what a great word...thanks. it makes the person saying it and the person receiving it feel good. it really does. it is a word that puts the focus on an act that the other person did. thanks for what you did for me, i really appreciated that.
it is also a word that will encourage the other person to do something good again. that would really be a good thing, wouldn't it? the truth is most of our communication is over what someone doesn't do or about something that was bad that they did do and no one comes out a winner in that focus.
what about GOD? HE is the only one that keeps doing good stuff even when we don't say thanks. thanks to HIM is not for HIM but for us. it gets our focus on the good stuff and off the bad. and that really helps us in the way we view our life. it shows us that someone really cares.
personally, i just wanted to say thanks to you for just stopping here on my front porch and listening to me and my thoughts. thanks for taking the time. thanks, i really mean it, thanks.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
a dream...
dreams are very important. i came to las vegas over 14 years ago with a dream that has carried me through some very difficult times. did i reach my dream? no but it had great value.
my life has been one of living in a place for 4 or 5 years and then leaving. that was handed down to me by my dad, he was a minister and he would stay at a place for 4 years and then get back into evangelism where we stayed for only 10 days in a place and then moved on, so my staying in one place for 14 years broke that chain of moving which will mean that my kids will see that they don't have to keep moving. my dream did that for me and for them.
my dream held me steady so my wife margaret could stay long enough in her job so she could become extremely successful so we would have a more secure opportunity in our later years. also my son and daughter found their mates while we have been in vegas.
so my dream wasn't fulfilled in one way but it brought great fulfillment in other ways. maybe to GOD the giving of the dream is not to fulfill it but to let it fulfill me. i don't know but i do know that GOD has a plan and i am glad that i am living in it.
my life has been one of living in a place for 4 or 5 years and then leaving. that was handed down to me by my dad, he was a minister and he would stay at a place for 4 years and then get back into evangelism where we stayed for only 10 days in a place and then moved on, so my staying in one place for 14 years broke that chain of moving which will mean that my kids will see that they don't have to keep moving. my dream did that for me and for them.
my dream held me steady so my wife margaret could stay long enough in her job so she could become extremely successful so we would have a more secure opportunity in our later years. also my son and daughter found their mates while we have been in vegas.
so my dream wasn't fulfilled in one way but it brought great fulfillment in other ways. maybe to GOD the giving of the dream is not to fulfill it but to let it fulfill me. i don't know but i do know that GOD has a plan and i am glad that i am living in it.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
even when we're at our worst...
i am reading in luke and i came upon this morning verse 35 in chapter 6. here's what it says in the message, "live out this GOD-created identity the way our FATHER lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our FATHER is kind; you be kind."
even when we are at our worst, GOD is generous and gracious and kind. somehow it comes to me that we really don't know what GOD expects from us. i mean, we condemn people when they're at their worst, we turn our back on them, we don't want to be around them because they may contaminate us.
how do we react when our kids have blown it, or our spouse when they act like jerks, or the people at work/school or even at church? we are not gracious, generous or kind we get mad, i mean really mad.
and ourselves, when we have really blown it we know that GOD must not love us anymore. no, HE is gracious and generous and kind to us. but we live in this condemnation thing, this perfection thing when all GOD wants from us is to accept that which HE so generously and graciously gives to us, love, acceptance and forgiveness.
and that may be why we don't give out love, acceptance and forgiveness to others because we haven't accepted that which GOD has so generously and graciously given to us, love acceptance and forgiveness.
thanks GOD, i needed that today. please help me to live out this GOD-created identity that you want me to be. i need to accept that which you in your kindness have so generously and graciously given to me, even when i am at my worst so i can give it out.
even when we are at our worst, GOD is generous and gracious and kind. somehow it comes to me that we really don't know what GOD expects from us. i mean, we condemn people when they're at their worst, we turn our back on them, we don't want to be around them because they may contaminate us.
how do we react when our kids have blown it, or our spouse when they act like jerks, or the people at work/school or even at church? we are not gracious, generous or kind we get mad, i mean really mad.
and ourselves, when we have really blown it we know that GOD must not love us anymore. no, HE is gracious and generous and kind to us. but we live in this condemnation thing, this perfection thing when all GOD wants from us is to accept that which HE so generously and graciously gives to us, love, acceptance and forgiveness.
and that may be why we don't give out love, acceptance and forgiveness to others because we haven't accepted that which GOD has so generously and graciously given to us, love acceptance and forgiveness.
thanks GOD, i needed that today. please help me to live out this GOD-created identity that you want me to be. i need to accept that which you in your kindness have so generously and graciously given to me, even when i am at my worst so i can give it out.
