The Spirit of Competition

Another excellent devotional from one of my favorite writers.

The Spirit of Competition
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. - John 17:23

A story is told about F.B. Meyer, the great Bible teacher and pastor who lived a century ago. He was pastoring a church and began to notice that attendance was suffering. This continued until he finally asked some members of his congregation one Sunday morning why they thought attendance was down.

A member volunteered, "It is because of this new church down the road. The young preacher has everyone talking and many are going to hear him speak."

His name was Charles Spurgeon. Meyer, rather than seeking to discourage this, exhorted the entire congregation to join him and go participate in seeing this "move of God" as he described it to his congregation.

"If this be happening, then God must be at work."

Meyer, even though he was an accomplished preacher and teacher, recognized where God was at work and joined Him in it. [The author heard this on a radio show from Key Life Ministries with Steve Brown, based in Orlando, Florida.]

Can you imagine this story taking place in our competitive world today? Competition has penetrated the Church so much that many churches and Christian organizations approach ministry like a sports event. They view their mission as a business that seeks to gain market share among Christians - donors, members, influence - all under the name of God. I am sure God looks down at us and asks, "Whatever happened to John 17:23?" Sometimes we must remind our fellow servants that we are all on the same team! We should be seeking to impact the Kingdom of God, not increase our own market share.

When Jesus made this statement about unity in John 17:23, it represented the key to bringing salvation to many. He was saying that when His Body is unified, the non-Christian would be able to see who Jesus really is - the Son of God. Are you contributing to unity in the Body of Christ? Or are you contributing to a spirit of competition? Ask God where you can be an instrument of unity in His Body.

Dances with Trains

I am amazed at how many friends I have that have given up the search for significance. They are no longer deer panting for water... or souls longing after God. Instead they are bitter hardened ground that no longer expects rain much less water. Survival, not significance, is their new search. Dusty dreamers who don't even look up to see if the light at the end of the tunnel is a train. They've been ran over too many times and just expect trains.

I understand. I expect trains too! Why? Because, I have been in those tunnels. I have seen those trains.

But one day, something occurred to me. That train had to come from somewhere, and it's going somewhere else. Call me an optimist, but I think of myself as a realist. If I keep seeing trains come and go, then there's hope. I remember hearing the whistle once and realizing, that if I just got off the track, I wouldn't keep getting ran over. In fact, if I could reach out and snag the train somehow, it might carry me out of this place. And it did.

And I found that, in life there are patches of light and patches of darkness. And there are trains that lead you into and out of each. Sometimes I have to know when to jump off and sometimes, I have to hang on through the darkness. Sometimes I let go too soon and end up walking until I find another tunnel, hear another whistle, reach out and head off on another journey.

Like right now. I hear a whistle. I have to go.

Fare Thee Well

A song from PFR. Why? I'm working on that. It's one of my favorites and one of the best written songs I've ever heard. Somehow, right now, it just seems fitting.


Fare Thee Well
by PFR, from the album The Late Great PFR

Look who's coming 'round the bend...
It's you friend. Brothers in our mischief and the mystery.
Seven years and one we shared together.
Fared the storms and days of better weather
Now it seems our ship has found the shore.
The flag still flies, but she won't sail no more.

Uh uh oh... Fare thee well
Only time will tell what will be come of all that we've begun
La la la... Life goes on.
We laughed and sang our songs, but songs come to an end
So goodbye my friend.
Fare thee well.

Some say go back and start anew
Ooo you can't return to times meant for the past.
Believe me only one thing stays the same.
Faith, hope and love... and love remains.
And love has placed us right here where we are.
Time has brought some changes, but not a change of heart.

Uh uh oh... Fare thee well.
Some one ring the bell and gather in all
One more time again
Ooo ooo ooo here's to you.
One more little tune. A way to reminisce
A goodbye kiss. Fare the well.

Uh uh oh... Fare thee well
Only time will tell what will be come of all that He's begun
La la la... Life goes on.
We laughed and sang our songs, but songs come to an end
So goodbye my friend.
Fare thee well.

One more time...
One more time again...

Still Around

So I am sitting here thinking. I'm still around...

I'm still around the size I was at the beginning of the year.

I'm still around my family. They still like having me around.

I'm still around my church and around my friends.

I'm still around. And I'm thankful.

I should start blogging again. I guess I will.

Watch for stuff!

Drawing Near To Darkness - Os Hillman

I think Os Hillman is hiding in my house. Why? Because he always seems to be reading my mail. Each daily devotional seems to hit me where I live. This one more so than others. So rather than blog today, I think I'll just share with you the incredible writings of Mr. Hillman.



Drawing Near to Darkness by Os Hillman 

The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. - Exodus 20:21

Like the nation of Israel, we are each called to the mountain of God, but few are willing to pass through the darkness to get there. God wanted to reveal His glory to the children of Israel, but they were afraid to enter into His presence. They only wanted to know about God, rather than know him personally like Moses did. This grieved the heart of God.

Why wouldn't the people of Israel risk entering the darkness if it meant being in the presence of God? What did the people fear? Perhaps they had fears like each of us. The fear of the unknown. The fear of what might happen. The fear that God might not like what He sees. Or, perhaps even the greatest fear: the fear of darkness itself and what lies behind that darkness.

Many of us have been satisfied to hear about God from God's messengers. But there is a greater calling for each of us-a calling to enter into His presence. Sometimes entering into His presence means we enter through an unexpected door-a door that appears to have nothing good behind it.

We do not need to fear entering the presence of God even if it means entering through a period of darkness. Above all else we must believe that God is a God of love. If He calls us into darkness in order to enter His presence, then that darkness will become an entry to new levels of relationship with a God who longs for fellowship with you and me.

======================

I have really enjoyed receiving this daily email devotional called Prime Time With God. It encourages me to bring my relationship with God into my daily work. I thought you might find today’s message of interest. You can also signup to receive it each day by email at no charge.

Link To Read Today's Devotional--
http://www.churchgrowthmail.org/web/pageid/30781/pages.asp

God bless you!
Brad Irons
www.bradirons.com

The Place I Am Bound pt. 1

Thank God it didn't end up like this...

Time: 3:42 a.m., Thursday, 7-27
Place: Intersection of Matlock and I-20
Scene: Green light (mine)- Red light (his). Turning left (me) - Going straight (him)
Background Music:Bob Bennett - The Place I Am Bound...

