hitler is offensive, but to compare Hitler to someone she doesn’t even know just to promote her candidate, goes beyond reprehensible.

But, all you have to do is look at her picture to see what kind of person she is. Yuck.

I don’t care who you want to vote for, it’s your choice. But people who use their celebrity to poison other people’s minds using imaginary comparisons, rather than facts about what each candidate stands for shows how desperate they are.

Olympians

The Olympics are over. They closed just as grand as they opened, with a spectacular show. You gotta hand it to the Chinese, they went all out to impress the world, and they did.

I didn’t get to see any of the basketball games until the gold medal round. I set my alarm for 1:30am and got up. It was worth it, the game was exciting, and close. I was happy to see the “Redeem Team” win, and I also enjoyed seeing how it affected the players. They were really overjoyed. They jumped up and down and hugged and yelled and were genuinely overwhelmed by winning the gold. That says a lot about what the Olympics can do.

The entire basketball team was rostered with professional NBA players. They’re all millionaires and most of them have been on teams that have won an NBA Championship. So they all know how it feels to win the big one. But not this big one. To win a gold medal in the Olympics is something special, and to see people like Kobe Bryant, a 3 time NBA champion and MVP, acting like a little kid who just woke up on Christmas day, really shows the power of the Olympic games.

The past two weeks were fun. I didn’t think I’d get in to it, but I ended up tuning in almost every day. I enjoyed the competition, the joy and the sorrow, the wins and he defeats. It was a blast.

“God, it was neat seeing the world come together for two weeks in harmony. Help us to keep it going. Amen.”

The Gift of Life

I’m sitting in a waiting room at a hospital this morning. I’m not here for myself, but for my brother-in-law, Jim. He wasn’t in an accident, or diagnosed with an ailment requiring surgery. He’s donating an organ.

What is it that drives a man to simply tell a friend on dialysis “Hey, take one of my kidneys.” I mean, it’s one thing to say it, but to actually undergo a major, 3½ hour surgical procedure that will literally take about 6 weeks to recover from, just to help out a friend? Well, that’s a special person.

Jim is a great guy, and I love him. I can only hope that some day I will be as unselfish and giving as he is.

“God, guide the surgeon’s hands and let this sacrifice Jim is making be completely successful so his friend will no longer be tethered by dialysis. And touch both of their hearts through this experience that they might find their way to a relationship with you. Thanks.”

Up, Up, and Away

The baby birds have left the nest. Taken to the skies, I suppose. We found one dead, still in the nest though. Survival of the fittest and all, I suppose. It’s a shame however, to see life end before it has a chance to really live. It makes me wonder how humans can be so casual about ending life before it begins. Free Will and all that, I suppose. It seems people care more about animals dying than their fellow humans, to be honest. Kill a baby and it’s a choice. Kill an animal and it’s cruelty. It’s a strange world we live in, I suppose.

“God, thank you for the opportunity to witness the miracle of life beginning. It’s amazing to watch you work."

Full House

I know this looks weird, but in that mass of fuzz there are 3 baby birds snuggled tightly together, keeping warm. Momma has cleaned out the left over egg shells. You have to admire her for keeping a clean home.

The babies are so new they can barely raise their heads. It's pretty amazing to see new life, of any kind. I don't know how anyone could watch this process and think it developed by accident over time.

There has to be an intelligent design behind all of this, otherwise everything would have evolved into something else and there would be no tiny birds.

The Eagle has Landed!

Ok, it's not an eagle, but the first egg on our front porch has hatched! Ain't he... or she... uh, ain't it cute! It's only a few hours old.

The circle of life begins.

Bird Watch - Day 10

No major activity today. Momma bird is still shy, but maybe I’ll manage to sneak a picture of her before long. Until then we can gaze in wonder at the perfect little eggs she cares for.

Equality?

Did you hear about the flooding in Iowa? Maybe a little? It didn’t get a lot of news coverage, not like the flooding in New Orleans. This flood almost wiped out an entire state, so I have to ask some questions:

Where are the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons asking for help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods?

Where are the FEMA trucks (and trailers)?

Why isn't anyone asking why the federal government hasn't solved the problem?

Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage, complete with reports of cannibalism?



Where is our sense of true equality and justice for all?






I was just wondering.

