Hello, all....
I have not been able to blog for the last few months due to some untimely issues with our server at work (my work blocked the site). For the time being, anyhow, I am able to write a little (or at least until they find out and block me again).
The last few months have proven to once again be the work of our Heavenly Father in every aspect and area of life. My wife and I had a beautiful baby girl, Addyson Grayce Moad, born November 10, 2007. She weighed almost eight lbs., 21 inches long, and an afro the size of Texas. It was awesome! Seriously, a jet-black fro! My wife loves it because she gets to do all kinds of girly things like put bows in her hair and stuff. Truth be told, I think it's pretty cool, too......but if my wife asks, I think it's the dumbest thing ever.
I also recently returned to the U.S. after a 16-day stint in Meru, Kenya (which I will write more in depth about later....complete with photos, as I plan on copying a journal I kept throughout the trip). Our mission completely ruined me to the life I previously lead and gave me a significantly different outlook on material possessions and life in general. But, again, I will post journal entries as time allows.
For now, I must go. So, for those of you who actually read any of my previous blogs, I'm not dead....just blocked for a while. Keep an eye out for new updates.
In Him,
-Stephen!
Our kiddos
Eli and Addy
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Friday, September 21, 2007
Socrates Would Be Happy
We may not always understand the way things go or the way things work. In fact, there are a lot of times I want to know why I am being asked to do certain things at work or the reason behind the request and what function it serves. Then there are times when I don't care one way or the other why I'm being asked to do this or that or especially the reasoning behind it....I just need to do it and get it over with. After talking with about 15 people about this, I noticed that it's somewhat of a common thread among those questioned. But, why? Why are some people like that and others not?
The Socratic method of argument (not in the form of emotional arguing or fighting - so, understand that by argument, I mean debate) is made up of this particular question, "why?". He believed that one could get to the bottom of any situation and find the root cause or intention in any argument by asking, "why?". It sort of makes me think about my son. "Son, put your dishes in the sink, please." "Why?" "Because when you're finished eating, you put your dishes in the sink so mommy and daddy can clean them." "Why?" "They need to be cleaned so that we can re-use them." "Why?" ......and so on and so forth. Eventually you get to the point to where it's like: "Son, just put the flippin' dishes in the sink before I pinch your little head off." It sounds crazy, but IT'S TRUE. We are consumed with the question, "why." In all actuality, if you can stand the monotony of it all, asking why for every question will eventually either drive you insane or answer the root question. Socrates was a genius (and quite possibly very devilish).
Think about it.....
Too many times we ask why when it really doesn't matter at all. We ask why for selfish reasons. It's almost like self-pity. You get hit in the head with a golf ball and you think, "why do things like this always happen to me? Why can't they just happen to someone else for a change?" Granted - nobody wants to get hit in the head with a golf ball. But, seriously.....too many hits in the head will eventually lead you to the question, "WHY?"
I find myself somtimes questioning the reason things happen to me. For example, when things don't go my way or when I feel overwhelmed or stressed, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Why does this always happen to me?" The point of this whole blog is that......things happen for a reason, yes; but the reason isn't always supposed to be revealed when you want an answer. There's not always an answer to the "why" question here and now. Things happen because they happen - - why doesn't matter. They've happened - now deal with it. Eventually, you will either be told why or you will figure it out on your own. I know that sounds sort of cruel....but, come on....the world in which we live is a "here and now" culture, based on instant gratification. My question is "WHY - do I feel like I have know everything all the time? WHY - can't I just sit back and take everything in stride? WHY - am I so focused on the here and now?" I need to sit back and relax - look to the future - and focus on the tasks at hand. Forget all the junk that's happened and stop asking "WHY" all the stinkin' time.
Socrates was a smart man - there's no doubt. But his methods don't equate with my Heavenly Papa's. I need to "be still and know that He is God."
