Thanksgiving

Dictionary.com defines thanksgiving as

–noun

1.	the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, esp. to God.

2.	an expression of thanks, esp. to God.

3.	a public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor or kindness.

4.

a day set apart for giving thanks to God. As we get ready to consume a weeks worth of food in a 24 hour period and become so consumed with self I pray that we take time out to give thanks.  This year i have come to realize how fortunate I truly am.  God has blessed me with an amazing wife and two wonderful kids.  This weekend I was able to enjoy special time with each one of them.  I finally got a night out with my lady.  We went to a new restaurant and just enjoyed some time together.  Saturday I was able to see my son play his first game of the season.  He had a double-double with 8 steals.  He was amazing.  Daddy's little girl climbed into his lap and let him brush her hair.  I love playing with her hair.  We are excited to spend the holiday with some friends and family. My mind begins to wander into reality at this point.  As i sit there and stuff my face I become oblivious to the fact that there are people all around me suffering.  People all around us sitting alone at a table remembering when the family assembled a feast fit for a king on this day.  Missing those that have passed away leaving them behind to go through life alone.  The single mom whose family has disowned her because she will be a disgrace to the family name.  The young girl who is being raised by her grandparents because her parents are both incarcerated for their crimes.  The young boy, who sits in the midst of his brothers, that feels useless because he will never hear a kind word from his fathers mouth.  We (I) become so self absorbed that we are blind to those around us. As we scrape the excess off our plates and turn our nose up to the leftovers there is a man digging in the dumpster just to try to stumble across enough food to quiet the pains of an empty stomach or the mother that weeps because all she has to offer her children is some cereal and milk, no turkey, no pecan pie.  So while I am thankful as I try to see the world through Christ eyes my heart breaks and tears fill my eyes.  How can I selfishly be thankful for contributing to a self indulgent lifestyle?  How can a part of the body celebrate while other parts suffer? This year don't just give thanks but be a part of a solution.  Invite someone to share your meal,  make a plate for someone and deliver it.  Give thanks and give yourself.  I hope to post a success story on how my family made a difference.   God is Love!

Silent Screams!

I sit here writing this feeling like I have had my heart ripped out of my chest and although it is still beating I lie here watching it beat feeling helpless and out of control. Numb with fear and yet filled with pain. Wanting to stand in the gap but paralyzed in fear. Trying to look for the light at the end of the tunnel but not sure I really want to crawl that far.  Today I faced an attack that was far more painful than even the worst root canal.  

We teach and talk about spiritual warfare as if it is a fairy tail and never really recognizing the battle that is being fought all around us.  We try to wrap our thoughts around it but somehow the image that all to often we come up with is the cartoon angel and the prince of darkness whispering in our ear.  We don't see the struggle of good and evil, the clouded thoughts, confusing voices, empty promises, or the feeling of being trapped.  We don't think of the silent screams of desperation.  We block out all these images because it is painful to think about,  We don't want to be honest.  The truth of the matter is it is real.  There is a battle bigger than you or I .  

Today this battle became very real to me.  Real and unfair.  Today started off as one of those mountain top experiences.  It started yesterday with Chris Tomlin's God of this City repeating over and over on the iPod.  Then through music in youth God was stirring.  Sound went perfect which really helps me focus.  When I was teaching I felt as if I had stepped over the drivers seat and someone else was placing the very words on my lips.  But it continued after the service ended.  People connected.  God was stirring the hearts of the people.  Several people, to which I can take NO credit for, said how what we talked about hit home.  (Remember I said I felt as each and every word was placed on my lips)  My son on the way home showed his appreciation for the message.  He said how it was really good.  Even told me I wasn't like a preacher when I spoke.  This morning he led a prayer group at school.  Daddy was and is extremely proud!  A sixth grader willing to step up and lead.  He was leading this group that rallied behind a cause dedicated to people fighting to make it out of dark desperate and desolate time of their lives. 

I beamed with hope and joy seeing him impact in a passionate way the lives around him.  I well up with tears of admiration and joy as I even think about it.

