Happy Birthday Alaina!

4 years ago this evening, Easter Sunday, around 7 pm, you came into this world. Of course, you interrupted my fajita dinner and let's not forget the fact that you were so impatient you wanted to come 3 weeks prior putting your poor mom in the hospital for 2 weeks on bed rest, but that's all beside the point. ;0)

You are an amazing little girl. You know what you want in life and you go full force. You will be a leader one day and my prayer is that God will use this gift He has given you to impact your world. You are such a blessing!

We love you and adore you!!

Happy Birthday Laini!

Things Just don't Change Much

...Oppression of the poor, sexual immorality and personal indulgences. Sounds like a page right out of our own newspapers! Well, while these issues certainly plague our political and social structure, these are the very same issues that plagued the Jews in the Old Testament. Human depravity is constant no matter what time period and the solution to it is also the same; turning from these behaviors and submitting to God. Do you want to see changes in our politics and social structure? Stop trying to legislate and pray. Only the changing of men's (gender inclusive) hearts will change the slippery slope we're on as a nation. Spending trillions of dollars (we don't have!) won't get our economy back in shape and punishing wealthy people with taxes won't change their spending habits; they'll just find new ways to shelter their money. No; we need a revival. We need to see people all across this nation turning back to God individually and then corporately. It's the same message of the Old Testament and it still rings true today.

This Isn't Summer Camp

Desperate tent city revival for America's homeless

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jfdUjgQlF9EylQA0IXkiLMA6EUVg

No, this isn't summer camp, this is a tent city in California for those that have been severely affected by the downturn in the economy. California, specifically has been hard hit with over 10% unemployment and high cost of living.

Is this where we are headed? I'm not trying to be Mr. doom and gloom, but this is reality for some across this nation. When I see this I have to ask; don't these people have friends or relatives that can take them in until they can get they're lives back together? What have we become as a society of people that we have to depend on the government to take care of others. It's not the governments responsibility; it is ours as a society to take care of our neighbors. This is the Good Samaritan 2009. Who is your neighbor? Look around. Do you know someone who is down and out? Are you willing to take a friend or loved one in and inconvenience yourself for the good of someone else? What if it were you? Do you have someone you could turn to take you in?

Saturday Night Unplugged Re-launch

It was an amazing evening. I don't know where over 1/2 the people came from. we had a full house! Saturday Night Unplugged at the downtown Volcanos was a huge success! The place was packed. It wasn't without out its glitches though like forgetting the mic stand and poor room arrangement and feeling disconnected from everyone. Beyond that, there was some really great music and good conversation. This is truly and "experiment in translation" that will morph until we get it right.

Distracted....

I'm trying to get my work done but I'm so distracted. Not by other activities, well, OK, that too but more than that, my thoughts. I've been studying some concepts on the book of Jeremiah and one thought is screaming out at me that is so relevant for today. I have to share it...


"Many people today trust in their rituals for security. they think God will accept them because of their baptism, church attendance, faithful giving or service to their church. But Jeremiah warns us that apart from faith, even important church activities are merely empty rituals...the Lord calls us to submit our entire lives to him and focus on things that please him."

Why is this important? allow me to vent; I've asked many people in my community if they are a part of a church; the response? "Oh, I go to ___________ church, but I haven't gone in _______ weeks." In my head I'm thinking, clearly then, you don't go to ____________ church! Just showing up when you feel like it doesn't make you a part of that church anymore than walking into a hospital cures you from an illness.

I'm sorry, that sounds so judgmental and I don't mean it to, really but it's so frustrating for me because I was like that once. I went to church because it was the thing to do and that was it. when I started getting involved and putting some "skin in the game" is when it really clicked.

"Sunday is a family day", I hear. Great! share it with with more family! A group of people with like minded faith is an amazing family! And best of all, they don't live with you! ;0)

It's so frustrating to see people going day in and day out through their lives with no real purpose or drive. They just "show up", so to speak and hope things will be good that day. There is so much more to life than getting up in the morning, drinking your coffee, getting the kids ready, off to school, off to work, return and repeat! !!!! WAKE UP!!! That is not life! It's merely existing. There is an abundant life waiting to be lived, you just have to put some skin in to it.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Saint Patrick's Day. I would bet a small sum of money that most people don't really know what this patron saint's day is all about. For most, it's about wearing green or getting pinched (and risking a sexual harassment suit) and indulging in green beer. OK, I must admit, I have enjoyed a nice Amber Bock on occasion and, being part Irish and all (look up Antrim County in Ireland) but green beer? Yuck. Just the sight of it...

Anyways, here are some facts about our green day friend.

According to www.History.com,

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)"

So, while your indulging in green tainted food and beverage today, you can quiz your friends on the history of Saint Patrick's Day.

Coffee Talk

I'm mulling over some news from the week in preparation for our coffee house event this weekend. I'm reading about the killings in Alabama pondering questions I might ask to drum up discussion. My main thought is that, in general, people tend to think "People" are generally good at heart but then here comes this story and it throws that thought into a tailspin. How can a "generally good person" go on a killing rampage? Is it possible that our concept of man is seriously flawed? And if so, how does it affect us individually since, well, we're "Man" (gender inclusive). Really, we are all one bad decision from significantly altering our lives.

But then there's the question; where was God in all of this? How could He allow this to happen to a small community that no one had ever heard of before this? God is supposed to be sovereign and in control...

So, these are some of the things I'm pondering; some of the questions of life to bring to light with the hopes of creating a discussion that causes people to think more deeply about the world they live in...

Have a great weekend!

1984 all Over Again...

In 1984, Dr. Adrien Rogers said this and was recently posted in the congressional record by Steve King of Iowa;

“Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can’t give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody. And when half of the people get the idea they don’t have to work because the other half’s going to take care of them, and when the other half get the idea it does no good to work because somebody’s going to get what I work for. That, dear friend, is about the end of any nation.”

Thoughts?

Death of Religion?

I'm still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes from this weekend's loss of an hour of sleep. Anyways, I came across this article this week and found it pretty interesting. I'll elaborate more on it throughout the week ( I hope!).

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090309/ap_on_re/rel_religious_america

The article basically says that the number of people who claim a religion is declining in America. Can I be honest, my first reaction (and usually the worst one) is "DUH!!! Just look around at all of the junk going on in society!" But then, I step back for a minute, take a breath and go, hmmm. Why?

Maybe I can't be really objective on this because, well, I am, according to sociologists, (gulp) religious. EW! I really dislike that word but for sake of the article, yes, I'm a "religious person". I attend a service on a weekly basis and fit all of the criteria that sociologists use to define religion. But for many, religion doesn't work. Why? I can't answer that for anyone else because I can't speak from that experience. I can only postulate. Maybe it's because religion is seen by some as a big business or an attempt to control people or it's just one big fairy tale. Whatever the reason, "religion" doesn't work anymore. I guess the next question is, what does work?
Thoughts?

Stop Complaining and Get Back Up...

I love this guy's attitude. All too often we complain about our circumstances; I know I do. Our joy is not and should not be based on our circumstances; it is based on a concious decision to be joyful regardless of our circumstances.

A Simple Thought...

"God’s work demands all that we have, and sometimes challenges us to go beyond what we think we are capable of doing. But ultimately, life in his service is always rewarding and fulfilling."

Think on that...