First off, never fall asleep watching the movie "Transcendence" while you've been reading a book about the technological advances in robots.
But I was trying to think of what to write about last week's Winter Retreat (why there was no blog last week, sorry) and I started thinking about the idea of unplugging. For those that don't know, we don't allow any cell phones on our retreat. Some students hate this, some don't come because of it, but it's something we push. What's the point of going away to retreat from the world if you bring your phone with you?
The biggest reason is it's hard to hear from Someone quiet when there's lot of noise around you. We spent our Sunday morning in the woods (luckily it was 55 degrees). Students were asked to pray quietly in God's creation, for 20 minutes at a time. Each time we gave them something to pray about and focus on. We did this three times (we ended up in the woods about 90 minutes). And then something amazing happened.
Students heard from God.
Because they took the time to be away, they were somewhere quiet, they unplugged, some students actually heard from God. We had one student ask if he could stay an extra few minutes. Because they put themselves in a place to hear from God, they did.
When was the last time you prayed without distraction? Sometimes it's good for our soul to unplug.
T
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Hidden In Plain Sight
Have you seen this article?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/14/the-mystery-of-the-132-year-old-winchester-rifle-found-propped-against-a-national-park-tree/
I keep trying to think, how many people passed by that rifle in over 100 years? The second picture does it justice, it would be really hard to see, especially from a distance. But really? How many people? What if a child playing had found it? How does a piece of history just stand there for decades?
I wonder if sometimes Jesus is like this rifle. He's standing right there and people keep passing by because they can't see Him, possibly because they aren't looking. Imagine how much of Jesus we could find if we look? (Ask our students about that one when they get home from the Winter Retreat).
T
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/14/the-mystery-of-the-132-year-old-winchester-rifle-found-propped-against-a-national-park-tree/
I keep trying to think, how many people passed by that rifle in over 100 years? The second picture does it justice, it would be really hard to see, especially from a distance. But really? How many people? What if a child playing had found it? How does a piece of history just stand there for decades?
I wonder if sometimes Jesus is like this rifle. He's standing right there and people keep passing by because they can't see Him, possibly because they aren't looking. Imagine how much of Jesus we could find if we look? (Ask our students about that one when they get home from the Winter Retreat).
T
Monday, January 12, 2015
Tonight I Was Mezmorized...
...by what I think was one of the simplest pieces of cinematography I have ever seen.
I watched "The Lone Ranger". I'm not going to comment on what I thought of the movie or how it was reviewed, give away the plot or anything like that (although it should be known I have a 6' Lone Ranger poster downstairs that was my father's when he was a kid along with comic books from the 50's, it's a part of my growing up), all that's necessary to know is the movie is done as a frame story. It's Tonto many years past telling the story of long ago.
The movie ended, the credits rolled. I was done. However I stopped to watch the credits because they used a fun font and moved the lettering around in a cool way (which thanks to my wife interests me).
Then it happened.
The credits stop and the camera opens on a wide shot of beautiful scenery. An aged Tonto walks away from the camera, his back to you. Johnny Depp shuffling like an old man trying to walk in the wilderness with four chords playing a simple string part. And that is it. For the next 5 minutes while the credits rolled the old storyteller walks away into the distance with this melodic phrase repeating.
And it was brilliant. I couldn't turn it off. I couldn't fast-forward to see if there was anything else. I simply watched this person walk into the distance.
I think it spoke to me more than the movie that evoked childhood memories. He told his story and when it was done, he simply walked away, fading into the distance. I don't know if it's the idea that I have a story to tell, or am telling, and when it's done can I simply walk away. Or if it was an ending without a finale. Or if it meant this part may be done but the story continues somewhere else. Or does it mean... I don't know.
Do you have a story to tell? Are you still in that story and are you sharing it? And when it's time, can you walk calmly into the next chapter?
T
I watched "The Lone Ranger". I'm not going to comment on what I thought of the movie or how it was reviewed, give away the plot or anything like that (although it should be known I have a 6' Lone Ranger poster downstairs that was my father's when he was a kid along with comic books from the 50's, it's a part of my growing up), all that's necessary to know is the movie is done as a frame story. It's Tonto many years past telling the story of long ago.
The movie ended, the credits rolled. I was done. However I stopped to watch the credits because they used a fun font and moved the lettering around in a cool way (which thanks to my wife interests me).
Then it happened.
