Thanks to social media selling your unwanted things for a reduced price has become almost too easy. Long gone are the weeks spent pricing and organizing everything just so you can wake up at 5:00 to put it all on tables in your yard. Now with a quick pic and a few clicks from your phone, hundreds of people can take a peak at your inventory and offer what they think it may be worth. Recently my kids have taken a cue from their mother and realized there's value in all those toys collecting dust in their closets. Monday they came walking into the room each with a large pile of stuffed animals in tow. As I was sorting the Spidermen from the Tiggers, I came across two Care Bears. These stuffed bears with the symbols on their tummies representing an emotion have been around forever with Mandy & I still having ours put up for safe keeping to this very day (mine is Good Luck Bear). As I pulled the bears out from the sell pile, I asked how the boys could dare want to sell something so priceless and full of sentimental value. I was a bit taken back by the response I got; "Dad! We want the money more!"
As I sat and thought about how easy my children were willing to give up such a precious gift for a few dollars of fun, the more I understood it's the same thing we all do with the gift given to us that day at Calvary. Jesus gave his life so our sins may be forgiven and yet how many times do we ignore that gift in exchange for something petty like an R rated movie or a song with such filthy lyrics they can't play it on the radio? The answer is probably more often than any of us care to admit.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Just Like Your Father
"He gets that from you!". Mandy & I say some form of this expression at least twice a day. "That one's all you right there!". It's as if there's some sort of competition taking place with the winner receiving the secret victory of knowing our children may have their faults, but at least they didn't get it from their mother (I typically lose this battle). I suppose it happens to us all at times; these traits we develop either through genetics or enough time spent with somebody. Adam just came back from spending a week at camp and suddenly everything is SAVAGE! I'm savage, Alex is savage, lunch is savage, fishing is savage...apparently he had a bunk-mate that used the word to mean anything cool. When I was a kid everything was Smurfy, now it's savage. The way we comb our hair or eat pizza (fold or fork?) or the phrases we use...it all comes down to the thousand different things that influence us during each passing minute of the day.
These same ideas of how we become who we are and who people see when they are around us are explored in 1st John 3. A life lived in service of God and in remembrance of His son Jesus Christ, should bring a sense of knowing to those we come into contact with. Love, peace, a desire to do right, and a sense that we are not worth of the sacrifice made on our behalf, should wash out from us whenever we are out in the world. Like the scent from a candle that reminds you of home or the feeling you get when you first meet somebody you instantly know can be depended on, the way we act should create a spark inside those that don't know Him. And when the time has come for us to part ways and let life take us where it may, we should all be so lucky to be remembered by those we knew as "Just like his/her Father".
These same ideas of how we become who we are and who people see when they are around us are explored in 1st John 3. A life lived in service of God and in remembrance of His son Jesus Christ, should bring a sense of knowing to those we come into contact with. Love, peace, a desire to do right, and a sense that we are not worth of the sacrifice made on our behalf, should wash out from us whenever we are out in the world. Like the scent from a candle that reminds you of home or the feeling you get when you first meet somebody you instantly know can be depended on, the way we act should create a spark inside those that don't know Him. And when the time has come for us to part ways and let life take us where it may, we should all be so lucky to be remembered by those we knew as "Just like his/her Father".
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Rocky takes a bath!
Summertime is in full swing and there's barely a night we are home and not out doing something on the town. Splash pads, taking advantage of free kid's meals at local restaurants, VBS, we try to soak in as much fun in the two months off before school starts back as we can. With all the fun though, there's still chores that need to be done at the house even if we don't get to them until midnight. With that in mind I have been meaning to tell the story of Rocky's bath a few weeks ago.
Rocky is more like a puma rather than a house cat. He's dark gray with a giant frame that when fully stretched out is the length of a small child. When he parades around the house you can see his muscles flex and if ever he decides to take a nap on top of you in the middle of the night, you know it. Alex tends to be his favorite sleeping buddy since that's what Alex does best; laying around playing video games and napping. It was because of all this togetherness that Mandy & I decided it might be a good idea to give Rocky a much needed and long overdue bath. That's what lead us to scooping him up and soaking him in a sink full of water at 11:00 p.m. one night.
