Polar Wanderings

Meet the Demmings!

2011-05-27T07:56:00.000-05:00

There is this great blog that I follow called Man vs. Debt where a couple and their one child (with one on the way) sold everything, paid off debt and travel the country in an RV. It seems unusual, but I admire their courage to do it. Well, they met up with a family that is totally nuts, well at least some folks think that, as they have 5 kids and are currently traveling from Alaska to Argentina.....in a truck......with a rooftop tent.....and the truck runs on used veggie oil. I don't know if my sweet wife would ever be fired up about a trip quite like that, but I admire their will to fly in the face of convention and spend incredible time together as a family and let their children discover the world. Cool story!

Michael's Problems

2011-05-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

I have problems. We all do, or at least think we do. My problems are typical for most people: traffic made me late for something, one of the children is having a bad day and sharing it with me, the budget is too tight to do something fun tonight, the cornbread overcooked in the oven, the list goes on and on it seems.

Today I was reminded that I don't really have problems. Once in a while a situation comes up that does need legitimate emergency attention, but we generally get through it and move on. Michael's problems are different. You see I am not talking about me, but my street vendor of The Contributor which is the largest street paper in North America. His name is Michael and he works hard selling papers in all of the unpleasant outdoor elements that most of us try to avoid. He has the most positive attitude of about anybody that I see on a given day. He brightens my day, and I try to brighten his in a tiny way by buying papers regularly from him. I guess God had me get a PO Box in the Post Office on 10th and Broadway so that I could meet Michael.

Recently, I noticed Michael was gone and another vendor was working his spot. Now understand that The Contributor rewards their top vendors by letting them keep their spots, as long as they keep their sales up. I like this because it gives you a chance to get to know the vendors. If you have not figured it out by now, all of the vendors for The Contributor are people who are currently homeless or formerly homeless. It is a job, and they work hard. They earn commission on every paper they sell. Michael always works hard, but mostly at encouraging people whether they purchased a paper or not. So when I didn't see Michael for a few days I wondered what was going on. I thought maybe he was sick for a few days or something, but I still did not see him.

The busyness of life intervened and a couple of weeks passed. No Michael, until today. I went to the Post Office and there he was. I reached for the dollar in my pocket before I even finished crossing the street. Another guy and I came up to Michael at the same time and Michael shared his story. He had been in jail. Not for drugs, theft or assault, but for sleeping. He had been caught sleeping somewhere he should not have and he was arrested and put into jail for twelve days! That's right, twelve days. Our government efficiency at its finest. Now obviously vagrancy laws can be legitimate in helping to keep cities safe, but twelve days in jail for sleeping in a public place, get real!

Some of you may be thinking that he would enjoy twelve days of "three hots and a cot". Michael did not. He had been out of jail for all of an hour and was back to work in his spot. He was mad and upset. He is trying his best to get back on his feet and get a place of his own. He asked for my prayers and he has them, as well as the dollar for a paper. Michael is the one with the problems, and I am left pondering how I can help someone who has helped me more than he knows.

Beside Still Waters

2011-03-22T10:45:00.001-05:00

The Power of Facebook

2011-01-13T08:19:00.002-06:00

Via: Online Schools

Radical

2011-01-07T12:27:00.000-06:00

I have been amazingly challenged by David Platt's book Radical. Platt does a great job of shocking you out of your comfort zone, which is where most American church goers reside. I don't think he is saying that every person should leave America to go overseas, or that every Christian should sell everything and live as a vagabond. What I think Platt is saying so far is that we should be willing to that and we need to be asking if God wants us to do that. We need to see God's vision for the world, which includes us. Below, is a lengthy quote. It is not for the faint of heart, because it will challenge your thinking...

How many of us are embracing the comforts of suburban America while we turn a deaf ear to inner cities in need of the gospel? How many of us are so settled in the United States that we have never once given serious thought to the possibility that God may call us to live in another country? How often are we willing to give a check to someone else as long as we don't have to go the tough places in the world ourselves? How many of us parents are praying that God will raise up our children to leave our homes and go overseas, even if that means that they may never come back? And how many of us are devoting our lives to taking the gospel to people in hostile regions around the world where Christians are not welcomed? Certainly few of us would be so bold as to say we "we would just as soon God annihilate all those people and send them to hell," but if we do not take the gospel to them, isn't that where they will go?
Meanwhile, Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and I propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity.
- Radical page 64.

I think that it is good for our thinking and comfort to be challenged. Christ did not live a life of comfort and I think more and more about checking my motives for wanting to do so.

Reading the Word

2011-01-06T14:03:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is that happy time of the year when many of us make resolutions. There are many such as lose weight, lose debt, lose tv, etc. We tend to think of things that we want to get rid of...and rightly so. A popular thing to do among the spiritually inclined is to read the Bible in a year. This is a good and noble thing to do and all who profess to follow Christ should do, not out of pride, or guilt, or shame, but out of love. Millions of people profess to a faith that they have not even read about. Millions of people claim a right to an eternity, but they have not even read the one, true book about it! It baffles me how many people would risk their eternity on faith whom they have not fully investigated. There are even professing atheists who are reading through the Bible in a year!

Stop the madness! Please do not misunderstand me, I am all for people reading their Bibles, I just want to see people do it for the right reasons. We are biblically spoiled, and I may be the worst offender. I have Bibles in about every major English translation, I have Bible's in Chinese (traditional and simplified for those of you keeping score at home), Korean, and even a nerdy NT version written in Koine Greek. The question is, do we have the Word in our hearts and lives. This is where I fall short many times. If your access to the Bible were completely shutoff, how would you fare? What would your life look like?

I was intrigued yesterday when I came across a website that is encouraging young people to give up their Bibles for one month. Would you do this? Should you do this? The answer is absolutely, positively, maybe. It could be good to see how dependent we are on the written Word. It may challenge to memorize more scripture. I am already falling behind in my pledge to memorize Philippians by Resurrection Sunday. It reminded me of a pastor that I met in Asia, who spent over 25 years in prison for his faith. He had memorized large passages of scripture prior to his confinement and relied upon that as he did not have access to the scriptures while in prison except for a brief time when a Bible had been smuggled in.

So, I say all this to encourage you to read the entire Bible this year. I am doing so. It is a challenge, and it is likely that if you attempt it that you will fall behind. Do not give up. These words God's definition, purpose, and Passion. These words tell the whole story of God's relationship with man and the beautiful story of redemption through the work of Jesus Christ. It is a story of love, hate, grace, wrath, repentance, wars, adultery, murder, rape, incest, pestilence, plague, birth, death, prophecy, service, courage, faith, mercy, suffering, torture, and propitiation. Pour over these words in an attitude of prayer. Let these words transform you. Be so saturated by them that you can't possibility keep the sweetness to yourself. Enjoy the Word, who is Jesus Christ!

Pharisees and Christians

2010-06-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

"The difference between a Pharisee and a Christian is that the former looks around the Lord’s Table shocked that those people are here. The Christian looks around the Lord’s Table and is shocked to be there." - R.C. Sproul Jr.

Quote

2010-06-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

"The glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first. That is how revival comes. That must also be true of us as individuals. It should not be our ambition to be as much like everybody else as we can, though we happen to be Christian, but rather to be as different from everybody who is not a Christian as we can possibly be. Our ambition should be to be like Christ, the more like Him the better, and the more like Him we become, the more we shall be unlike everybody who is not a Christian" - Martyn Lloyd Jones

Walls Fall Down

2010-06-05T19:09:00.000-05:00

It has been over a month since the historic flood in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The devastation has been amazing and in some ways more than words can do it justice. Homes, business, churches, schools and lives all washed away or flooded. I had employees, friends and family who were impacted by it and I have prayed and thought about it a lot.

I really believe that God is doing something here and we need to be listening.

God is always bigger than the walls that we build to shut Him out. We do it, we all do it. We think that in certain (or all) areas of our lives, that we can handle it on our own. Brick-by-brick, we take on the responsibilties of life and build it on the sand that is money, career, entertainment and anything that feels good. We are "too busy" for God and we don't slow down to listen, let alone be obedient to Him. I think God made it clear to all of us that He is in control, not us. If we forget it, we will be reminded again.
The world hardly knew it happened. Why? The media looks for news and in this age of sensationalism, a historic flood was not sensational enough. There was no looting or shooting to speak of. Neighbors helped each other. Strangers, helped strangers. People prayed and grieved with neighbors they never really knew, other than the occaisional hand wave. God allowed us to tear down our secluded, back-yard enclaves and be reminded of the necessity of a know your neighbor front porch society where neighbors know and care for each other.
The third thing is that God has given His church the opportunity to serve in new and amazing ways and abruptly halt it's trek toward being irrelevant. Nashville is the buckle of the Bible-belt and I don't think it is a coincidence that God chose to do this here. It's just another time where Christ grooms His bride.

I will never know for sure this side of heaven why God did this and His timing. Many question why He would do it at all. The fact remains that the most devastating event on earth that we could ever imagine, is still better than what we deserve. I am so glad that God cares enough about us here in Middle Tennessee to bring us this flood.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

2010-02-23T09:37:00.000-06:00

I received this in an email and thought I would share. It highlights the "trickle down" usurpation of parental rights that is taking place in our own country. The sheer number of stories like these that I hear about are staggering and they happen all over this country. As fathers, we MUST protect our children and our rights as parents from overzealous people who appear to have good intentions. This is why the Parental Rights Amendment is so vital in preserving our rights as parents to love, nurture, provide, educate, and care for our children as we see fit. Bravo to Cathy Driscoll for having the courage to write this letter.