The credits stop and the camera opens on a wide shot of beautiful scenery. An aged Tonto walks away from the camera, his back to you. Johnny Depp shuffling like an old man trying to walk in the wilderness with four chords playing a simple string part. And that is it. For the next 5 minutes while the credits rolled the old storyteller walks away into the distance with this melodic phrase repeating.
And it was brilliant. I couldn't turn it off. I couldn't fast-forward to see if there was anything else. I simply watched this person walk into the distance.
I think it spoke to me more than the movie that evoked childhood memories. He told his story and when it was done, he simply walked away, fading into the distance. I don't know if it's the idea that I have a story to tell, or am telling, and when it's done can I simply walk away. Or if it was an ending without a finale. Or if it meant this part may be done but the story continues somewhere else. Or does it mean... I don't know.
Do you have a story to tell? Are you still in that story and are you sharing it? And when it's time, can you walk calmly into the next chapter?
T
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Trusting The Source
I read an interesting story the other day. Some of you many know I love reading about Disney, mainly the behind the scenes things. How things work. Dedication to story. Employee relations and why they love what they do, things like that. I came upon a story I had not heard before...
The Peter Pan ride is the oldest operating ride at the Disneyland. It has been going since the park opened almost 60 years ago. That may be why it is one of the longest lines in the park. But it comes with a large problem. Everything on that ride is old technology, including the generator that powers the entire ride.
The generator is so old that Imagineers are worried that if they ever shut down the generator it will not start up again and they will need to redo power for the entire ride, which can lead to redoing other problems with compatibility, etc. Because of this, the Peter Pan ride never stops. It is always running. This leads to all sorts of protocols that are different for this ride than other ones. Like if there's a problem and guests need to be evacuated from the ride, on other rides you stop the ride and get people off. On Peter Pan, the ride slows down and guests are evacuated differently all so the generator will never stop. Because Disney does not trust the source of power for this ride, everything they do is different for this one ride.
Likewise, we will act differently in our lives depending on if we trust our source or not. Maybe we keep moving like the ride because we don't trust what will happen if we slow down and get to know the source. Maybe we keep doing the same things because trusting the source would mean change. I don't know, but I do know that I drive differently when I trust my car than when I don't. What would our lives look like if we fully trusted our Source?
Israel, I am your LORD. I am your source of life. ~ Isaiah 44:24a (CEV)
T
The Peter Pan ride is the oldest operating ride at the Disneyland. It has been going since the park opened almost 60 years ago. That may be why it is one of the longest lines in the park. But it comes with a large problem. Everything on that ride is old technology, including the generator that powers the entire ride.
The generator is so old that Imagineers are worried that if they ever shut down the generator it will not start up again and they will need to redo power for the entire ride, which can lead to redoing other problems with compatibility, etc. Because of this, the Peter Pan ride never stops. It is always running. This leads to all sorts of protocols that are different for this ride than other ones. Like if there's a problem and guests need to be evacuated from the ride, on other rides you stop the ride and get people off. On Peter Pan, the ride slows down and guests are evacuated differently all so the generator will never stop. Because Disney does not trust the source of power for this ride, everything they do is different for this one ride.
Likewise, we will act differently in our lives depending on if we trust our source or not. Maybe we keep moving like the ride because we don't trust what will happen if we slow down and get to know the source. Maybe we keep doing the same things because trusting the source would mean change. I don't know, but I do know that I drive differently when I trust my car than when I don't. What would our lives look like if we fully trusted our Source?
Israel, I am your LORD. I am your source of life. ~ Isaiah 44:24a (CEV)
T
Monday, December 29, 2014
The Magic of a Number
In a few days, magically everything will be new.
Think about it, 2014 ends and 2015 begins. In reality, Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st will have no real difference between them. If some monk 700 years ago had designated those days as March 15th and 16th we would care at all about them. But because they decided a new cycle around the sun would begin that day suddenly we go crazy. We party. We celebrate. We change.
What if we tried to change on December 15th, or June 12th, or April 22nd? What if we didn't wait for a magical number to encourage us to better ourselves and we simply tried to be better because we wanted to...
T
Think about it, 2014 ends and 2015 begins. In reality, Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st will have no real difference between them. If some monk 700 years ago had designated those days as March 15th and 16th we would care at all about them. But because they decided a new cycle around the sun would begin that day suddenly we go crazy. We party. We celebrate. We change.
