Ok, so I have been MIA for the last, oh, at least two weeks- or more. My bad!
What has been going in my life? Well, it has been busy but with nothing new. Work is just crazy- and it is only going to be worse in March. Good thing I still like my job... most days. No, I really do like my job, it is just crazy busy. And God has been sending me small presents and encouragements recently just showing me that I am really meant for this job, at least for the next little bit.
I have begun to teach the 4 and 5 year olds on Sundays at my church. I am really enjoying it. That is taking up a little time to lesson plan.
My home computer is acting up again. Thank goodness for my friend at church; he is going to take a look at it. Here is to hoping he can fix it again. Otherwise, my budget goals may have to be adjusted. YIKES!
OH- and I leave for Disney World on Friday. I may be a small bit excited for that!!!! And in case you were wondering, it is supposed to be in the 80s while we are down there. Oh man- I really am excited. :-)
2.24.2009
2.05.2009
Being vs. Doing
I am not always a fan of chain mail (remember when it actually all came through snail mail?), but every once in a while they are worth a read. A co-worker sent this one to me... and it really just hit home, made me stop and think. So, have a read:
Rick Warren..... (Do you remember that he wrote 'PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE’ , moderated the "first" McCain and Obama debate, and also delivered the invocation at this year's inauguration?)You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren , Rick said:
"People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, "God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better." God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings. "
I think it hit home because I am someone who always gets caught up in the "doing." If you know me, you know I live for my planner, I live for my to-do lists. In fact- on my Facebook Profile I mention that when I am stressed, making lists helps to calm me down. Knowing what I need to get done helps me focus long enough to do it. But Rick Warren is right- God didn't put me on the earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He created me to glorify Him, to live for Him.
Lord, I pray that this stays with me today, that I remember this as I work hard at my job. But that I work hard at my job, at my life FOR YOU! Lord, allow me to be... be at peace with where you have me, at peace with how you created me, to be long enough to see if you have someone you want me to reach out to or something you want to use me to do. Allow me to be available for Your plan. Amen.
Rick Warren..... (Do you remember that he wrote 'PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE’ , moderated the "first" McCain and Obama debate, and also delivered the invocation at this year's inauguration?)You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren , Rick said:
"People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is 'my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, "God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better." God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings. "
I think it hit home because I am someone who always gets caught up in the "doing." If you know me, you know I live for my planner, I live for my to-do lists. In fact- on my Facebook Profile I mention that when I am stressed, making lists helps to calm me down. Knowing what I need to get done helps me focus long enough to do it. But Rick Warren is right- God didn't put me on the earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He created me to glorify Him, to live for Him.
Lord, I pray that this stays with me today, that I remember this as I work hard at my job. But that I work hard at my job, at my life FOR YOU! Lord, allow me to be... be at peace with where you have me, at peace with how you created me, to be long enough to see if you have someone you want me to reach out to or something you want to use me to do. Allow me to be available for Your plan. Amen.
2.03.2009
Good Things: January
I saw this on a blog I read. And I thought it was a good idea- so here are my good things/blessings for January (and since I am doing it delayed, I may not have something for every day, but I'll work on that for the rest of the year).
1-I slept in after a late New Year's Eve. I the proceeded to do nothing by be lazy with my roomie, Laura.
2- Watched "Made of Honor" with Laura; it was ok as far as Chick Flicks go.
3- Took a hike in Umstead- love being outdoors!
4- lunch a Moe's- I love nachos so anytime I get to eat them- YUM!
5- ...
6- Spent the night organizing my life- it's one of my favorite things to do!
7- The Gathering at church
8- ...
9- got to spend time with Kate before she headed back to Oklahoma
10- dinner with Anna Paules! love that girl!
11- Leadership for FLC- man, I do like serving in the body of Christ!
12- lunch w/ Amanda at Panera
13- Try-It Troop for work: 4 people are willing to volunteer!! SCORE!!!
14- lunch w/ Sarah Lile, coffee w/ Jenn Lowther, and Chili Night- could a day be any better?
