LeBron is going to South Beach.  Aren’t we all better off knowing that big piece of information?  I don’t know what to think about the big ESPN special for his announcement.

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It might rain.  I should be a meteorologist.  And how can the Rangers lose to Baltimore?

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Every good bit of news is followed by something negative lately.  I don’t get it.  I wonder if it is a test and, if it is, wonder if it’s a test from God or from the evil one. 

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My daughter has made the decision to be baptized.  I am so proud of her and full of joy for her decision to put on Christ.  I love the imagery of baptism I find in Romans 6:1-8 – ¹What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
 ⁵If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
 ⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

I grew up in an environment that taught baptism is essential to salvation.  I read Romans 6 and come away believing that baptism is essential to be united with Christ, not something that gives us a reward but something that gives us a daily direction and challenge – to be like Christ because we have now been united with him through baptism.

I’m sure I don’t do a good job describing how incredibly important I find the process of baptism to be in starting us on a journey with Jesus but I’m eternally thankful that I can be intimately united with him through baptism. 

I’m off for another blogging holiday as I try to catch loads of trout over the next week.  Yea!

Grace and peace to you.
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Last night was another fun night of making things go boom.  I love the artillery shells. 

I have noticed so many signs proclaiming “freedom is not free” leading up to the 4th and have contemplated on how true that statement rings.  I know it is primarily intended to remind us of our fighting forces that protect this country but it relates the same to the fighting forces that are working to protect our hearts.  Freedom comes from the cross and it was not free.  Freedom comes from denying ourselves but it doesn’t come easy.  Freedom comes from confession but it is not without pain.  Freedom is not free.

I look forward to the day when we can recall our troops from harms way while wondering if that day will ever come again.  While I want to envision peace and prosperity for our nation and for the world, I can’t help but look around and wonder if we have entered a time when fighting and the desire of nations won’t only continue but will escalate.

I’m so thankful my life doesn’t simply consist of what happens in this world.  As much as I enjoy people and things that are here, I know that the true reward, the ultimate glory comes in a world after this one.

Baseball and more baseball this week while dodging the rain.

The Lord is my shepherd…

Grace and peace to you.

It’s easy for me to live in fear, to live scared.  Fear of the unknown and scared of what my imagination conjures up.  When I’m living in fear, my mind is constantly engaged trying to figure the way out.  There is no stillness, no peace.

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Isaiah gives us this in chapter 43, verses 1-2:
But now, this is what the LORD says—
       he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel:
       “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have summoned you by name; you are mine*. 
When you pass through the waters,
       I will be with you;
       and when you pass through the rivers,
       they will not sweep over you.
       When you walk through the fire,
       you will not be burned;
       the flames will not set you ablaze. 

*(emphasis mine)
If I can only remember that God is with me; with me through the waters and through the fire.  God is with me.

Grace and peace to you.

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“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

I have a second hand on my watch so I can count time in the smallest of fragments.  I am not sure God uses a second hand on his timepiece.  I want answers and actions now.  God allows me to wait.  I am impatient.  God is not.

Maybe lack of patience is one of the hole’s in my structure that God wants to work in but I don’t seem inclined to let Him just now.  I want answers.  I think He’s hard of hearing.  Maybe He thinks I’m impetuous.

My patience with God has run thin of late.  Isn’t it ironic that my hope is His patience with me is greater than ever?  That’s a lesson of irony I need to take to heart.

Grace and peace to you.

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

When, God?  I feel so weak right now, I feel overwhelmed by the evil one and I feel so separated from you, God.  

I have people who are willing to do so much for me, yet I still feel alone today.  Where are you God?

We are taught that weakness is bad, that we must overcome our weaknesses, we must work and work and work so that our weaknesses will not hurt us.

Do you ever wonder why we have a weakness?

I was visiting with a friend the other day who is worn down by his weakness.  He is so focused on the problems it is causing in his life that he is having trouble moving forward.  He told me he has worked to overcome it yet it only seems to grow and have more power over him.

It made me think about why I have weaknesses.  God made me in his image so why do I have weaknesses?

And then it struck me…

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

God left a place in us that He could work.  He gave us strengths and talents so we could use them but I think he gave us weaknesses so He would have a place to work in us, a place where we wouldn’t forget we need Him.  Of course, I choose whether to try and hide my weakness or invite God in to it so that I will gain strength.  If God made me completely perfect in every way, would I need him as desperately as I do now with my weaknesses exposed?

