Traveling Man

I'm thankful for a safe and fairly uneventful trip. Our plane into Miami was delayed and we had to hustle to meet our connecting flight and wondered if our luggage was hustling as fast as we were and it all worked out. My hotel room in Aracaju may be the darkest room I have ever stayed in. It's odd being in South America because being winter, it's dark at 5:00. They have had a lot of rain and we just missed a big downpour today that was flash flooding some of the streets. Sleep has been elusive and I hope Thursday night's rest is good and prolonged. It always surprises how I miss Texas and feel so far away from everyone when I make a trip like this. Maybe it's because I can't just pick up my phone and make a call or send a text.

I'm not like you. You are not me. I've been struck lately how some people often try to make someone else out to be like them. It's a little perplexing why it happens when it happens and it's a bit frustrating at times. I don't like being treated as if my personality and thoughts and desires are the same as someone else.

Here's hoping for some great days in Aracaju and 5 seemingly short sleeps until I'm back home in my bed and around people I know and love. In the meantime, I pray that God will do powerful things through me and in me while I'm here.

Grace and peace to you.

Hopefully, I Am In South America

I'm writing this on Tuesday night because I expect I'll be a zombie by the time you are reading it and somewhere between Decatur, TX, Sau Paulo, Brazil and Aracaju, Brazil.  I might be locked down in Miami because of a hurricane or so I hear.  I might be lost in Sau Paulo because GOL! Airlines keeps changing the times of our flight but the new times are the same as the old times.  Very confusing.  I just hope my clean underwear and I wind up in the same place.

I solicit your prayers for my time in Aracaju.  I'm speaking at a meeting Saturday night on a topic I'm qualified to speak about and one that scares me to death to talk about.  I'm praying that God fills me up with wisdom and the words I speak are the words he is wanting to lay on people's hearts.  

The closer I am to leaving the more excited I am about seeing Gilvan and his little boy, Giovanni, my good friend Romeo who is always smiling, Victor and Bela, two of the strongest young Christians I know, Albert and Carol, another young couple with a desire to serve and Bruno and Ricardo, two young men who may have more fire and passion for sharing the Good News than anyone I've ever met.  The joy of the Lord bleeds through there pores, through their smiles and actions and words.  Their eyes are alive when they speak about God and they draw people to them.

Oh, the high is supposed to be in the low-80's the first few days we are there.  Yea!  It stays in the low 70's at night and it might even rain one day.  

The weather will be nice but it's the joy in knowing God exhibited in the lives of the people I will be spending time with that really excites me about what I'm doing.  I'm ready to be infected again by their contagious zeal for the Lord.

Grace and peace to you. 

Fly Like An Eagle

I'm headed to Aracaju, Brazil today.  It's a trip I never really enjoy as I start the travel process at 3:00p and will arrive in Aracaju around 3:00 tomorrow but I look forward to being with the people there so much.  I've learned the concept of joy from my friends in Aracaju and the concept of living with much less and enjoying more freedom. 

My baby started her senior year of high school this week.  How did it get here so fast?  Just yesterday, I was walking her into kindergarten holding her hand.  Now she's driving herself and doesn't need Dad so much.  I'm so very proud of her and the young woman she is becoming.

I stretch some analogies to fit my needs.  To that end, while fishing last week I thought about how hard we were working to catch fish.  Relentless is the word I would use when we were in an area with large redfish.  I thought about how diligent we were about catching fish and tried to imagine how relentless God is in his desire to catch us.  God is good and he is faithful and he never stops in his desire or effort to help his sheep remain safe and in the shepherd's care.

Grace and peace to you.

The Week That Is

It's a crazy week.  Here for a few days, gone for most.  More on that tomorrow.


Drew Pearson is going into the Ring of Honor.  I'm disappointed Jerry didn't do that a long time ago but he owns the team and I don't.  Still, I'm disappointed in Jerry.


I'm not a Cowboys fan anymore.


I am a Rangers fan and liked how they played against the Angels.  If all goes well I'll be drawing playoff tickets in a month or so. 