What we didn't consider however were two important details. The first being that due to a recent rampage around the house in which several items were broken, Rocky was not winning any awards for cat of the year. The destruction caused was so severe that I proclaimed that should one more thing come up broken, Rocky would be living a life of complete freedom outside with the other wild animals. The second thing Mandy & I neglected to do was tell either of the boys what was about to take place. We just scooped up the cat and went to washing. So to set the scene; Mandy & I are huddled around the kitchen sink. I've got Rocky by the scruff and forcing him into the water, Mandy is doing her best to cover every area in shampoo, and Rocky....well Rocky has gone full beast mode and is screaming his head off. It must have sounded like a fire truck was barreling through the yard and about to park itself in the middle of our kitchen, because Alex hears all the noise and comes running into the room ready to save his favorite pet from whatever trap it was caught in. What happens next is pure chaos as Alex sees me holding the cat under the running faucet, immediately remembers the threat on Rocky's life I made earlier in the day, and has a come apart!
"NOOOOOO!!! BROTHER!!! DADDY'S DROWNING ROCKY!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"HE'S KILLING ROCKY JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD!!!!!"
"WHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Off to his bedroom screaming and crying the cat's name all the way there!
I must remind you that the first reaction every parent has when seeing their child in distress is to stop what they are doing and immediately try to make things better....but we can't do that because we are still fighting this puma who has all his claws and is screaming as loud as the seven year-old that just ran out of the room. Honestly it was like trying to wrestle a raccoon and comfort a puppy at the same time.
"ALEX!!! GET BACK IN HERE!! WE ARE JUST GIVING HIM A BATH!! HE'S NOT DROWNING"
"MEOOOOOWWWW. RAAAAAR. REOOOWWWW"
"WHAAAAAAAA!!!! POOR ROCKY! I LOVE HIM!!!"
The bath ends and the moment he touches ground, Rocky takes off like a bottle rocket sliding on the hardwood floors and slamming into every wall and door until he finally found a place to hide for the night....and I mean he stayed there for the entire night and most of the next day until he was 100% sure bath time was over. Aaaahhh the joys of having a pet and a seven year-old mini me.
Rocky is more like a puma rather than a house cat. He's dark gray with a giant frame that when fully stretched out is the length of a small child. When he parades around the house you can see his muscles flex and if ever he decides to take a nap on top of you in the middle of the night, you know it. Alex tends to be his favorite sleeping buddy since that's what Alex does best; laying around playing video games and napping. It was because of all this togetherness that Mandy & I decided it might be a good idea to give Rocky a much needed and long overdue bath. That's what lead us to scooping him up and soaking him in a sink full of water at 11:00 p.m. one night.
What we didn't consider however were two important details. The first being that due to a recent rampage around the house in which several items were broken, Rocky was not winning any awards for cat of the year. The destruction caused was so severe that I proclaimed that should one more thing come up broken, Rocky would be living a life of complete freedom outside with the other wild animals. The second thing Mandy & I neglected to do was tell either of the boys what was about to take place. We just scooped up the cat and went to washing. So to set the scene; Mandy & I are huddled around the kitchen sink. I've got Rocky by the scruff and forcing him into the water, Mandy is doing her best to cover every area in shampoo, and Rocky....well Rocky has gone full beast mode and is screaming his head off. It must have sounded like a fire truck was barreling through the yard and about to park itself in the middle of our kitchen, because Alex hears all the noise and comes running into the room ready to save his favorite pet from whatever trap it was caught in. What happens next is pure chaos as Alex sees me holding the cat under the running faucet, immediately remembers the threat on Rocky's life I made earlier in the day, and has a come apart!
"NOOOOOO!!! BROTHER!!! DADDY'S DROWNING ROCKY!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"HE'S KILLING ROCKY JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD!!!!!"
"WHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Off to his bedroom screaming and crying the cat's name all the way there!
I must remind you that the first reaction every parent has when seeing their child in distress is to stop what they are doing and immediately try to make things better....but we can't do that because we are still fighting this puma who has all his claws and is screaming as loud as the seven year-old that just ran out of the room. Honestly it was like trying to wrestle a raccoon and comfort a puppy at the same time.