Background Music plays: "As my father before me and so now I, pause to reflect on the day I will die. As they lay me down in the cold of the ground. Remember I am closer to the place I am bound. A few final words will be spoken I trust. Be as kind as you can. Lie if you must. And remember me when I was at my best... instead of used up lying with these flowers on my chest."

Freeze Frame: I start to turn left at the green arrow and notice a new car has entered the scene: moving at about 60 miles an hour on a 40 mile an hour street. He hasn't noticed his red light or me moving into the intersection. Not enough time to reverse...

Background Music: "Sometimes death is like a theif in the night. It stills every treasure that is hidden in plain sight. But I do not flatter my own memory. I will miss you every bit as much as you'll be missing me. I wish I could be there to brighten the mood with friends and family and mountains of food. Stories and memories and tales all around... but it is late and I must travel the the place I am bound.

Time moves into slow motion: I don't know if he ever saw me at first. I was sure that he was going to hit me. And suddenly I had a lot of thoughts run through my head. I didn't know you could think that much in so little time. What should I do? Turn? Accelerate? What? If I die, will Dawn know where to find the life insurance papers? I want to play that video game with Joshua. If this doesn't kill me, I hope I'm conscious enough to remember to grab my laptop and my phone...Did I just think that?

Background Music: "And I hope that the Spirit of the Lord will not mind if you toast me with spirits of the Irish kind. Raise your glass as the blessing is said. You'll be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead."

Tires squealing: He sees me! And swerves at the last second; heading into oncoming traffic and then crossing back into oncoming traffic again. I spin out in the opposite direction and notice how many cars are out this time of morning... three... at least three in danger, there are others, but they are onlookers.

I caught the curb and spun to a stop. The other innocent car banked left to avoid the nutcase in the black sports car. And the black sports car? It did a couple of 360s, gave me an obscene hand gesture (I think. It was dark you know.) and two wheeled over the curb. Then he slammed the gas and disappeared...

And sudddenly, I felt the need to pause and reflect...

Fading Music: "As my father before me and so now I, pause to reflect on the day I will die. As they lay me down in the cold of the ground. Remember I am closer to the place I am bound."

The Art of Giggling

I decided to google "giggle". Why? Because I have been doing a bunch of it lately. No, not googling, giggling. Stay with me here.

So as I glided my google to "giggle" I was greeted with generalities geared towards guys and girls with no great gumption for getting to the nitty gritty.

Ok, all alliteration aside (oops...), I found several online dictionaries and they all basically said the same thing.

giggle: to laugh with repeated short catches of the breath...

It can be a noun or a verb. And it is probably of imitative origin...

What does that mean? It means that thousands of years ago or something, someone somewhere at sometime in the past started to laugh and then, thought that maybe they shouldn't. But they couldn't help it as little high pitched noises and long streams of air began escaping from between their lips. They tried to stop the short spurts and snorts by covering their mouth but it only led to spasmodic shaking. Some liquid probably spewed from their nose or something. They tried with all their might to stop the rising laughter that was building up pressure like a steam boiler running in the red... which brought them dangerously close to releasing pressure and sounds from other places.... which would cause them to laugh more.

And in the middle of it all, some one said, "Be still and stop making that 'giggling' noise". And the rest is history.

I have played with the thought that "giggle" may be a combination of the word gas and jiggle. Because when I see people really trying to restrain a laugh, there are hints of an explosion building. Contents under pressure.

But that's the art of giggling. Contents under pressure if opened too fast, can explode, which would be embarrassing and painful. (Shake that soda can!) To safely extract the contents, you need a release valve. That's where giggling comes in. Restrained laughter. Not all at once, but a slight hissing sound as pressure escapes from under your cap. Come to think of it, maybe that's why I've been giggling a lot lately. Letting it out a little at a time. Slowly releasing the pressures of life. I haven't had a lot of time to laugh lately. And I haven't had a lot reasons to do so either. But in the middle of it all, someone sends me a joke or thought, and I take a moment to read it... And I hear the hiss as a little bit of the daily pressure evaporates into the atmosphere.

So take a moment to day and giggle. Laughter does good like a medicine. So take two giggles and call me in the morning.

Under Control

He really could have blown right past me. I knew it. He knew it. And more importantly, he knew that I knew he knew it. He just smiled and continued traveling 60 mph as I barrelled past him moving a bit faster. I was driving my red Saturn SL1. He was in a white corvette. I thought to myself, "what a cool car!"

My father in law has a yellow corvette and one day we went for a ride. When he hit the gas, we moved. There was no hesitation, no thinking about it. Nothing. The car just went. High performance, get the job done acceleration. Remember the road runner cartoons? Think yellow streak! But that was some thing special he did just to show me the power of the car. He doesn't drive around town that way... I don't think. Anyway, it was an awesome experience.

So as I flew by the guy in the white corvette, I knew why he was smiling. I was only passing him because he was allowing me to. At any moment he could have floored it and left me choking in his dust. But instead, he was the perfect portrait of power under submission. He was not intimidated and had nothing to prove. He knew the power he possesed and he knew the purpose of that power. And it wasn't for wiping up the floor with little red Saturn drivers.

And suddenly, I thought about Jesus and the pharisees. They kept saying, "come on man! Prove yourself. Show us Your power and we'll believe You." But Jesus knew better. He knew that even if he raised himself from the dead, most people wouldn't believe Him. They would just try to explain it away. He was like a corvette in a world of Saturns. Nothing to prove... Power with purpose under submission to authority.

"Is that a picture of me?" I asked myself. Or are most of us unfocused pictures of unrestrained power serving no purpose at all; just burning ourselves out. Or maybe, instead of choosing a destination, we're trying to go in every direction all at once. Paul said he worked at being all things to all men... but I don't think he meant all the time at the same time every day. Maybe we need to learn to say, no. I've got nothing to prove here. And I won't be intimidated into useless battles or challenges for the sake of ego or pride. The corvette guy said no. He smiled. And waved... It was almost as if he said, "man what a cool little red Saturn." ... or maybe I need more sleep...

Thought for the Week... or is it Weak?

Ever heard of demotivators? They're spoofs of the "motivational" posters that began cropping up everywhere during the 90's. If you need a laugh... and maybe even a humorous dose of reality, you can actually go to www.despair.com and view them. Here's one of my favorites.