Rick Perry for President?  Ewww.  I just don't believe he's done a good job nor seems to have enough depth about him to deal with the issues a President has to deal with. 


I want to vote for a President who has actually created jobs without using taxpayer money to do it.  Is that so much to ask for? 


OK, that's all the fluff for one day.  I'll be packing tonight for a little trip with my twin brother (some of you will understand that reference, others will be shocked I have a twin brother and even more would only laugh when they see him standing next to me).


Grace and peace to you.

The Week That Was

A friend asked me how I was doing last week and I had a seemingly bizarre response, even for me.  "Well, I'm physically and emotionally exhausted, I'm battling attacks almost daily that are trying to separate me from a focus on God, I'm separated from the people I love the most by a situation I hate, and it could get worse before it gets better.  So, I praise God in this storm because it reminds me that I can do nothing without him and it's easy for me to look around and see others who are living in situations that seem so much worse than my own." 


That was before I hopped on a corporate plane owned by one of our vendors, flew to the coast to fish and flew back the next day after lots of fish and a great meal.  It's not all bad. 


The University of Miami got busted for some bad stuff and rumors of the death penalty but I don't believe it will happen.  Too much TV money is on the line and we all know that college sports are more and more about the money these days.  Sad that SMU had to get hammered for the NCAA to figure out they didn't have the guts to keep busting the bad guys. 


Walmart + Friday night = very bizarre clothing standards


If you know me well, you know I can be a bit sarcastic and often at the most inopportune times.  You might also know that Rob Bell wrote a book that many describe as his reasoning that there is not a literal hell.  So, I couldn't help but tweet last week the following; "I wonder if this summer is God's response to Rob Bell."  You have to appreciate sordid humor to enjoy some of the things I say.


I read a blog post by one of Bell's biggest apologists last week attempting to explain why the Bible never truly condones homosexual activity unless it is used in some pagan, ritualistic way.  My views on scripture have broadened and relaxed in many ways from how I was taught early in life but I just can't get there with this guy. 


I'm finding that many people really don't believe you can follow the Bible unless you understand Greek because they use how original words were used to explain why things don't mean what we used to believe they meant.  Maybe scripture really is for the mental elite.  But, I don't believe it.


So, there are things that I don't agree with but I take those comments and use them to re-examine what I believe, to study again what I read in scripture and what I believe the God I know with my heart wants me to know about him and his desire.  If that's not enough...


I think it's enough.


Grace and peace to you.

Read It While You Can

There's been some debate recently about hell being a literal or figurative place and some mud-slinging to go along with it.  I've stated my position of ignorance in the past (March 22, 2011 Blog) and still want to be more in tune with what God would have me do today and live it out than argue with someone about hell.  At any rate, with any book about anything controversial more books will come out with the other argument and I guess my good buddy (I don't really know the guy but he makes me think) Frances Chan has responded to Rob Bell's book and below is a link for an excerpt.  I appreciate Chan for bringing out things that I overlook at times.  For instance, I can get rolling with the argument that hell is for bad people who do bad things and Chan points out that the Bible says people who talk harshly about others are those very folks doing bad things.  Now, I know for a fact that there is some gossiping going on at lots of church buildings because a) I've heard it and b) I'm pretty sure I've joined in before and a good bit of that gossip fits under the category of speaking harshly about others.  Something to think about...


Here's the link to Chan's excerpt.  I'm not sure if I can legally borrow it or not but I'll give it a whirl and hope it simply makes you think. 


Chan on hell


Grace and peace to you.

IANMO

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Grace and peace to you. 

