Acts 17:6 (b) …These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Wow! What a powerful testimony to Paul and Silas. They turned their world upside down. Can that be said of us? Read chapter 16 and 17 to get the entire scene and you’ll discover the ministry of Paul and Silas was exploding. Their reputation preceded them. In Thessalonica, the complaint was they turned the world upside down. Think about that for a moment. Their testimony was so strong; their influence so great, the world was upside down.
I would like to live in an upsidedown town. Wouldn't you? Upsidedown town – sounds like a good song title. Maybe our musician friends can collaborate on that one? Living in an Upsidedown Town! What a testimony that would be! Can you imagine turning the world upside down for the cause of Christ? Amazing!
Imagine Satan saying, “Those who are turning the world upside down have come here too.” Here we come town by town, turning them all upside down! That sounds like something from Dr. Seuss.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Blank Page
I haven't posted anything in a couple days because I've started writing a new story. It may become another novel but right now it's only 12,000 words and has occupied my time. The best thing about starting a new story is the blank page or the next page. My favorite part of writing something new is looking at a ream of paper knowing the blank pages will soon come to life. For me, the blank page begs for total creativity - no boundaries - anything can happen.
I think life is like that. It unfolds before us as one blank page after another calling us to write our story. We all have a story to tell. While writing yours, remember to keep focused on what's eternally important. Jesus gave us an incredible gift in His Word, the most creatively written masterpiece of all time. Compiled over 1,000 years with I have forgotten how many different writers. I guess I could look that up but I bet you already have the point. He filled blank page after blank page with His Word! Isn't that incredible? His story is one written with extravagant love.
Tell someone your story - a story of love, forgiveness and acceptance from the ultimate writer.
II John 12 ... until then, I will write.
I think life is like that. It unfolds before us as one blank page after another calling us to write our story. We all have a story to tell. While writing yours, remember to keep focused on what's eternally important. Jesus gave us an incredible gift in His Word, the most creatively written masterpiece of all time. Compiled over 1,000 years with I have forgotten how many different writers. I guess I could look that up but I bet you already have the point. He filled blank page after blank page with His Word! Isn't that incredible? His story is one written with extravagant love.
Tell someone your story - a story of love, forgiveness and acceptance from the ultimate writer.
II John 12 ... until then, I will write.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
My Amateur Poetry
I'm posting a few poems I've written the past couple months. I hope you enjoy the ramblings of an obviously amateur poet.
Draw Near
I sit alone and wish you were here.
My heart tells me it is now clear,
That I alone must face my fear.
I shed a tear, because I long for you to draw near.
You’ve been there for me through all I have faced.
Now, I want you to have a taste
Of what life is like when you are embraced.
You have captured my soul and taught me to play,
You have even taken my breath away.
I long for the day when you kiss my hand,
And live beside me as we take a stand.
The following poem was written on Inauguration Day. I hope my democratic friends take this in just as it is not intended to offend.
The New Zoo
I’d like this poem to make you laugh,
So you should think of a giraffe,
As our new president’s chief of staff.
Yes, indeed we will be led by a zoo,
With leaders who like to chew and moo.
You know I’m right, they don’t have a clue
Because all of them are full of doo-doo.
Free
Anxious tonight
‘Cause tomorrow will be bright.
Free from the night
That had blinded my sight.
What I see now is love from above.
From my eyes to my heart,
You have loved me from the start.
Leap
I don’t know how to play the game.
But I do know how to fan the flame,
Of a love that’s grown so deep.
Are you ready to take the leap?
If we jump together,
We will float like a feather.
Until we safely land
In each other’s hand.
Your Breath
Vampires and mummies scare me to death
But nothing compares to your breath.
The smell is rank,
Like an old, dirty fish tank.
Blankty, Blank, your breath stank!
Draw Near
I sit alone and wish you were here.
My heart tells me it is now clear,
That I alone must face my fear.
I shed a tear, because I long for you to draw near.
You’ve been there for me through all I have faced.
Now, I want you to have a taste
Of what life is like when you are embraced.
You have captured my soul and taught me to play,
You have even taken my breath away.
I long for the day when you kiss my hand,
And live beside me as we take a stand.
The following poem was written on Inauguration Day. I hope my democratic friends take this in just as it is not intended to offend.
The New Zoo
I’d like this poem to make you laugh,
So you should think of a giraffe,
As our new president’s chief of staff.
Yes, indeed we will be led by a zoo,
With leaders who like to chew and moo.
You know I’m right, they don’t have a clue
Because all of them are full of doo-doo.
Free
Anxious tonight
‘Cause tomorrow will be bright.
Free from the night
That had blinded my sight.
What I see now is love from above.
From my eyes to my heart,
You have loved me from the start.
Leap
I don’t know how to play the game.
But I do know how to fan the flame,
Of a love that’s grown so deep.
Are you ready to take the leap?