That's The Point

It never fails. I get into a conversation with someone in the workplace who is not a believer and they eventually bring up one of many names: Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker, Robert Tilton, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

I know the point. Yes, I get it. They blew it and got caught. But I always have to ask the same question. "If someone is caught breaking the rules, does that release you from your responsibility to keep them?" See, they're thinking that fallen people somehow invalidate the Christian faith. That's like saying criminals invalidate the legal system. If anything, it's just the opposite.

The Bible starts out with point A. We are made in the image of God. Point B. We are fallen. Point C. There is a redeemer and Point D, we are in the now and not yet. No longer what we were before, but not all that we will be. Beloved, now we are the sons of God. And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. In other words, we still see through glass darkly and wrestle with our natural fallen inclinations.

The key to keep this car moving is that we do not do this alone. When we accept Christ, Heaven moves us from the kingdom of darkness to the light. And there, like Isaiah, we see how fallen we are. Those blinded will confess their independence. Those who see confess their dependence. To those who believe, he gives the power to become the sons of God. Those who do not, never find this power because it is not inside of us as my new age acquaintances would love to believe.

So I stare at my non-believing friend as he rants. I wait for him to finish. "These guys still break the law and though some of them are sincere, they're still messed up." (That's a paraphrase. I couldn't use some of his words.")

"Like they're in constant need of help or something?"

"Yeah, like they need Jesus or the Bible or maybe some preacher or other Christian with them every hour to keep them in line. Like they can't do this on their own or something. The only way they can do it is if they have 'Jesus' by their side."

I smiled and simply said. "That's the point."

OS Hillman

OS? No, not operating system. It's the first name of my favorite daily devotional writer. Don't get the connection? Read on.

If I were to point to one devotional series that has affected my life more than any other, it would have to be PrimeTime With God by OS Hillman. I have read My Utmost for His Highest, Experiencing God and other devotionals by many different authors. But tucked away in 1st place in my heart is the short but relevant writings of Hillman.

More times than not, I have opened up my email only to find that the devotional for the day was exactly what God was speaking to my heart. And I have also had the experience of skipping a devotional, facing a situation, and finding the biblical answer was in the devotional that I skipped. He is neither flamboyant nor fanciful. I offer his writings to you. You can go to http://www.churchgrowthmail.org/pages.asp?pageid=30781 and sign up for the daily email. I get no kickbacks from this. I just think it will be a blessing to you. There is also a free spiritual gift analysis.

Here is his most recent devotional at the time of this writing.

Today's Prime Time Message
Overcoming Our Past
by Os Hillman, May 15, 2006

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. - Judges 11:29a
We've all heard stories of individuals who have overcome extreme hardship during their childhood years. Children of alcoholics, orphans who never have parents, loss of parents to a fatal crash, childhood disease – these are all difficult circumstances to overcome.

Jephthah was a man who overcame his obstacles and refused to allow his circumstances to prevent him from becoming great in God's sight. He was born to Gilead, a result of his father's adulterous encounter with a prostitute. Gilead's wife, who had bore more sons, decided to reject Jephthah, and drove him away from their home saying, "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family because you are the son of another woman." Imagine the rejection this young man felt as he was cast away from his own family.

This experience taught Jephthah to become a hardened warrior. Today he probably would have been part of a street gang. As he got older, his reputation as a warrior became known to those in his country, so much so that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander. Jephthah had to fight off those feelings of rejection from previous years.

"Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house?" he responded. He overcame his hurt and pain, and responded to the call God had on his life.

It is said that if we were to help the butterfly remove itself from the cocoon, the butterfly would not be strong enough to survive. It is the struggle that prepares the butterfly to become strong enough to fly. Without the struggle in the cocoon, it could not survive as a butterfly.

The Lord prepares each of us in similar ways. Some of our childhoods seem to have been harsh and born from a seemingly unloving God. However, the Lord knows our struggle and will make our life an instrument in His hand if we will follow Him with an upright heart. He does make all things beautiful in His time if we are willing to be patient.

Email them at cgimail@churchgrowth.org to sign up for the devotional.

Faith Trip (Add Vent)

Ok, Hmmmmm....

I have heard others say it, to paraphrase, I'm just not admitting my pain. Basically it comes down to... why won't your admit you're really still in pain and stop telling people you've been healed...

I
think
people
think
I
am
on some weird faith trip and that's why I keep saying I'm healed. They think I'm hiding the hurt so I can appear super spiritual. Sorry, I don't play those games. One guy asked me, have you started feeling pain yet? As if he's just waiting for me to start hurting again. This is so amazing.

I keep wondering if this is what the blind man felt like when he was standing before the religious leaders. How did this happen? I don't know, but I know who did it and what happened!

Sorry to everyone who would like to believe that I'm just naming and claiming it or that I'm living in some fantasy world of denial. And that I'm hiding it from the world. You just have to live with the fact that God has done something miraculous in me. Do I still have lyme disease in my blood? Don't know. Probably. Am I still experiencing debilating pain that doesn't allow me to walk well, work well, or even play music well. Nope!!!! (Had to strum my guitar just for the fun of it there).

IF those pains should come back, I will know who to go to get to stand with me. They are the people who are standing with me now. This is absolutely amazing to me...

And Now for Something Completely Different...

========================================================
Politically Correct Ecumenical Worship Service...

Good evening, friends, and welcome to our hymn sing. We are pleased to announce that we have a hymn for everyone. Our program this evening will include:

The Dentist's Hymn - Crown Him with Many Crowns
The Weatherman's Hymn - There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
The Contractor's Hymn - The Church's One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn - Holy, Holy, Holy
The Golfer's Hymn - There Is A Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn - Standing on the Promises
The Optometrist's Hymn - Open My Eyes That I Might See
The IRA Agent's Hymn - I Surrender All
The Gossip's Hymn - Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn - Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn - Sweet By and By
The Realtor's Hymn - I've Got a Mansion, Just Over the Hilltop
The Massage Therapist's Hymn - He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn - The Great Physician

And for you motorists

45 mph - God Will Take Care of You
55 mph - Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
65 mph - Nearer My God To Thee Nearer Still Nearer
85 mph - This World Is Not My Home
95 mph - Lord, I'm Coming Home
100+ - Precious Memories

Are You Hoppy?