"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"

The following is a letter to the Editor which appeared in the Cape May County (NJ) Herald Feb. 17. It is reprinted here with the permission of its author, Cathy Driscoll of Villas, NJ.

To The Editor: “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” wrote William Ross Wallace back in 1865. When committed, loving parents rock the cradle, freedom flourishes. When the state is allowed to rock that cradle, evil follows. Tyrants need thugs and wimps. This “ideal” population is produced by controlling the rearing of children. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” illustrates the brutal way the sheep dog is robbed of her puppies. Once confiscated, the puppies become trained bullies and useful enforcers.

Hitler saw children as “clean slates” on which barbarism could be written, but only if they are removed from the influences of their parents. Kitty Werthmann, a living witness to life under the Nazi boot, describes how pre-Hitler Austria abounded with compassionate and respectful youth. Post Hitler brought hideous changes. Public school teachers encouraged the children to disregard their parents' “fuddy-duddy” ways. Mandatory Youth Day was designated on Sundays at the time of Catholic Mass. Parents who took their children to church instead of youth day faced capital punishment. By firmly holding the children in their hands, Nazis successfully paved the road to the Holocaust.

What has happened here in the last several decades? Parents are afraid to discipline their children in public. Records are withheld from parents because of “privacy rights.” My husband was at the doctor recently and he was not allowed to be in the examination room with our own child without a doctor or nurse present. We were at a swim meet back in November and parents were actually barred from going to the changing rooms with their own children. My husband and I questioned those in charge of the meet on this policy. These officials reasoned that children needed to learn to be on their own. These adults took it upon themselves to disregard the authority of the parents.

Step by step our government has morphed from respecting parents’ rights to dismantling them. Do you want this to continue turning from a snowball into an avalanche?

Let’s say that you think that you won’t be affected by this trend; you don’t plan to ever have children or you have raised your children and are done with this job. First of all, are you so bereft of compassion that you can stand by and allow your fellow citizens to face the forced loss of their children? Secondly, if society is full of parentless thugs, who do we think will come to our rescue when we are old and helpless?

The Parental Rights Amendment, if ratified, will seal protections for parents. It states the following: Section 1: The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right. Section 2: Neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served. Section 3: No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

Action Item

Visit http:www.parentalrights.org. Once armed with the proper knowledge, take this case to your congressmen, senators and even your governor, mayor and local and state legislators. [Find your lawmakers by clicking on your State at Parentalrights.org/States.]

Keep Praying for Haiti

2010-02-09T11:21:00.000-06:00

I came across this video today and was moved and once again reminded of the unimaginable needs they have right now. Please keep praying for them and pray for a team from my church that is on the ground right now in Haiti. Find ways that you can help.

Haiti

2010-01-20T13:11:00.003-06:00

I have been moved by the earthquake in Haiti. I have been moved by the suffering. I have been moved by the story of the country. I have been moved by the heartfelt grieving of unimaginable losses. I have been moved by the strength of survivors. I have been moved to help share God's love with these people in anyway that I can and I would urge anyone who reads this to do the same. Please pray for the people of Haiti and ask God how you might be of help.Here are some links:

http://www.imb.org
http://www.gobgr.org
http://www.worldvision.com
http://www.newmissions.org

Uniting Church and Home

2009-12-14T10:18:00.000-06:00

I have done a lot of reading and searching of trying to identify what is the right mix of home and church. Fathers are ultimately responsible for leading their families spiritually, but the church has a role as well. Most would agree that the typical church model of ministering to families is not working. So what is the answer. Some say that the Family Integrated (FI) approach is best. This usually means no age segregated ministries for children or youth. Another is called a Family Equipping approach which is more of a middle-ground approach where age segregation is limited but still exists. Both say that the parents are responsible for discipling their children. Below is a post to a string on FaceBook with a friend and others about it.

"Misty told me about your discussion and thought that I would chime in for what it is worth. I love the hearts of FI and FE folks because I feel they are trying to reverse the machine of programmic discipleship which is a great thing. I do feel that the "blame" for the current state of families in the church is evenly spread to both parents and church leaders. Parents are ultimately responsible because God makes them responsible for the spiritual well being of their families regardless of the state of their local church body. Church leaders are responsible because when they saw that families were failing in home discipleship, rather than equip the parents, they simply usurped their authority and told parents (in Voddie Baucham's words) "we are trained professionals, don't try this at home."

I do think that parents, mainly fathers (if present), need to get their priorities straight. This means turn off the tv, computer, telephone, etc. and spend time with your family, spend time in the word together, pray together, share your faith together, study the Bible together. This takes sacrifice. This takes commitment. You do not need another program to teach parents how to do this. If parents do not have the gumption to do it themselves, then it is the duty of church leaders to step in with loving church council and if necessary church discipline.

I am at a point where I am fed up with hearing everybody's excuses for parents and churches. It starts at the top, in families with fathers and mothers, in churches with elders, pastors, etc. Church leaders must be modeling home discipleship and make it the culture of the church. Fathers must do it and make it the culture of the family. If this happens, then within a couple of generations, it can start to be the culture of our nation.

Sorry, but I had to get that off of my chest. I am not perfect yet in it, but I am desperately trying. I have seen the impact of us having family Bible time together EVERY night. Even when it is late and when we are tired. That is something that I want to continue building on.

Take it for what it is worth."

And Six Makes a Hockey Team

2009-11-30T11:27:00.000-06:00

That's right come May 2010 we will have enough in the Heitman household to have our own hockey team. Although, being that I am the only male so far (still don't know what the baby is yet) I doubt that we will be strapping on blades anytime soon. The girls are SO excited about the new baby, it was so sweet to tell them. What a blessing to have another little one in our family. Blessings are oftentimes hard work, but very rewarding. Please pray for a healthy baby and a healthy momma!

The Failed Pilgrim Socialist Experiment

2009-11-24T12:33:00.001-06:00

David Fowler over at FACT wrote an interesting article about the Pilgrims and their failed attempt at making micro-socialism work. I had no idea that the Pilgrims, in their desperation, tried growing their food and "collecting" all of the harvest and distributing the food equally to everyone. Well take a guess....it did not work. Read the article to see why it did not. It has something to do with our basic God-given instincts. A good history lesson from our funny-hat forefathers.

Is Twilight Just Emotional Pornography for Women?

2009-11-24T12:27:00.000-06:00

I found this to be an interesting take on the Twilight Phenomenon that seems to have captivated grown women. The Twilight series itself is a whole other discussion. The idea in this article about the effects of fantasy on our "real" lives is truly captivating. All of us want to "escape" from time to time because life is hard. However, it can become very dangerous when we escape because our reality usually does not match up to our dreamworld. I think it is clear that we have to be so very careful about what we ingest through any media. It all has an impact on us and we do not "filter" nearly as well as we think that we do. Fantasy can be detrimental when it distracts us from the reality that we live in. We live in a real world with real consequences and Americans seem to forget it or at least want to forget it. This fantasy vacation has distracted us long enough that the foundations of our nation have been usurped by people in power with a ruthless appetite for control. (Ok, I must admit that this post went a different direction than I originally intended, by oh well.)

A Strong Statement

2009-11-23T10:43:00.000-06:00

I signed it. I signed the Manhattan Declaration today which makes a strong statement about three key areas in our culture today which must be addressed and defended by all Christians: the sanctity of life, the preservation of marriage between one man and one woman, and religious liberty. These are the three areas addressed by this statement. It is not some "feel good" common-ground theological statement, rather it is a clear and decisive salvo to the leaders of our nation that we will not "render to Caesar what is God's." I encourage you to read the declaration and as God leads you to sign it. My signature means little except in increasing the support for this long-needed initiative that Christians cannot just sit by and watch the three areas of our common life eroded away by legislators and judges.

Blessings

2009-11-18T14:53:00.001-06:00

Below is the text of a devotional that I had the privilege of sharing with our department last week. I hope it can be a small blessing to you.

Blessings – James 1:2-18

As Thanksgiving approaches we get thankful. We start being thankful for our family and friends, our jobs, our homes, our food, our health, our well-being. However, have you ever heard anyone around the Thanksgiving table say, “I want to thank God for my cancer”or“I thank God so much I lost my job.”? Not likely. We tend to view our blessings on a much smaller scale than God does and we miss out on many blessings because we do not see them. Let’s see what James has to share with us about blessings.

James 1 (HCSB)

² Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.

(Skip to verse 12)

¹² Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.
¹³ No one undergoing a trial should say, "I am being tempted by God." For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. ¹⁵ Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
¹⁶ Don't be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. ¹⁷ Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. ¹⁸ By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

James talks a lot about trials and perseverance in this opening passage of the book. So what does this have to do with blessings and thanksgiving? Look at verse 12 once again, “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.” I think that James is telling us that the trials that God allows us to persevere are the blessings of a loving and involved Father. He loves us so very much that He puts us through tests and trials to grow our faith, increase our reliance upon Him, shape our character, and impact the lives of others. We are blessed because He has a loving plan for us so that we can be used by Him for His kingdom and His glory and we can receive the unsurpassing joy of seeing our God exalted through the process. Our trials can be truly joyful if we allow them to be.