If we jump together,
We will float like a feather.
Until we safely land
In each other’s hand.
Your Breath
Vampires and mummies scare me to death
But nothing compares to your breath.
The smell is rank,
Like an old, dirty fish tank.
Blankty, Blank, your breath stank!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Kiss em on the Forehead and Tell em you Love em
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
We have read these verses many times; heard them recited at weddings and listened to countless sermons surrounding them. Have we every really understood God’s love? We display the opposite of love each day. Have you ever been impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, selfish, rude, or proud? Of course, these actions are sinful and we are sinful, fallen creations. It is only by God’s love we are able to experience real, true, unconditional love.
It’s like this, there’s a secret needing to be shared. The secret is this: We can be kind, thoughtful, selfless, etc. but that’s not enough. Unconditional love only comes from above. You cannot create unconditional love – How many times have you failed when trying to love others in your own strength? It cannot be done! Because the heart is deceitful, it leads us away from Christ. Unconditional love comes from Him and we display His love to others as He gives it to us.
Love never fails because God never fails.
In the busyness of your day, remember to love others as Christ has first loved you!
Also remember to brush your teeth twice, hold hands when crossing the street and kiss someone on the forehead and tell them you love them.
I Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
We have read these verses many times; heard them recited at weddings and listened to countless sermons surrounding them. Have we every really understood God’s love? We display the opposite of love each day. Have you ever been impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, selfish, rude, or proud? Of course, these actions are sinful and we are sinful, fallen creations. It is only by God’s love we are able to experience real, true, unconditional love.
It’s like this, there’s a secret needing to be shared. The secret is this: We can be kind, thoughtful, selfless, etc. but that’s not enough. Unconditional love only comes from above. You cannot create unconditional love – How many times have you failed when trying to love others in your own strength? It cannot be done! Because the heart is deceitful, it leads us away from Christ. Unconditional love comes from Him and we display His love to others as He gives it to us.
Love never fails because God never fails.
In the busyness of your day, remember to love others as Christ has first loved you!
Also remember to brush your teeth twice, hold hands when crossing the street and kiss someone on the forehead and tell them you love them.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Wish I had the Dog's Hair
I'm sooooooo glad Dog, the Bounty Hunter lives in Hawaii. Could you imagine what kind of rep the sawth would have if he lived in TN, MS or AL? Although, I have to admit I occasionally watch his show. As far as redneck television goes, it's quite entertaining. I especially appreciate when he uses words like $^&!@ and ?(*&#!), followed by praise the name of Jesus! I wish I had his hair! Maybe I'll dress up like him for Halloween.
Thinking about Dog reminds me of last week when I went to the License Office to register my new truck. Yes, for those of you who may not know, I traded my Lexus SC430 convertible sports coupe for a truck! Don't worry, I'm not bitter! Anyway, back to the story. WOW! I haven't seen that many toothless wonders in one place since the last Blessing of the Fleet I attended in Bayou la Batre. Have you ever taken your number, sat down and just watched people coming and going from that building? Now that's redneck entertainment! I was amazed to see how many people couldn't read and follow instructions. Take a number and wait for it to be called! how difficult is that?
I heard number 198 called and watched two men walk to the available window at the same time. How can there be two 198's I thought? You know exactly where this is going. Neither had 198. I wonder what was going on in their brains. They both yelled at the lady behind the window when she explained she called 198 and neither had that number.
Do you think Jesus and His disciples had mulletts like Dog? Now that would make for a good da Vinci painting of the Last Supper. Come to think of it, I had a mullett for a while. But that was a long time ago.
Here's a thought to chew on as you're thinking about how I looked with a mullett. Peace is one of the names of God – Jehovah-Shalom. The Lord Our Peace is first mentioned in Judges 6:23-24. Shalom translates to peace and means whole, finished, fulfilled, and perfected. Shalom refers to the kind of peace resulting from being a whole person in right relationship with God. Peace comes from knowing God has made us whole and fulfilled!
You may believe the sun has set, its dark and your situation seems hopeless. There is hope and good news. A deep sense of humbleness has overtaken you; and finally you are looking and longing for God’s peace. The God who hung the moon and scattered the stars cares about you. He created you to love Him. Judges 6:23 reads: And the Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” What an incredible statement!
Have you wondered why your situation seems hopeless or why bad things seem to keep happening? Gideon wondered and questioned God. Before God revealed Himself to Gideon as Jehovah-Shalom, Gideon questioned God’s presence. In Judges Chapter 6 verse 13, Gideon said, “If the Lord is with us, why have all these things happened? And where are His miracles?” Sound familiar? Have you asked that same question? Why has this happened? Where are you, God?
Does God really care when we are distressed or in danger? He cared enough to sacrifice His son Jesus to save us from our sin. He cares enough to lift you out of your circumstances. Psalm 40:1-3 – “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”
The Lord is Peace - wait for His timing!