What if we tried to change on December 15th, or June 12th, or April 22nd? What if we didn't wait for a magical number to encourage us to better ourselves and we simply tried to be better because we wanted to...
T
Monday, December 22, 2014
"I'll Remember"
I had a great idea for this blog this week. Something to do with Christmas, I'm sure. It was awesome if I do say so myself.
And I have no idea what it was.
It came to me while driving home from Chicago on Sunday. Right as I got on I-65 (I even remember where). And I thought to myself, "this is a great idea. I'll remember it." And now it's gone.
Usually I would make a note (I love Evernote), but this time, people were asleep in the car. There's nothing to do but drive, of course I'll remember. And then, the baby wakes up, Lorie isn't feeling well, we need to stop for gas,was I hungry when we stopped for gas? I don't want to spend the money on a $4 candy bar, get back on the road, will the baby wake up, I hope we get home before she gets hungry, what was I thinking about before?
And it's gone.
I know I have lots of ideas that disappear (some are probably for the best), but how about at this busy time of year? What about the ideas of inviting someone to a Christmas Eve service (I'll see them later, I'm too busy right now, poof, forgotten), or giving to the Salvation Army ringers (I don't have the cash, I'll do it next time, I come here all the time, and gone), maybe even just checking in with someone this holiday season (how many of those ideas have disappeared)?
Don't let the good ideas get away this Christmas. Act on them right away!
T
And I have no idea what it was.
It came to me while driving home from Chicago on Sunday. Right as I got on I-65 (I even remember where). And I thought to myself, "this is a great idea. I'll remember it." And now it's gone.
Usually I would make a note (I love Evernote), but this time, people were asleep in the car. There's nothing to do but drive, of course I'll remember. And then, the baby wakes up, Lorie isn't feeling well, we need to stop for gas,was I hungry when we stopped for gas? I don't want to spend the money on a $4 candy bar, get back on the road, will the baby wake up, I hope we get home before she gets hungry, what was I thinking about before?
And it's gone.
I know I have lots of ideas that disappear (some are probably for the best), but how about at this busy time of year? What about the ideas of inviting someone to a Christmas Eve service (I'll see them later, I'm too busy right now, poof, forgotten), or giving to the Salvation Army ringers (I don't have the cash, I'll do it next time, I come here all the time, and gone), maybe even just checking in with someone this holiday season (how many of those ideas have disappeared)?
Don't let the good ideas get away this Christmas. Act on them right away!
T
Monday, December 15, 2014
Are You Sharing Christ at Christmas?
I came across this story the other day. DL Moody, a public speaker for Jesus, was talking with a lady who did not like the way he was sharing Christ. The story goes that Moody said to her, “I agree with you. I don’t like the way I do it
either. Tell me, how do you do it?” The lady replied, “I don’t do it.”
Moody retorted, “Then I like my way of doing it better than your way of
not doing it.
Too often we criticize how people share Christ when it's not the way we would do it. But the question is, is it worse than doing nothing at all?
At this time of year, people are expecting to hear you talk about Jesus. Why don't you oblige them?
T
Too often we criticize how people share Christ when it's not the way we would do it. But the question is, is it worse than doing nothing at all?
At this time of year, people are expecting to hear you talk about Jesus. Why don't you oblige them?
T
Monday, December 08, 2014
But That's Not How I Remember It...
Every year the same things happens. And for some reason every year it astounds me.
We talk about the Christmas story and there are so many mistakes.
For most people, they have head the story of Christ's birth a hundred times. But they have never actually read it themselves. Instead, they've heard the G-rated edited for children version or they've seen it acted out by four-year-olds. Instead of the actual story of our Savior's introduction into the world they remember the version from so long ago and choose to believe that over the real one (I have actually had students argue with me about things they just heard about the Christmas story that can't be true because it doesn't line up with the story they already knew, even if I give them Scripture references). We would rather hold onto the childish version of the story than learn the real one.
My fear is this is only the beginning. So we have a childish view of the Christmas story, so what? What about Christ's teachings, are we going to stay at a four-year-old version of that too? His love, His grace, His majesty, His holiness, His death, His resurrection, at what point to we start to examine these as adults? In Hebrews 5 the writer talks about how just as people move from milk to solid food we need to do the same thing spiritually, we need to look at God as adults.
My challenge, try reading the Christmas story through the lens of an adult. Then, keep reading...
T
We talk about the Christmas story and there are so many mistakes.
