I’m headed home tomorrow. It’s been a fast trip and just two sleeps in a foreign land. I’m ready to get there and hug my wife and children.

I may have mentioned that my rental is a Ford Focus. It’s a small car and the lights don’t come on and go off automatically. The headlights of the trucks behind me shine right on the rear view mirror and it drives me nuts. I can’t wait to get back in my truck.

Eating lunch today, I looked at the window and was gazing at the snow capped Rockies. What an awesome sight. In my mind, seeing the mountains here always makes me think I’m getting a small preview of Heaven.

I’m a Board Member for an industry association and we met today. One of the topics was where to hold the annual conference in 2009. Three cities in Colorado were all targeted with Breckenridge being the leading contender. Several of the bored members were suggesting places like New Orleans, Lexington and some place in Minnesota. Do they not all realize that the Blue River flows through Breckenridge and provides some excellent trout fishing? What more could they ask for?

I’ve got to go to bed. I’m up early for a meeting and I don’t like up early.

I arrived in Denver, Colorado today to a 32 degree temperature and big snowflakes falling. It was really pretty but not so great to drive in. Tonight, I’ve seen road-graders and bulldozers out on the streets moving snow and the rent car looks like I drove through a mud hole.

I got to the rental car place and they lady says, “I can’t find your reservation but we do have a compact available.” I laughed and then realized she was serious so I’m cruising the Rockies in a Ford Focus. I’m glad it’s just me.

I go home Friday night and leave Sunday morning for New York City. I wish my family was traveling with me. I look forward to seeing NYC (I’ve never been there) but it won’t be as much fun by myself. My daughter was going to come on this trip so we could eat at one of my favorite restaurants that serves LOTS of boiled shrimp but she had UIL competition. I tried to get my wife to go to NYC with me but she has this strange desire to be at home with the kids (what’s up with women – going all maternal? Just kidding, I’m thankful she has that desire).

I’ll try to blog some but it will probably be sporadic. Thanks for checking in and I’ll catch up with you when I can.

This past Sunday, my sermon came from a conversation I had not too long ago with an unmarried friend who has never had children. We were talking about work and life and I expressed one of the benefits of my job was being close by to attend anything my children were doing. My friend couldn’t understand why that seemed so important; what it would hurt if I wasn’t around for everything. Then I relayed a story and when I was done he said, “I get it, that truly makes sense.”

The story occurred when I was 16 or 17, a punk kid who knew more than most people, certainly my parents. I was in the backyard sitting on a picnic table and my dad came out in the yard. For whatever reason, I started asking him why he didn’t make as much money as another Allstate agent in town, one who lived in a bigger house and was on TV commercials at the time. I remember my dad’s response so well. He said he could make that much money if he wanted to work the way the other man did, spending his days, nights and weekends selling insurance. And then came the words that hit me right in the heart…”I could do that but I want to be home to be available if you ever need me.” I don’t remember saying anything else.

That sentence has bounced around in my head for years and as I have matured and realized my parents are pretty smart and I’m not quite the Einstein I mistook myself for, I realize those words that came from my father came from THE Father. I appreciate my dad because we can say “I love you” and hug when we see each other and when we leave each other but there may be nothing else my dad has ever said that was more God-like to me than “I want to be available if you ever need me.”

That’s the beauty of our God, the Father. He is always available when we need Him. He is always present, always waiting for our cry, our call for help. He’s always ready to bear our burdens, pick us up and encourage us through our trials. The Father is always available.

I love my dad because of so many things but nothing more than the fact that he was always available to me. Thank you Dad.

Iowa’s over and I was surprised by the results. New Hampshire is tomorrow and I wonder what the media will be saying on Wednesday. Huckabee’s margin of victory surprised me and Hillary coming in 3rd surprised me. Huckabee isn’t one who gives me much confidence with his demeanor and Obama really scares me. Why do Iowa and New Hampshire have so much influence in the process? Why doesn’t everyone vote at one time as is done in the general election?

I’ll be keeping an eye on New Hampshire tomorrow before and after watching Decatur take on Argyle (#3 in the state right now). Go Eagles?

I finished my preaching tour yesterday. It was fun and so beneficial. If nothing else, I spent some time in the Word that opened my eyes and my heart to some things God wanted me to hear. I plan to write about my sermon later this week but have to get busy today.

I was reading an article about church growth last night and wondering what the hubbub was all about. I guess I question it because I’ve often thought of church growth simply as a growth in numbers. Today, that is an idea that irritates me. We are a counting society; we want to know how many and how much. Maybe it’s because it is so much easier to quantify a body in a seat rather than a life in action.

I was reading a summary of another book the came out with a new “buzzword” to me but one I might like. You may have heard the terms “reaching the unchurched” or “seeker-sensitive service.” The new one on me was that we become “sinner-sensitive churches.” The idea was that we realize we are all sinners, not better than the next person who walks in the door, and minister that way. Does it matter if the next person who walks in has a drinking problem, drug problem, gambling problem or pride problem? Not if we are sinner-sensitive, not if we realize those are the people Jesus was drawn to, not if we realize we are no different.