I got to see this first hand when I had the privilege of meeting the pastor of an underground church when I lived in China. Samuel Lamb spent part of his life in a Chinese prison because he would not register his church with the government and be restricted in what he could preach. Pastor Lamb nearly died a number of times in these labor camps, but he used this “blessing” as an opportunity to share the gospel with unbelievers in prison. People came to know Christ through his time in prison and he was blessed with the endurance that James speaks about in verses 2-3, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” He joyfully endured nearly 23 years in prison, but hen he was released, he still refused to register his church. He still encounters constant surveillance of his work and occasional raids and confiscations, but he endures and his church grows. His tiny house church grew so big that they had to move to a bigger location. Now they use a multi-level apartment building where people cram in on every floor and even stand outside to hear Pastor Lamb preach. Over 4,000 people attend his church’s services every week. When I visited with him, I asked him how I could pray for him. What he said shocked me to the core. He smiled and said, “Pray for more persecution!” Obviously seeing my shock he continued, “The church in China had a solid number of believers due to the efforts of missionaries like Robert Morrison, Hudson Taylor, Lottie Moon and others saw the church grow to nearly 500,000 over about 150 years of work. However, since the communists took over in 1949 and began persecuting the church, the church has exploded in growth with estimates of over 100 million Christians in China.” It was at this moment that I first knew that persecution was such a blessing!

So for us, we do not yet face persecution like Pastor Lamb. However, this translates into viewing our circumstances through a telescope, rather than a microscope. When we face a challenge such as cancer, we often think of pain, procedures, weakness and death. We view how it affects ourselves and perhaps loved ones around us. That is the microscope view of this trial. God sees our cancer as a small piece to His puzzle that is the universe. You have to look through a telescope to see this, but there are so many connected things going on. He is using this to impact us, our families, friends, co-workers, medical workers and so many people that we do not even know. A trial such as this may be the greatest opportunity in our lives to touch so many lives.

My wife and I experienced this firsthand a few years back. After our first daughter Hannah was born, my wife had three miscarriages in nine months with the last one requiring emergency surgery. This was a very difficult time for us. We dealt with all of the pain, doubts and questions. We tried to trust God through it even though we did not understand it. I will never fully understand on this side of heaven why this happened, but James reminds us that this was for a purpose. The results were that our faith grew, we appreciated the blessing of children much more, and we realized the ability to minister to others who suffer this loss. This is not a road we would have chosen, but God blessed our travel down it. God eventually blessed us with two more daughters and we appreciated them so much more because of these trials. However, as tragic and painful our losses were, they pale in comparison to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. The answer lies in how Jesus handled his tribulation. Find some time later today and read John 17 and see Christ’s beautiful prayer for Himself, His disciples and for us. He suffered, was tortured and brutally murdered. He was cursed on our behalf, so that we might have the greatest blessing that the world has ever known as James reminds us in verse 18, “By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.” That is a blessing that we need to be thankful for.

The Dreaded Schedule

2009-11-16T10:38:00.002-06:00

I hate schedules. I love schedules. I don't know if something confounds me more than schedules. I don't like them because I want to flexibility and freedom to "fly by the seat of my pants" if I want to. I don't like to be dictated to which reveals the "control freak" nature that I tend to have. I love schedules because I know what is going on and what is to come. If I go to a conference I want a detailed schedule. In other words, I want my cake and eat it too!!!

I have come to realize that I need a schedule, a detailed schedule. My ADD brain goes bonkers without one. If I can harness that with a schedule, then I can be so very productive. This is also important for my family. My dear sweet wife has her hands full with three little ones and homeschooling one of those. We a need a schedule for all of this to schedule in the work, school, chore and play time that we all need. Pray for us!

The Myth of Adolescence

2009-11-12T07:59:00.000-06:00

I stumbled across this video from mark Driscoll on the myth of adolescence. I actually agree with Driscoll on this! Adolescence is the product of industrialized consumerism. Boys never had the opportunity to have a time of "transition" from childhood to adulthood. It was a shift that usually was abrupt and necessary. Young men were needed to work and protect. There was no time for fun and games until after responsibilities had been done.

I Hate Debt!!!

2009-11-05T14:46:00.000-06:00

"The latest statistics from the Federal Reserve indicate that the total amount of consumer debt outstanding remained fairly steady in 2007. In case you're wondering the total amount of consumer debt in the United States stands at nearly $2.6 trillion dollars - and based on the latest Census statistics, that works out to be nearly $8,500 in debt for every man, woman and child that lives here in the US." from Money-zine.com

This enslaves almost everyone in our nation and it enslaves most Christians and hinders them from doing many of the things that God has called them to. This includes me. I have stupid tax with zeroes on the end as Dave Ramsey would say, but we are beginning to attack it. I sure do appreciate my wife's gazelle intensity when it comes to debt. I have learned so much from her and want to attack this her her and our family. If you have debt, then listen to Dave and get out of bondage!!!

Rethinking Christmas

2009-11-04T10:35:00.000-06:00

I came across this site and watched the video and it tapped right into what I have been feeling for a few years. Christmas is about Christ, not stuff. Especially having children it becomes very clear where the priorities are at the sweet time of Advent. We should be celebrating the gift of God's Son, not iPods and sweaters. I am not saying that Christians should not give gifts, but they should be meaningful, purposeful and memorable. Materialism has gown rampant in our nation. There is nothing inherently wrong with money or stuff, but the Bible is clear that the LOVE of those things is evil. I catch myself coveting stuff way to often. Watch this video and let me know what you think about it.

The Theology of Kenny Chesney

2009-11-03T10:19:00.002-06:00

Perhaps you never thought that a country music star and theology could be combined into a coherent discussion, but it is sadly true. About a year ago, Chesney released a song titled Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven. The catch phrase in the song says, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to go know." The catchy beat of the steel drums masks the sad and serious truth of this song.

We put so much value on things here on earth, that we actually want to delay the joy of Heaven. As you ponder that song, it is very convicting. It causes you to ask yourself, "Would I be willing to drop everything and go to Heaven right this second?" Can I see a show of hands? Not many do I see. We give lip-service to loving God and spending eternity with Him, but it is usually centered around us and how the pains of this world will be absent. I think this attitude also shows how few Christians there really are. A genuinely saved person should want to be his their Savior right now. Unfortunately, our flesh has strong appetites for the mud pies of this world.

My Dad and I had a discussion about this song a few months back. He brought it up as he said when he heard the song he pondered it for a couple of hundred miles. I think the scary thing is that non-Christians do not see a ravenous hunger in Christians to leave this world behind. We all do not have the choice to choose the time of our departing this world, but he do have the choice to not be rooted in it. Earth is not the natural home for Christians and I think we all need to start acting in a way to demonstrate that.

The Threat of Mandatory Vaccinations

2009-10-26T10:21:00.000-05:00

The Threat of Mandatory Vaccinations

Good information on the h1n1 vaccine as well as the actions of our Congress to "protect us".

Quote for today...

2009-10-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

"How many observe Christ's birth-day! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments." Benjamin Franklin

1,400 and counting

2009-10-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

This is absolutely amazing! Rachel Krishevsky dies last month at 99 and the best estimates are that she leaves behind approximately 1,400 descendants! Wow! Praise God for her faithfulness and her embracing the joy and blessing of children. She had 11 children who had 150 grandchildren who had about 1,000 great-grandchildren and there are already about 200 great-great grandchildren. This is an awesome blessing, but one that the eco-terrorists will use as an example to implement population limits....you do know that this is their goal don't you? I hope that Rachel followed Christ and is now enjoying the fruit of her womb with Him.

I.O. U.S.A.

2009-10-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

Every American should be required to watch this video about our nation's debt. This affects YOU!!!

Long time...no post

2009-10-05T13:11:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been an interesting Summer and transition into Fall. The change in seasons has brought me to a new place to serve through my employment. I left SunTrust to take a position with LifeWay Christian Resources. The change is very dramatic, but the effects have been dramatic as well. Getting to work in an environment with like-minded people has been very refreshing. My stress levels have been nearly non-existent with the only stress being all of the names, log-ins, systems, and mental map of the 17-acre campus. Praise God for His faithfulness in His timing.

Protect Parental Rights

2009-06-27T17:42:00.000-05:00

Parental Rights are under attack. There is a strong movement in Congress for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty to be ratified. Although well intentioned, this treaty essentially gives ultimate power over how a child is raised to the government. If ratified, this treaty, like any other, supercedes any Federal, State or Local law to the contrary. Scared yet, you should be.

Concerned parents have come together to have a voice and ask our members of Congress to pass a Parental Rights Amendment that would guarantee that parents have the right and authority to raise their children as they believe. Please take a moment and visit ParentalRights.org and get more information and join the fight to protect your rights as a parent. Otherwise, they will be usurped by the State.

Gotta Confess

2009-06-27T17:31:00.000-05:00

I have been a terrible blogger. As if anyone reads this anyway, but oh well. I have been convicted about slacking in many areas. I have done enough to get by, but I have not done well at much of anything. Time to shape up. I have a million things to do around the house, inside and out. I need to prepare better for the life groups that I lead. Most importantly, I need to be more intentional in serving my wife and children and leading them down the glorious path. Oh, I need to be a better blogger too!

Marriage and Cow Pies

2009-05-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

This is good stuff from John Piper. I never thought that I would ever hear him say the word "cowpie" so many times in my life let alone in one sermon clip. Enjoy!

What a weekend!

2009-04-05T21:22:00.000-05:00

We went to Knoxville to my Dad and step-Mom's as we have not been there in a while. Her Dad wanted to take us all on a train ride. The girls loved it! Hannah even got to go into the locomotive to blow the whistle, but it was too loud, so she rang the bell instead. We had a good visit.
Then we came back this morning to be at the community One Sunday event at the Hoop on the TTU campus. It was good and they had an ex-mob guy as the speaker. Unfortunately, we had to leave a little early as the girls were getting too restless ( I guess 90 minutes in a car seat followed directly by 90 minutes on someone's lap is not terribly exciting to those 5 and under.)
We had a good life group discussion tonight and now I am trying to figure out the weather. It was 75 degrees today and it is supposed to snow tomorrow and tomorrow night. What a weekend!