Friday, November 7, 2008
passion...
i think one of the main differences in the two camps running for the presidency this year was this right here, passion. oh i know that those on the loser's side really cared but i'm not sure that they cared quite as much as those on the winner's side. i mean it was deep what they felt. they had real passion.
i sat in a starbucks on tuesday and listened as 6 college agers were on their phones calling people to get them out to vote for their man. they really cared.
what do you really have passion about? do you have any at all or do you live a blah existence?
now i am a la dodger fanatic. even today i have searched on the internet for any news about who they may sign or who they may trade for. i have a passion for the dodgers and i'm not ashamed to tell it. i am a fan.
now i am also margaret's husband. we are going to celebrate on sunday our 34th anniversary. 31 great years. 3 not so good ones. but we stuck through and here we are. now it was tough in those 3 years when we had no passion for each other. i call those 3 years my jerk time. i was more passionate about other things and i almost lost my family and my relationship with GOD. and i was in the ministry.
do you know what i'm talking about, to lose your passion? i am doing a study on restoring one's passion. it is so important emotionally, relationally and spiritually. it all has to do with focus. and it is so easy to get off focus.
and i think that has what has kept president bush going through these difficult years as president. what he saw at ground zero on that day back in september held him steady even when it seemed that everyone turned against him. even now.
and i think that is what has kept those who have felt the rejection of others because of the color of their skin, those who have felt deep hatred because of something they had no control over and now today their common passion has brought them to this mountain that martin luther king dreamed about.
it is so sad to live a life with no passion and it is so true today in people who have no purpose, who are aimless, and who have no sense of hope. well there have been days even maybe today when president bush has felt that his passion was useless and in those days when i was off working 90 hours a week and margaret felt alone, and newly elected president obama felt when he was young and he was trying find acceptance from 2 different races but passion will hold on and has held on and must hold on in order for us to live the life that GOD has given us to live.
passion, yes i believe my dodgers will do better next year. i am a fan but i also believe that the most exciting days for margaret and me are not the last 34 years but all of the years that are ahead because GOD has a plan and a purpose for us and we are passionate to live it no matter the risk, no matter the cost even now with margaret ---- years old and me in 6 month turning 62.
what are you passionate about? what are you living for?
i sat in a starbucks on tuesday and listened as 6 college agers were on their phones calling people to get them out to vote for their man. they really cared.
what do you really have passion about? do you have any at all or do you live a blah existence?
now i am a la dodger fanatic. even today i have searched on the internet for any news about who they may sign or who they may trade for. i have a passion for the dodgers and i'm not ashamed to tell it. i am a fan.
now i am also margaret's husband. we are going to celebrate on sunday our 34th anniversary. 31 great years. 3 not so good ones. but we stuck through and here we are. now it was tough in those 3 years when we had no passion for each other. i call those 3 years my jerk time. i was more passionate about other things and i almost lost my family and my relationship with GOD. and i was in the ministry.
do you know what i'm talking about, to lose your passion? i am doing a study on restoring one's passion. it is so important emotionally, relationally and spiritually. it all has to do with focus. and it is so easy to get off focus.
and i think that has what has kept president bush going through these difficult years as president. what he saw at ground zero on that day back in september held him steady even when it seemed that everyone turned against him. even now.
and i think that is what has kept those who have felt the rejection of others because of the color of their skin, those who have felt deep hatred because of something they had no control over and now today their common passion has brought them to this mountain that martin luther king dreamed about.
it is so sad to live a life with no passion and it is so true today in people who have no purpose, who are aimless, and who have no sense of hope. well there have been days even maybe today when president bush has felt that his passion was useless and in those days when i was off working 90 hours a week and margaret felt alone, and newly elected president obama felt when he was young and he was trying find acceptance from 2 different races but passion will hold on and has held on and must hold on in order for us to live the life that GOD has given us to live.
passion, yes i believe my dodgers will do better next year. i am a fan but i also believe that the most exciting days for margaret and me are not the last 34 years but all of the years that are ahead because GOD has a plan and a purpose for us and we are passionate to live it no matter the risk, no matter the cost even now with margaret ---- years old and me in 6 month turning 62.
what are you passionate about? what are you living for?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
we are to be truly different...
i am reading of luke's account of JESUS' sermon on the mount in chapter 6 and i am challenged with how different we as CHRIST-followers are to be. verses 31-34 in the message says, "here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! if you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? run-of-the-mill sinners do that. if you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? garden-variety sinners do that. if you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? the stingiest of pawnbrokers does that."
now i understand the desire of the church to really make a difference, to stop abortion, to deal politically with same sex marriages, to make sure that people know the potential of leaders to be the anti-Christ, but what if we who are pro-CHRIST would do what HE really says will make a difference, to do to others what you want done to you, to love the unlovable, to help those who won't help you, give knowing you will get nothing in return, what kind of real difference would that make?
oh i know those other issues are important, but i believe that too many times we win the battles but lose the war, the war against satan in claiming people as his own. when are we going to realize how important people, real people are to GOD. HE sent JESUS for people and HE showed us and told us how to make a difference in their lives.