Peace, Love, and Parliament (P-Funk All-Stars)
The Socratic method of argument (not in the form of emotional arguing or fighting - so, understand that by argument, I mean debate) is made up of this particular question, "why?". He believed that one could get to the bottom of any situation and find the root cause or intention in any argument by asking, "why?". It sort of makes me think about my son. "Son, put your dishes in the sink, please." "Why?" "Because when you're finished eating, you put your dishes in the sink so mommy and daddy can clean them." "Why?" "They need to be cleaned so that we can re-use them." "Why?" ......and so on and so forth. Eventually you get to the point to where it's like: "Son, just put the flippin' dishes in the sink before I pinch your little head off." It sounds crazy, but IT'S TRUE. We are consumed with the question, "why." In all actuality, if you can stand the monotony of it all, asking why for every question will eventually either drive you insane or answer the root question. Socrates was a genius (and quite possibly very devilish).
Think about it.....
Too many times we ask why when it really doesn't matter at all. We ask why for selfish reasons. It's almost like self-pity. You get hit in the head with a golf ball and you think, "why do things like this always happen to me? Why can't they just happen to someone else for a change?" Granted - nobody wants to get hit in the head with a golf ball. But, seriously.....too many hits in the head will eventually lead you to the question, "WHY?"
I find myself somtimes questioning the reason things happen to me. For example, when things don't go my way or when I feel overwhelmed or stressed, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Why does this always happen to me?" The point of this whole blog is that......things happen for a reason, yes; but the reason isn't always supposed to be revealed when you want an answer. There's not always an answer to the "why" question here and now. Things happen because they happen - - why doesn't matter. They've happened - now deal with it. Eventually, you will either be told why or you will figure it out on your own. I know that sounds sort of cruel....but, come on....the world in which we live is a "here and now" culture, based on instant gratification. My question is "WHY - do I feel like I have know everything all the time? WHY - can't I just sit back and take everything in stride? WHY - am I so focused on the here and now?" I need to sit back and relax - look to the future - and focus on the tasks at hand. Forget all the junk that's happened and stop asking "WHY" all the stinkin' time.
Socrates was a smart man - there's no doubt. But his methods don't equate with my Heavenly Papa's. I need to "be still and know that He is God."
Peace, Love, and Parliament (P-Funk All-Stars)
Monday, August 27, 2007
"Throw Up" Your Rawkfist
So, I evidently have way too much time on my hands because I caught myself pondering the meaning of life yet again. Only this time, I wasn't thinking about it in terms of some significant destiny I have yet to fulfill. It was more like the complexity and construction of the human body. The amazing way that the human body works.....it really is the trademark signature of our Heavenly Papa.
Last week, I came down with this wicked-nasty stomach virus. It was so bad that I literally could not stand up straight. Without going into too much detail....there was a lot of nastiness involved with this wretched thing.
My wife is seven months pregnant and we have a four-year-old little man, so I was quarantined from my house for two and a half days for fear that I would make everyone else sick. Needless to say, I was hurting. I was sick, I was away from my wife, away from my son, away from my bed, my dog wouldn't play with me, I was throwing up everywhere, I looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame 'cause I couldn't stand up straight........and I had nowhere to go................. So, I went to the only place that has to take you in........I went to my mom's and she made me chicken noodle soup and it was good.
So, I'm on my way to my mom's where my dad was supposed to have left the front door unlocked, as I have no key. I get there and slowly crawl to the front door only to find that the door is locked.........pooh! So, I decided I would lay down in the driveway and wait for him to get there. As I was laying there, I remember thinking......."I'm about to yak." Now, in my youth, I would've been terrified. I hated throwing up. In this case, I hurriedly crawled to the grass and started the process of preparing to vomit. In the midst of releasing my dinner from the night before I was struck with the reality that this is how the human body works. It stinks sometimes - no pun intended - but in all reality, when we have a virus, our body is built to defend itself. Vomitting is a defense mechanism for our body - it gets rid of all the "yuckie's" (as my son would say).