15- dinner w/ Rachel :-)
16- trip to Atlanta!
17- Coke Museum... need I say more? but I did really enjoy the Aquarium, too
18- I want a Wii and a Wii Fit! played on it for the first time- I am sold!
19- Day off- I'll take one of those at any point
20- SNOW DAY!
21- Celine Dion Concert
22- ...
23- Jenny visits!!! We went for another hike in Umstead
24- Ben and Jerry's Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream. again, need I say more?
25- RENT!
26- dinner w/ the Nieman's- boy do I love this family.
27- ...
28- dinner w/ Rachel again :-); it was much needed- I was feeling lonely and needed the time to have some quality one on one with her
29- talked to Christine on the phone!
30- quiet night in...
31- UNC vs. NC State basketball game and 3:10 to Yuma- quality hang out time w/ FLC friends
Man- this is a good exercise, to list your blessings and good things. Makes you feel thankful, makes you realize life is good. Try it! :-)
1-I slept in after a late New Year's Eve. I the proceeded to do nothing by be lazy with my roomie, Laura.
2- Watched "Made of Honor" with Laura; it was ok as far as Chick Flicks go.
3- Took a hike in Umstead- love being outdoors!
4- lunch a Moe's- I love nachos so anytime I get to eat them- YUM!
5- ...
6- Spent the night organizing my life- it's one of my favorite things to do!
7- The Gathering at church
8- ...
9- got to spend time with Kate before she headed back to Oklahoma
10- dinner with Anna Paules! love that girl!
11- Leadership for FLC- man, I do like serving in the body of Christ!
12- lunch w/ Amanda at Panera
13- Try-It Troop for work: 4 people are willing to volunteer!! SCORE!!!
14- lunch w/ Sarah Lile, coffee w/ Jenn Lowther, and Chili Night- could a day be any better?
15- dinner w/ Rachel :-)
16- trip to Atlanta!
17- Coke Museum... need I say more? but I did really enjoy the Aquarium, too
18- I want a Wii and a Wii Fit! played on it for the first time- I am sold!
19- Day off- I'll take one of those at any point
20- SNOW DAY!
21- Celine Dion Concert
22- ...
23- Jenny visits!!! We went for another hike in Umstead
24- Ben and Jerry's Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream. again, need I say more?
25- RENT!
26- dinner w/ the Nieman's- boy do I love this family.
27- ...
28- dinner w/ Rachel again :-); it was much needed- I was feeling lonely and needed the time to have some quality one on one with her
29- talked to Christine on the phone!
30- quiet night in...
31- UNC vs. NC State basketball game and 3:10 to Yuma- quality hang out time w/ FLC friends
Man- this is a good exercise, to list your blessings and good things. Makes you feel thankful, makes you realize life is good. Try it! :-)
2.02.2009
Preparing Meals
Do you often cook for yourself? or your family? I wish I cooked more- I really like a nice meal... however, I don't. And I think this comic strip accurately explains why I don't make more homemade dinners:
All the prep work! All the clean-up! All the leftovers! When it is just you eating the meal, it is so not worth the effort. Or maybe that is my laziness- but I stand by that statement. Most dinners, it is just me eating so it is far easier to make macaroni and cheese, or a personal frozen pizza, or a sandwich... Occasionally I'll make myself a big pot of chili, or lasagna. BUT, as much as I like leftovers- you just can't eat the same thing for the next two weeks (which again, when it it is just you happens).
So back to my original question- do you cook much for yourself?
All the prep work! All the clean-up! All the leftovers! When it is just you eating the meal, it is so not worth the effort. Or maybe that is my laziness- but I stand by that statement. Most dinners, it is just me eating so it is far easier to make macaroni and cheese, or a personal frozen pizza, or a sandwich... Occasionally I'll make myself a big pot of chili, or lasagna. BUT, as much as I like leftovers- you just can't eat the same thing for the next two weeks (which again, when it it is just you happens).
So back to my original question- do you cook much for yourself?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)