The Pain of Yesterday

I was watching the Rangers game the other night and saw a foul ball hit to left field.  Josh Hamilton goes to pick it up and tosses it to the ballgirl instead of turning to throw it over the back fence.  I can't help but wonder if he doesn't feel some pain every time that happens.  If you don't know the story, Hamilton picked up a foul ball a few weeks ago and tossed it to a fan in the stands behind the left field wall.  The fan reached out to catch it, lost his balance, fell over the fence 20 feet below hitting his head and died soon after.  His young son (6 years old I believe) was sitting next to his dad when it happened.  Now, Hamilton did what we hope every pro player will do - toss us something we can hang onto.  I don't know Josh Hamilton but believe him to be a compassionate man and I can't help but think he wishes he would have held onto the ball that Shannon Stone missed that fateful night.  When I saw him toss a ball to the ballgirl the other night, I couldn't help but think he still feels the pain of that one toss.  And I wondered about that little boy and his family and whether they would attend more baseball games in the future.  A father and son, a baseball game, hot dogs and Josh Hamilton standing in front of you.  What's better than that kind of night?  Then it turns to pain. 


I assume that to be true because I've tossed a lot of balls in my past I wish I would have held onto.  Not real balls, but something that I did that turned out bad, that turned out to bring pain in my life I didn't expect, didn't think about, certainly didn't want.  Then, each time a similar situation comes up or some trigger reminds me about that toss I made, I am revisited by the pain.  There are times where I deserved the pain and there are times where the pain comes from something that was supposed to be good.  Either way, I wish I could have held onto that ball.


I trust Josh Hamilton's faith will help him keep moving forward but my guess is he will never thrown another ball over that back fence because it's pain he doesn't want to revisit.  I trust my faith will get me through the times I feel the pain and I trust that God will be at work to mend the wounds and help me know that the pain is nothing compared to the goodness and a life without pain that is waiting for me. 


Grace and peace to you.

17

My baby girl turned 17 yesterday.  I can't believe how the time has flown, how she has grown and the things she has achieved and what life has brought along the way.  It's nothing that I imagined but when I look at her I realize there is so much to be thankful for even while viewing it through the storms of life.  My daughter is a special young lady, one who constantly shows me the hope we can have for the future and one who inspires me to reach for higher goals.  I pray God will bless her journey, speak into her deeply and loudly and prepare her heart for the obstacles she will face and the joy he can bring. 

Grace and peace to you.

Go Rangers!

I went to the Ranger game last night with my son and parents and were treated to a boring 7 innings, a great comeback victory and Michael Young's 2000th hit.  Even with a 107 degree start time temperature, it was a fun night at the Ballpark.


Michael is the 11th fastest player to 2,000 hits and, I believe, the 3rd fastest right-handed batter.  That's pretty good company I would imagine.  I appreciate his work ethic and tenacity.  Both of his hits last night were little infield rollers that he had to hustle out and I thought it an appropriate way for him to get there.  Sure, a home run or game winning hit would have been great but I think hard work, determination and hustle have defined Young's career. 


It makes me wonder what will define my career.  Not my work career so much as my kingdom-building career.  Much of it will be defined by a former life of hiding the truth and pretending to be something I may have wanted to be but wasn't living up to...and I'm ok with that because it might lay the ground work for what I can do in the latter half of my life to share the Good News.  A friend told me one day he almost wished he had a story.  I wish I didn't.  He's lived a pretty directed life and has been the man God wanted him to be and I think that is the story, that we can choose to live that way.  But sometimes a story of a rocky road, a hill climbed, of failures made and made again and overcome show people an option too. 


I hope the day will come when I celebrate my 2,000th hit in the kingdom baseball game and I hope I celebrate it much the way Michael Young did - with a brief acknowledgment and desire to get back to work and keep doing what he's been doing. 


Grace and peace to you.

Loving Others

I met a couple of homeless guys in Decatur last Saturday.  They weren't very lovable.  They didn't say much so it's hard to know how to help them or if I can help them or if they want help.  The easy thing to do at this point would be to move on and look for someone who is easier to love or just go do whatever it is I want to do and do some loving on myself (hope you see the drips of sarcasm in the last part).  Instead, I'm going to try and find them again and talk to them again and to let them know that love exists in this world for them.  I don't know where they've been or what they've done but I know God loves them and I know how God wants me to feel about them. 