For most people, they have head the story of Christ's birth a hundred times. But they have never actually read it themselves. Instead, they've heard the G-rated edited for children version or they've seen it acted out by four-year-olds. Instead of the actual story of our Savior's introduction into the world they remember the version from so long ago and choose to believe that over the real one (I have actually had students argue with me about things they just heard about the Christmas story that can't be true because it doesn't line up with the story they already knew, even if I give them Scripture references). We would rather hold onto the childish version of the story than learn the real one.
My fear is this is only the beginning. So we have a childish view of the Christmas story, so what? What about Christ's teachings, are we going to stay at a four-year-old version of that too? His love, His grace, His majesty, His holiness, His death, His resurrection, at what point to we start to examine these as adults? In Hebrews 5 the writer talks about how just as people move from milk to solid food we need to do the same thing spiritually, we need to look at God as adults.
My challenge, try reading the Christmas story through the lens of an adult. Then, keep reading...
T
Monday, December 01, 2014
When Was The Last Time You Thought About Christ's Birth?
With the start of Advent yesterday, I was wondering this. How often do people actually think about Christ entering this world? I know the holy answer is "all the time", but I mean really. In July when you were sweating at the beach were you thinking about Christ's birth?
It's something we should be thinking about all the time, Christ entering our world, entering our lives. If you want to get an idea of how often this type of thing enters your mind, when was the last time you thought about Easter? When was the last time you contemplated the cross?
The whole point of Christmas is to get us to Easter. Isn't that something that should be on our minds all the time...?
T
It's something we should be thinking about all the time, Christ entering our world, entering our lives. If you want to get an idea of how often this type of thing enters your mind, when was the last time you thought about Easter? When was the last time you contemplated the cross?
The whole point of Christmas is to get us to Easter. Isn't that something that should be on our minds all the time...?
T
Monday, November 24, 2014
Thanksgiving
No real message today, just after a week of rest I hope all my American friends can do the same over the next few days. Safe travels!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Fresh Eyes
Have you ever done something or heard something so many times that you're almost immune to the message?
This past year I've been challenged by this in two ways. First my soon to be one-year-old. Everything she sees is for the first time. How is she seeing it? What does she think? Does she like it/hate it?
The other is the story of Jesus. In II Timothy 2:8 Paul reminds Timothy to remember Christ risen from the dead. Why on earth would Paul need to remind a young man who has grown up knowing Jesus and is now the pastor of a church of such a basic concept, the crux of the story, of his faith? Because we forget. even this season that's coming, Christmas, do we just glance through the story or do we see it with fresh eyes and all the craziness and miraculousness that ensues inside our culture's number one holiday?
And soon, those two start to converge. How will I tell the story of Jesus to my daughter for the first time...
Here's a challenge, look at the Christmas story with fresh eyes. You may be astounded with what you missed (or just accepted as truth without thinking about it).
T
This past year I've been challenged by this in two ways. First my soon to be one-year-old. Everything she sees is for the first time. How is she seeing it? What does she think? Does she like it/hate it?
The other is the story of Jesus. In II Timothy 2:8 Paul reminds Timothy to remember Christ risen from the dead. Why on earth would Paul need to remind a young man who has grown up knowing Jesus and is now the pastor of a church of such a basic concept, the crux of the story, of his faith? Because we forget. even this season that's coming, Christmas, do we just glance through the story or do we see it with fresh eyes and all the craziness and miraculousness that ensues inside our culture's number one holiday?
And soon, those two start to converge. How will I tell the story of Jesus to my daughter for the first time...
Here's a challenge, look at the Christmas story with fresh eyes. You may be astounded with what you missed (or just accepted as truth without thinking about it).
T
Monday, November 10, 2014
Convenient Jesus
This past weekend at our annual Real World Retreat we focused on one thing. Music. Kinda.
We took a look at how music has changed in the last 15 years. Not the style of music, but the quality. The music we listen to now has been changed so much to make files smaller that the music is actually distorted and compressed with piece of musical information missing. And there's only one reason why the general population has put up with it. It's more convenient.
The music industry (and other industries have followed suit) have learned that people will sacrifice almost anything for convenience. Make it smaller, lighter, crappier, whatever you need to do to make it more convenient for me. If I really wanted to hear better music I would need to find a stereo system and get some actual physical recordings, but that's really hard to jog with. So instead I'll listen to 2 hours of music, the files shrunk down to fit on my iPod through the horrible little earbuds I got for free with my phone. The quality of the music is horrible, but it's convenient for me to listen to wherever I am, right?