As a child, I used to despise throwing up. I would cry and pray for God to keep me from "being sick." As an adult, however, I'm able to look at things differently. Now it's like, "Look, if we're gonna do this, let's get it on so I can get back to bed." Don't ask me why it hit me when it did - but now I look at it in a very different light.
It really is crazy-wack-funky if you think about the way we, as humans, are able to perform certain tasks. Look at our hands with fingers that just happen to wrap around things enabling us to grab hold and grip. Look at the way our muscles are constructed. The way our lungs work - the fact that we use oxygen. Take the human eye for example......what an amazing mechanism that can only be accomplished by an inventor like my God. Look at pregnancy or child birth....you cannot tell me there's no God.
So, the next time you get sick......don't look at it like it's the worst thing ever.....look at it as a refining process. Your body is refining itself and defending itself from all the "yuckies."
I hate to ask.....but, any thoughts?
Last week, I came down with this wicked-nasty stomach virus. It was so bad that I literally could not stand up straight. Without going into too much detail....there was a lot of nastiness involved with this wretched thing.
My wife is seven months pregnant and we have a four-year-old little man, so I was quarantined from my house for two and a half days for fear that I would make everyone else sick. Needless to say, I was hurting. I was sick, I was away from my wife, away from my son, away from my bed, my dog wouldn't play with me, I was throwing up everywhere, I looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame 'cause I couldn't stand up straight........and I had nowhere to go................. So, I went to the only place that has to take you in........I went to my mom's and she made me chicken noodle soup and it was good.
So, I'm on my way to my mom's where my dad was supposed to have left the front door unlocked, as I have no key. I get there and slowly crawl to the front door only to find that the door is locked.........pooh! So, I decided I would lay down in the driveway and wait for him to get there. As I was laying there, I remember thinking......."I'm about to yak." Now, in my youth, I would've been terrified. I hated throwing up. In this case, I hurriedly crawled to the grass and started the process of preparing to vomit. In the midst of releasing my dinner from the night before I was struck with the reality that this is how the human body works. It stinks sometimes - no pun intended - but in all reality, when we have a virus, our body is built to defend itself. Vomitting is a defense mechanism for our body - it gets rid of all the "yuckie's" (as my son would say).
As a child, I used to despise throwing up. I would cry and pray for God to keep me from "being sick." As an adult, however, I'm able to look at things differently. Now it's like, "Look, if we're gonna do this, let's get it on so I can get back to bed." Don't ask me why it hit me when it did - but now I look at it in a very different light.
It really is crazy-wack-funky if you think about the way we, as humans, are able to perform certain tasks. Look at our hands with fingers that just happen to wrap around things enabling us to grab hold and grip. Look at the way our muscles are constructed. The way our lungs work - the fact that we use oxygen. Take the human eye for example......what an amazing mechanism that can only be accomplished by an inventor like my God. Look at pregnancy or child birth....you cannot tell me there's no God.
So, the next time you get sick......don't look at it like it's the worst thing ever.....look at it as a refining process. Your body is refining itself and defending itself from all the "yuckies."
I hate to ask.....but, any thoughts?
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Holy Cow, I'm Stuffed.....
I may not be a smart man....but, I'm pretty sure I'm not a complete idiot. Although, I could be wrong. I'm learning more and more each day how stupid I can be. Maybe it's age....perhaps the loss of hair.....or possibly even a pregnant wife. But, regardless, I can tell something is about to give and I'm not sure how it's all going to go down.
It's exciting, I must admit, that I feel in my inner-most being a movement of some sort....I don't think it's gas. It feels more like a time of training. If you've ever played a sport perhaps you'll recognize this feeling. It's like right before a football game and your the quaterback. In pre-game warm-ups, the adrenaline is pumping so much that you have this axious feeling....a prompt to just scream out at the top of your lungs....not out of anger, but out of sheer adrenaline. It's sort of like butterflies but in no way like a nervous feeling! Your self-confidence isn't being tested. If anything it's complete confidence in what you can bring to the table.....but more like a readiness just to get out there and start cracking some heads. It's actually really exciting. There's no pride or self-service involved - it's simply a willingness to put it all out there for the world to see what you've been gifted with. Now, once you're on the field - it's time to rely on instincts and training to pull you through to victory. But, just before the game, that feeling of anxiety races through your veins pushing your very limits to exhaustion.
