It's that time of year where we all seem to be trying to balance life. Between kids going back to school, their sports practices and games, coaching those said sports (for those of us who can't say no), our job or jobs, and church everyone's calendar is pretty much filled up now until the holidays oh wait and if you're like my wife's side of the family you already planned the holiday stuff at the annual summer camp out in July. So how do we squeeze in the family time, spousal time or even the quiet time for ourselves? I didn't even mention time to spend with God in the Word through reading our Bible.
So how do we do it? I certainly haven't figured it out yet other than burning the candle at both ends but there has to come a moment in everyone's life when you have to put things in order to balance them out and to make things manageable and beneficial. I can only hope it happens before it's too late. You may think you have your priorities in order only to realize they weren't. Unfortunately many times that isn't figured out until everything is crashing down around you and you don't know how to fix the brokenness that has become your life.
Francis Chan is a pastor, an author and quite a funny man who has it figured out in my opinion. We've all heard about giving 10% for tithing but Chan goes the opposite way....he keeps 10 and gives back 90% and has donated all his book royalties to charity. This snippet is part of one of his sermons and is actually given on a balance beam for visual effect and I could picture many a parent thinking what he's saying. It's less than 4 minutes and hopefully you can take a little something away from it
What's your routine?
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Wednesdays Word....Waiting
Well I tried to convince Matt our intern here at work to do my blog post today and doctor it all up with the fancy audio video stuff he does but he abandoned my project for actual work....go figure. So now I'm sitting here waiting for some inspiration.
Waiting....that maybe the toughest thing for anyone today in our day and age of smart phones, on demand movies and Red Bull because no one has the time to wait let alone sleep anymore. What's one of the 1st things you tell someone when they ask you to do something...let me check my calender. We've all done it; I usually pull out my Droid phone and look at my Google calender right then and there since I have both mine and my wife's schedules synced to it. Waiting can be even more challenging for someone who feels lost or abandoned as a lot of times all hope seems lost. What can feel even more frustrating as a Christian is when you feel you are praying for something, someone or a situation that you feel needs God's intervention or blessing and our time frame doesn't seem to match that of God's plan at this moment. But if we remember what Isaiah 40:31 tells us that our efforts will renew us and give us strength to do it all over again.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
So enjoy this song by John Waller that just so happens to be called While I'm Waiting and the video contains clips from the move Fireproof....which if you haven't seen you need to do so.
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord
Waiting....that maybe the toughest thing for anyone today in our day and age of smart phones, on demand movies and Red Bull because no one has the time to wait let alone sleep anymore. What's one of the 1st things you tell someone when they ask you to do something...let me check my calender. We've all done it; I usually pull out my Droid phone and look at my Google calender right then and there since I have both mine and my wife's schedules synced to it. Waiting can be even more challenging for someone who feels lost or abandoned as a lot of times all hope seems lost. What can feel even more frustrating as a Christian is when you feel you are praying for something, someone or a situation that you feel needs God's intervention or blessing and our time frame doesn't seem to match that of God's plan at this moment. But if we remember what Isaiah 40:31 tells us that our efforts will renew us and give us strength to do it all over again.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
So enjoy this song by John Waller that just so happens to be called While I'm Waiting and the video contains clips from the move Fireproof....which if you haven't seen you need to do so.
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wednesdays Word......Prayer
Today I'm going to bring it back to someone that I've had the privilege to hear speak at our church a while back and that is Larry Osborne. You may recognize him as the pastor of North Coast Church but he's also the author of Sticky Church and Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe. In this sermon he focuses on the most famous prayer of all...The Lord's Prayer.
Prayer can be different things to different people and have quite a different look or even purpose too. For example we as a family when we are together for dinner make it a point to take turns with the prayer. Now generally it starts as a debate as to who's turn it is but regardless our daughter does her prayer silently bowed down under the table in her seat but it always ends in Amen and a request for a 2nd prayer part way through our meal. Me personally I've grown more comfortable over the last few years with prayer; mainly through practice. In helping lead our weekly small group from church we focus on prayer to end each week and force each other to come up with something that we can pray for them for the coming week. It's generally easier to pray for someone else but asking for prayers can sometimes be hard because we are admitting we need help or that we are struggling with something. But that's what the community of fellow Christians is for...support and fellowship.