Circle of Life

We’re witnessing the circle of life at our house. My wife went out to water the fern hanging on our front porch and found a bird has made a nest in it. So I decided to chronicle this wondrous event, and I’ll be posting pictures as our little bird family continues to grow.

So far things have been moving quickly, last Saturday the nest was discovered, and this Saturday there are 3, cute little eggs in it. I tried to get a picture of momma birdie sitting on the nest, but she’s apparently camera shy and she takes off any time we get close to the fern. I don’t blame her, we’re probably scary giants to the little bird.

I’ll keep you posted.

Plagiarism

I read a story online about a large rock slab that was discovered that had ancient writing on it from way before the time of Jesus, and it foretold of a Messiah who would come and be killed and would rise in 3 days.

I thought this was interesting because it shows just one more account of what Jesus was going to do, long before he ever got here.

Well, some “Professor” from somewhere decided to write a paper on how this proves that the story of Jesus isn’t true because the people who wrote the Bible were just using a story that had already been told. That because the story of Jesus wasn’t original, it was just an old story plagiarized.

Oy, it never ceases to amaze me how the enemy works. And to make it worse there was an online discussion thread where people could put their comments. A lot of them were from believers who saw the obvious, which was that it was another prophecy in a long line of prophecies about Jesus. But then there were a bunch of people who said it proves that Jesus was just a story and religion was bad and made the world bad.

It’s frustrating to have to read such opinions, and it seems that the people who scream the loudest about how the Bible isn’t true are the ones who have never opened it.

As an American, I believe everyone has a right to an opinion and a right to believe what ever they want, so it bothers me that these people say they’ll defend our freedoms to the death, right up until you want to talk about Jesus, then suddenly you’re not allowed to have an opinion and you’re a bad person.

I look around the world and I don’t see followers of Christ doing bad things. Not real followers of Christ, that is. They aren’t blowing people up, or taking away their rights, or forcing them to believe what they believe. Christ followers talk about loving one another, and peace, and believing in something that is bigger than all of us. So it saddens me to read how these people think we’re the cause of the world’s problems.

I guess all I can do is to continue to try and affect the small world around me, and I challenge you to do the same. Tell someone that Jesus loves them today.

“God, I know the enemy has deceived many, and will continue to do so until you end his reign. Any chance it could be soon? Please.”

Free Ride

I was driving to an appointment today and it occurred to me how compartmentalized we’ve become. Our cars are a complete world within itself, each with its own little eco system. We whiz down the road in comfort with air conditioning, a nice stereo for listening to our favorite tunes, lights for driving in darkness, navigation to help us find our way, and Bluetooth connectivity so we can call family and friends with the utterance of a simple command, “call wife.”

It’s the same living with Christ. The life of a Christian is its own little world that sustains itself. Our churches are the eco systems that help make our lives comfortable. The Bible helps us navigate our way through life, even in darkness. Through bad weather we are protected by His grace and mercy. We even have our own form of Bluetooth, the prayer, which gives us direct connectivity to God, who unlike my family and friends, always answers the call.

Before Christ was in my life, I felt as if I was traveling in an old jalopy, ready to break down at any moment leaving me on the side of the road, with no insurance.

Now I feel protected as I whiz down the road of life, knowing that no matter what comes my way I have the best AAA program there is.

What are you driving?

“God, thank you for your presence in my life, and for protecting and guiding me through this lifetime. Tell your son thanks for paying for the ride before I ever started driving. Amen.”

Finding a new normal

My wife and I went to the theater tonight to see Spamalot. It’s an interesting show because it’s a spoof on a movie that was a spoof on the story of King Arthur. It was hilarious from start to finish. Well worth seeing.

On our way home I saw a billboard advertising a local radio station. There wasn’t a lot of info on it, just the logo of the radio station and several names of bands that the station plays. Simple, effective communication.

But at the bottom, in very big letters it said “Go _ _ ck yourself!” It didn’t spell it out; it actually has the two blank spaces on the sign.

The funny thing is that at first I didn’t know what the letters were that went in the blanks. Seriously, it probably took 20-30 seconds to realize that it was the “f” word!

I have to tell you that this was an interesting turn of events because I spent 21 years in the military, 14 of those years as a mechanic! The “f” word was used as a comma in every sentence I spoke for many years. So it was weird that it took me so long to fill in the blanks.

