It’s really cold in Decatur, Texas today. It’s in the 20’s and the wind makes it feel a lot colder.

GMA had a brief clip of guys ice fishing. That’s a crazy sport.

Today’s Bible verse (January 15) on my blog Bible verse thingy is so true.

I was having a conversation the other day about people displaced from the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast region and some of the things they did. I heard one story about a grocery store having to close down because so many of the refugees (I’m not sure of what the right word should be) were trying to steal groceries from them. One of the people I was talking with had a list of suggestions on how to punish them. Another one suggested what they would do differently if they were in that position and it was at that point that I started wondering what I was thinking. Just a few years ago, I would have agreed with some punishment and had a lot of ideas about what was wrong with them but yesterday all I could think is “we don’t have the slightest idea what is going on with those people and why they are doing what they are doing.” Those of us talking grew up in nice homes and live in them today. Most of us had both parents at home with stable jobs and went to church fairly regulary at the least. All of us have pretty stable jobs now, nice homes and all the trappings. Our kids don’t really suffer for much and we sit in million dollar church buildings wondering what is going on in the world.

Do I understand why the guy who has been living on welfare for 15 years is in the grocery store stealing? No and I certainly don’t understand his life. Sure, it’s easy to project my thought process on him when I’ve grown up surrounded by people who cared about me. I wonder if he did? Do I understand the 17 year old mother of two who is stealing food for her and her kids? No and I certainly don’t understand her life. I was married and “mature” when my kids were born and I still can’t figure out what I’m doing. It’s easy to project my thought process on her when my kids have grown up surrounded by an extended family who loves them and cares about them and a church family they see every week.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying someone should get away with stealing but where was I before they got to that position in their life? Where were the people who cared about preventing it as much as punishing it?

I don’t have the answers, I’m just wrestling out loud with the questions in my head. I do know that evil exists in our world, that Satan is alive and battling each one of us every day for our hearts and minds and some people are going to give in to Satan but there’s some out there that will give in to God if they just see Him. And how will they see Him if I’m His servant who isn’t serving those who are looking?

It’s Monday and I have nothing today. Hopefully DirecTV is going to show up today and get my satellite working again. There have been positive points to not having TV reception but I do miss ESPN and CNN on getting weather on the news. Otherwise, it hasn’t affected my life all that much.

We had a church basketball game yesterday and another one tonight. I’m not sure I’m capable of playing 2 days in a row. Someone from the other team ran into going for a ball yesterday and I hit the floor. They must make the floors harder these days because it hurt more than it used to.

There’s not much going on in Decatur at 5:55 in the morning.

The New York Football Giants (that’s what they say in NYC) lost to the Eagles. Super Bowl one year, not so great the next. And I thought Donovan McNabb was supposed to be washed up.

I got up with my daughter early this morning and spent the time waiting on her in prayer. It’s something I wish I would do everyday but the discipline isn’t there yet. Anyway, it’s always good to see prayers answered and I did over the last few days. It’s great because it encourages me to keep praying even when I’m not seeing answers to some prayers. I am so thankful God has given us the ability to pray directly to Him. The Lord is soooooo good.

I was up extra early today so my thoughts are a mish-mash of mush.

Do you ever go a few days without TV? I typically don’t but it has been semi-forced on me because of an equipment malfunction. I’ve read more and wonder if I should have the problem fixed.

I’m reading the Josh Hamilton book and it’s amazing to hear what he went through and see where he is. I have to agree with his assessment that God had a plan for Josh because it just doesn’t seem humanly possible for him to have accomplished what he has after his level of drug use. He and his wife have incredibly powerful stories about God working in their lives. The book is called Beyond Belief.

I used a bit of the book in my lesson last night. Do you remember the story of Ezekiel 37? It’s a powerful reminder of what our God can do. He can rebuild anything…anything. Regardless of the condition we are in, He can put us back together in the image He designed us for if we will let Him…if we will open ourselves to that relationship with Him.

Josh Hamilton has an Ezekiel 37 story. Other people I know and many I don’t have an Ezekiel 37 story too. God is powerful and I just have to be open to let Him work in me.

I didn’t cover the Longhorns come-from-behind victory very well yesterday but it was a great game. A bad night for DirecTV to quit working in part of the house so I had to keep myself from yelling at the TV. When OSU scored late in the game, I thought “it’s over” and almost went to bed but then thought I might as well see the end…and what an ending it was.