I've learned that prayer doesn't have to be pretty & eloquent. It just needs to be sincere and honest. We don't always have the perfect words because we'll find the fitting ones. It doesn't need to sound like we've been on the pulpit for years it just needs to be heard. Take the time to be honest and open because He already knows but sometimes we just need to humble ourselves and align our will with that of God's but most of all we just need to make the time and find a place to open our hearts and be still in His presence.
Faith & Prayer Part 9 (03-28-10) from North Coast Church on Vimeo.
Prayer can be different things to different people and have quite a different look or even purpose too. For example we as a family when we are together for dinner make it a point to take turns with the prayer. Now generally it starts as a debate as to who's turn it is but regardless our daughter does her prayer silently bowed down under the table in her seat but it always ends in Amen and a request for a 2nd prayer part way through our meal. Me personally I've grown more comfortable over the last few years with prayer; mainly through practice. In helping lead our weekly small group from church we focus on prayer to end each week and force each other to come up with something that we can pray for them for the coming week. It's generally easier to pray for someone else but asking for prayers can sometimes be hard because we are admitting we need help or that we are struggling with something. But that's what the community of fellow Christians is for...support and fellowship.
I've learned that prayer doesn't have to be pretty & eloquent. It just needs to be sincere and honest. We don't always have the perfect words because we'll find the fitting ones. It doesn't need to sound like we've been on the pulpit for years it just needs to be heard. Take the time to be honest and open because He already knows but sometimes we just need to humble ourselves and align our will with that of God's but most of all we just need to make the time and find a place to open our hearts and be still in His presence.
Faith & Prayer Part 9 (03-28-10) from North Coast Church on Vimeo.
Monday, August 8, 2011
80's on the 8th....that one 80's song
I'm going to take a page out of one of the ESPN folks I listen to on the radio and follow on Twitter for this installment of 80's on the 8th. He had thrown out a comment that grew a life of it's own and spilled over onto his radio show. His exact tweet was OK.... "That's the Way it is " by Celine Dion...I love it. There, I said it. You have a cheesy song you love too - share it , it's freeing. And the responses were all over the board but I must say most of them were 80's or early 90's songs that pretty much all had a home in my iTunes library. But then came the debate is it a cheesy or a good song.
So I started looking through my music and wiki to make sure it falls into the 80's category and began to narrow it down. Most of you probably have Ice Ice Baby or Informer in your head which I always do but they're from the 90's so they're eliminated. Also any Poison song gets removed too because they're still actually cool with all the VH1 love Brett Michaels has gotten over the last few years. I never had any NKOTB at the time though I found 1 song in my iTunes so they're out. It was on some compilation CD so don't judge me. Let's see....Bon Jovi....see Poison minus the VH1 stuff. I could Rick Roll (Google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) you with the classic Never Gonna Give You Up but I'll save that for April Fools. I would go with Milli Vanilli but you know why I can't plus I don't want to open up those wounds again for my friend Chris who I think after many many years of therapy is finally over his denial of their lies.
So I'm going to settle for one of those one hit wonders that every everyone remembers. Wild Wild West by Escape Club is one of those songs that does it for me. I still know all the words even that funky reggae part in there. The freaky video kinda overrides the great guitar rifts and cool bass line but I know you'll sing along so go ahead and crank it up.
Here's a little free trivia too....they're the only UK band to ever have a #1 hit here in the States but not even make it on the charts of their home country.
So what's your favorite 80's tune that you aren't ashamed to admit you still love to listen to?
So I started looking through my music and wiki to make sure it falls into the 80's category and began to narrow it down. Most of you probably have Ice Ice Baby or Informer in your head which I always do but they're from the 90's so they're eliminated. Also any Poison song gets removed too because they're still actually cool with all the VH1 love Brett Michaels has gotten over the last few years. I never had any NKOTB at the time though I found 1 song in my iTunes so they're out. It was on some compilation CD so don't judge me. Let's see....Bon Jovi....see Poison minus the VH1 stuff. I could Rick Roll (Google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) you with the classic Never Gonna Give You Up but I'll save that for April Fools. I would go with Milli Vanilli but you know why I can't plus I don't want to open up those wounds again for my friend Chris who I think after many many years of therapy is finally over his denial of their lies.