Win a Calfskin Version of the ESV Study Bible and check out a new blog!

2009-02-24T19:56:00.001-06:00

I heard about this great blog today that is celebrating it's one year anniversary. They are offering a contest and giving away a Calfskin ESV Study Bible. Check them out at BoomerinthePew.com and see for yourself.

Our Miracle Baby

2009-01-20T13:56:00.000-06:00

Today, our miracle baby turned five. Hannah Grace came into the world and into our arms. She was so beautiful, almost as beautiful as her mother. We were so excited and terrified, but we really did not know how our lives would change forever. That Tuesday, we had a little blessing from God. Two days later we took her home. I can’t remember the last time that I have driven so slowly on the Interstate. My mom was with us as we brought our bundle of joy into our humble little home. Then, that evening my lovely bride went in to check on her and noticed her lips looked a little blue. She picked her up and realized that she was not breathing. She yelled for me and I came running. I tried getting her to breathe and it was not working. Misty called 911 while my mom and I were trying to get little Hannah (weighing only about 5lbs. 11 oz. at this point) to breathe. The operator put Misty on hold and she then picked up her cell phone and was calling our friend Meredith, who is a nurse. The thought crossed my brain about losing our precious baby girl on the day we brought her home. There are no words to describe our feelings at this point.

I started doing to back blows with Hannah on my arm as the 911 operator suggested. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Hannah coughed and started breathing again. The ambulance arrived and Misty rode in it while my mom and I followed behind. The folks in the ER were nice, but were starting to chalk the whole experience up to new parents freaking out. Meredith arrived in the ER and acted as our translator and was not giving in to the attitude that nothing serious happened. Then, it happened again. Hannah’s blood oxygen level began dropping and they realized that she was choking again. They cleared out her mouth and throat and she began breathing again. They finally took this seriously.

They decided to put her in an isolation nursery room with a nurse watching her around the clock. She had one more choking episode that night and then no more. They never figured out exactly what it was. Maybe it was amniotic fluid that did not get out of her lungs. Finally, on Saturday, we were able to bring her home….with a catch. The doctor wanted her to have a sleep monitor on her to monitor her breathing. The owner of the medical supply company, Mr. Chaffin, drove all the way from Nashville to bring the machine to us and show us how to hook it up. Hannah was so tiny in that monitor. After he left, the monitor screamed at us and we panicked. However, we realized that she was still breathing. I adjusted it. It screamed. I tweaked it. It still screamed again. I stayed in the nursery watching her and trying to adjust the machine. It just did not work. I finally laid down on the floor at the foot of her crib and fell asleep, periodically waking up to check her. My mom spelled me at about 3am after a feeding. What a night, but we made it. The next few nights, Hannah spent sleeping in her stroller at an incline in our room.

We had to keep the monitor a few more weeks, but it never really worked right. We jumped at the slightest gag or cough and it was terrifying. We learned that it was ultimately not in our hands. God was in control. This was not a lesson learned overnight, by day-by-day trusting God for another safe and restful night.

Now, five years later, we have our sweet girl Hannah. She is so sweet and a beautiful and smart. She had no ill effects from the choking even though the doctor had her take an MRI at one point to confirm that she had no brain damage. She is a fantastic big sister to Rebekah and Emma. She is a happy and healthy little girl. She is our miracle baby and we thank God every day for her.

We Have A New President

2009-01-20T13:55:00.000-06:00

We have a new President. I am praying for him. I didn’t vote for him (or that other candidate either, but I did vote), but I am still praying for him. President Obama (the first President with a three syllable last name since Kennedy I believe….I’ll give you a minute to work back through the list….) has a full plate of issues waiting for him when he makes it back to the White House this afternoon. I pray that he will seek out the Lord’s wisdom with every one of them. I pray that he will protect life at all stages. I pray that he will end our government’s dependence upon debt. I pray that he will not extend special statuses to groups who make their own life choices. I pray that he will avoid conflict if possible, but follow the Lord into battle when necessary. I pray that he will protect the rights of parents to choose how they care, raise and educate their children. I pray that he would scale back the government to its role as defined by the Constitution. I pray that he would rise above party politics and cling to those principles of our founders. I pray that he would be an amazing husband and a super father. I pray that he would be the spiritual leader of his family. I pray that he would surround himself with a great cloud of witnesses. I pray that he would worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength. If this humble prayer is answered, then this nation might once again be great.

The Faith of Our Next President

2008-11-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

I saw today that a full transcript came out on an interview that Obama did with a Chicago Tribune reiligion reporter four years ago when he was running for the U.S. Senate. It confirmed my worst fears, in that he claims the label of Christianity, but embraces very little of the truth of the gospel. This man is not a Christian by his own admissions. He has "his" faith and "his" god, but he thinks that Jesus was just a good teacher. Obama did not get my vote (neither did McCain, just for the record), but this man has my prayers. This interview shows how desparately he needs prayers from Christians around the world.

Nifty Web Site

2008-11-15T07:21:00.000-06:00

I was reading a blog this morning and I saw a link that I had to try. The site is called Cyber Hymnal. It has over 7,100 Christian hymns and songs and most all of them have a MIDI tune that plays, so even if you find songs that you have never heard before, you can learn the melody. I just got through singing Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God".....in German (pretty rusty is my German). I may be a nerd, but that is cool!

Civics Lessons for Preschoolers

2008-11-10T20:26:00.000-06:00

It was cool that the day before the election last week that Hannah was asking why everyone was talking about voting. I was explaning to her about people going to vote for our next President and other things. She seemed perplexed, but interested. I had already voted early, but Misty had not, so I asked her to take Hannah with her. That morning, Hannah asked, "Mommy, where's the water?" Misty replied, "What water?" Hannah responded, "The water for the BOAT." Hannah thought everyone was saying boat instead of vote. Anyway, she went with Misty down to Baxter City Hall and saw the whole thing. It was so cool to see my four-year-old more interested in voting than most Amerucan adults.

I Went Exercising Yesterday....

2008-10-24T22:44:00.000-05:00

....Unfortunately not the kind that makes my doctor happy. I exercised my right to vote. I saw a statistic the other day that shocked me. It said that only about 50% of eligible American adults register to vote. Of those registered voters, only 50% of them actually vote. Since most Presidential elections are close and a slight majority elects the new one, only about 13% of eligible adults actually choose our next President. How crazy is that?!? I learned the importance of voting while in China. I was there during the 2000 election and unfortunately, I did not register for an absentee ballot. However, I was so thankful that I had the RIGHT to vote. None of my new Chinese friends had the right to vote. They had no say in their leadership at all. What a helpless feeling. Unfortunately, that constant state of not being in control, makes the Gospel much more comfortable to them than control freak Americans, who do not want to allow Christ to have Lordship over their lives.

The Sarah Palin Debate

2008-10-05T20:32:00.001-05:00

When John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, he sure made news. She is a woman, a wife, a mother, a former mayor, a current governor, and a moose hunter. Conservatives like her because she is pro-life and liberals hate her because......she is pro-life. Her political resume is certainly not long, but she appears to have accomplished a lot.

I have seen some articles questioning whether she is biblically qualified to be a leader. That is debateable. However, the question that I must raise, is whether or not it is in the best interest of her family that she run for Vice-President at this stage of her life. She has a husband and 4 children still at home, once of which has special needs. I know friends who have special needs children and they take a lot of time and attention, especially in the earlier years. Some would say that my question is not fair because she has a husband who can tend to the children while she fights the fires of the United States and the free world. However, that is not his God-ordained role. God did not give him a womb and the motherly instincts that children need. Could he raise the children? Absolutely. However, that is not the BEST choice for their children or their marrriage.

God has made us man and woman for many reasons. We are not genderless creatures who are blank slates when we enter the world as Descartes might say. God has hard-wired men with certain traits and women with others. Some of those traits overlap and some do not. This is why one man and one woman complement each other in marriage. As Larry Burkett used to say, if two people in a marriage are exactly alike, then one of them is unnecessary.

Holding Wall Street's Feet to the Fire

2008-09-25T08:07:00.000-05:00

I can hold back no longer. I am appalled at Wall Street, the President, and the Chairmen of the Federal Reserve and Treasury all clamoring for a taxpayer funded bailout with an initial price tag of $700-800 Billion (that’s $700,000 to 800,000 Million dollars). This is nuts! Where in the constitution does it say that the Federal Government is responsible to bail anybody out of anything?

Here is a good link (http://mises.org/story/3117 ) to a reasonable, although a bit more technical view, of this situation. I just had to vent.

Father's Day

2008-06-14T09:50:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Father's Day and this brings a lot of things to mind. Obviously it brings to mind my own Dad whom I love very much. After hearing about the sudden death of Tim Russert yesterday, it really makes me appreciate the time that I have with my Dad. He is about Mr. Russert's age and it makes me wonder about when that time will come when I will have to say good-bye to him on this earth. Sobering.

It also makes think about my own family. I am now the father of three beautiful little girls, and I am so unworthy to be their Dad. Along with being Misty's husband, being a Dad is the best job ever! I fell like I am in training still after almost 4 1/2 years, but I want to continually get better and push my family towards Christ at all costs.

