I read an article in the Wall Street Journal today regarding the use of profanity in the workplace. It seems that using profanity is now a badge of merit in some companies whereby it shows you aren’t afraid to “mix it up” a little. Of course, swearing more than the boss can be bad for your career track. What? When I read something like this, I just wonder what in the world is going on in some people’s heads. Even more, what is going on in their heart?
I’m thankful I work in an environment where faith and serving God can be put first.

Tonight is my last Wednesday to spend time with someone I’ve truly grown to appreciate. We have been studying David in our Wednesday night class and it has been such a blessing in my life. I have learned so much about David, but even more, I’ve learned so much about my relationship with God. I see parts of my life played out similar to times in David’s life and it has given me a fuller appreciation of the pain we endure when we do wrong and the glory of God we experience when we walk with Him. I pray that I will spend more time walking in the glory of God as the days go by.

I’ll miss our study of David because it has brought me to a better understanding of God but I know the stories will always be with. Much more than that, I know that God will always be with me. Even though we are leaving the study of David, we are moving forward with his example of dreaming what big things we can do with and through God. I look forward to these nights of being with brothers and talking about what big things we can accomplish as we live as Christ’s hands and feet on earth. I expect amazing, exciting times ahead and thank God that he has brought us together with a body of believers that has a desire and passion to serve.

I’ve suffered through another time change. For some reason, it seems like I have lost a lot more hours than I’ve gained. I don’t like getting out of bed while it’s dark outside. I don’t like contemplating going to bed while it’s still light outside. I don’t like driving into the sun on our morning school run. I don’t like it when it’s 85 degrees at 9 p.m. because the sun has been up longer than it should. As you can see, there are many things I don’t like. Fortunately for me, I have a fairly good ability to move ahead and find the things that make me happy. So in a day or two, I’ll have forgotten the sleep I lost, get into the routine of later days and go watch some basebll. 🙂

It’s Opening Day for the Rangers and everyone is either anticipating a great year or another mid to late season meltdown. Whatever happens, I enjoy going to the games, looking at the manicured field, seeing all the people eating hot dogs with mustard dripping down their mouths, hearing the crack of the bat hitting the ball and enjoying the pace of another evening at a baseball game.

My daughter’s volleyball team won both their games over the weekend. I don’t understand why the referees have to do all the hand signals instead of just yelling “out” or “in” but it’s fun watching the girls play. My little angel had a good day on the court and that always makes it fun. My son’s team split a double-header this weekend. He was 1 for 3 with an RBI so it was a good day for him too. It’s fun watching kids play – not so much fun listening to the parents sometimes. And then we had an ump who didn’t call it like I saw it. That aside, it was a good day for the boys and we all are seeing improvement.

Now, quit goofing off and get back to work! 🙂

CNN and Nancy Grace have focused on the story of the Tennesee preacher shot by his wife recently and through it all, the Church of Christ was portrayed in a negative light. One Baptist preacher called Churches of Christ a cult while Nancy hounded a Church of Christ minister about the views on women’s roles in the church. It’s upsetting to read or hear what is said about the church because we hold so dearly to what we believe. For some, the initial response might be to fight back while others prefer to ignore it. I feel that the answer resides somewhere in the middle.
The conversation has started and I feel I would be remiss not to join in, not that I desire to argue the points brought up but hopefully to answer with the spirit that Christ would answer these charges. When the Pharisees made accusations or tried to ask leading questions to put Him in a corner, He responded and in His response, they could find what they wanted. If they wanted to see someone who was fighting against them, they would. Yet, if they wanted to find the source of living water, the source of their ultimate salvation, they could.
I believe we have to respond just as Jesus responded and allow God to work through our response and in the lives of those that hear. We must defend our faith but not be defensive. We respond to evil with good. We respond to hatred with love. We respond to error with truth. In all our responses, we must remember to allow Christ to speak through us. We are His vessels.
As Christians, we can take on those who throw their sticks and stones with the love and meekness of one who knows what awaits us and we must respond with the love and the joy that we want to share the incredible gift.

Last night in our Bible class, we talked about dreaming like David dreamed. It was a good discussion and one I think we will take further steps on with dreams for our own church. While discussing dreaming, I thought about how well David knew God and how that impacted his dreams. From there, I went on to think about my relationship with Jesus over the years. I firmly believe I have come to know Jesus in a much deeper, more intimate relationship in the last few years than I have in all the years previous.
As my mind works (which isn’t all that well very often), I would say that for several years I knew of Jesus but didn’t really KNOW Jesus. I had an intellectual understanding of who He is and what He has done for me but I don’t think I was able to internalize that, to understand it emotionally and spiritually. While I have many miles to travel to know Jesus better, today I believe I have a much better perspective of who He is and what He has done for me and only now can I begin to dream what I can do for Him.
I have experienced many years of discussing how we should “do church” or “be a Christian” without truly worshipping and without truly living Christ-exemplified to those around me. I worshipped by singing and by praying and listening to the sermon but didn’t allow my emotions to come through in my worship. I worshipped from the outside doing the things that are listed in the Bible but failing to worship from the heart. I worshipped with good intentions (just ask my daughter where good intentions will get you) but didn’t truly worship with the emotion of what being a child of God, a sinner saved by true sacrifice experiences.
Much the same, I could tell people why they needed to be a Christian but didn’t have compassion for their burdens. Today, I have a deeper understanding of how loving and how patient Jesus is with me. Today, I have a deeper understanding of what His mercy and grace mean because I can look back at things I have done that has hurt Him (and others), yet He has remained so good to me. How can I be anything different to those around me than what Christ is to me? How can I not exhibit mercy and grace? How can I not be in diligent prayer for those that stumble? Whether they have hurt me or themselves or someone else, how can I do anything but point them to Christ because only in Him will they find what they need to overcome their failings. Those who fall and seek redemption through Christ will not forget their falling, so why should I need to remember it? Instead I must be constant in prayer and be constant in helping them be the person Christ wants them to be.
I believe now that I can begin to dream the dreams Jesus wants me to dream because I have started to make a breakthrough in a closer, intimate relationship with Him. I believe now I can truly have hope to reach the lost because I realize how lost I was.
I have a great anticipation of dreaming the dreams that God hopes I will dream.