I’ve got a lot of things bouncing around in my head and 2008 might be the year I really start to think out loud more. I may use this blog as my sounding board for myself, not looking for arguments or support, simply a place to write down my ideas and begin to unscramble them in an attempt to find who God wants me to be, what God wants me to be doing. While many of the things going on in my feeble noggin’ are counter to what I’m used to, I don’t hold negative ideas about what I or the church have done in the past. I only want to look forward, to find where God might lead me and others to change the world. A part of that change starts with me.

It’s 2008, can you believe it? Time continues to speed by and I want it so desperately to slow down but it doesn’t listen to me.

Since I last posted, I celebrated Christmas with my family, got some cool stuff that I really don’t need but plan to enjoy anyway, saw my favorite basketball tournament (ranked by Sports Illustrated as one of the top-5 holiday tournaments in the country) had a birthday and was the preacher for a little church in Denton. The Cowboys limped into the playoffs and I won my fantasy football league even though I was the 7th seed going in. How’s that for excitement?

I enjoyed my preaching gig and preach this Sunday also. It’s not something I am equipped to do on a regular basis and I’m certainly not qualified to deliver a message like many preachers do every week (Rick Ross comes to mind) but it gets me into God’s word and causes me to spend more time thinking about Him and what He tells us and wants for us. My sermon last week and this week are things that have been on my heart and mind lately which makes it easier because I’ve been developing thoughts over time.

Last week, I talked about the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by 4 friends. They couldn’t get in the house where Jesus was speaking so they carried him to the roof, dug a hole and lowered him to the floor. Can you imagine the faith and hope they had to do all of that? Then when Jesus sees the man, he tells the paralyzed man who has been carried by friends that his sins are forgiven. Wow! I wonder what the paralyzed man thought. Was he ecstatic to be forgiven of his sins? Was he confused because he came to be healed?

The story resonates with me because I place myself in the story and I think I would come to Jesus to be healed of my infirmity (diabetes) and if Jesus said I was forgiven of my sins, I wonder if my reply wouldn’t be “thanks, but what about my diabetes.” I get so caught up in wanting what I want or think I need that I forgot a greater gift has been given to me through Jesus. In 2008, I will continue to ask God for things but I want to do so much, much, much more thoughtful of what has already been given to me, forgiveness of sins. What a beautiful gift that I too often overlook. What a beautiful gift that I want to begin to celebrate.

Wayoutwise is going on a holiday hiatus. I’ll be on the road the next few days and hope to take a day off next week to go sit at my favorite holiday basketball tournament. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

I hope each of you have a great Christmas and your New Year starts off on the right note. My New Year’s wish for me and for you is that we will all come to know God better and grow closer to Him.

I’ll be back next year.

Yesterday at lunch, I was talking with a friend and we were discussing how to get everyone who is willing more involved at church. In my mind, it comes down to the leadership leading. The leaders must know what the strengths are of those they lead and be willing to use those strengths.

I was at a basketball game last night featuring Sports Illustrated’s #1 and #13 ranked high school basketball teams in the nation. One team seemed to work together as a team, 4 players scoring relatively equal amounts and helping each other succeed. The other team had a dynamic player, the best on the court, who became frustrated because his teammates didn’t play to his level. Instead of using them in their strengths, he attempted to use them as if they could do what he could. Apparently, the coach helped him with a mental adjustment at halftime. The team leader did what he did (scoring a lot of points) and got his teammates involved where they could use their strength. It was a tale of two halves and the second half belonged to the leader who started using his teammates in ways they could be effective.

For any organization to work effectively, everyone must learn what they can do to help the organization and the leaders must use those people in ways they can succeed. To do that, the leaders have to know the people, talk to them, learn about their dreams, their fears, their desires. It applies to me in what I do each day and it applies to you in whatever you are doing. Whether you are the head, the eye, a hand, a finger…whatever you and I may be, we have a role to fill to be successful personally and to help others be successful.

Our ladies basketball team from church won 1st place in the women’s division. As I understand it, there was a 3 way tie and the tie-breaker went on points and our ladies won by 1 point.

Our mens team took 3rd place in their division. Last night was a closer game than it should have been but we ended up with a win for our final game. I think if we played for 4 more weeks, I’d be close to being in playing shape. It’s too bad it had to end last night.

One of the nice things about the league we played in was not dealing with cursing or anyone abusing the refs too badly. Our team certainly had to win the award for best commentary during a game but it was nice that everyone played hard but fair. I’ve been in other church leagues that seemed to check Jesus at the door. This league was fun and uplifting to play in.

Thanks to Brad Davis for being the church intramural director. It’s not an official title but he’s taken on the role.

We’re one week away from the big day when Santa comes to town. The excitement is growing for my two children as they started discussing last night where they would be in a week and what they would be doing.

I don’t really want to know the day and time I will see heaven but I want to have the same excitement about that time that my kids have about Santa coming. I don’t know when to anticipate Jesus coming but I do want to start being more focused in my excitement for what that day will be like. Imagine the gifts we will receive on that day. Imagine the joy and happiness, the sounds and sights. It will not be gift that rusts or will be outgrown or broken but a gift we have everyday. Imagine the excitement in the eyes of those who are there. Imagine being with the one who has given us the greatest gift of all…