Then I also remember that I have another Father. This Father loved me enough to set aside a moment and create me. He also sent His Son down here to serve, suffer and die so that I may glorify my Father in heaven for all of eternity. I want to be sure to remember that Father on Father's Day. He doesn't want a tie or a fishing hat, He just wants my undivided attention and my undying love for Him. Striving for that is the absolute least I can do for my Father.

Baxter, TN Fire

2008-03-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I woke up this morning and happened to hear about "Breaking News" out of Baxter, TN. They said that 45% of the downtown strip was on fire. I couldn't believe it as I had heard nothing, no sirens, anything. So, I got dressed and walked down there and a few buildings had burned, but it was not half of downtown. Anyway, I took a little video clip for anyone who wants to it.

Families that worship together, stay together

2008-02-26T08:40:00.000-06:00

Over the past couple of years, my eyes have been open to something that I think has assisted to the drastic decline in the faith of young people, the fact that churches are segregating families from each other. Many families in many churches look like this:

The family arrives together in the family vehicle. Then Bobby goes to his fourth grade class which Suzy goes to her 2nd grade class. Little Jake gets dropped oof in the nursery. Mom goes to a womens class and Dad goes to a men's class. Then, after Sunday School, Bobby and Suzy go to "Children's Church", Jake stays in the nursery, and Mom and Dad go to "Big Church". The family is not united together again until they get in the car to leave!

This really troubles me and and really has caused me to research alternatives. The Family Integrated Church appears to be a viable alternative. The family is the central social unit in the Bible. Now by "family", I am defining it as a household, whether a family/household of one (a single adult), two (a married man and woman), or more (parent(s) with a child(ren). A great article was just pulled out of the archives by John and Noel Piper that addresses the issue of families worshipping together. Dr. Voddie Baucham exhorted this in his "The Centrality of the Home" message that has sent shock waves amongst church leaders.

This is a sensitive issue, but I would love to hear some feedback.

Soli Deo Gloria!

2008-02-26T08:21:00.000-06:00

Sunday was an amazing, yet incredibly humbling and sobering time. Along with three good and godly men, I was ordained into ministry. It is is something that I have wrestled with for years. I knew that God called me to ministry about 10 years ago, but I never felt worthy of it. Through all the training that I received and ministry I did with Campus Outreach in college, through my year serving in China, through serving in the local church, I have never, ever felt worthy of the calling. Hearing our elders read over the qualifications again on Sunday, made me quiver. I know my failings and beat myself up with them many times just as Martin Luther with his ropes. However, during this time, God has shown me that this is exactly what makes His grace so beautiful. If He can use a wretch like me to help others along this journey, then it only exalts His greatness. Soli Deo Gloria!

The Church needs more of this...

2008-02-06T12:48:00.000-06:00

....more wisdom on Biblical masculinity from John Piper. Can I be like him when I grow up? I would love to hear some feedback on this....that is if anybody is actually reading. :)

It's Official!!!

2008-02-06T12:44:00.000-06:00

I'm officially a weather nut. After all of the activity last night, I started my own weather blog. I have just always been fascinated by the weather, perhaps growing up in OK and TX where weather watching was a "hobby" before storm chasing made it cool. I think it also teaches us so much about who God is and how powerful He is. Anyway, I guess this is more evidence if I ever need to be committed as a result of my weather habit.

Prayers for Tornado Victims

2008-02-06T09:35:00.000-06:00

I should be celebrating Mike Huckabee's victory in Tennessee. Unfortunately, it is backpage news due to all of the tornadoes last night. All night, there were storms and tornado warnings. Memphis was hit hard, then Jackson and Union University got smacked, then this one supercell came up out of Mississippi and methodically cut a diagonal path across Tennessee and went up into Kentucky. This cell periodically dropped to the ground and pulled up. Thankfully, it was in a weakened cycle as it went over downtown Nashville. But, unfortunately, some rural counties suffered. Last count I saw was 24 dead in Tennessee alone and about 50 across the South. Union University was hit hard as about 1/3 of the campus was severely damaged. Thankfully, we were spared in this area. God be with all of those suffering families.

Photo from

Church Growth

2008-01-31T13:13:00.000-06:00

After reading Brian Tubbs' article on Church Growth, I was reminded of a misconception about all of the "crowds" that we see with Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus did not seek out the crowds, the crowds sought Him. As Brian stated, Jesus spent most of His time with the few devoted disciples. People were attracted to Him by the things they saw and heard Him do and so when He did stop to speak, the crowds followed. The models of the early church all point to smaller gatherings, not regular gatherings of thousands. I think this misunderstanding of the Scriptures has been used to validate the Mega Church model which is so popular today. I would argue that the most effective model is a smaller church that is growing and therefore constantly planting other churches.

Church, it is a big deal

2008-01-16T10:20:00.000-06:00

Well, just over a week ago, some friends (and new friends) got together to discuss church. It sounds somewhat simple and silly, but it is a huge deal. Most people who go to church, don't understand what the church really is designed to be and how it has wandered away from it's purpose.

We had a good discussion, but after almost 4 hours, we had barely gotten started. The issue is so sensitive and we all approach the subject with different leanings and experiences.

I hope to share a lot on this subject as I have been doing a lot of reading on this. I encourage everyone to not assume what they think the church should be about, but dig in to the Bible and other good resources to see for yourself. You might be surprised. Did I mention that I like suprises? :)

And the winner is....

2008-01-16T10:14:00.000-06:00

Since everything on TV is canceled or moved because of the writers' strike (keep striking as maybe people will quit watching so much tv and actually spend time with other people, what a novel concept!) I thought I would announce a winner. It looks like Emma Kathryn is the name for the next little Heitman who is due to arrive in may. The spelling is still up for grabs, but the name is the real deal after intense deliberations and negotiations in the Heitman household. Perhaps the idea of having a boy next time, would be easier as we have two, lonely, unused boy names waiting for a home. :) Anyway, we eagerly await our newest arrival.

It's a......

2007-12-28T10:27:00.000-06:00

......beautiful and healthy little girl! That's right, we found out last night that the next little Heitman is a girl. We are all excited. When we found out, we told Hannah and she started jumping up and down because she was so excited. Everything looked good from the ultrasound and we are still on track for an early to mid-May arrival. I guess maybe I need to get a male dog or something to help even out the hormone equation in the house! :)

Women in Combat

2007-11-06T13:44:00.001-06:00

I came across this astonishing article from John Piper. I think that in the cultural battlefield, he is defining courage with this article. I believe that he says what most people are thinking, but most people are afraid to say it. Most importantly, Piper is looking at it from the perspective of scripture. Did God create and design women to be warriors? Absolutely not. There are obviously some women who are physically gifted and can handle many of the rigors of combat. That is not the point. The point is that God has created men to defend and fight, despite the odds. The root issue here is not gender equality, but rather God's sovereignty.

I Like Mike!!!

2007-10-25T13:09:00.001-05:00

I don't like Mike, but I do. Confused? Going through life with the name Michael has some drawbacks, first, it seems every other guy has that name, so when I'm out and about, I hear someone shout, "Michael!" and start looking around. Usually they are not looking for me, but I still have to look. The other thing, is everyone wants to call you Mike. I hate that name. I don't know why, but I feel strongly that my name is Michael, not Mike.

Anyway, I do like Mike. Mike Huckabee that is. I have followed the long and winding trail that is the campaign for the 2008 Presidential Elections. Being conservative, I have watched Republican candidates closely. I have not been impressed for the most part. I feel that I have strongly settled on one candidate and that is Mike Huckabee. Is he perfect, nope. Is the prettiest, nope. Is he the smartest, maybe not. Is he a man of conviction that will fight for families, faith and traditional values, ABSOLUTELY. I believe that he is a man of conviction that can communicate that in a way that most voters appreciate. He is a leader who can stand firm without making you feel run over.

I came across a great post today, that gives you more info on him. I like Mike, do you?

Marriage is beautiful, Money is dumb.

2007-10-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

I came across this apalling article by Money magazine entitled Is marriage a dumb move? . It basically encourages people not to get married, but rather live together in an effort to protect wealth. This is the state of our culture, Americans value money more than marriage. We value stuff more than relationships. Do you think that I am wrong? Look at most families which are decimated because both parents work, purposefully put their children in daycare, work late hours for what?.....so they can go DEEPER in debt so they can have more stuff.

I am becoming more and more convinced that we need to STOP everything we are doing, do a hard house cleaning, and get focused on the right things. Our families are being destroyed over big screen TVs and shiny H3s. Sorry for the rant, but it is really beginning to weigh heavy on me.

Freedom is not Free!

2007-09-18T09:23:00.000-05:00

God bless you and your sacrifice Lance and May God be with your family.

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3033496.html

An interesting situation...

2007-09-17T13:03:00.000-05:00

I came across this blog entry about a guy in a tough situation in regards to his church membership status and baptism. It got my head spinning and I posted a response on his entry. This is an unusual situation. It is not the typical infant baptism/believer's baptism debate between Protestants. This is specifically over the method of baptism and the submission to the authority of church leadership. Read, think, pray.

Another blessing!

2007-09-17T12:57:00.001-05:00

God is so good to us! He has blessed us with another child! Wow! It is awesome (and a little overwhleming)! Today we say the scan and there was a gestational sack and a tiny flutting heart beat. We lost three unborn children very early in a nine-month span between Hannah and Rebekah, so a positive pregnancy test creates some anxiety for us as we wait to get test results and then a healthy ultrasound scan. Hannah is so excited and is ready for another baby to come out of Mommy's tummy and rebekah is as clueless as any 8 month old should be. This child will be close to Rebekah, but children are a blessing. Despite ANYTHING that people around us may say, this is a blessing and not a burden. Celebrate with us!