Here's a riddle:

Five frogs are sitting on a log. One decides to jump off. How many frogs are left?
Think hard!
Ready for the answer?
The answer is....

Five.

Deciding to do something is not the same as doing it. So I ask again. Are you hoppy? Am I hoppy? Or are we the type of person who congratulates ourselves for signing up for the gym? Could this be a faith and works issue? You show me your deep belief that you should go and I will show you my workout record that says I believed I should go and so I went.

And now a lyric from one of my all-time favorite songwriters: Bob Bennett

She in white dress. He in rented clothes
Bargains are struck and promises made
But soon we find those people are already dead or dying
They just exist in photographs that show how far they've strayed

Mistake the nodding of the head and all the words the can be said
Mistake the wearing of the ring for the doing of the thing

And in that quiet cemetary where theories go to die
It's not a question of believing
It's not a question of the lie
It's the distance that we will not cross for the fear of suffering
Between the creed we speak so easily
And the doing of the thing

Broken souls covered in broken skin. No resolution on the video screen
And half a world away somebody does our bidding
Because we like to pray with our fingernails clean

Mistake the nodding of the head and all the words the can be said
Mistake the sympathy we bring for the doing of the thing
The doing of the thing

I get it. Thanks, Bob. I'm heading to the gym. And some friends of mine are headed to Nicaragua. They get it too.

The Dream: What Do You Think It Means?

I sit up in bed and throw off the comforter. The clock is wrong, the room is wrong. I don't own a comforter...not like this one.

Wait... wait for the adjustment... eyes focusing. There. Wait... they shouldn't be focusing. They shouldn't. I wear glasses, legally blind. I shouldn't be able to see without them. But I can. Dear Lord, I can. And what do I see?

The night sky. No ceiling... or is it a glass ceiling? I reach up... It's too far to touch but maybe I will catch a reflection.

What's that? It looks like a star, a pinprick of light in the horribly dark canvas above me. It's not the only star, but it's the only one that's growing closer.

Closer? Jump up! Run to the door. Locked! Race to the windows. Locked. I look for something to smash something in my way. No! Nothing!

It was the size of the head of pin, a period on a page. Now it's like a burning baseball heading towards the ground. Towards me.

Up! I gotta go up! I run to the walls! They're too sheer. I can't get a foot hold. I scream but the fireball keeps coming! Keeps growing! I want to curse! I want to cry! But I don't. Neither will help.

The baseball has changed sports. It's now a fiery basketball. Is it speeding up?

The bookshelf!!! The bookshelf!!! I run to the shelf and throw all the books on the floor. Dictionaries! Encyclopedias! Bibles! (Why do I have so many bibles?) Stack them! Brace them against the book shelf. Move faster!

The basketball-turned-beach ball-turned full moon is starting to fill my view. Obscuring the sky. I'm ready. I run toward the book shelf ladder and scramble up the wall. I hit the glass ceiling hard and fall back to the floor.

Deep breath! Grunt! Grunt! Run! I feel a shelf give way. But I have enough force to slam into that clear obstruction again. It strains, stretches and then shatters. Pieces of glass tumble lazily to the ground even as I rocket over the wall and land painfully in the moist grass.

The fireball hangs in the sky like the morning sun. Even if I ran...

But I can't think like that. I just have to run. I have to try!

To my surprise, my legs work like they never had before. They thrust me forward like a rocket and I watch my abandoned house fade into the distance. Then it was replaced by a large explosion. I can see the glow chasing me, pacing my steps. But it's too late. I'm out of its reach.

I sat in the grass and watched the flames attack the sky as it consumes wood, glass, books and history. Tears roll down my cheeks! So much history... so much gone...

Rising, I begin to walk towards what I can not see. I am dazed. I don't understand... not even after I wake up.

What do you think this means?

Evaluations... A Funny...

These individual quotes were reportedly taken from actual employee performance evaluations throughout the U.S. (I don't believe it either.) Hopefully, none of us will be seeing similar ones on ours.

- Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.

- His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity.

- I would not allow this employee to breed.

- This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be.

- Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.

- When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet.

- He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.

- This young lady has delusions of adequacy.

- He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

- This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.

- This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts, the better.

- He's got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.

- A gross ignoramus - 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus.

- Gates are down, lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming.

- Has two brains: one is lost and the other is out looking for it.

- If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week.

- If you gave him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change.

- If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the oceans.

- One neuron short of a Synapse.

- Some drink from the fountain of knowledge, he only gargled.

- Takes him 1.5 hours to watch 60 Minutes.

- The wheel is still turning, but the hamster is dead.

Cheer Up Church by Charlie Peacock

His was a voice, fueled by truth
That spoke to us of God's grace
In a way that we could understand
And take hold of

His was a life defined by grace
For a time and for a reason
And so we bow and give thanks to God
For the life of our brother

It's just like God to make a hero from a sinner
It's just like God to choose the loser not the winner
It's just like God to tell a story through a weak
To let the gospel speak through the life of a man
who'd be the first to say...

"Cheer up church
You're worse off than you think
Cheer up church
You're standing at the brink
Don't despair, do not fear, grace is near"

written by Charile Peaock
© 1999 Sparrow Song/Andi Beat Goes On Music/BMI

Lines

Soooooooo.... Sunday, I went down for a prayer line...

Maybe you don't know how I feel about prayer lines and healing lines and dotted lines and even double yellow lines... all about the same. They make me nervous. Sometimes I think I'm an outside the lines person trying to live a "color within the lines" life.

It's not that I can't color in the lines, it's just that the picture I see isn't always what everyone else tells me I'm supposed to see. Kind of like one of those inkblot tests. "What do you mean that's a spider? It looks like an alien spaceship to me!"

Call it the rebel in me. Call it several years of charasmania. Call it even more years of strict religious traditionalism. (Snap your fingers, wear red, make a mistake, go to hell. Go directly to Hell. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200 dollars.)Call it Bob. I don't care. But me and lines have not gotten along for years.

I'm in graphic arts. I know what lines are for. They are used for definition. If I want you to see what I see, I have to put lines on the paper and define it. If I want you to see a stop sign, I have to make lines that spell out the word "Stop" in whatever way you'll understand. Lines define. Lines limit. I don't always like it. But I know they are necessary.