yes the battles are important but how many women who have had an abortion have we reached out to in love, showing them that GOD and us love them no matter what. or what about that person who is seeking for love, who has looked in the wrong areas sexually but has had the church turn their back on them and rejected them, who we should be reaching out to with understanding and care to show them how the GOD of the Bible sees them. yes HE hates sin but HE died for the sinner. we've got one part of that right at least if it isn't the sin that we are dealing with but what about the other?
and then those who say that the Bible says that someone is the anti-Christ. come on if we don't follow the teaching that JESUS gave in verses 31-34, we are anti-Christ. disobedience is anti what CHRIST teaches. if we believe it we do it.
well, JESUS teaches us how to really, really be different. but HE hast to be in us. HE makes all the difference and HE will make all the difference if we truly have HIM inside to live out through us.
now i understand the desire of the church to really make a difference, to stop abortion, to deal politically with same sex marriages, to make sure that people know the potential of leaders to be the anti-Christ, but what if we who are pro-CHRIST would do what HE really says will make a difference, to do to others what you want done to you, to love the unlovable, to help those who won't help you, give knowing you will get nothing in return, what kind of real difference would that make?
oh i know those other issues are important, but i believe that too many times we win the battles but lose the war, the war against satan in claiming people as his own. when are we going to realize how important people, real people are to GOD. HE sent JESUS for people and HE showed us and told us how to make a difference in their lives.
yes the battles are important but how many women who have had an abortion have we reached out to in love, showing them that GOD and us love them no matter what. or what about that person who is seeking for love, who has looked in the wrong areas sexually but has had the church turn their back on them and rejected them, who we should be reaching out to with understanding and care to show them how the GOD of the Bible sees them. yes HE hates sin but HE died for the sinner. we've got one part of that right at least if it isn't the sin that we are dealing with but what about the other?
and then those who say that the Bible says that someone is the anti-Christ. come on if we don't follow the teaching that JESUS gave in verses 31-34, we are anti-Christ. disobedience is anti what CHRIST teaches. if we believe it we do it.
well, JESUS teaches us how to really, really be different. but HE hast to be in us. HE makes all the difference and HE will make all the difference if we truly have HIM inside to live out through us.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
we are different...
we are really different here in the usa. last night mccain, the loser in the election and then this morning bush, the man that the winner obama is going to replace, both gave speeches that were awesome and praised obama for the great job he did. they had lost but were really being gracious in there losing.that could only happen here. other places there would have been riots or the army would have said we don't agree and they would have nulified what the people had voted. we don't do that.
so if your man didn't win...be thankful that you had the opportunity to vote and if you won realize that the losers also are americans and they believe like you do in what really matters, freedom and celebrate the great priviledge we have to live here.
here she is...
what do you think? that is what really gets to a grandpa... this is our ashlyn faith williamsit's over...
well, the election is over. we now have a new direction. i don't mean that we have a new president but we now can turn for awhile to a more positive outlook. all of the negativity should start to be a little more positive because so many people now have hope and excitement because their man has been elected.
of course the losers are very frustrated but that is life and they have to go on. now i believe in democracy but i don't put my total trust in it. i put my trust in GOD. HE can bring what HE wants out of anything. i trust HIM. and i believe HIS view of it all is different than our view. yes HE did say to give to caesar what is due caesar but caesar is not lord, JESUS is LORD.
now here is the key, if your candidate lost or won, how as a CHRISTian will you respond? i am in luke the 6th chapter in my morning reading and here in the message version is what i read this morning in verse 31, "here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them!" we need to make sure we respond as we would want someone to respond to us.
and don't let pride, despair, fear, anger, take over. remember GOD is in control and HE has a plan, and HIS purpose will be fulfilled in the end. read the end of the book. those of us who are CHRIST-followers win, not republicans, not democrats, and not our own selfish interests.
how are you doing today? remember, respond as GOD says to respond, we are to respond differently than others who are not CHRIST-followers would respond. don't be proud and don't be in despair but give to others what we would want them to give to us. also remember that our hope is in CHRIST. for JESUS is LORD!!!
of course the losers are very frustrated but that is life and they have to go on. now i believe in democracy but i don't put my total trust in it. i put my trust in GOD. HE can bring what HE wants out of anything. i trust HIM. and i believe HIS view of it all is different than our view. yes HE did say to give to caesar what is due caesar but caesar is not lord, JESUS is LORD.
now here is the key, if your candidate lost or won, how as a CHRISTian will you respond? i am in luke the 6th chapter in my morning reading and here in the message version is what i read this morning in verse 31, "here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them!" we need to make sure we respond as we would want someone to respond to us.
and don't let pride, despair, fear, anger, take over. remember GOD is in control and HE has a plan, and HIS purpose will be fulfilled in the end. read the end of the book. those of us who are CHRIST-followers win, not republicans, not democrats, and not our own selfish interests.
how are you doing today? remember, respond as GOD says to respond, we are to respond differently than others who are not CHRIST-followers would respond. don't be proud and don't be in despair but give to others what we would want them to give to us. also remember that our hope is in CHRIST. for JESUS is LORD!!!
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