What I’ve realized though, is that since I gave my life to Christ I have a new normal. No, I’m not perfect and sometimes I say dumb things, but it’s not normal any longer to know that the “f” word is the first response.

I have no idea what the point of the billboard was by telling passersby to go have sex with themselves. I realize that in our secular world that kind of statement is normal. Shocking people is “cool” and saying the crudest thing possible is considered hip.

I see more and more as Christ sets up shop in my heart that the normal behaviors of this world are no longer mine. The cool thing is that it's not me trying to make myself into a different person, Christ is changing me from the inside out in ways I never thought possible.

I think I like my new normal. What’s yours?

“God, thank you so much for saving me and living in my heart. Life is so much clearer now, and I love that my normal is so different than it used to be. Thanks!”

Why we have bad days

Have you ever noticed that during the times you are about to do something for God that your life seems to be the worst?

I have a friend who once told me that the biggest fights he ever had with his wife were on their way to church.

It’s true; the enemy attacks you the most when you have an opportunity to do God’s work. The problem is that a lot of us don’t identify that it’s an attack.

People don’t realize that the enemy has control of this earth, and can directly affect events around you. I always notice that on the days I have band rehearsal at church I seem to be in a bad mood before I go, but afterwards I feel blessed. It’s because Satan doesn’t want me to do anything that has to do with God, so he takes advantage of everything he can to manipulate my environment to keep me away from God.

It happens most when we have a chance to volunteer. We suddenly think we’re too busy, or it’s not a fun thing to do, or we’re too tired, etc. The enemy will do things in your life to create a mindset that you don’t want to do God’s work, but if you identify these attacks and tell yourself that you’re going to do it no matter what, you’ll feel blessed when you’re done.

Now I know that when ever I’m going to do God’s work I’m going to be attacked. I brace for it because I know it’s coming, and no matter what happens to keep me away from God, I just tell myself that it’s the enemy working and I go and do it, and I always feel great afterwards.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that because you’re a believer that Satan can’t get to you. He hates you, and will do anything to remove you from God’s presence. So don’t let the enemy get a victory by taking you away from God’s work. Fight the good fight, and you will always be blessed in the end.

“God, the enemy tramples all that is good and holy, but you always bless us and make it all worth the trials we face. Thanks for loving us. Amen.”

Renewed

My wife and I went to a wedding yesterday. It’s the first wedding we’ve been to since we exchanged vows 4 years ago. It was a truly renewing experience watching the bride and groom beam at each other and listening to them talk about how they will love, honor, and cherish each other until death separates them. It really brought back the memories of when I got married.

We talk about “marriage maintenance” at church all the time. We have ministries specifically geared to help help couples keep their marriages focused and alive. My wife and I serve in these ministries, and they’re important and very helpful, but I have to say that nothing was more impactful than sitting in church watching this couple get married.

I left with a greater sense of renewal and commitment than I’ve felt after any of the seminars or marriage retreats I’ve ever been to. There is no substitute for the real thing.

Marriage is a journey of three people: you, your spouse, and God. It can be difficult at times, but I think that if everyone went to a wedding at least once a year there would be less divorce and more focus on the joy of being married.

So the next time you get a wedding invitation, don’t mail in a wedding card with a check, go and be blessed by the union that you will witness, and let that joyous occasion live in your marriage every day.

“God, thank you for my wife and for your gift of marriage. Don’t ever let me forget what a wondrous thing it is to be in this holy union. Amen.”

in all the world

in all the world, I found You
years of searching, You were there
i was not

blind to see, never wanting to see
prayers only spoken in secret
hoping no one looked

days of nothing, nights forever
darkness filled my eyes
my life blind

today I stand, new hope
saving me, how could it be
blessed savior, why me

new life, sunlight
no more worry, I know what’s next
spared

in all the world, You found me

And then there were two – NOT!

So Clinton finally bowed out of the presidential race and threw her support behind Obama. If you thought that meant we’d seen the last of her for this election you’re wrong. Within minutes of her concession speech there were posts to her web site that said now that she’s out of the race they would vote for McCain.

Lies.

Since Clinton didn’t get the nod they’re going to try and push Obama to pick her up as his running mate. How will they accomplish this? It’s simple: play into the hysteria that everyone who wanted Clinton for president will now vote for McCain, so the only way to prevent this massive loss of votes for the Dems is to keep her on the ticket!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about politics in America, it’s that the two parties hate each other, and you can’t convince me that a Democrat would vote for a Republican simply because their candidate of choice didn’t get the nomination. No way, no how.