I was reminded of The Shack this past week and the great lesson I learned from that book that we are all God's children, all made in his image and all doing things we shouldn't always be doing.  No one is perfect.  Not those guys on the streets.  Not my boss.  Not the people around me.  Not my kids.  Certainly not me.  Yet we are all God's children, made in his image and under attack by a force wanting to pull us away from his perfect and unconditional love. 


I've experienced God's perfect and unconditional love and still I try to walk away at times telling myself God can't love a sinner like me.  Day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month I'm learning more about his love and believing that nothing I do can shake it so I tell myself more and more than he does love me.  He loves me when I mess up and he loves me when I live in his power and will and glory.  The incredible thing about being open to his love is that it makes me want to live in his vision for me and not my own - his love is a mighty, powerful force.  I just have to be open to it.  And ready to share it.


Grace and peace to you.

Pitching and Conviction, Part 2

Mike Adams made his debut with the Rangers Tuesday night and it was a bit underwhelming.  Now, I don't have a clue what it is like to pitch in the rain in your debut after a team gave up some of it's best prospects for you and I guess I can understand that the weather and nerves might throw you off your game a bit but this guy is supposed to be Superman and I was expecting 3 outs with 2 pitches.  Don't ask me how he would do that but it's what I expected.  Better luck next time Mike.


My discipleship is a bit like Mike Adams.  My Lord gave his best player for me and often I come out and serve up meatballs to the enemy that he can hit out of the park.  The good part is that just like Adams will get to go back out on the field and show what he can do, God will let me try again because he loves me so much. I read a blog the yesterday that reminded me that God is love.  Not that God loves to love or likes to love and wants to love.  GOD IS LOVE.  If he's love and I'm not loving, then who do I look like?  If I'm not living as love, that's when I'm serving up hanging curveballs and fastballs that are dead-red across the plate.  It's when I live in love that I am walking arm-in-arm with my Lord and nothing can hurt me, nothing can beat me because he is living through me. 


God, be patient as I try to walk in your ways and to love those who don't love me, those who aren't loved by the world, those who seemingly try to be unlovable and those who need to experience your love so they will have hope.


Grace and peace to you.

Pitching and Conviction

Koji and Adams.  The Rangers certainly got busy and pulled off a couple of big trades at the deadline.  It will be a few years to see how good the trade was as we watch the other guy develop, or fail to develop, but I liked what I saw out of Koji yesterday and everyone is saying Adams is the "it" guy from the NL.  We'll see.  Go Rangers.


Yesterday's sermon from Romans 12 was convicting.  Rick did what good preachers do by reminding me that there is something missing in my prayer life that I'm commanded to do but don't really care to do - pray for those who are persecuting me.  Now, I'm fortunate that no one is beating me or imprisoning me for my beliefs but sometimes the mental wounds feel as deep and as painful as what I imagine the physical wounds to be.  From terrorists who threaten our safety and security to people who want to argue with us about our beliefs and actions to those who would try to gain ground and build stature around our mistakes to those who are simply abusive, everyone I know faces some level of persecution and I, for one, have certainly failed at praying for anyone and everyone who I believe is persecuting or hurting me in some way.  I'm thankful I got an earful of reminder yesterday that the power of God can do amazing things if I will tap into it. 


The more I read Romans, the more I want to read it again and again.


Grace and peace to you.

Busted By An Aggie

I've got a friend, well, I know this guy, who is an Aggie and he sends me a text on Friday about my math abilities and the sad part is, he was right.  Now, if you've even had something pointed out that you did that was wrong, you know how it can make you feel.  Imagine that same thing pointed out by an Aggie.  OUCH!


Hook 'em Horns is all I've got to say about that.


I had a deep philosophical/theological post I was planning for today but the busted by an Aggie thing has reduced me to wishing the NFL season would have been locked out and I wouldn't have to keep seeing Jerry on the TV screen while watching ESPN. 