Welcome Jennifer Danielle!

2007-08-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Well the Duggars welcomed Jennifer Danielle into their family on Thursday. She is child number 17 in this wonderful family. It amazes me how so many people berate such a wonderful family with such great children. The world needs more children like this. They are not selfish and self-seeking like many children today. I think that many of the critics of this family like to bash them and share crude jokes is that they can't do the job that Jim Bob and Michelle do. It is true. Look at most families in America today, where the parents do very little in actually raising their children. They allow the schools, television and the xbox raise their children. The parents provide for them and drive them all over the place taking them from activity to activity, but they do not do anything together as a family. That's ok, because most of the critics are secular progressives who are not even having enough children to replace themselves, so they will be gone in a couple of generations.

Minnesota Bridge Collapse - A Parent's Perspective

2007-08-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you Pastor John Piper for this beautiful post. It is a great example to other parents who want to know how to share events like this with their children. Pastor John makes it clear, teach them to see it as God does and not as our flesh does.

God be with everyone in the Minneapolis area during this time, especially those who have lost loved ones, are recovering, or still searching. God bless those working tirelessly in the rescue and recovery efforts. May Christ be exalted, even in an event such as this.

Bye, Bye Big Tex

2007-07-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

For those of you who do not know, I am a tortured soul. I am a life-long, suffering, fan of the Texas Rangers (the baseball team, not the guys riding around on horses or Chuck Norris either.) I have been a fan since I was 12 years-old. Today they traded one of their best players, 1st Baseman Mark Texiera, for a bunch of young guys from the Atlanta Braves. It was a good trade for both teams, but it signals that my poor, poor Rangers will not be competing for any titles anytime soon. Bye, bye Big Tex, we'll miss you, but not the mondo 9-figure contract you will be looking for after 2008.

Not such a heavy subject

2007-07-27T12:18:00.001-05:00

I have been a little heavy on the topics lately. This one is a little heavy, but in a good way. It has rained for a number of days straight! If you do not live in Middle Tennessee right now, then you have no idea what that means. It has been unbelievably dry this year. In fact we have been in a Severe to Exceptional drought this year. This means that I have not had to water my garden ALL WEEK! That will help the water bill which topped out at about $55 last month. Ouch! The Cookeville Weather Guy says it will be hot again next week. Oh well, I guess it is still July and nearly August. That still doesn't mean that I have to like it!

Children are a heritage from the Lord

2007-07-23T12:31:00.000-05:00

I happened to find out today that the Duggar family in Arkansas is expecting their 17th (no, that is not a typo) 17th child any day now. I think that is awesome. However, the Duggars have created plenty of controversy. They have received comments ranging from praise to the profane. Their family really struck me at first as odd. I mean that IS a BUNCH of kids! Their story is so genuine and they do not try to push their convictions on others. As I dug into their family story I realized that they were just taking God's word at face value when it comes to children. Children are a blessing, a heritage, a reward from God (see Plasms 127 and 128.) The other thing is that the number of children we have is in God's hands, not ours. Misty and I have come to see this on the other side of losing three unborn children in a nine-month span between Hannah and Rebekah. I really feel that God would bless so many Christian couples if they would surrender this area of their life to Him. Through this couple has brought (soon) 17 Godly children into the world who can be lights in the darkness. How awesome is that!

2007-07-10T14:38:00.000-05:00

“You do not honor fully what you don’t enjoy. God is not glorified fully in merely being known; he is glorified by being known and enjoyed so deeply that our lives become a display of his worth.” – John Piper

This idea continues to grip me. Do I REALLY enjoy God? Do I REALLY enjoy getting into the word (even Leviticus ?!?)? Do I REALLY enjoy memorizing scripture? Do I REALLY enjoy sharing my faith? Those questions hit deep, especially since the answers to some of them or no or not so much. I need a desire to desire. God deserves my desire for Him, so why do I hold it back for such trivial things? God has created me to enjoy Him and let other see me doing it!

2007-07-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

I read this article today about Charles Darwin and his loss of the ability to appreciate beauty. It is such a sad insight into the life of a bright, yet misguided man. The phrase "We become what we behold" keeps ringing in my mind. Darwin became so mechanical in what he did, that he actually took on the characteristics of a machine. I don't want to do that, not in my relationship with God, my sweet wife, my children, or anyone else. I pray that I would not take things for granted and that I would appreciate the little beauties in life that we see every day and enjoy them and the One who made them.

2007-07-07T17:55:00.000-05:00

I have really been wrestling with what the Bible says the church should look like and how it should minister. I guess this is the convergence of a lot of things. First, earlier this year Misty and I discovered this idea of the Family Integrated Church which strives for families to worship together rather than separate as they do in most churches. Second, we are praying about whether or not to be a part of a church plant in the small town where we live. Third, God just seems to have it on our hearts and I think one day God will have us start a church. I just see how churches today do not seem to be placing the bible as it's authority and guide. Churches today want to follow a model after some popular mega church like Willow Creek, Saddleback, or Northpoint. Those are pretty good churches, but are they what God desires and what lasting impact on lives are they really having? I don't know, that is why I am wrestling with this. More thoughts later.

2007-07-04T12:15:00.000-05:00

Well, our 2007 summer day camp is done! Whew! It was a lot of work, but worth more than the effort that goes into it. We had 32 campers, 5 counselors, 13 teenage support staff and other volunteers. Our theme was "Be Strong" based on Ephesians 6:10. We focused on the Full Armor of God with the campers as we looked at new pieces each day. At night, the support staff and counselors studied the book of Ephesians, with the counselors going in-depth and learning to use tools like exhaustive concordances and word study dictionaries. We had good weather for the most part, except for family night when it poured. It did get hot one day when it got up to 92 in the shade with high humidity, but that's why the waterslide helps cool us all off! :)

2007-04-17T16:16:00.000-05:00

I came across and interesting blog and read a coherent look at the Roe v. Wade issue. It was very logical and thought out. However, I disagreed with it as I feel the author alluded to the point that the laws of the U.S. superceded the authority of God. Below was my response:

From a pure legal perspective, Roe v. Wade makes some sense. The laws of our land are generally good and we are privileged to live in the greatest country in the world despite all of its quirks and faults (myself included). However, the Consitution because of its brilliance has become its own American religion. People actually walk around with copies of the constituion in their pocket like it is a holy scripture.
This has led to the attitude of entitlement through rights. Everyone has the right to this or the right to that. Legally that is true in most cases and generally good for our society. However, spiritually, this has been perhaps the most damaging development to the church in America. People believe that they have rights when it comes to their relationship with God. We do not. God created us and can end that creation at any time in any way He sees fit. He alone is in control of our eternal conditions whether salvation or condemnation. We do not have the right to disagree with God. He allows us the freedom to disagree, but He will one day hold us accountable for our actions.
God's word makes it clear that children are a blessing from Him. They are not a requirement and He does not give that blessing to every couple for whatever reason. However, when He does give us that blessing, we do not have the right of refusal. We are not in control. We do NOT have a choice. This is an area where God's will supcedes the laws of our land. That is a scary thing for many Americans, which is why most Americans are not Christians. Americans do not like to give up control. Following Christ requires it. Who are we to say that our convenience supercedes the life of an unborn child. Other faiths understand this. Muslims are adament against this. It is generally only people in Hellenistic minded cultures where freedom rules supreme that this is really an issue. Freedom is a wonderful thing, but not when it becomes our god.

2007-04-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have no words to describe the tragedy at Virginia Tech yesterday. I'm truly at a loss. So many questions and so few answers. So much grief and so little joy. Students with their lives ahead of them, doing the right things, slaughtered in classrooms.

I nearly went to Virginia Tech. I graduated high school in Northern Virginia and many of my classmates went there. I applied, but chose to go to Arkansas instead. My best friend in high school, Rob, ended up at VT. It's a small world.

I know God is in complete control, but these events are the ones that cause me to ask Him, why? I know that based on our own efforts, we all desrve nothing better than the fate of the victims, but still, why?

I have been reading on the Internet about it all. I came across a student blog where he is giving the world a student's eye view of it all. I also found a news site run by folks in Blacksburg and seeing thier reporting. They will still be there the weeks and months ahead after, CNN, Fox and everybody else is long gone.

Then this morning, perspective hits me. This is everyday stuff in Iraq right now. Not to get political with this, but seriously, every single day, stuff like this happens in Iraq. Dozens are slaughtered in a suicide bomb blast or a mass murder. My friend Jason is there right now in the Army and he has seen it. People want us to cut and run from it so that it can happen more frequently? Would Americans want us to cut and run from VT right now? Of course not! So why should we abandon the poor people in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Why are we not helping to stop the genocide in Darfur? Americans, were once known as rough and tumble cowboys, are now soft and pudgy. We have everything we need, except oil, so we do not need to get involved. Last time I checked though, God made us all. If we do not try to help others who are hurting, then why should anyone help us. What happened to the Good Samaritan spirit in America. Lawyers probably litgated it away.

One day, we will stand before God and we will all be held to account for our actions. Those times of cutting and running will be brought to account. Thankfully, those moments where we sacrifice, as that Professor did yesterday when he blocked the door with his body and gave his life to help his students, will be remembered as well. Our deeds do not get us into heaven, only the blood of Christ is sufficient, but God will reward us for our efforts. There is nothing more beautiful ,I imagine, than to hear the Father say, "Well done."