That's why we draw lines in the sand; why we tow the line; why we stand in line; line things up; read line by line; and so on. Lines can be good. But lines can be bad too. Color lines, racial lines, denominational lines, party lines, and those awfully long lines at Six Flags during the summer.... but I digress.

But I needed a line on Sunday. I needed to define what I believed. I needed definition to the nebulous "sure God can do anything" type of faith I had been living. It was a blank sheet of paper. So I went down to put lines around my faith. To get a good picture of what I wanted from God. I wanted to be healed. I wanted the pain that I have been living with daily to go away. Lots of people were in line. We were defining our request to God. IF our bodies still ached when we went back to our seats, that was ok. We love God for who HE is not just what he does. But for this moment of faith, it was time to get out of our seats and stand in line. Maybe even draw a line in the sand within ourselves. "You have not because you ask not..." "(Keep)asking and you will receive. (Keep)seeking and you will find. (Keep)knocking and the door will be opened to you."

And as I walked away with no pain in my legs or arms. I realized... sometimes lines can be good.

Meet Margaret - In her own words...

Planned parenthood? If the title of the organization doesn't say it all, maybe we'll let the founder, Maggie Sanger, speak for herself.... But first, a word from her sponsor.

"As we celebrate the 100th birthday of Margaret Sanger, our outrageous and our courageous leader, we will probably find a number of areas in which we may find more about Margaret Sanger than we thought we wanted to know..."
Faye Wattleton, Past-president of Planned Parenthood

Actually, Faye darling, this is exactly what we wanted to know. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Margaret Sanger, Founder of Planned Parenthood, in her own words.

"The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill it."
Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922.

"Birth control must lead ultimately to a cleaner race."
Margaret Sanger. Woman, Morality, and Birth Control. New York: New York Publishing Company, 1922. Page 12.

"We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don't want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population. and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members."
Margaret Sanger's December 19, 1939 letter to Dr. Clarence Gamble, 255 Adams Street, Milton, Massachusetts. Original source: Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, North Hampton, Massachusetts. Also described in Linda Gordon's Woman's Body, Woman's Right: A Social History of Birth Control in America. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1976.

"Eugenic sterilization is an urgent need ... We must prevent multiplication of this bad stock."
Margaret Sanger, April 1933 Birth Control Review.

"Birth control itself, often denounced as a violation of natural law, is nothing more or less than the facilitation of the process of weeding out the unfit, of preventing the birth of defectives or of those who will become defectives."
[no source available at this time...]

As an advocate of birth control I wish ... to point out that the unbalance between the birth rate of the 'unfit' and the 'fit,' admittedly the greatest present menace to civilization, can never be rectified by the inauguration of a cradle competition between these two classes. In this matter, the example of the inferior classes, the fertility of the feeble-minded, the mentally defective, the poverty-stricken classes, should not be held up for emulation....
On the contrary, the most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.
Margaret Sanger. "The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda." Birth Control Review, October 1921, page 5.

"Our failure to segregate morons who are increasing and multiplying ... demonstrates our foolhardy and extravagant sentimentalism ... [Philanthropists] encourage the healthier and more normal sections of the world to shoulder the burden of unthinking and indiscriminate fecundity of others; which brings with it, as I think the reader must agree, a dead weight of human waste. Instead of decreasing and aiming to eliminate the stocks that are most detrimental to the future of the race and the world, it tends to render them to a menacing degree dominant ... We are paying for, and even submitting to, the dictates of an ever-increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all."
Margaret Sanger. The Pivot of Civilization, 1922. Chapter on "The Cruelty of Charity," pages 116, 122, and 189. Swarthmore College Library edition.

"The undeniably feeble-minded should, indeed, not only be discouraged but prevented from propagating their kind."
Margaret Sanger, quoted in Charles Valenza. "Was Margaret Sanger a Racist?" Family Planning Perspectives, January-February 1985, page 44.

"The third group [of society] are those irresponsible and reckless ones having little regard for the consequences of their acts, or whose religious scruples prevent their exercising control over their numbers. Many of this group are diseased, feeble-minded, and are of the pauper element dependent upon the normal and fit members of society for their support. There is no doubt in the minds of all thinking people that the procreation of this group should be stopped."
Margaret Sanger. Speech quoted in Birth Control: What It Is, How It Works, What It Will Do. The Proceedings of the First American Birth Control Conference. Held at the Hotel Plaza, New York City, November 11-12, 1921. Published by the Birth Control Review, Gothic Press, pages 172 and 174.

"The marriage bed is the most degenerative influence in the social order..."
Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922.

"[Our objective is] unlimited sexual gratification without the burden of unwanted children..."
Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922.

"Give dysgenic groups [people with 'bad genes'] in our population their choice of segregation or [compulsory] sterilization."
Margaret Sanger, April 1932 Birth Control Review.


Margaret Sanger, Founder of Planned Parenthood, proposed the American Baby Code that states, "No woman shall have the legal right to bear a child… without a permit for parenthood".

Margaret Sanger, Founder of Planned Parenthood, proposed the Population Congress with the aim, "...to give certain dysgenic (people with bad genes... like african americans?) groups in our population their choice of segregation or sterilization."

Is this what they mean by planned parenthood? Parenthood that meets their plans? Have you ever noticed that large amount of clinics that have started out in black neighborhoods? Are these people evil? No I don't think most of the people who work there are. Most likely, they are deceived.

But as for Sanger, her motives were extremely clear. Have you seen anything where PP has denounced the beliefs of it's founder? Not some individual, but the organization as a whole? If we consider Hitler evil for his desire to exterminate the Jewish race, what do we say of Sanger? Things that make you go Hmmm... but if Sanger had had her dream, Arsenio Hall may not have been around to start that comedy routine, right?

Source: http://www.eadshome.com/MargaretSanger.htm copyright 2005 EadsHome Ministries
All materials produced by EadsHome Ministries are free for your use as long as a profit is not made.
Materials copyrighted to others are specifically noted and linked.

A Good Day

With all of the health issues lately, I was happy to see that yesterday was a good day. Really!

I guess I could go super spiritual and say "all days are good days" and I guess they are. But yesterday, it was a good day.

Did I experience pain? Sure. The pain never goes away. Did I have issues? Lots of them. So why was it a good day?