That's currently where I find myself.
Over the last few months, I have been consumed with a few "missions" I feel God is calling me to be a part of. One is a mission trip to Meru, Kenya in January of '08. The other is a ministry that is still in the praying and planning stages. But, there is a readiness just to be used by God to minister to the needs of people. I've been spending a lot of time just reading scripture and taking note as to what God is speaking into my life. I feel full. I feel stuffed. I feel like I've just spent four hours at a buffet and have eaten everything I can. It's a great feeling.....but then there has to be time to lay back and let it all soak in.
I realize I am probably rambling - it's difficult to keep up with my thoughts on all this. but, as I was reading a few weeks ago, I was struck with a passage out of the Psalms. I've read it a million times and have taken quite a liking to it. But, as I was reading over some notes I had written, this same verse hit me like a ton of bricks. The passage goes as follows: (forgive me, I don't have my Bible in front of me as I am at work, furiously trying to type and keep up with my thoughts)
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn; the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." - Psalm 37:3-6
This just seems to speak to me in such a way that leads me to the pre-game feeling of a battle between two rival teams, warfare on the football field - in this situation; spiritual warfare against the darkest team you've ever seen. The epic battle between good and evil.
I guess where I am going with this is that, in order to do your absolute best on the football field of life, you have to work out (read, study, fast, pray). As I look back at my football days, I remember many times working out to the point of collapsing - being so physically tired that I couldn't take another step. Only to go back out the next day and be pushed further past my previous limits. It's the same on the spiritual football field; soaking in as much of the Lord as you can until you have to take a step back - regroup - then hit it hard again - pushing yourself further and further until your spiritual muscles have been trained to the point of being able to act instinctively. When you reach exhaustion it means that you're almost where you need to be - KEEP GOING! Man, there's no feeling quite like pre-game "jitters." Regardless of the final score on a physical football field, you're a winner because you trained like a winner. On the spiritual football field - you're already victorious because, not only did you train like a champ, you have a coach with a phenomenal winning record (having never lost a game), and a winning team behind you, rooting for you, praying for you, and wanting you to accept the authority the coach has given you.
Train hard and win big.....
Thoughts?
It's exciting, I must admit, that I feel in my inner-most being a movement of some sort....I don't think it's gas. It feels more like a time of training. If you've ever played a sport perhaps you'll recognize this feeling. It's like right before a football game and your the quaterback. In pre-game warm-ups, the adrenaline is pumping so much that you have this axious feeling....a prompt to just scream out at the top of your lungs....not out of anger, but out of sheer adrenaline. It's sort of like butterflies but in no way like a nervous feeling! Your self-confidence isn't being tested. If anything it's complete confidence in what you can bring to the table.....but more like a readiness just to get out there and start cracking some heads. It's actually really exciting. There's no pride or self-service involved - it's simply a willingness to put it all out there for the world to see what you've been gifted with. Now, once you're on the field - it's time to rely on instincts and training to pull you through to victory. But, just before the game, that feeling of anxiety races through your veins pushing your very limits to exhaustion.
That's currently where I find myself.
Over the last few months, I have been consumed with a few "missions" I feel God is calling me to be a part of. One is a mission trip to Meru, Kenya in January of '08. The other is a ministry that is still in the praying and planning stages. But, there is a readiness just to be used by God to minister to the needs of people. I've been spending a lot of time just reading scripture and taking note as to what God is speaking into my life. I feel full. I feel stuffed. I feel like I've just spent four hours at a buffet and have eaten everything I can. It's a great feeling.....but then there has to be time to lay back and let it all soak in.