May God be with everyone who has been impacted by this tragedy. I pray to God for comfort, healing and forgiveness. May He make good out of this heinous tragedy somehow.

2007-04-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across an interesting topic today. You can visit the Think Christian blog to see this discussion. It looks at a guy who had been convicted of molesting children in the past who wanted to be a part of a church. Obviously, people want to forgive and embrace people regardless of past mistakes, but at the same time you have to be smart and protective. You want to protect that person from making another mistake that could damage another person (particularly a child) and themselves. It's a hard issue. Something to think about.

2007-04-09T10:11:00.000-05:00

Well since at least one inquiring mind wants to know. I have been just slammed by God on so much lately, but it all has been so good. In essence, God has challenged me to get in His word more and make my decisions for me and my family, the church, job, etc. by running it through God's word. This is extremely difficult because as I do this, this I see how much of my life is based on tradition and culture rather than God's word. This is the same for the church. Our churches are dying because they have abandoned the biblical model for the church in the Bible. The church is to be elder led and focused on preaching and teaching the word to men and women who in turn teach their children. It is NOT the church's job to disciple children and youth, it is the job of the parents, and more importantly the Dads! Christian men need to buck up and take responsibility for the spiritual formation of their families. I am really grasping this idea of the Family Integrated Church idea and I am glad that guys like Voddie Bauchum and Albert Mohler are promoting it. There is so much more at stake than just ourselves. If you click on the link above to Voddie's talk, it will blow you away. He was saying all of this to a bunch of SBC pastors in texas. Now that is strong and courageous! Lots more on this to come.

2007-04-03T14:34:00.000-05:00

I have moved the family stuff to its own blog so as to not clog up this one and visa versa. Now I have more room and freedom to blog away!!! This is good because God has really been working in me something fierce as of late. I hope to spill out some of those things later. Here's the link to the family stuff. Enjoy!

2007-02-14T12:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a post with some thoughts from a friend who is serving in Iraq right now. I think it is a poignant look at the world from a soldier's perspective. It has been slightly edited because this is a family blog. Enjoy!

The wife of one of the lieutenants in this battalion went to a "peace protest" in Washington DC. Her presence was not the issue or even her thoughts, but to hold a sign that says "Bring My Husband Home Now" and reference his unit is wrong. This is disheartening to the unit and the army. The soldiers here do not want to be here, this place isn't a vacation. But we all know that we'll come home after the mission is complete; then and only then. To leave the mission undone is unthinkable and a disgrace to everyone who has paid with their lives. I humbly ask you all to not vocally or overtly protest the war or American presence here. The liberal media will use that to crush our morale. No one needs to hear that war is he**. Every soldier knows that because HE is the one who has to bear the burden. Jane Fonda doesn't know anything about sacrifice or duty or honor. She can go to he**. I'll come home when the mission is complete. If we get extended, I'll come home later. Until then, I will continue to do my job. Tell others about this. The day is not far away when soldiers will return home to an ungrateful nation. We are repeating 1969 and I expect liberal wackos to call soldiers names and spit on them, especially in the Pacific Northwest. God help them if I see it because I'll just plead PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in court.

We are at war. There is an enemy who wants to destroy us. Just because we can't call him by a nationality or put a face on it, doesn't mean he is less real. We've seen him, and we've killed a lot of them. We will win in Iraq, but we can still lose in the US. Everyday, people tell us they want us here because they feel safe when we are around. There are people here who want us to leave. They want us to leave so they can continue their sectarian cleansing unchallenged. The headlines post a body count of innocent people killed, and the press wants us to LEAVE?!? What sense does that make? That's like telling a fireman to come out of a burning building because he may get burned. If we can save people from the violence, this will be one of the best invested years of my life.

You can support us with your prayers, and by telling stupid people to sit down and shut up, or grab a gun and see what Iraq is really like. I will continue to be intolerant of uninformed people. I love you all, and hope to see you soon. Love, Jason.

Amen and come home soon Jason.

2007-01-02T17:38:00.000-06:00

Sorry it has been a while since posting, but we have been a little busy. I was finishing my two classes and my time at Sears. We have also been doing many things to our house to prepare for the arrival of little Rebekah. Well, she had a timetable of her own as she came into the world on CHRISTMAS MORNING. That's right, CHRISTMAS MORNING! Rebekah Noel arrived at 3:27 a.m. weighing 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 19.5 inches long. She is a beautiful little blessing and we are so glad she is here. Hannah is very excited about being a big sister and she is fascinated with little Rebekah. Misty is doing well after having what seemed to be the perfect delivery. We thank God so much for little Rebekah and all that He taught us on a two-year journey that started on Christmas Day 2004 and ended on Christmas Day 2006.

2006-11-23T09:11:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to pass along a Happy Thanksgiving shout out from Nashville. We are here with Misty's family as we will not be able to be here at Christmas because of Ms. Rebekah's pending arrival.

We are thankful for so much this year. Misty and I felt immediately after midnight on January 1 that this would be a year of relief, and it has (there is a funny story that goes with that if you are bold enough to ask.) He is certainly faithful.

So give thanks for all of your blessings, eat some turkey and then GO COWBOYS!!!

2006-11-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

We had a nice surprise a few days ago when our good friends Jason and Debbie came in town for a visit. Jason is in the Army and was sent to Iraq this past summer. He got a 2-week leave and they stopped in good ole Cookeville during that time. It was too short, but better than nothing. It is a hard place to be. Not long after being there, Jason had to help pack up the belongings of a fallen hero. I can't even imagine. We are praying for both of them as he is in Iraq and she is near Seattle (that's a foreign place for a Southern girl!) We love them both and want Jason home, safe and sound soon.

2006-11-21T21:46:00.000-06:00

We have updated the camp website, so feel free to check it out. It has the video slideshow from our 2006 camp. We used it at the ministry fair at our church recently and people loved it, especially those in it! I am going to the local association meeting next week to try and nail down dates for this next year. We have encountered some resistance, but I am confident that it can happen.

2006-11-21T21:13:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a while since posting. I am so terrible at this sometimes. I have been pretty busy lately. I have added a second job part-time at Sears. Woo Hoo!!! This was to help do some things to the house before Rebekah comes and to provide some cushion whenever my job goes bye-bye. It has been interesting to say the least. I work in hardware, and it is almost all college age guys and their conversations just floor me. It has been almost 10 years since I was in their shoes, living with a mindset of nothing but self-gratification. The need is real, that's for sure. I also have been taking two seminary classes that I had enrolled in back in August, before the Sears thing came around. They are in an 8-week format, so they are intense. Speaking of tense, it has been a little tense with me working 2 jobs and taking 2 classes and Misty being 34 weeks preganant and having a 2-year-old daughter. Whew!

Despite it all God is so good. There have been some positive developments with our camp. We are geeting more opportunities to share the vision and we have been building a base of people who are catching the vision. That is so exciting and encouraging. We are looking to expand camp next year to a 4-week program with 2 camp weeks in there. We need a lot of prayer over that.

All I can keep saying is that God is so faithful, eventhough we are not so often. He has been stretching us, but I feel it is for a purpose. He is not done yet, but He is building us for something. A godly lady we know shared that the other day and it was encouraging.

2006-08-30T23:16:00.000-05:00

What a night we had at The Gathering Sunday night. It was the first night with Tech students back for the Fall semester. We have not done any major promo yet, but we were still packed out in our little space, 60+. It was great! Only one problem, it was SO STINKIN' HOT! All of those bodies in there, it was pretty steamy during worship. It was so hot, that I ran down to Walgreen's and bought a fan to help out because the little air conditioner couldn't handle the heat. Hopefully, we will be finding some bigger space soon. Definitely by the 10th when we start the iDate series. Keep prayin' about it and see what God wants to do. Also pray about all of the new faces that we have met.

2006-08-30T22:27:00.000-05:00

YEAH GOD!!! Yesterday was Misty's birthday and she got the best present ever. Hannah had her 6 month follow-up after her surgery in February to fix her urinary reflux. That is a pretty tramatic thing for a two-year-old and her parents! Anyway, they did the tests and confirmed that she no longer has refulx and she can stop taking anti-biotics every night. She has been taking antibiotics every night for over 18 months to keep her from getting more infections. This is such an answered prayer. Now we have to pray that little Rebekah does not have it, as the doctor said that there is a 25-30% chance that she may have it too. Happy Birthday Misty!

2006-08-22T22:16:00.000-05:00

Well, today we got to see Rebekah Noel up close and personal. She weighs a little over a pound and she is beautiful. It was so funny, because there was one shot the tech got that was exactly like an ultrasound picture of Hannah. (Most babies probably look the same in an ultrasound at 20 weeks.) Anyway, everything with her is fine and everything with Misty is fine. Yeah God!!! Now we just have to get the house ready for her arrival. Ay yah!

2006-08-07T01:16:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about a friend of mine who is in Iraq right now. His wife was in town from Seattle this weekend. I can't imagine how hard it is for both of them. Then I am reminded that thousands of families around the country are going through the same thing. Everytime the news reports an incident, they cringe. I am thankful for them, as we all should be. Whether or not you agree with certain politics, we should support these men and women who are protecting freedoms for us and others. I am proud of Jason and his troops. Freedom is not free. God bless you and God speed you home safely.

2006-08-07T01:11:00.000-05:00

I found out recently that my company is looking to offshore part of my department to India. I always knew it was a possibility, and earlier this year I knew it was being thought about. I did not think it would come about this soon. My job could be eliminated about the same time that Rebekah arrives. God has a strange sense of humor sometimes. However, I have been burdened to pray for those in India who will get these jobs. I just hope God puts the right people there who will use these jobs and its financial blessings for His work.