Because I got to talk my friend and pastor David Kerr.
Because I got to talk to my friend Jason.
Because my best friend Rob tried to scare me again and failed... (OK he scared me a little).
Because I was able to say no to the temptation to go out to eat.
Because I heard from a young lady I haven't spoken to in almost a decade (She came to my concert when she was really a little girl). Now she's 23, training for missions and seeking the Lord's will for her life.
Because I got to sit down with my family and watch something together that we all were interested in. (It was about a Super Tornado)
Because I found an old Walmart card and realized it had six dollars on it still.
Just because...

It's nice to have one of those from time to time.

Hearing Something

My other favorite song that I have written lyrically reached out and slapped me today. Really. I wrote it to an unbeliever. It was originally titled "Hearing Something (A Letter From God)". It didn't occur to me that "unbeliever" is simply someone who doesn't believe. And lately, I have been an unbeliever in parts of my relationship with God. Not trusting. Not learning to lean. So Brad, this song is to you and to other "believers" who cry out "Lord, help my unbelief."

=======================================

Hearing Something – Words and Music by Brad Irons
Copyright 2006 - Brad Irons

I can see that your head keeps turning because you think that you're hearing something. Well, you don't know Me. Still, I've been watching you from a distance but oh so close to you. You look lonely just like the color blue. Cold and frozen from all you're going through. Pain in present... tense. Fear that follow and now your pride is too hard to swallow...

And you can't seem to stand on your own. But you still try to go it alone. So I stand here and let you feel strong, though I know you're hurting. And you can't see Me here in the wings. How I long to be all that you need. Tell me how long until you will see how much I love you?

Yes I know that your life's not easy. You're counting scars just to mark your journey. And some are hurting and some are healing and some you hide 'cause they're too revealing...

And you can't see that I have them too! Scars I have suffered for you! So you would not have to go through this life alone. And I want to be there when you call. Catch you whenever you fall. Let Me be your all in all! Just let Me love you!

I'll keep knocking here at your heart's door until you see what I made your heart for. 'Cause I can see that your head keeps turning because you think that you're hearing something..."

Joy and Pain

"The most creative art is inspired through deep pain..
and most believers do not go that deep.

so, why cant believers create art inspired by deep elation?
because most will not go that high." - Keith Mohr

I think this may be the most profound thing I have heard said in years!

Prayers of A Prodigal....

I usually wrestle with listening to my own songs. But I love the words to Prayers of a Prodigal. These have to be my favorite lyrics that I've written ever in my life. They're copyrighted finally so I'm placing them here. I think the new CD is probably, maybe, kind of a good walk through my head. You will hear my highs and lows. My struggles with God shine through with my hope and faith. From feeling lost to feeling found to feeling... feelings.
=====================
Prayers of a Prodigal – Words and Music by Brad Irons - Copyright Brad Irons, 2006

I took a wrong turn on a street called Straight and I walked away from Innocence. It was a hard hoe up a hill called Hate where I found a field of bitterness. And as a cold wind blew through my soul, I wandered into the wilderness. And like a lost child without a hope I cry to You. Yes I cry to You and I wonder if You even listen to The Prayers of a Prodigal.

It was a cold day in a really warm place when I walked away from everything. And took a fast train from the state of Grace where I found a friend called Misery. And as he smiled at me it was plain to see all he wanted was some company. But then I heard him say there's no escape and I cried to You. Yes I cry to You and I wonder if You even listen to the Prayers of a Prodigal

I saw the sun rise through the early morning skies and it woke me from my reverie. I came face to face with my disgrace and I cried for what I used to be. And through the fading night I could see the lights that pointed me down to Mercy Street. But would I find a place at the gates of Grace when I cry to You. Yes I cry to You and I wonder if You even listen to the Prayers of a Prodigal.

I took a right turn on a street called Love and I found a hill called Calvary."

An Ode to Barch (A Birthday Recital)

AN ODE TO BARCH

This poem to Mark, my right hand man
Who plays guitar better than I can
Who encourages me and keeps me straight
And keeps Ton's in business with his family dates

A better friend few could fine
And I am proud to call him mine
His open heart and honesty
Is only matched by his integrity.

I know this cheesy diatribe
Could never hope to or begin to describe
How much his friendship means to me
But I had to give a shot you see.

So with this belated birthday rhyme
(I'm sorry that it wasn't on time)
I thank you for being a friend to me
And happy half a century!

Happy Belated Birthday Mark Barch

Heh heh heh

Good News for Fellow Insomniacs

Ok, so we don't get enough sleep....

And that's bad! 2-4 hours per night is a little excessive in the sleep deprivation category.

But maybe... with a stretch... we can get it to six hours.

Here's a quote from new study...

"A six-year study Kripke headed up of more than a million adults ages 30 to 102 showed that people who get only 6 to 7 hours a night have a lower death rate than those who get 8 hours of sleep. The risk from taking sleeping pills 30 times or more a month was not much less than the risk of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, he says."

So come on! We can do it! Stretch it out! Sleep just a couple of more hours! What are you reading this for? Go to sleep!!!!

And for you others out there... Wake up! It'll do you good!

Here's the link
Sleep Deprivation: The Great American Myth

Remember Me - Thinking Out of the Box

So as you log in to blogspot, enter your password, etc., there's a little check box a the bottom that says "remember me?".

Poor little check box! So insecure! So worried that he'll be forgotten that he has to ask the same question every time someone comes around.

I tried to sit down and analyze him. "Excuse me Mr. Check Box". I said with a disarming smile. "My name is Brad. I know I haven't been here in awhile but I'm glad to be back. Anyway, I was wondering. Why do you ask the same question over and over and over again?

He was quiet. No response. I waited. Not wanting to seem pushy. No... no response.

"I was just thinking," I continued, "Is this is a deep seated psychological problem or a deep spiritual truth that you're trying to teach." Nothing. But suddenly, I was ready to give him the benefit of the doubt. This may not be paranoid psychosis. It may be quiet strength... Maybe he was trying to say something profound.

"Are you trying to refer me back to the story of the communion dinner between the Lord and His disciples. Whoa! That's deep." He said nothing, but I sensed the hint of a smile, even as my monitor flickered. That must be it.