I realize I am probably rambling - it's difficult to keep up with my thoughts on all this. but, as I was reading a few weeks ago, I was struck with a passage out of the Psalms. I've read it a million times and have taken quite a liking to it. But, as I was reading over some notes I had written, this same verse hit me like a ton of bricks. The passage goes as follows: (forgive me, I don't have my Bible in front of me as I am at work, furiously trying to type and keep up with my thoughts)
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn; the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." - Psalm 37:3-6
This just seems to speak to me in such a way that leads me to the pre-game feeling of a battle between two rival teams, warfare on the football field - in this situation; spiritual warfare against the darkest team you've ever seen. The epic battle between good and evil.
I guess where I am going with this is that, in order to do your absolute best on the football field of life, you have to work out (read, study, fast, pray). As I look back at my football days, I remember many times working out to the point of collapsing - being so physically tired that I couldn't take another step. Only to go back out the next day and be pushed further past my previous limits. It's the same on the spiritual football field; soaking in as much of the Lord as you can until you have to take a step back - regroup - then hit it hard again - pushing yourself further and further until your spiritual muscles have been trained to the point of being able to act instinctively. When you reach exhaustion it means that you're almost where you need to be - KEEP GOING! Man, there's no feeling quite like pre-game "jitters." Regardless of the final score on a physical football field, you're a winner because you trained like a winner. On the spiritual football field - you're already victorious because, not only did you train like a champ, you have a coach with a phenomenal winning record (having never lost a game), and a winning team behind you, rooting for you, praying for you, and wanting you to accept the authority the coach has given you.
Train hard and win big.....
Thoughts?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
A Season of Stink....
So anyone who knows me and my wife knows that when it rains it defintely pours. For us, things don't just happen a little bit at a time - things happen BIG and they happen all at once. I'm not the type of person who believes in luck but I once heard a saying that goes "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all." I see a lot of truth to that - but then there's always sunshine at the end of it and maybe a rainbow or two.
I am of the school of thought that believes life is what you make of it. Not to sound cliche, but if the world hands you lemons - make some lemonade! That's sort of my philosophy. I firmly believe that life is a continuous cycle of seasons. The Bible says "to everything there is a season." Therefore, I've pretty much got it narrowed down to four distinctly different seasons - much like that of the worldy climate (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer): a season of blessing, a season of rejoicing, a season of preparation, and a season of storms. Hey, three out of four ain't bad! If you think about this it might actually make sense to you.
The season of blessing is a time of reflection on what God has done for you, where He has you, where He's brought you from, and how You've gotten there. The season of rejoicing is the realization that, regardless of what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future, everything has been and will be alright - you are taken care of, provided for, you are appreciated, affirmed in your life's calling, and are ready to enter into preparation for your next adventure - which leads us to our next season. The season of preparation is just what it sounds like - preparation. This is a season that is uncomfortable for some because, like me, it's a bit difficult to tell you are in it. Take me for example. One day everything is going great - I'm loving life. And then, all of a sudden, there is this distinct feeling of discomfort - like my direction is being shifted. At first, there is much resistance, and rightly so - no one in their right mind would want to feel out from under the loving atmosphere of appreciation and affrimation. But, nonetheless, this is a season where God is moving me toward a different direction. It's exciting and frightening all at the same time. It's not until I realize that this shift in my innermost being means there is a really BIG change coming. Now, it's not always a significant change - but it's a change. Most people don't care much for change and that makes it difficult. This is where the season of storms comes into play.
To be completely honest, I'm not sure the word "storms" characterizes this season enough. It should be called a season of "stink." The only reason I chose that word is because most people get offended if you use stronger language to describe the feeling I get when I am in this season. It stinks when you're in it. But - it is truly a time of learning, a time of refinement, purifying. It's not always fun - it's not what I would describe as a good time. It hurts a little and is extremely trying at times. However, it's where I need to be in order to grow.