2006-08-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been a terrible blogger of late. This summer has been so very busy. So, let me update some things. Misty and the baby are doing well. We found out that the baby is a girl! She will be named Rebekah. Her middle name is up for grabs, but we have it narrowed down to two.

We are gearing up for fall at The Gathering. We have a lot to do. I'll meet Jim tomorrow to keep planning.

We are gearing up to help with the Kids Worship on Sunday mornings. We REALLY have a lot to do. We have a meeting Monday night and then start training volunteers.

It is so stinkin' hot and humid. It kinda reminds me of my year in SouthChina. Whew!

2006-07-09T23:31:00.000-05:00

I have really been wrestling with this idea of living a life of no excuses. I am reading this book called (appropriately) No Excuses by Kyle Maynard. He was born without fully developed arms and leggs. He has no hands or feet. However, he took a No Excuses mindset from his dad and overcame these challenges. He liked wrestling and inspite of his challenges, he wrestled his way to the Georgia State Tournament against normal kids. He even made the wrestling team at the University of Georgia. How amazing is that! His faith played a huge part in it. Our culture today is the breeding ground for the "Victim Mentality" where nobody takes responsibility for their actions. Everybody is looking for an excuse for the behavior and or circumstances. I know that I can be like that, but I don't want to be. I have to step up and allow God to lead me in dealing with the hand that I was dealt. No matter how bad it may seem at times, it is ALWAYS so much better than anything that I deserve. Sorry, just had to get that off of my chest.

2006-07-09T23:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I have been pretty terrible about keeping things up lately. This summer has been crazy. What has happened since the last post, well:

We had camp the first week of June, My folks arrived from North Dakota, My sister had a baby, We went to Gatlinburg for a few days, and we have been keeping an eye on the baby (now about 14 weeks along.)

Is that enough? Whew.

2006-06-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

Well, we are preparing for camp and we are running around like crazy. We are being a little ambitious in some areas. However, we have had some issues. I had a lovely little gall bladder attack last week which put me down for a few days. I have had to have a bunch of tests done since then, but thankfully, nothing too bad has shown up yet. Misty has been pretty sick (pregnancy has been known to cause that.) So, we are finishing up prep work. Training Staff and Support Staff will start arriving this weekend and camp starts on Monday. Our theme is Truth in Action as we focus on verses from I john. We are excited and we are praying for safety, good weather and an awesome time with God.

2006-05-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

It was a crazy weekend. Saturday was nice. Took the fam to Cane Creek Park, we walked around the lake and had nice picnic lunch. Then we rushed home, changed and went to Crossville, to see Jennifer and Jared get married. It was a nice wedding. Then we gave an old friend who is in Washington a ride to her parents' house near Lebanon. It was good to catch up with her. Unfortunately, her husband Jason also a good friend, was back in Washington moving and preparing to go to Iraq soon. That is sobering. Anyway, Sunday was busy but good. Went to the Children's workers appreciation dinner and started feeling sick as a dog (not from the fabulous dinner though.) I went home and enjoyed a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge for the rest of the evening. Thankfully, I woke up feeling better this morning. Hannah and I picked a bunch or strawberries from the garden. Then I got a wild hair and made a small batch of preserves. Not exciting, but tasty!

2006-05-12T22:28:00.000-05:00

A quote from The Barbarian Way:

"Somewhere along the way the movement of Jesus Christ became civilized as Christianity. We created a religion using the name of Jesus Christ and convinced ourselves that God's optimal desire for our lives was to insulate us in a spiritual bubble where we risk nothing, sacrifice nothing, lose nothing, worry about nothing. I wonder how many of us have lost our barbarian way and have become embittered with God, confused in our faith because God doesn't come through the way we think He should."

That's 100% USDA Prime goodness!!!

2006-05-12T22:10:00.000-05:00

I have been re-reading the Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus (an absolute MUST READ) and it is so challenging, even the second time around. I was reading last night a part where he calls himself a mushroom eater. He said this in reference to following a big time leadership speaker at a conference who told people not to be innovators, but early adopters. In other words, don't be the one who eats the mushroom not knowing if it is poisonous or not, wait till one guy eats it and then act. Erwin says that's crazy. If we are God's children and our faith is where it needs to be, then we should have the courage to eat that mushroom if He asks us to, even if we don not know if it will kill us or not. I strive to be a Mushroom Eater and I hope you do too. I don't want to wait around to see what is going to happen, if God says jump, then I want to jump, not ask questions or develop a strategic plan. There is a time and a place for planning, but sometimes God just wants us to jump when He says, "Jump!"

2006-05-08T22:51:00.000-05:00

Oh by the way, there is a new cub on the way! We got to see it in an ultrasound today at only 5 1/2 weeks. You could see the gestational sack, the yolk sack and a little fluttering heart that was beating. God is trully faithful as we lost three unborn children last year. Please keep praying for a healthy baby and a healthy Momma.

2006-05-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

I'm on a roll tonight I guess. Anyway, I am getting caught up on some blog reading. Check out http://estudiostapatios.blogspot.com/ to see what my friend Michael is doing down in Mexico. You can learn from him that it is very unwise to drink the water!

2006-05-08T22:18:00.000-05:00

Just thought I would post a link to the blog of my old roomie while I was in China. ( http://nathanandmaryenns.blogspot.com/ ) He was the cool one! He is in the Phillipines now and he is a much better blogger than me. Love ya Sunshine!

2006-05-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

It was sad to say goodbye last night to someone who God let me lead during the past year (although probably not well.) I will definitely miss "Follower". I have rarely met someone so hungry, teachable and moldable. I can only hope that I was able to leave some small impression of Christ on him. He is going to Central Asia for a couple of years and you can keep up with him at http://followingisfun.blogspot.com/ to see what he is doing. Now I have to find another excuse to go get coffee every week! :) Praying for you man, always!

2006-05-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Well, well....I told you that I was terrible at this blogging thing. Oh well, I will try and get better. We are getting ready for our second camp once again this summer. Last year was great. You can visit www.yanowach.org for more info about it. It is a lot of work (you would not believe it if I told you), but it is so worth it. Hopefully, I can post during camp, if I have the strength.

2006-02-01T20:37:00.000-06:00

Our church has been going through the Bible in a year and it has been amazing already and that has just been Genesis and Exodus! There really is awesome stuff in this book and it ain't fiction.

2006-02-01T20:33:00.000-06:00

Sorry, it has been a while since I have posted (as if anyone reads this anyway!) However, I hope to start using this to coincide with my church's mission of reading through the entire bible this year. We are reading using the Daily Bible, which puts the bible in chronological order. This is so helpful and the daily readings are very manageable. I hope to post at least once each week, to correspond with that week's readings. So if you are reading along, hopefully it might be of some value to you and spur some good conversations.

2005-11-28T20:49:00.000-06:00

Is it 2006 yet? Wow, what a year it has been. There have been some mighty highs, and some earth-shattering lows. Unfortunately, it seems more of the latter this year. It has not been the best health year for my wife and little girl. There have been so many doctors and hospitals. Three miscarriages, a surgery, MRIs, CAT scans, nuclear medicine tests, and ultrasounds out the wazoo! There have been other family situations and losses. It just seems unreal at times when I think about the whole year. I don't know how we have gotten through it. I guess that is when I realize that we didn't get through it alone. God has been with us the whole time. He is not surprised. He has not been blind-sided. He is still God and He is still good. He is still in control. It is pretty crazy, and I have asked Him why, soooooooooo many times. I don't know why all of this has happened. We still have so much to be thankful for, but man, it just seems to not stop. It has been ongoing almost from January until now. I have been angry with God, confused, happy, sad, melancholy, you name it. As crazy as it has been, it has hit me that even these "sacrifices" or "sufferings" are not sufficient in and of themselves. There is not "sacrifice" or "suffering" that I can do to earn any entitlement with God. He made everything in the universe, what can I do to match up? I have also learned a little about Him sacrificing his Son, Jesus Christ, for those who believe and follow Him. Watching my wife and little girl go through sufferings, it sometimes ripped me to the core. I can't imagine watching either of them suffer like Christ did for the equivalent of cockroaches! That's what we look like to God on our own merits. We are filthy, nasty, unloveable and just downright gross! (Did I mention how much I hate cockroaches!) Anyway, I am not a believer in "good luck", but it just seems, that maybe 2006 will hopefully be less eventful.

2005-11-08T18:49:00.000-06:00

I hope that this space will cause all of us to stop and think about life. We seem to be so busy with life that we do not stop to really think about it or enjoy it. What a tragedy. We certainly do not take time to enjoy the simple joys that each day brings such as: the beauty of a smile, the contagiousness of a child's laugh, or even the coolness of the other side of the pillow. However, we seem to avoid at all costs the "big" questions of life. "Who am I? Why am I here?" as the late Admiral James Stockdale quipped during the 1992 Vice-Presidential debate. What makes us so nervous? What is so appealing about all of the busy-ness, that plagues us? Fear of the answer I suppose, so we adhere to the ignorance is bliss mentality. Or is it, that the answer seems so complicated and convoluted, that we do not even try. My point is not to try and answer all of these things as if I have all the answers. I may ask more than I answer. We are all on a journey together, if even only for a brief time. Let's walk together for a while....

2005-11-08T18:47:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my "wandering" into the world of blogging. It may take me some time to get the hang of this, but oh well. If you are actually, reading this, then you obviously have very little to do, so ENJOY and leave some foot prints of your own!