"So knowing the temptations and distractions of the web, you have set yourself up as a reminder that as we surf, we should do so remembering Christ. What would Jesus do? Where would Jesus surf?" The point was hitting me now. "You also are trying to remind me that before I log in and surf the universe, I should ask myself 'have I remembered to spend time with Jesus? Maybe I shoud spend more time with my Bible and prayer than I do on the web." Conviction... from a hollow polygon on a computer screen! Wow, he really knows how to use silence to drive a point home.

"Ok. I get it. I'll finish typing this and go do the devotional I neglected this morning. Thank you for your dedication to doing the one thing you know to do. Your use of your one talent has encouraged me. See you later. And thanks! Maybe you're not such a square!"

==================================
"Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary." quote attributed to St. Francis.

Stopping by the woods on a Snowy Evening...

This is one of my two favorite poems by Robert Frost. And as I look out the window at the sunny sky glistening through the glass and feel the heat pushing through the window pain, I stop to ask myself a question. What happened to winter?

Then I remember that I am in Texas...

My blogs have been few and far between as the album nears completion. I am finding that I have perfectionist tendencies... (Stop laughing!) I really do! So I will continue to wade through them while you enjoy this classic poem.

Stopping by the woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Blogarhythms

So I thought that I migh change the name of the blog....

Blogarhythms... sounds cool, right?

But I don't know if it actually says anything.

I thought that maybe I should change it to "Mercy Streets" to go with the new CD. But I'm going to do that as a seperate blog.

So I sat up late and then got up early and came to work. I pondered it while I did my job. I pondered it in my spare time. Then I sat down and started typing different ideas...

Then I realized that I was rambling on and on, probably due to my lack of sleep...

Suddenly, I decided that the current title may not be so bad.

She

It’s amazing to me that anyone loves me
But it’s even more amazing that someone likes me.

She does…

I heard a song called Beautiful Soul…

“I don’t want another pretty face. I don’t want just anyone to hold. I don’t want my love to go to waste. I just want you and your beautiful soul.”

I do believe she is beautiful on the outside. But I amazed with her beautiful soul.

Billy Joel was right. Some women just have a way about them.

She does. And I love her way. I sit back and stare at her sometimes and just wonder if she has any idea of how much I love her. I don’t know if she does. I don’t know if I can always find the words… I can’t sleep well when she’s not here. I miss her when I’m gone and I can’t wait to come back home when I’m away. I prefer home to any place in the world. My kids, my wife… that’s my home.

She’s my home…

We don’t always see eye to eye. I respect that about her. She has her own mind. She’s nobody’s fool and has strength to her that I’ve never seen anywhere.

I am not the nice guy people believe I am. She knows that. She knows me better than anyone. And yet…

She loves me.

And I love her. Through the years I continue to be amazed at how much I love her. We have walked through fire and flood. We have laughed and cried together. And we have been responsible for causing both smiles and tears for each other. And yet when I look at her, I smile somewhere deep down inside of myself. This woman who began as my friend is still my friend but also the love of my life.

I love her deeply. I don’t always say it. I don’t always know how. My words sound clumsy and unpoetic. And I pray that through the fumbling she hears my heart. I pray that she always knows how much I love her.

And she loves me… and she likes me.

She completes me.

It’s amazing to me that anyone loves me
But it’s even more amazing that someone likes me.

She loves me and likes me and… I’m pretty sure she plans on spending the rest of her life with me…

I love you, Dawn Irons! Happy Valentines Day!

Hitting the Nail on The Head

"To the man with only a hammer in his tool box, everything looks like a nail."

I do not remember which of my friends said that, but it is one of the coolest statements I have ever heard.

Hmmm... can't find a screw driver? Hit that thing with a hammer and it will go in. Can't find a pair of pliers? Maybe if I loosen it a bit with this hammer...

Sing with me! "If I had a hammer... I'd hammer in the morning..." - Stop! Hammer time!

I've got good friends with good hammers, some with wrenches and some with screwdrivers. My medical struggles as of late have helped me see that some times I have to avoid the guys with just hammers. One guy hammered me a while back and basically said my negative confession and the fact that I keep acknowledging the sickness and going back to the doctor may be why I haven't seen my healing. I am already healed but God is not going to show it to me until I stop saying I'm sick. Everytime I take a pill, I prove my lack of faith. It sounds a bit warped, but I run into that from time to time. Like.... when I got sick recently.

Uh oh... maybe I'm not supposed to say that I got sick. It shows a lack of faith. Ok, so how does this sound. When I got beset by a multitude of symptoms...

Nope. I was sick. The bed spun, the floor spun. The only thing not moving was the ceiling fan. Or maybe it was the only thing that was really moving.

I think up until then I had been in denial about this diagnosis from the doctor. I move a thousand miles an hour. Sickness can slow me down, but it's never stopped me. Until now. And lying there in bed, rolling over and falling to the ground... finally managing to crawl across the floor to the bathroom... and finding that the floor was moving just as much as the bed; my prayers of denial became prayers of faith. Because now I was fighting a real enemy. Any one can be cocky during the cold war. But when the missiles began to fly, you suddenly see that it is real and you only get to win or lose. There will be no draw.

Here's the deal. If I don't believe that I am sick, then how can I pray the prayer of faith?

I once heard a preacher say... "I don't say I'm sick, even when there's a manifestation of sickness in my body!" Then what's the point of the prayer of faith? What's the point of the laying on of hands? What's the point of all those healing prayer lines that you have at all those conferences where all those people donate all that money while you pray for sickeness you just told them not to confess? Don't they prove they don't believe your teaching by coming up front? Don't you show that you don't believe your own teaching by asking them to? Better to have them stay where they are, close their eyes, assume the lotus position and chant boogie woogie.

Why didn't Jesus just tell people to confess by faith that they were not really blind, lame, sick, etc.? Because the sick need a doctor. They need the healing touch of the Great Physician. And if saying you have no sin means your a liar, wouldn't saying you're not sick be similar?

Hey! I'm pretty good at swinging this hammer myself. Watch out, Thor!

I don't know all the answeres... Heck, I don't even know half the questions. But as I'm looking through this toolbox to find a way to deal with what I am struggling through, I think I'll slip past the hammer and look for a screw driver. After all, my friends are always telling me I have a screw loose.

Neighborhood Murder in Fort Worth

This story is only minutes old. It is, unfortunately, not fictional.