I know Texas was supposed to run away from them but I think one of the problems with bowl games is having a team like Texas that was so close to playing in a national championship game come in to play the #10 team. Not the #4 team but #10. What’s the motivation? Pride? Give me a break. These kids played with pride all year and because of the ridiculous system used for college football playing a lesser team just isn’t all that exciting. On top of that, take nothing away from Ohio State. They are a good team and had the opportunity to knock of a potential title-contender and the #2 vote getter for the Heisman (another mistake if you ask me).

Until there is a playoff the system will remain highly flawed. No doubt Zero U and Florida should have the opportunity to play for the trophy but they should go through an elimination system with several other schools.
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OK, my other thoughts for the day were going on and on so I’m going to give up because you probably don’t want to read that much today. So, here’s a shorter thought that is on my mind today – prayer.

I love being able to go to God with what is on my heart. I’m able to speak directly to God and let it out – whatever “it” is. I’m praying for missionaries who have made a profound impact on my understanding of what it means to serve God. I’m praying for friends I love who are hurting. I’m praying for people I dearly love who need physical healing. I’m praying that God will continue to work on me, to break me and build me back into what He wants me to be. I’m praying for many other things and the fact that THE LORD hears me is awesome. The One who created all listens to me. Words fail me.

I got an email yesterday that showed earth compared with other planets and stars and other galaxies with the idea of how insignificant earth is compared with all God created yet He knows the hair on our heads. I just can’t comprehend it but I believe it. I hope you will too.

It was cold in Decatur, Texas yesterday. My truck still has ice melting off of it this morning so it’s slowly warming up.

How about the Longhorns? Can they redo the Heisman award? They should.

Go Gators!

Sunday I mentioned that In Christ Alone has quickly become one of my favorite songs. I think Amazing Grace will always be my all-time favorite but it’s a battle. Both songs have incredible messages that have begun to touch my heart in new and deeper ways and both express something that I am only now beginning to really understand…how deep God’s love for me goes. I think I have said this before but I have long had a intellectual relationship with God – I understood and acknowledged who He is – but I had resisted a true heart relationship with Him because I still had the desire to solve my problems, to find my way, to take on the mantle of doing the right thing. I am learning that those are all ideas satan wanted me to have so I resisted the incredible mercy and grace God wants to pour out to me. I didn’t have bad intentions when trying to solve my problems and, at times, even thought it was what God wanted from me. I took the approach that He was there but He would want me to be out front doing what I thought He wanted me to do – which led me to making decisions that were often not helping and too decisions that were wrong because satan kept popping up even though I didn’t understand it at the time.

I have heard people talk about listening for God and didn’t get it but I have begun to. I have waited and truly believe I have heard Him. It may be a feeling, it may be a door that opens that is too obvious to pass up, it may be an incredible feeling of peace that comes over me and, quite frankly, is unexplainable but very, very real.

I do know this today better than ever – in Christ alone, my hope if found. My hope to overcome the obstacles of evil today and tomorrow, but even more, my hope for eternity comes from Christ alone. I don’t expect or need the promise of a happier today or tomorrow, only a day that draws me closer to my Savior. He came for me, He died for me, He rose again for me. In Christ alone, my hope is found.

I’ve got to get used to writing 2009 now. It always takes me a few weeks to do it without any mistakes.

I’m always amazed by those people that go jump/dive in a lake while it is freezing and ice is all around them. I don’t get it but it makes good video watching some of them get out.

I got to watch some of my favorite holiday basketball tournament earlier this week. It’s amazing how fast the game is. Maybe it was that way when I was playing high school ball but it just seems like everyone is so much quicker. There are more and more 6’8″ and taller kids every year. Two guys at 6’10” topped the charts this year.

I gave up making resolutions a few years ago but some things that I have been doing are things I hope to keep getting better at. The top two are: (drum roll here — ha ha) 2. keep exercising and 1. keep growing closer to God through good and bad. Fortunately, neither of these are something I’m starting from scratch and both are important to my health albeit in different ways. I want to have a better life while I’m on earth but my greatest focus needs to be preparing for the best life after this earth.

Happy New Year!

It’s hard to believe 2008 is just hours away from being gone and 2009 is closing in on me. Time continues to fly and I can do nothing to slow it down. Wow. So many things have happened during 2008 that have shaped me and formed me and pulled me closer to God. I am thankful for all the good and all the bad that have drawn me closer to my Lord. I feel like events in my life this past year have opened my eyes to God in ways I never imagined or understood and for that, I praise Him.