I don’t have all the right answers but in this case, I choose to thank God for my weakness because He will be the one to make me strong through it, stronger than I would ever become on my own.  I have experienced things God can do with my weakness that I never thought imaginable before I really gave myself over to His control. 

I am weak so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Grace and peace to you.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.– Proverbs 4:23

Tonight is Game 7, the finale, between the Celtics and Lakers.  The winner takes home the trophy and the glory of being the NBA champions and the other team goes home a loser – 2nd place of course – but the loser.  Kobe is going to go all out for this game.  Pierce and Allen and Garnett are going to go all out for this game.  Their defense will be amped up and their offense will come from an attacking mindset.  They will not play timid.  They will not stand back around the goal hoping the other team doesn’t get too close.  They will be playing up close on defense, keeping their enemy an arm-length away but close enough they can keep a wary eye on him and stop him from scoring.  On offense, they will be looking for every little hole to attack so that they will win their cause.

I need that kind of mindset as a Christian.  I read Proverbs 4:23 and think it would be easy to sink back into a hole, just hide and thereby protect my heart.  I get caught in the first half of the sentence and forget the second half – it is the wellspring of life.  Life.  God wants us to live for Him with some sense of abandon from fear, with an idea of watching for every avenue we have to go on the offensive in glorifying Him.  God wants us to protect our heart from evil but not by hiding it but, instead, using it.  Christians need to be like the guy on the court who is playing tough defense, knowing he is going to have a battle to prevent his opponent from scoring but not backing off one bit – instead, getting a hand out to knock away the opportunity for the opponent and then, not stopping to relish the defense, but to go on the offensive, to live and to share the majesty of the Almighty.

I need to remember to play each day like it’s Game 7.  There is a trophy on the line and I want to be the one to bask in the ticker tape parade and glory of being a champion for God.

Grace and peace to you.

I don’t have much to offer today so now’s your chance to escape.

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I hear something big is happening at Pebble Beach this week.  Any ideas?

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Lakers/Celtics is going to Game 7.  I might finally watch my 3rd NBA game of the year.  Might.

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How about Matt Treanor?  The Rangers picked him up to be a spare catcher in case of emergency and he’s delivered at least 2 or 3 game winning hits this year. 

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My son played his first high school level baseball game last night and got his first hit, first RBI, first HBP (hit by pitch), first walk and first strikeout.  His comment, “well, now I need my first double, triple and home run.”  Keep swinging, kid.  You’ll get it.

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I got a vuvuzela app for my iPhone. 

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I wonder if the TempurPedic cloud really works? 

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I’m thankful for good friends, the people you can share anything with and they still love you, pray for you and support you. 

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The group from our church who went to Ecuador are on the downhill run today.  It’s their tourist day before getting things wrapped up tomorrow and flying back on Friday.  Please continue to pray that the work they have done has left seeds planted so that God will be glorified and His kingdom will grow and that they have a safe journey back to their homes and families.

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Grace and peace to you.
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There has never nor will there ever be enough Tylenol to rid the world of pain.  I hear it in the story of the family that adopted and had started raising two little boys after thay had watched their dad shoot their mom before he fled for Mexico only to have other family members who had never seen the children want to adopt them simply for the money.  I hear it in the words written on a blog by a young lady who is filling her days with busyness for fear of feeling guilty for resting.  I hear it in the words of friends and family who are struggling with issues ranging from work to family to illness to unexplainable loss.  I feel it in my own life. 

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I wish Johnson & Johnson could create a pill that just makes the pain go away and stay away but such is not the case.

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There is a day coming when the pain will disappear, when all will be right and the things we cannot understand or explain today will not be a concern.  No more illness or emotional distress or mental disorders.  No more war, no more murder.

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Simply joy and peace forever.  Praise and worship and the presence of the Almighty God.  That is a day to look forward to.

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Grace and peace to you.
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Welcome to the new look.  Be patient as I play around with some options and learning what is available.

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I wonder why it is so hard for me to make time for God.  Sure, I went to church yesterday and attended my small group meeting and did and said all the right things.  What about today?  When will I make time for God today?  I’ve got some meetings and I’ll surely have time for lunch and supper and I need to mow and get some other stuff done and when I don’t, man, if I could just sit down and catch a bit of the Rangers game and then get to sleep at a reasonable time.  Oh…God…hey, I’ll make some time for you tomorrow.  I promise. 

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I have been intentional about making time for God over the past couple of years but there are peaks and valleys and not as much consistency as I would like.  Well, today God is going to get some of my time and He will get it right now.

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Grace and peace to you.
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