I'm writing this on Friday and wondering what the Rangers are going to pull off this weekend.  Heath Bell to Texas?  Someone else?  No one coming to Texas?  I wouldn't mind seeing Robbie Erlin and Tanner Scheppers and Chris Davis somewhere else if it gets the Rangers back in the World Series.  They are good, promising players but I don't think any of them will get a good shot in Arlington and they deserve a good shot based on what little I know about them.


If you've read this blog, you know I'm a fan of Charity:Water.  Follow this link and read a very touching story about a young girl, a tragedy and what good might come from it.  Rachel's Story


I got to spend time with my buddies from Lifebread (www.lifebread.org) on Saturday.  I love people doing missions with a purpose greater than building a church building and hitting the road.  Dusty and his crew are doing good work and following the "teach a man to fish" principle...but with bread. 


That's all.


Grace and peace to you.

168

Several conversations I have been a part of, along with a sermon and a class, have raised the question of "what is worship?"


I grew up in a time when our churches battled over the style of worship and some wanted to condemn "musical instrument" churches to the damning fire while I was always thinking we were more worried about singing our parts than living what we were singing (and I was very guilty of not living what I was singing/saying/whatever).  "When we all get to heaven (as long as you ain't using a piano to sing this song)..."  Maybe it should have been "When some of us who think we've got it all figured out get to heaven..."


All that to say, the number 168 stood out to me this week.  I have 168 hours in our week.  Let's say I use 56 of them getting 8 hours sleep a night and another 21 eating 3 times a day for an hour each meal (yes, both are a stretch) then I have 91 hours left.  What am I doing with that 91 hours?  Working?  Yes.  Attending events or spending time with my kids?  Yes  Visiting friends, shopping, watching TV?  Yes.


I remember when I used to gripe about someone turning the lights down during the communion service because I didn't like it.  I had the time to gripe but I look back and try to think of anything I did to serve God in the way Jesus exemplified and I come up empty.  I was like the Pharisees, trying to polish the outside of the dish while the inside was filthy.


The last few years have brought some inside cleaning.  There's more to do for sure but I can tell you that lots of gunk and muck have been cleaned off and thrown away.  Turn the lights down?  I don't care as long as I'm using my 141 hours a week to find ways to serve.  Sing new songs or old songs?  I'm much more concerned with how I'm spending my 141 hours a week to find ways to serve those in my life the way Jesus did.  And for my friends who go to church where there's a band or anything else that my fellowship might not agree with, I'll consider the fruit of what you are doing in 141 hours a week long before I'll want to talk to you about the band, the lights, the women or whatever else it is that I have seen my brethren worked up about in the past.


Jesus came to seek and save the lost, not establish the format for church service.  Why would I want to do anything different?


I've got 91 hours coming next week to reach out, to help, to clothe, to feed, to give water, to provide shelter, to teach.  I wonder what I will do with my time?

Retry

After 4 edits of today's original post, I give up and will borrow a link from Josh Graves.


This is a preacher who loves him some NASCAR.

Love me some NASCAR

I'm not going to go into how Jesus taught us to pray and make any comparisons (as if) or contrasts. 

Here's a link to my good friend's blog if you want to read more on prayer and how Jesus' idea may be a little different than Pastor Nelms 

Thoughts on Prayer

I'm not condemning Pastor Nelms or suggesting Rick knows all there is to know about prayer.  I mean, can you really hate a guy who prays for his smoking hot wife?  Just trying to be fair and balanced today.


Grace and peace to you.

Running on Empty

It's been tough to blog lately...as you've probably noticed. 


Same sex marriages in New York.  A murder spree in Norway.  Oh yes, now I remember why I have quit reading the paper and watching the news.  Burying my head in the sand, you say?  In all honesty, I think I have been more focused on my Father's business since I went without "news" for awhile.  Sadly enough, I can find enough problems in my own yard without hearing from around the world.  I'm not advocating for all people to quit listening to the news, I just feel like it has been a good thing for me for a season.