So, the question we led this to was this: How do we shrink down the symphony of Jesus to make Him more convenient for our lives? What are we trading out to have a convenient Jesus? I'll probably have a better quality relationship with Jesus if I take some time to spend alone with Him, reading His Word and talking with Him, but how convenient is that? What if I just listen to the podcast of a sermon while driving and call it a day?
The interesting part of this whole thing to me while researching this was seeing some of the interview of musicians and how they feel about this (I wasn't able to show it at the retreat, just a slight bit of bad language from musicians). It makes me wonder how Jesus feels about it, Him trying His best to have a relationship with the one He loves and getting a "when it's convenient for me" answer.
The real question is when it comes to knowing Jesus Christ, is it about quality or convenience?
T
We took a look at how music has changed in the last 15 years. Not the style of music, but the quality. The music we listen to now has been changed so much to make files smaller that the music is actually distorted and compressed with piece of musical information missing. And there's only one reason why the general population has put up with it. It's more convenient.
The music industry (and other industries have followed suit) have learned that people will sacrifice almost anything for convenience. Make it smaller, lighter, crappier, whatever you need to do to make it more convenient for me. If I really wanted to hear better music I would need to find a stereo system and get some actual physical recordings, but that's really hard to jog with. So instead I'll listen to 2 hours of music, the files shrunk down to fit on my iPod through the horrible little earbuds I got for free with my phone. The quality of the music is horrible, but it's convenient for me to listen to wherever I am, right?
So, the question we led this to was this: How do we shrink down the symphony of Jesus to make Him more convenient for our lives? What are we trading out to have a convenient Jesus? I'll probably have a better quality relationship with Jesus if I take some time to spend alone with Him, reading His Word and talking with Him, but how convenient is that? What if I just listen to the podcast of a sermon while driving and call it a day?
The interesting part of this whole thing to me while researching this was seeing some of the interview of musicians and how they feel about this (I wasn't able to show it at the retreat, just a slight bit of bad language from musicians). It makes me wonder how Jesus feels about it, Him trying His best to have a relationship with the one He loves and getting a "when it's convenient for me" answer.
The real question is when it comes to knowing Jesus Christ, is it about quality or convenience?
T
Monday, October 27, 2014
The Blame Game
I was reading a book the other day that with a very interesting statement...
I’ve always found it interesting that people ask why bad things happen to them, but they rarely ask why good things happen to them. - Altar Ego by Craig Groeschel
That's a pretty good question. Have you ever noticed how often we play the blame game with God but seldom the thank-you game? If something bad happens, "God, why me?"
What if instead of blaming God for bad things we started thanking Him for good things? What do you think our outlook on life would be then?
Be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus. ~ I Thessalonians 5:18 (GNB)
T
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
System Crash
Sorry this blog is a day late. Yesterday my system crashed.
I don't mean my computer. I mean me. I was done. I did incredibly little yesterday. I just couldn't do it. I doubt I could even form coherent sentences.
But I did have a thought yesterday. What if I lived in a place or society where that was not even possible? If I was in a village in Africa or a serf in the Middle Ages or even someone living day to day in America, I wouldn't have been able to just stop and rest. If my well of fresh water is a mile hike away, I don't get to just sit and have water enter my house through the magic pipes, I would have to walk tired or not. If I didn't have a fridge with food in it and a microwave or even have the ability to make a phone call and have food delivered to my house, the work necessary to catch and cook my food would have been astronomical to me yesterday. I even got to lie on a couch in an insulated house with the heat on rather than go out and collect firewood and make sure the fire was constantly burning to keep warm.
It's amazing the blessings that we not only take for granted, we count them as necessities or inalienable rights we deserve. Yesterday my system crashed for one reason, it was able to. And for that I am incredibly blessed.
T
I don't mean my computer. I mean me. I was done. I did incredibly little yesterday. I just couldn't do it. I doubt I could even form coherent sentences.
But I did have a thought yesterday. What if I lived in a place or society where that was not even possible? If I was in a village in Africa or a serf in the Middle Ages or even someone living day to day in America, I wouldn't have been able to just stop and rest. If my well of fresh water is a mile hike away, I don't get to just sit and have water enter my house through the magic pipes, I would have to walk tired or not. If I didn't have a fridge with food in it and a microwave or even have the ability to make a phone call and have food delivered to my house, the work necessary to catch and cook my food would have been astronomical to me yesterday. I even got to lie on a couch in an insulated house with the heat on rather than go out and collect firewood and make sure the fire was constantly burning to keep warm.