The shots were outside of our building. We didn't hear them because we were behind walls living our lives. I was blogging about a friend at the church. Two ladies from our building were parking their car after lunch.

Suddenly, shots rang out. Followed by sirens, police cars, helicopters. Chaos. A young man was dead. His murderer escaped and is now loose in the neighborhood with desperation and the police on his heels.

Please pray for the safety of those around. There were children outside playing who witnessed this murder.

Life gives us constant reminders of biblical truths. We are fallen. We need a savior. Not just idividually. All creation is groaning... Can you hear it?

Like Jason

In my next post, I'll put up a few photos from this month's Altar service. But first, let me tell you about a great man of God I know.

He's young in years but full of wisdom. He thinks he's not really a "social person" and yet I watch his peers listen to him and talk to him. What he thinks is distance, is something felt by most leaders. And he is definitely a leader.

I have a book at home called "The Pursuit of God" by AW Tozer. This is Jason. This book seems to encompass a good definition of the rare type of young Christian I meet today. Today when most people his age are pursuing goals, careers, marriage, fame and whatever else, he is seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things are being added to him. He is pursuing God. And It is that pursuit that inspires me in so many areas of my life.

Tozer says (paraphrase), "one day someone is going to pick up the Bible and simply believe it. And then the rest of us will be embarrased at our spiritual destitution and lack." We will suddenly understand that we could have had a roaring flame of romance and relationship, but settled for a candle flickering in the distance that was pretty, private and provided no sufficient warmth except for an emotional feeling inside. That's what happened when I met Jason. He was not pursuing an idea or concept or religion. He wasn't trying to be a "good boy". He knew God was real. And knowing that, he would not, could not settle for anything less than the relationship promised to him by the scriptures. A real romance, fatherhood, sonship, adoption, abba, friend to friend, face to face relationship with the King of Kings. Like Moses. Like David. Like Peter. Like John. Like Jason.

His flame has rekindled my own passion. My flame is rekindling the passion for others. And without a doubt I am sure that Jennifer Moore and her sold out heart for God, played a part in fanning his passion for God. So now I constantly ask my self, who's flame is my life fanning?

Robitussin's Revenge

In a word... Yuck!

I don't like Robitussin! I don't know of anyone who likes Robitussin! What's with this stuff? Is it supposed to taste bad so that you won't be tempted to overdose? No wonder people use pills. Can you imagine pouring several bottles of this stuff down your throat. "One more swallow, and it will all be over." I feel like that after my first teaspoon!

But there I stood arguing with myself.

"Take it! It will make you feel better!" But my "inner child" clamped his mouth shut and said... No. Which takes talent! I even tried to bribe the kid. "Take the tussin and you can wash it down with a Dr. Pepper!" But who wants that combined taste in their mouths. I finally gave up. "Fine! Go ahead and be sick then. See if I care." So I marched out with my inner child in tow feeling like he had won some victory. He climbed into bed, grabbed the remote and tuned into the Cosby show. He clicked on his little laptop, smiled and settled in for a relaxing day in bed.

And then the coughing began.

It started as a little thing... barely noticeable. The laptop bounced a bit but nothing major. The next one was the cough from hell. And it felt like hell... a place of everlasting torment... He could feel the smoke clogging his breathing and the burning in his chest. When the chest heaves and wheezing finally stopped, my inner child looked at me in tears. "Hey, Mr. grown up!"

"Yes?" I said, snickering.

"What's wrong with me?"

"You need some cough syrup, kid. So you can either march your self back in there and take it or suffer the next coughing fit." With a defeated look on his face, he went back into the bathroom, filled the tussin cap up and quickly downed the required amount.

"This tastes awful!" But he realized that the consequences of not staying on top of things could be worse than the meds.

And me, I knew the real truth. We would be ok... for four hours. Then we'd have to go through this again.

Retreat or Advance?

Photo - General Custer Portrait

Heading out for a staff retreat this weekend...

Remember when everyone started calling them advances? I remember one minister saying, "we are not retreating". Hmm... I think that minister is no longer in ministry. In fact, I remember him burning out publicly.

I worry about people who don't want to retreat. What's the old saying, sometimes "discretion is the better part of valor." I think about Joshua who was losing the battle in Bible and realized that he needed to stop and seek God about the issue. God was able to reveal the problem, but it took a retreat, not an idiotic advance. "Fanatacism is redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim."

My friends and I went to a Men's retreat back in the Fall. We did some skeet shooting! Ok, they did skeet shooting. I only took two turns. But I remember watching them, especially the more experienced ones. The skeet would fly. They wouldn't just fire, hoping to hit it by multiple shots. They would aim and, if they missed, refocus and fire again. If they hit the first one, they would still need to continue focusing and aiming to hit the second one. It was not a given.

Staff retreat... we have had so many "hits" this year. But we know that there is still a need for refocusing, renewing, refreshing and reviewing. The best way to do that is to stop and take a look at where you've been, where you are and where you want to be. That's what I'm doing this weekend in many many areas.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. (Quoting the song, not the scripture). Surely if there is a time to advance, there must be a time to retreat.

We're Off...

And we're off! - No smart comments!

The new year is here. My first resolution this year was going to be not to make a resolution this year, but, I blew it. It's human nature I guess.

I sit here bouncing up and down with excitement! My voice has returned from it's long haitus in the fields of allergens and pathogens. I have almost collected all the money I need for the CD. I have been diagnosed with some weird disease... And the list goes on. It's a wonderful life!

My eyes opened this morning and I decided to get out of bed. Really. I realized that it was my decision. I didn't "have to"! Getting out of bed and going to work is a decision. So I got up and did it, after only hitting the snooze button four times... (two fo the times it wasn't even ringing.) So I made the decision not to hit it again. It was thankful.

I got in my van and went to work. I drove past McDonalds and decided to not stop... not even for just a hash brown and juice. Another decision. I got to work and finished my morning assignments... more decisions.... I took a break and decided to pay my bills online and write in my blog... more decisions.

So this moment of monotonous rambling has been brought to you by Brad Irons and enabled by the Trinity. I would like to thank Jesus Christ, who, beyond the salvation of my spirit, soul and body, has blessed me with abilities and opportunities to make decisions for the betterment of myself, my family, my friends, my work, my society, and my planet so that I might have an abundant life.

Happy New Year! Gotta go ramble!

And we're off!