That's the season my wife and I are currently in. Which is not a bad thing. But, when it rains it pours in my family and the stormy season can sometimes last for a while. The good thing, on the other hand, is that somewhere there's always a rainbow. From the Bible, we know that the rainbow was a sign to Noah that the flood was over and a promise from God that He would not devestate the earth in that way again. Will we be refined in the same way again - I don't know!
All I know is that my wife wrecked her vehicle, our washing machine broke, we found termites, my son has a belly-ache, my car stereo broke, I turned thirty, and there are some BIG changes and some scary changes happening in our lives at the moment that we are uncertain of. This is some stressful stuff. But, it's comforting knowing that we are simply in a season of stink right now and that there is a fresh and beautiful season of blessing to follow!
I am of the school of thought that believes life is what you make of it. Not to sound cliche, but if the world hands you lemons - make some lemonade! That's sort of my philosophy. I firmly believe that life is a continuous cycle of seasons. The Bible says "to everything there is a season." Therefore, I've pretty much got it narrowed down to four distinctly different seasons - much like that of the worldy climate (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer): a season of blessing, a season of rejoicing, a season of preparation, and a season of storms. Hey, three out of four ain't bad! If you think about this it might actually make sense to you.
The season of blessing is a time of reflection on what God has done for you, where He has you, where He's brought you from, and how You've gotten there. The season of rejoicing is the realization that, regardless of what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future, everything has been and will be alright - you are taken care of, provided for, you are appreciated, affirmed in your life's calling, and are ready to enter into preparation for your next adventure - which leads us to our next season. The season of preparation is just what it sounds like - preparation. This is a season that is uncomfortable for some because, like me, it's a bit difficult to tell you are in it. Take me for example. One day everything is going great - I'm loving life. And then, all of a sudden, there is this distinct feeling of discomfort - like my direction is being shifted. At first, there is much resistance, and rightly so - no one in their right mind would want to feel out from under the loving atmosphere of appreciation and affrimation. But, nonetheless, this is a season where God is moving me toward a different direction. It's exciting and frightening all at the same time. It's not until I realize that this shift in my innermost being means there is a really BIG change coming. Now, it's not always a significant change - but it's a change. Most people don't care much for change and that makes it difficult. This is where the season of storms comes into play.
To be completely honest, I'm not sure the word "storms" characterizes this season enough. It should be called a season of "stink." The only reason I chose that word is because most people get offended if you use stronger language to describe the feeling I get when I am in this season. It stinks when you're in it. But - it is truly a time of learning, a time of refinement, purifying. It's not always fun - it's not what I would describe as a good time. It hurts a little and is extremely trying at times. However, it's where I need to be in order to grow.
That's the season my wife and I are currently in. Which is not a bad thing. But, when it rains it pours in my family and the stormy season can sometimes last for a while. The good thing, on the other hand, is that somewhere there's always a rainbow. From the Bible, we know that the rainbow was a sign to Noah that the flood was over and a promise from God that He would not devestate the earth in that way again. Will we be refined in the same way again - I don't know!
All I know is that my wife wrecked her vehicle, our washing machine broke, we found termites, my son has a belly-ache, my car stereo broke, I turned thirty, and there are some BIG changes and some scary changes happening in our lives at the moment that we are uncertain of. This is some stressful stuff. But, it's comforting knowing that we are simply in a season of stink right now and that there is a fresh and beautiful season of blessing to follow!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Bug-Dodgin'
Last night, as I was driving home from practice, my son posed a question I seriously had to stop and think carefully about before answering. At first, I admit, I was chomping at the bit for a witty comeback that would no doubt illicit laughter as a response from my sons' four-year-old body. That's my whole goal in life is to make my son laugh - he has the very best laugh in the world. But, the longer I thought about it, the more I thought I needed to choose my words carefully and try to maintain at least a little bit of seriousness in my answer.