So I'm going to settle for one of those one hit wonders that every everyone remembers. Wild Wild West by Escape Club is one of those songs that does it for me. I still know all the words even that funky reggae part in there. The freaky video kinda overrides the great guitar rifts and cool bass line but I know you'll sing along so go ahead and crank it up.
Here's a little free trivia too....they're the only UK band to ever have a #1 hit here in the States but not even make it on the charts of their home country.
So what's your favorite 80's tune that you aren't ashamed to admit you still love to listen to?
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesdays Word....Forgiven
I feel like I've been outta sorts not realizing it was actually Wednesday until just a few moments ago and started rummaging around my mind to figure out what to share with you today. Our small group at church has been reading through Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis and one of the chapters we covered this week was #7 in book 3 titled Forgiveness. I had also been asked about this very subject just a week or so ago too so it must be what I'm too share.
Forgiving someone is probably the toughest thing we ever have to do because it goes against our human nature. Especially as Christians because if you take the Lord's Prayer to heart then you understand that you can't be forgiven ourselves unless we forgive others....the trespass part isn't talking about your front yard. And to top it off once you do forgive them you can never use that against them...unless they do it again but then again we are commanded to forgive them 70 x 7 times. Most importantly though if you don't forgive someone the bitterness, resentment and anger can consume you and slowly destroy you. So don't harden your heart and waste a year let alone 20 being eaten up by out of control emotions; take the steps now to find a way to forgive and a be a light to those around you.
So I typed forgive into my iTunes search and low and behold it brought up Sanctus Real. And it just so happens to be that I'll be seeing them in concert next week to open up the grand stand concerts at the Iowa State Fair along with Casting Crowns. How cool is it...that our state fair for the last 5 or 6 years has had a Christian act open the fair. The even cooler thing...they're the highest attended each year.
So pay attention to the lyrics of this song (or skip down below...I'll post them for you). But it's a pretty cinematically cool video too that just so happens to touch on chapter 8.
Well the past is playing with my head
And failure knocks me down again
I’m reminded of the wrong
That I have said and done
And that devil just wont let me forget
In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am
I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who I’ve been
Cause I’m forgiven
My mistakes are running through my mind
And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night
When I struggle with my pain, wrestle with my pride
Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry
In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am
When I don't fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere
When I don’t measure up to much in this life
Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ ‘cause
Forgiving someone is probably the toughest thing we ever have to do because it goes against our human nature. Especially as Christians because if you take the Lord's Prayer to heart then you understand that you can't be forgiven ourselves unless we forgive others....the trespass part isn't talking about your front yard. And to top it off once you do forgive them you can never use that against them...unless they do it again but then again we are commanded to forgive them 70 x 7 times. Most importantly though if you don't forgive someone the bitterness, resentment and anger can consume you and slowly destroy you. So don't harden your heart and waste a year let alone 20 being eaten up by out of control emotions; take the steps now to find a way to forgive and a be a light to those around you.
So I typed forgive into my iTunes search and low and behold it brought up Sanctus Real. And it just so happens to be that I'll be seeing them in concert next week to open up the grand stand concerts at the Iowa State Fair along with Casting Crowns. How cool is it...that our state fair for the last 5 or 6 years has had a Christian act open the fair. The even cooler thing...they're the highest attended each year.
So pay attention to the lyrics of this song (or skip down below...I'll post them for you). But it's a pretty cinematically cool video too that just so happens to touch on chapter 8.
Well the past is playing with my head
And failure knocks me down again
I’m reminded of the wrong
That I have said and done
And that devil just wont let me forget
In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am
I’m forgiven
I’m forgiven
And I don’t have to carry
The weight of who I’ve been
Cause I’m forgiven
My mistakes are running through my mind
And I’ll relive my days, in the middle of the night
When I struggle with my pain, wrestle with my pride
Sometimes I feel alone, and I cry
In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in your arms
I know what I am
When I don't fit in and I don’t feel like I belong anywhere
When I don’t measure up to much in this life
Oh, I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ ‘cause
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