I hope anyone reading this will have a great 2009 and that the new year will bring you closer to God too. My wishes for peace, prosperity and all good things are directed completely towards relationships with God because that is where we will find true peace, true prosperity, true love, true healing.
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I celebrated the start of my 44th year last night with my family by eating at Joe T. Garcia’s (my fave) and a night at Bass Hall. It was a good night to be with the people I love sharing good food and a fun time.
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My blog is digressing but I’m just hearing that Mike Shanahan was fired by the Denver Broncos. Let me get this straight, Wade Phillips who hasn’t done much gets to keep his job and Shanahan who won Super Bowls loses his. What a topsy-turvy job market.
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My last blogged words of this year…

May you find all you need in our Creator and Savior’s love in 2009 and forevermore.

Have you seen the billboard ads for IAMSECOND.COM? I was attracted to it because Josh Hamilton is advertised so I went to check it out. It’s a site that wants to get the message across that God must be first in all that we do, in who we are. I listened to stories from Hamilton, from Brian “Head” Welch and a few others and it’s powerful to hear people talk about their journey from the edge of hell back to God.

It got me to thinking about the emphasis our society puts on self-esteem. Self-esteem puts a focus right where it advertises, on self, and I think that causes a problem for a lot of people. As a parent, my greatest fear of failure is not leading my children to understand that God must be first, that He made them perfectly in His image and that no matter what happens in life, they will always be loved unconditionally by their Creator.

Of course, the key is that they have to accept that. I have known God loves me all my life but haven’t really understood it or accepted it. I have been worried about how I was perceived by others and that worry affected how I felt about myself-not putting God first. Thankfully, I have come to that place where I have begun to grasp God’s love for me, His unconditional, constant love and in that, I am more and more focused on what He is seeing in me, not what others see.

As I begin another year of life, I am more thankful than ever for God’s love for me. I am thankful He made me the way He wanted me, that He is always the same, always waiting for me, arms open. No matter how others see me, no matter my blunders and failings, no matter what I want to think of myself, there is One who will always lift me up and as long as my focus is on Him first, I know I will have little trouble worrying what others think because my Creator also gave me the Savior.

I can’t believe Christmas has come and gone. I think working in retail has blinded me to the Christmas spirit buildup and then it’s over in a day (or so). I think we should all have at least 2 weeks off to celebrate Christmas. 🙂
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Josh’s baseball coach sent this link to the players and asked them to read it. It’s a great story.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

If you didn’t feel good already, this story should help. It’s more than just good sportsmanship, it’s people acting like Christians. Awesome. Kudos to Rick Reilly for putting it on a stage as big as ESPN.
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Did anyone catch the news that Mark Texiera (a former Ranger) signed with the Yankees for $180 million over 8 years. Here’s to hoping the Yankees don’t win a World Series for several more years. I like Texiera but it’s obviously about money and I just don’t like that.

Then again, if my kids ever get a shot at that kind of money, I might be inclined to suggest they take it.
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The Whataburger Basketball Tournament cranks up next Monday. It’s always a fun day for me.

I hope I can get tickets to the Final Four when it comes to Jerry’s Palace. I think that would be THE ultimate sporting event for me.
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I’m a big Josh Hamilton fan. He was awarded the Fort Worth Star Telegram Sportsman of the Year award. When contacted about winning the award and how great it was to be given the honor on Christmas Day, Hamilton acknowledged he was happy to win the award but Christmas was all about celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Savior and any personal awards didn’t come close to celebrating the Christ. Hamilton is constantly using the baseball stage to thank God for pulling him out of the hell he was in.

I hope you and those you love have a wonderful Christmas and 2009 will be filled with the blessings of God for you.

Sunday, we were reading about Mary being told she would be the mother of the Messiah. Can you imagine? I can’t. If I were a young (teenager) girl and was told I would give birth, as a virgin, to the Savior I can’t begin to imagine the thoughts I would have. I can guess some of those thoughts would be to run, to hide. People would stare, say things, think things. The list can go on and on but what is important is what Mary did – praised God.

God gives us gifts and too often I have been more worried about what someone would think if I was using my gift than in praising God for the gift and carrying out His will. Mary had some worries but she chose to praise God, to do His will.

I give thanks for Mary and her choice, her example to us all. Even more, I give thanks to God for sending His son, the Savior and Redeemer, for me. The sin he bore on the cross was mine and there are times the thought of it will bring me to tears but exceedingly more wonderful is that the life He was resurrected to is mine also. Eternity with God awaits for me and for you because the Christ was born and lived out God’s purpose for me and for you. It leaves me without words to express my joy and peace.