It's amazing the blessings that we not only take for granted, we count them as necessities or inalienable rights we deserve. Yesterday my system crashed for one reason, it was able to. And for that I am incredibly blessed.
T
Monday, October 13, 2014
Is It "Us" Or "Them"?
If you want to know how much you really care about someone or how connected you are in your world, ask yourself when something happens if it happens to "us" or to "them".
Who is hurting right now, "us" or "them"?
Who had a bad day at school/work, "we did" or "they did"?
Who contracted the ebola virus, "us" or "them"?
Who succeeded on the project, "we did" or "I did"?
Whose church is this, "ours" or "mine"? (or Jesus'?)
When it happens to you, does it also happen to "them" or "us"? What it happens to us, does it also happen to you?
T
Who is hurting right now, "us" or "them"?
Who had a bad day at school/work, "we did" or "they did"?
Who contracted the ebola virus, "us" or "them"?
Who succeeded on the project, "we did" or "I did"?
Whose church is this, "ours" or "mine"? (or Jesus'?)
When it happens to you, does it also happen to "them" or "us"? What it happens to us, does it also happen to you?
T
Monday, September 29, 2014
Can It Be Done?
About fifteen years ago I remember having a conversation with someone who thought they were an expert on computers (you know what I mean, people that are sure of what they're talking about but the facts are a little off). I was told by this person that our current situation of computing, our RAM speed, had maxed out. That scientists and computer developers had hit a wall, it was impossible to get more than 512k of RAM in a machine.
A few years later I was talking with someone else, this person actually knew a little about computers, and we were talking about processors. He was explaining how our processors were now working as fast as possible, that electrons were actually skipping off their pathways because we were trying to push things too fast.
Now, my phone in my pocket does more than that. We can now buy laptops with 16gig or RAM and quad core processors (some machines can go higher).
Why? Because when we reached an impassible problem, instead of being the group that said, "it can't be done" another group of people said, "let's solve this and push through".
Which one are you?
When it comes to knowing God better, are you in the "I'm too busy, I can't do it, there's too much to know, it's hard, I've done all I can" group, or will you push through?
T
A few years later I was talking with someone else, this person actually knew a little about computers, and we were talking about processors. He was explaining how our processors were now working as fast as possible, that electrons were actually skipping off their pathways because we were trying to push things too fast.
Now, my phone in my pocket does more than that. We can now buy laptops with 16gig or RAM and quad core processors (some machines can go higher).
Why? Because when we reached an impassible problem, instead of being the group that said, "it can't be done" another group of people said, "let's solve this and push through".
Which one are you?
When it comes to knowing God better, are you in the "I'm too busy, I can't do it, there's too much to know, it's hard, I've done all I can" group, or will you push through?
T
Monday, September 22, 2014
Real Dreams
Have you ever had a dream that was so real when you woke up you had to figure out if it really happened or not?
I have one. I don't know why or what caused it, but it involves traveling from a frozen tundra of way north Canada, driving and almost getting killed, all to make it to New Mexico to apply for a job I don't get. I can even see the building I'm trying to get to just off the expressway. For some reason this dream is so embedded in my head that it even affects other dreams, like last night. I had a dream and in it I remembered making that drive and how bad it was and not getting the job and it changed my whole night. Again, I woke up trying to differentiate what was real and what was not.
Here's the thing, in my dream last night, I was being held back by another dream, another unreal scenario. I was hitting a wall because of something that never actually happened. My question is, are you allowing things to hold you back, even ones that aren't real? Is there something that seems real, but isn't and it is challenging your day to day life?
T
I have one. I don't know why or what caused it, but it involves traveling from a frozen tundra of way north Canada, driving and almost getting killed, all to make it to New Mexico to apply for a job I don't get. I can even see the building I'm trying to get to just off the expressway. For some reason this dream is so embedded in my head that it even affects other dreams, like last night. I had a dream and in it I remembered making that drive and how bad it was and not getting the job and it changed my whole night. Again, I woke up trying to differentiate what was real and what was not.
Here's the thing, in my dream last night, I was being held back by another dream, another unreal scenario. I was hitting a wall because of something that never actually happened. My question is, are you allowing things to hold you back, even ones that aren't real? Is there something that seems real, but isn't and it is challenging your day to day life?