I don’t know much about classical psychology although I toyed with the idea of pursuing it as a major in college. People’s minds are fascinating and studying and understanding why people think what they think is a hobby for me now. Going to the mall or a ballgame and just watching the people leaves me wondering so much about what you can really tell about someone by watching them.

The ego is certainly a part of classical study and something we would all likely do well to understand better. Why does someone’s ego make them do the things they do? Why do other’s check their ego and make sure it is not putting them in a position of looking foolish…or worse? I have often observed that ego takes over when confidence is lost.

As a Christian, we can always have confidence because Christ has defeated the enemy for us. We have the spoils of war awaiting us. A Christian doesn’t need a big ego because Christ has done what none of us can ever do for ourselves but we can walk confidently and boldly that we, through Him, can overcome any challenge that may face us.

It turned downright cold last night. We were at a baseball game and everyone was wanting to go home. Unfortunately, we lost in the last inning but I think everyone was really to cold to think about it at the time.

Terrell’s a Cowboy. You’ve probably heard his rap song already but the best song I’ve heard was written to The Devil Went Down to Georgia with the Devil being TO and Georgia being the Cowboys while Jerry was the fiddler that made his bet with the Devil. It will be an interesting year but one more reason I will watch less pro football this year. These guys make too much money to make it fun to watch. Give me high school (for the love of the game and a few steroids) and college (not too much money and a few more steroids) over pro sports any day.

The mind is a bit of a blank slate today so I’ll return to the grindstone.

Have a great day!

Do you enjoy getting compliments? I don’t know many people who don’t like getting a pat on the back occasionally. Last night, my wife was reading her list of blogs and after reading mine, said “good blog.” It was a simple statement but one that made me feel good.

She’s the same person who stays up with her daughter to help on a homework assignment that was remembered at the last minute while I suggest stringing the daughter up by her toes. She’s the same person who cleans the house, washes the clothes, fixes one of the best peach cobblers you’ve ever sunk your teeth into, delivers kids from one place to another, comforts us when we hurt, helps us when we are down and says “good blog” when we do something good. That’s just a snippet of what she does for us, and, it doesn’t include all the little (and big) things she does for others while still caring for her family.

A year or so ago, she had surgery and was unable to get up and about for a few weeks. She worried that we would fall apart I think, yet we made it through that time without much trouble. We had plenty of people who fixed meals for us and helped get kids from one place to another. Yet we also had something more, we had an example of what we needed to do and how to do it and we had a desire to return a little to someone who has given us so much.

To my wife, thank you doesn’t do justice to the thanks you deserve but it’s where I’ll start. I speak for the kids and myself when I say you hold us together and push us forward. Thank you for the servant-example and the love you give us.

Yesterday was one of those days where I didn’t feel good but couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong. I just felt bad all over so I stayed home. I missed being at church. I missed seeing people I look forward to seeing all week. I missed a time of study that makes me think all week. I missed a time of worship where I am encouaraged and can refocus. I miss that when I am not there.

My kids are preparing for LTC (Leadership Training for Christ). It’s an exciting time because while they have plenty of activities to occupy their minds, the focus is still on God and His will. It’s amazing to hear them answer questions about the book of Ruth, to hear them talk about the meaning behind a puppet story, to see them volunteering to do things that will equip them to one day carry the message of God to others. What a blessing this time is. I remember having a feeling of dread before they were old enough to participate because I had heard the stories about the crowded hotel, the crowds of people and on and on. Now that I’ve been able to go, to see thousands of youth and adults gathering to celebrate and share in the purpose of preparing our children, it is an awesome experience. Now, I look forward to being crammed into a stairwell with kids trying to get to their Chorus event, finding their Bible reading or song-leading room, filing in and out of the puppet room. I look forward to it because the purpose is for something that will be the most important thing they will experience in their lives…growing in knowledge of God’s will and acting on Christ’s request to go and teach. I will again thank God for the blessing of that weekend.

Liquid moisture from the sky is predicted for this weekend and while I don’t want to miss baseball games, I want to see rain. We need it desperately and it sounds as if we might see it for a few days. Prayers would be answered.

Yesterday was the start of March Madness, my favorite sporting event of the year. I’ve been known to take time off from work to watch games and yes, even wager a few dollars on an office pool. I love college basketball and I love watching both good teams play good basketball and little-known teams take down giants. Yesterday, while I remain a staunch Longhorn fan, it was great to see A&M win a tourney game. It brings credibility to Texas and Big 12 basketball.
HOOK ‘EM HORNS!