I believe the talk you’re going to hear over the next few weeks about Clinton supporters voting for McCain is just a ploy to scare the Dems into forcing Obama to name Clinton as his VP.

If the Dems don’t baulk and Obama names someone else, the Clinton supporters will ultimately vote for him anyway. Americans have short attention spans, and although the Clinton supporters are mad right now, they’ll lose interest in revenge when the election draws closer and they remember how much they hate Republicans.

As for a “dream-ticket” with Obama and Clinton, I don’t think Obama would go for it. Although he’ll never say it out loud, I think he understands what Hillary Clinton is and he doesn’t want any part of her in his cabinet. The only way he’ll take her is if the Dem Party forces him.

A ticket with them both would get a ton of votes, but it would ultimately hurt this country to have an unqualified Commander in Chief, and an even more unqualified VP who cares about nothing but herself.

It’s going to be a scary election.

“God, help us all. Please.”

Recount

I was working in Corpus the past few weeks on a project for my company. I tend to watch a lot of TV when I’m on the road, and my hotel had HBO so I got to watch a few movies. I was seeing a lot of commercials for an HBO movie coming soon called “Recount.” It’s about the 2000 presidential election and what happened in Florida. I could see from the commercials that it was going to be a hatchet job, skewed to the perspective of the Democrats.

A few days later it came on and I decided to watch some of it, and I wasn’t wrong. It was really biased against the Republican Party, painting them as evil manipulators while the Democrats were people fighting for the rights of the people.

The Republicans in the movie were played by actors who were older, grey haired men wearing dark suits. The Democrats however, were all younger people with their jackets off and their sleeves rolled up, painting a picture that they were hard working middle-class people, while the Republicans were rich, pompous enemies of the every-man.

They showed scenes of conservatives doing terrible things, while the scripts of the Democrats were all about helping the people and making sure that all the votes were counted because the Republicans were trying to suppress them.

I don’t know everything that happened in Florida that year, but I’m sure it wasn’t how this movie portrayed it. The Democrats were doing their best to get their man elected no matter what the cost, just like the Republicans. Both parties played dirty.

In the end, George Bush became President and for the next four years all I heard were Liberals screaming that he was in illegitimate President, and that he “stole the election.”

So fast forward to the 2004 Presidential election. George Bush ran again and the Democrats were happy because now they were going to show the whole world who Florida was really voting for. They went down there in force to ensure the polls were run correctly and the ballots were easier to use. They told the world that the good people of Florida would finally have a chance to show everyone who they were trying to elect four years earlier and the Republicans would be shown for the evil people they are.

Oops.

George Bush very handily won Florida, showing the Democrats and the rest of the world that in fact they were voting for George Bush in 2000 as well as 2004. I had to laugh because I haven’t heard one Democrat talk trash about the 2000 election since. I love the irony of it.

Unfortunately, our two party system has produced an environment of hate. It isn’t just a difference of opinion anymore, it’s just plain hatred towards each other and in my humble opinion it’s just a matter of time before it erupts into something very nasty. WWIII?

“God, it’s an election year. Please help us elect a President who will guide this country with grace, honesty, and a heart that knows you as their savior. Amen.”

The Art of being Uncool

How cool are you? I guess it depends on your definition of cool, right? When I was younger it was a death sentence to be uncool. I wore the latest fashions and used the latest lingo and watched the hippest shows. It permeated everything I did from the glasses I wore to what car I drove.

Now that I’m a Christ follower, I realize that working so hard to be cool detracted from my focus on God. After all, do you think when you die their will be a line for cool people and another for uncool people? No, there will be one line going up, and another going down, and it won’t make a bit of difference at that moment if you had cool rims on your car or the latest hip hair style.

If you spend your life trying to show people how young and hip you are, you probably haven’t spent enough time showing them how Christian you are. If people focus on you, they won’t see who is supposed to be living in you.

Christ spent his life hanging out with the uncool people. Who are you hanging out with?

“Jesus, thanks for loving us no matter how uncool we are. Thanks for seeing what’s inside us, and help us to understand that that’s the important thing. Amen.”