Anyone with children or around children on a frequent basis knows they can ask some of the funniest questions. Some questions are silly, some are fairly complex, and some are genuinely seeking solid information that could perhaps change the way these children view the world. But, then you get a question where there are so many answers to and each answer is different depending on the situation - a circumstantial question.
So, it's well after 9:00pm and dark - the sound of something like rain hitting the windshield (actually it was bugs - yuck - we have to drive through some farmland to get home) and he asked me, "Daddy, why are the bugs hitting us?" I said, "They're not really hitting us as much as we are hitting them - I don't think they mean to hit us - we're just driving at a speed faster than they can fly." So, he said, "Can we slow down?"
Now, for a normal person in a normal situation, this may not be that profound. But, in my opinion normalcy is a relative concept. See, if normal happens where normal is supposed to happen - of course that's normal. But, if normal happens where weird is supposed to happen - then normal actually becomes weird. So, this was weird for me. How do you explain to a four-year-old that bugs aren't near as important as my getting home to watch my pre-recorded "So You Think You Can Dance" show? How do you explain the fact that bugs are just bugs and that in the realm of existence they rank about the bottom of the food chain? But, the biggest impact his question had on me was the fact that he was so concerned for the bugs - I couldn't bring myself to crush his little heart. So I slowed down.
My son is the very best thing to ever happen to me. He has shown me how to slow down and just live - enjoying stupid little things like bugs. He's shown me how to really laugh. He's shown me how to really love. I thank God for him everyday and pray that God will make me the father Eli needs for me to be.
So, the rest of the drive home we spent "Bug-dodgin'." We turned the brights on and swerved everytime we saw a fatty come straight for us. Sometimes we missed them and sometimes we hit them - but I explained that "You can't win 'em all, son." I think he understood and we had a great time the rest of the way home.
Anyone with children or around children on a frequent basis knows they can ask some of the funniest questions. Some questions are silly, some are fairly complex, and some are genuinely seeking solid information that could perhaps change the way these children view the world. But, then you get a question where there are so many answers to and each answer is different depending on the situation - a circumstantial question.
So, it's well after 9:00pm and dark - the sound of something like rain hitting the windshield (actually it was bugs - yuck - we have to drive through some farmland to get home) and he asked me, "Daddy, why are the bugs hitting us?" I said, "They're not really hitting us as much as we are hitting them - I don't think they mean to hit us - we're just driving at a speed faster than they can fly." So, he said, "Can we slow down?"
Now, for a normal person in a normal situation, this may not be that profound. But, in my opinion normalcy is a relative concept. See, if normal happens where normal is supposed to happen - of course that's normal. But, if normal happens where weird is supposed to happen - then normal actually becomes weird. So, this was weird for me. How do you explain to a four-year-old that bugs aren't near as important as my getting home to watch my pre-recorded "So You Think You Can Dance" show? How do you explain the fact that bugs are just bugs and that in the realm of existence they rank about the bottom of the food chain? But, the biggest impact his question had on me was the fact that he was so concerned for the bugs - I couldn't bring myself to crush his little heart. So I slowed down.
My son is the very best thing to ever happen to me. He has shown me how to slow down and just live - enjoying stupid little things like bugs. He's shown me how to really laugh. He's shown me how to really love. I thank God for him everyday and pray that God will make me the father Eli needs for me to be.
So, the rest of the drive home we spent "Bug-dodgin'." We turned the brights on and swerved everytime we saw a fatty come straight for us. Sometimes we missed them and sometimes we hit them - but I explained that "You can't win 'em all, son." I think he understood and we had a great time the rest of the way home.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Much to avail...
James 5:16 says that we should confess our sins to each other and pray for each other; that we may be healed. It goes on to say that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." I started thinking about that whole phrase.....about healing through prayer....about how intense prayer can work wonders. I've always known that prayer is extremely powerful. I've seen it - lived it - been a recipient and part of the prayer-chain. But I still get convicted by James' last line - the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much - wow!