Thinking about Dog reminds me of last week when I went to the License Office to register my new truck. Yes, for those of you who may not know, I traded my Lexus SC430 convertible sports coupe for a truck! Don't worry, I'm not bitter! Anyway, back to the story. WOW! I haven't seen that many toothless wonders in one place since the last Blessing of the Fleet I attended in Bayou la Batre. Have you ever taken your number, sat down and just watched people coming and going from that building? Now that's redneck entertainment! I was amazed to see how many people couldn't read and follow instructions. Take a number and wait for it to be called! how difficult is that?
I heard number 198 called and watched two men walk to the available window at the same time. How can there be two 198's I thought? You know exactly where this is going. Neither had 198. I wonder what was going on in their brains. They both yelled at the lady behind the window when she explained she called 198 and neither had that number.
Do you think Jesus and His disciples had mulletts like Dog? Now that would make for a good da Vinci painting of the Last Supper. Come to think of it, I had a mullett for a while. But that was a long time ago.
Here's a thought to chew on as you're thinking about how I looked with a mullett. Peace is one of the names of God – Jehovah-Shalom. The Lord Our Peace is first mentioned in Judges 6:23-24. Shalom translates to peace and means whole, finished, fulfilled, and perfected. Shalom refers to the kind of peace resulting from being a whole person in right relationship with God. Peace comes from knowing God has made us whole and fulfilled!
You may believe the sun has set, its dark and your situation seems hopeless. There is hope and good news. A deep sense of humbleness has overtaken you; and finally you are looking and longing for God’s peace. The God who hung the moon and scattered the stars cares about you. He created you to love Him. Judges 6:23 reads: And the Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” What an incredible statement!
Have you wondered why your situation seems hopeless or why bad things seem to keep happening? Gideon wondered and questioned God. Before God revealed Himself to Gideon as Jehovah-Shalom, Gideon questioned God’s presence. In Judges Chapter 6 verse 13, Gideon said, “If the Lord is with us, why have all these things happened? And where are His miracles?” Sound familiar? Have you asked that same question? Why has this happened? Where are you, God?
Does God really care when we are distressed or in danger? He cared enough to sacrifice His son Jesus to save us from our sin. He cares enough to lift you out of your circumstances. Psalm 40:1-3 – “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.”
The Lord is Peace - wait for His timing!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
He, She, It and They ......
Have you ever wondered why we let pronouns control much of our lives? Think about it for a minute. Sometimes we allow pronouns to dictate our actions; especially when it comes to our faith in Christ. Take the pronoun they, for example. How many times have we listened to they when it comes to sharing our faith? Or how many times do we worry about what they will think. They seem to take a lot of credit for our mistakes. I wonder what would happen if we never said, “well, that’s what they said” or “they told me it was ok”.
Here’s another great pronoun: he/she. Have you heard someone say something like this? “He/she did that, not me!” It’s easy to blame others and point fingers, isn’t it? Maybe we should use me a little more often.
There are a couple good pronouns: it and us. It refers to the Church and it is made up of us.
Here’s another great pronoun: he/she. Have you heard someone say something like this? “He/she did that, not me!” It’s easy to blame others and point fingers, isn’t it? Maybe we should use me a little more often.
There are a couple good pronouns: it and us. It refers to the Church and it is made up of us.
The Freezer Deserves a Light
Here are a few random thoughts about random things that occasionally pop into my head.
1. Bad decisions make good stories.
2. Nothing is worse than the moment during an argument when you realize you're totally wrong.
3. I wish I could take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was a kid.
4. Was learning cursive really necessary?
5. Obituaries would be a lot more exciting if they told you how the person died.
6. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
7. What can come after Blue Ray?
8. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my 150 page book that I swear I did not make any changes to.
9. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring and when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
10. I hate leaving my house looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste of cool clothes and a good hair day!
11. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call (Abel Cerda and Doug Donaldson).
12. I think the freezer deserves a light as well, don't you?
13. I hate it when you buy a new shirt and discover halfway through the day you forgot to pull off the sticker that has the size. Why don't the idiots we work with tell us these things?
1. Bad decisions make good stories.
2. Nothing is worse than the moment during an argument when you realize you're totally wrong.
3. I wish I could take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was a kid.
4. Was learning cursive really necessary?
5. Obituaries would be a lot more exciting if they told you how the person died.
6. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
7. What can come after Blue Ray?
8. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my 150 page book that I swear I did not make any changes to.
9. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring and when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
10. I hate leaving my house looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste of cool clothes and a good hair day!
11. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call (Abel Cerda and Doug Donaldson).
12. I think the freezer deserves a light as well, don't you?
13. I hate it when you buy a new shirt and discover halfway through the day you forgot to pull off the sticker that has the size. Why don't the idiots we work with tell us these things?
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