T
Monday, September 15, 2014
Focused Time
Last night at Drink Deep we talked about how we can worship God through choosing to spend time with Him. But it was more than just the amount of time, it was focused time.
We can spend an hour kinda praying, interrupted, distracted, daydreaming, etc. Or we can spend 15 minutes of actually praying, focused prayer. It is too easy to say we are doing something but not be focused and have our goals not met. Like this past weekend, we had our all-church retreat. It was great, but for me, it was not a retreat. I was running around, leading worship, speaking, etc. The first time Lorie and I took a walk the entire weekend was after it was all over and people had left. I was not retreating or resting in God. I may have been on a retreat, but I wasn't doing what it was meant to do. I had to find another time to rest.
Too often we find time, just not focused time. When was the last time you gave God time that was completely devoted and focused on Him?
T
We can spend an hour kinda praying, interrupted, distracted, daydreaming, etc. Or we can spend 15 minutes of actually praying, focused prayer. It is too easy to say we are doing something but not be focused and have our goals not met. Like this past weekend, we had our all-church retreat. It was great, but for me, it was not a retreat. I was running around, leading worship, speaking, etc. The first time Lorie and I took a walk the entire weekend was after it was all over and people had left. I was not retreating or resting in God. I may have been on a retreat, but I wasn't doing what it was meant to do. I had to find another time to rest.
Too often we find time, just not focused time. When was the last time you gave God time that was completely devoted and focused on Him?
T
Monday, September 08, 2014
Trust
I just had a minor epiphany.
Someone recommended an audio product to me a few minutes ago. As someone who likes sound and shiny new tech gadgets (we call those people "guys") I was intrigued and kind of want what they were talking about, even though they said very little about the piece of equipment. And then it donned on me...
This person has no audio training whatsoever.
I am trusting a person who doesn't know sound, I have no idea what kind of stereo equipment they have in their home, I don't even know what kind of music they really like. Yet, here I am wishing I had the money to buy a piece of equipment I've never even heard for myself.
Why? Trust.
If you truly trust a person, you listen to them and even believe them. Even when they have nothing to back it up or proof, you follow. Simply because they have built up that trust with you.
Here's the two big questions: Who do you trust? Who in your life could sell you magic beans if they wanted to because you trust them that inherently? And on the flip side, who trusts you that much? How much have you invested in being trusted and trustworthy?
It's more valuable than you may think...
T
Someone recommended an audio product to me a few minutes ago. As someone who likes sound and shiny new tech gadgets (we call those people "guys") I was intrigued and kind of want what they were talking about, even though they said very little about the piece of equipment. And then it donned on me...
This person has no audio training whatsoever.
I am trusting a person who doesn't know sound, I have no idea what kind of stereo equipment they have in their home, I don't even know what kind of music they really like. Yet, here I am wishing I had the money to buy a piece of equipment I've never even heard for myself.
Why? Trust.
If you truly trust a person, you listen to them and even believe them. Even when they have nothing to back it up or proof, you follow. Simply because they have built up that trust with you.
Here's the two big questions: Who do you trust? Who in your life could sell you magic beans if they wanted to because you trust them that inherently? And on the flip side, who trusts you that much? How much have you invested in being trusted and trustworthy?
It's more valuable than you may think...
T
Monday, September 01, 2014
Losing Assistance
Last week something broke. It happens, but this one is really frustrating. It was a tiny piece of plastic that broke and fell off of our lawn mower. Super glue won't put it back on, I've tried tying it with wire and broke that too (maybe I need thicker wire, I'll try that later), I have Macgyver'd that thing as much as I can.
It was the power assistance for the mower.
The good thing, the mower still works. But for the last three years I have been using it and not realizing how heavy that piece of equipment is (or how angled my yard is). I did not realize how much work the mower was doing for me.
I wonder how many things in our lives we are assisted with and we don't even know it. Are we thankful for it or do we not even care until we lose it?
The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. ~ Psalm 121:5 (NLT)
T
It was the power assistance for the mower.
The good thing, the mower still works. But for the last three years I have been using it and not realizing how heavy that piece of equipment is (or how angled my yard is). I did not realize how much work the mower was doing for me.
I wonder how many things in our lives we are assisted with and we don't even know it. Are we thankful for it or do we not even care until we lose it?
The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. ~ Psalm 121:5 (NLT)
T
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