Webster's dictionary defines fervent as "exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling." Webster's also defines effectual as "producing or able to produce a desired effect."
Righteousness.....does it really even need a definition? Righteousness is the very essence of God! Is it even attainable for humans? Obviously it is if James is encouraging us to be righteous. But, man, the intensity of that word! Holy cow! Could I become a righteous man? I think it all boils down to priorities. Are my priorities that of God's? What are my priorities? Have I set my mind on the things of God? I mean, isn't that what it means to be righteous?
As I sit here and think about myself, really analyzing myself, I do not consider myself a righteous man. I want to be! No doubt about it! I want to be righteous. Like I said in a previous post, I want to be a man after God's own heart, like David. That's probably why I feel convicted. I am always aware of my priorities versus that of God's and I have no problem, whatsoever, casting myself aside to take His task on. Therefore, I feel, in my spirit, that I am focused on the will of the Father, even when I don't even know it. But, I don't see myself as righteous.
Righteousness means to be free from guilt and sin, to be like-minded with Jesus, to will and act according to the Word of God. I am free of guilt, but not so much sin. Sure, there were times (and still are to some extent) that I was plagued by guilt and shame. But, once I realized the power over and the freedom from bondage we as believers have been given, it's easier for me to realize that I am not a slave to it. For sin, on the other hand, who is free from sin? Perhaps that's the reason the Bible says that "there is none righteous, no not one." Which leads me to believe that righteousness is something we should strive for - somewhat like perfection. Some believe perfection is unattainable - John Wesley, founder of Methodism, believed you could reach perfection in your thought-life, thus becoming like-minded with Christ.
The whole concept is mind-boggling, but fascinating all at the same time. It's really pretty intense. Will I ever be perfect - of course not. But, I can train myself to think according to Scripture. Anyone can. It doesn't take a Biblical scholar or priest - an average, everyday Joe can be taught to live a life of righteousness. It's about my will versus His will.
Thoughts?
Webster's dictionary defines fervent as "exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling." Webster's also defines effectual as "producing or able to produce a desired effect."
Righteousness.....does it really even need a definition? Righteousness is the very essence of God! Is it even attainable for humans? Obviously it is if James is encouraging us to be righteous. But, man, the intensity of that word! Holy cow! Could I become a righteous man? I think it all boils down to priorities. Are my priorities that of God's? What are my priorities? Have I set my mind on the things of God? I mean, isn't that what it means to be righteous?
As I sit here and think about myself, really analyzing myself, I do not consider myself a righteous man. I want to be! No doubt about it! I want to be righteous. Like I said in a previous post, I want to be a man after God's own heart, like David. That's probably why I feel convicted. I am always aware of my priorities versus that of God's and I have no problem, whatsoever, casting myself aside to take His task on. Therefore, I feel, in my spirit, that I am focused on the will of the Father, even when I don't even know it. But, I don't see myself as righteous.
Righteousness means to be free from guilt and sin, to be like-minded with Jesus, to will and act according to the Word of God. I am free of guilt, but not so much sin. Sure, there were times (and still are to some extent) that I was plagued by guilt and shame. But, once I realized the power over and the freedom from bondage we as believers have been given, it's easier for me to realize that I am not a slave to it. For sin, on the other hand, who is free from sin? Perhaps that's the reason the Bible says that "there is none righteous, no not one." Which leads me to believe that righteousness is something we should strive for - somewhat like perfection. Some believe perfection is unattainable - John Wesley, founder of Methodism, believed you could reach perfection in your thought-life, thus becoming like-minded with Christ.
The whole concept is mind-boggling, but fascinating all at the same time. It's really pretty intense. Will I ever be perfect - of course not. But, I can train myself to think according to Scripture. Anyone can. It doesn't take a Biblical scholar or priest - an average, everyday Joe can be taught to live a life of righteousness. It's about my will versus His will.
Thoughts?
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