I'm taking an Organizational Behavior class for a Master's program right now.  One assignment was a Life Stress Inventory Test.  A score of 0-100 indicates you have low stress, 100-200 indicates reasonable stress that a person should be aware of and taking steps to reduce, 200-300 indicates high stress that can result in a 50% chance of a major health issue within 2 years, 300 and up indicates extremely high stress that can result in a 80% chance of a major health issue within 2 years.  I scored a 485 the first time so I took it again and got a 520.  Maybe that's why I feel exhausted all the time.  Silly tests.


I also took the Myers-Brigg Personality Inventory and found out I'm a INFJ.  I still don't know all that means but my personality is the same as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela - not bad company.  It's also the same as Billy Crystal and Mel Gibson (that may explain some of my outbursts at times).  Fascinating stuff. 


I got into another faith and works conversation the other day.  I'm still confused why anyone would try to separate the two.  I do stuff for my kids because of love.  God gave his son for me because of love.  Love is unseen (faith) until manifested in something I do for someone but what I do isn't done for proof, it's done out of love.  So is my work for God, not something I do for proof but something I do because of love.  It seems so simple to me. 


Then again, I may be a little simple-minded.  That's why I'm looking forward to being at the Rangers game tonight. 


Grace and peace to you.

Perseverance

How long does perseverance last? 


On vacation, I reread James.  It's become a favorite book because it addresses some areas that are key to living the life I want to live to know God better - persevering, controlling anger, confession and prayer. 


I love what James 1 has to say about persevering through trials but I wish it explained how long perseverance lasts.  I'd like to know I'm getting to the end of trials and closer to the crown. 


I know it's wishful thinking.  I know trials will never end and some are on a loop it seems.  I know my timing and God's timing vary slightly and I know His timing is the one I want to be aligned with (I've seen what doing things my way looks like - YIKES).  I'll keep praying for strength and courage and wisdom to persevere and to take joy in knowing and seeing how my trust in God to get me through the rough times always looks and feels much better than what I would do on my own accord.  And, I want to revel in the hope that comes from persevering in faith. 

Grace and peace to you.

Back In The Saddle

I had to hit the ground running yesterday after 7 days out of the office enjoying the beautiful scenery and cool temperatures of Colorado.  It was a good vacation but one that ended way to soon.  My son and I both thought we had some days stolen out of our week.  I caught some good fish, took the Jeep high into the mountains and felt some really cool temperatures and had great conversations with regulars at Fun Valley and with some Decaturites who showed up out of the blue.


One of the things I read on vacation was John Grisham's recent book, The Confession.  If you are a fan of the death penalty, I encourage you to read this one.  Just to be fair, I'm an ardent opponent to the death penalty, believe anyone who uses the Bible to defend murdering anyone is in direct contradiction to God and think anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ and death penalty advocate should be required to give the injection that brings death.  I hope I was clear on my belief.  Anyway, this book tells a great story of why and how one mistake is one too many and is written with Grisham's regular, captivating flair.


More thoughts on reading in the coming days...


Grace and peace to you.

Rocky Mountain High

I love the Rocky Mountains.  I always feel closer to God when I'm in the mountains and it's not just the altitude but the beauty of his creation that comes to life for me.  There's nothing I like more than standing in a river and taking in the creation around me.  The week I spend here is my sabbath rest, certainly not how God may have intended it but it is the one time each year where I shut down and let the cares of the world float away. 


I am looking forward to a week of rest and a week of getting closer to God.  Open my heart, Lord.


Grace and peace to you.

EDIT: I had written the above post before leaving.  While traveling on Thursday and listening to the Rangers game, I was aware of the fan falling over the railing when it happened.  I was saddened to learn later the man had passed away.  He was attending the game with his young son according to reports.  I cannot imagine the effect this might have on Josh Hamilton who had tossed the ball to the man that he reached out for and fell.  I read a report where Oakland pitcher Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game after watching the incident from the visitors bullpen.

I cherish the moments I have with my children and this incident is a reminder that those can be gone in the blink of an eye.  I will enjoy this week with my son and cannot wait until I can hug my beautiful daughter next Saturday.