Too bad the story doesn't come to an abrupt end there.  See that is when the battle began.  How cruel and unfair.  Satan seized and opportunity to  attack.  How would I love to shelter my son and protect him from this viscous attack.  The very core of what he was standing for was attacked.  He was fighting to give a voice to those who feel unloved, untouched, unwanted when thoughts of worthlessness flooded his being.  He was shaken to the core.  As parents we want to shelter our kids, denying God the opportunity of growing them, using them, molding them into the warrior they need to be.  It tore Laura and I apart to be helpless bystanders.  We prayed but never felt that was enough.  Let me take the blows for him.  We read in Romans 8:28 how ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him.  But how?  I know they do but how can you see good in this.

A lesser man would have opted out of the environment but thanks to someone taking time and speaking into his life he was ready to man up and face the world head on.  He couldn't be silenced.  Satan attacked him making him feel alone but because people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get dirty he saw hope, and the very compassion he was showing was showered lavishly on him.  So next year when he does this again he can speak with authority that love does change lives.  He is a story of hope, promise, compassion, and VICTORY!

Ephesians 4:29

No worries!

Group project for class!  Enjoy!

And the winner is............

You probably expected to see a picture of Obama here or another person ranting and raving about how the United States has damned itself to hell. Sorry to disappoint you. And no I didn't vote for Obama. This election was really hard for me to get excited about. I had issues with both candidates and even more issues with how so many "Christians" viewed God as endorsing either one of the candidates. I have been struggling trying to look at the Bible through a pure heart that doesn't bring any preconceived notions with it. One of the things that I have found intriguing is how God seems to work with governments that are less than desirable. Some of the greatest events in history took place while His people are in bondage. I am not saying we are the new chosen ones but what I am saying is I believe in the sovereignty of God. Not just in the good times but the bad times too. Is God limited by who we vote or don't vote into power? I think not.

It saddens me to see how excited and hateful we Christians got during this political season. We serve a risen King and should barely be able to contain our excitement to worship this King but instead we settle for singing a few songs and hearing a message. We should be both excited and humbled by this thought. Scripture tells us that the world will know us by our love for each other. Well what does the world know about us now. The internet is so full of Christians insulting each other because of which side of the fence we have camped on. Where is the love?

As i said before I have been really trying to connect in a way that I haven't been able to before because of all the baggage I had brought to the table with me. I have realized I serve one God, one King, one president if you will, and have no room to serve any other. Some may call this lunacy but I call it LOVE. Love for the risen Savior. I may not agree with everything the President does or thinks but I want to encourage you to pray for him. Pray for him as a human being who has an incredible amount of responsibility on his shoulders. Pray for him because he too is created in God's image, rather we agree with him or not.

Election Eve!

I sit here on the eve of the Presidential election and find myself being a skeptic. I see people saying they are praying for the election to go the "right" way. I have noticed on facebook numerous people expressing their concern over the election by dedicating their status to the candidate of their choice. I sit here and wonder if maybe we have missed the point. I understand the importance of voting. Blah blah blah! I just think that maybe we should be concerned about our leader more than once every four years. Maybe we should pray for them on a regular basis. Not because he is President but because he is a man created in God's own image. I have heard all sorts of people saying I don't understand how important this election is, and this could be the most important election I might ever be involved in. I have heard people from both sides trying to convince me who to vote for. I love how Christians try to use issues saying this man is God's man. (As if He needs a man to do His will) One side tells me how Obama is worried about social justice so he has to be endorsed by God. The other side tells me McCain is the way to vote because he is antiabortion! I have so many other issues with both of these candidates and I haven't seen ANY evidence of God endorsing either party. I have even been told that if the wrong man is in the White House we could one day lose our right to worship?!? I do understand both sides of the argument but my views on worship have absolutely no connection to any form of government. I am thankful to live in a free country and appreciate each and every drop of blood that was shed to allow me to write openly and freely like this, however those drops of blood did not do near as much for mankind as one man's blood 2000 years ago.

So I encourage you to dedicate your loyalty to the one that matters. The one who four years from now will still be in charge. Go ahead and vote but remember our focus is not on man. No one can take away your ability to worship or serve God. Look throughout history. When Christianity is not easy it seems to rise to the occasion. If you feel the need to dedicate your status I encourage you to dedicate it to the King of Kings!