"ALEX!!! GET BACK IN HERE!! WE ARE JUST GIVING HIM A BATH!! HE'S NOT DROWNING"
"MEOOOOOWWWW. RAAAAAR. REOOOWWWW"
"WHAAAAAAAA!!!! POOR ROCKY! I LOVE HIM!!!"
The bath ends and the moment he touches ground, Rocky takes off like a bottle rocket sliding on the hardwood floors and slamming into every wall and door until he finally found a place to hide for the night....and I mean he stayed there for the entire night and most of the next day until he was 100% sure bath time was over. Aaaahhh the joys of having a pet and a seven year-old mini me.
There's Not A Friend!
I'm turning 42 this year which seems like a mistake, because in many ways I feel like I'm still in my early 30's. Recently I was talking with a friend about people we have known and where they may be now. I knew a kid in high school that was heavier set, wore glasses, and carried this massive backpack around all day which garnered him the name Turtle. I saw him almost every day for 3 years and then he moved out of state to go to college and I never saw him again. For about five years I worked at a grocery store in 7-Points in Florence. It's where I met my future wife and many of my best friends. I'd work nights during the school year and days during the summer. By the time I left I'd worked in every department of the store and it felt like those days would last forever. I still run into some of those guys from the store every now and then, but I've lost touch with so many of those that I thought would always be around.
This past week within minutes of dropping Adam off at Maywood Christian Camp, he was with his buddy from Huntsville that he only gets to see during this one week of the year. They were in the same cabin for the 3rd year in a row and immediately ran off to toss the football like the year between their last game of catch never happened. I think about friends that have faded away into the background of life, many of which are now just characters in stories I tell, and I wonder where they all went. Inevitably when these times come a song pops into my head and reminds me of the one friend I'll never have to wonder what happened to..."There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one, no not one" (Johnson Oatman Jr. 1895)
This past week within minutes of dropping Adam off at Maywood Christian Camp, he was with his buddy from Huntsville that he only gets to see during this one week of the year. They were in the same cabin for the 3rd year in a row and immediately ran off to toss the football like the year between their last game of catch never happened. I think about friends that have faded away into the background of life, many of which are now just characters in stories I tell, and I wonder where they all went. Inevitably when these times come a song pops into my head and reminds me of the one friend I'll never have to wonder what happened to..."There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one, no not one" (Johnson Oatman Jr. 1895)
Monday, June 26, 2017
Neck deep in change
My oldest son Adam was playing golf with a friend last week when something unexpected took place. They were at a hole that featured a good sized water hazard that lay directly between them and the green. Intent on making it over the pond on the first try; Adam's friend stepped up to the tee, planted his feet the way he'd been taught, focused on the ball, swung as hard as he could...and was stunned to see the ball never moved an inch. What did move though was the club which left his hand, sailed through the air several yards, and splashed down in the middle of the pond. If this wasn't shocking enough, the young man then let out a scream and began taking his clothes off. According to Adam; one second his friend was lining up his shot and the next he was diving into the water wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and a frown.
As hilarious as this may sound it reminds me of men like Paul who once lived as Saul until a few moments with God changed his life. The Bible speaks of Peter whom couldn't believe his ears when Jesus told him that soon he would deny the Son of God three times. If you think about it, it only took a split second bite into an apple to change our entire history.
As the saying goes; nothing ever changes until it does. We should guard ourselves against any mistakes or lapses in judgment that might suddenly leave us in a moment of weakness. Remember to focus on our faith when things are going our way and not just when we find ourselves neck deep in trouble...or using the example above; in over our head in the middle of a water hazard.
As hilarious as this may sound it reminds me of men like Paul who once lived as Saul until a few moments with God changed his life. The Bible speaks of Peter whom couldn't believe his ears when Jesus told him that soon he would deny the Son of God three times. If you think about it, it only took a split second bite into an apple to change our entire history.
As the saying goes; nothing ever changes until it does. We should guard ourselves against any mistakes or lapses in judgment that might suddenly leave us in a moment of weakness. Remember to focus on our faith when things are going our way and not just when we find ourselves neck deep in trouble...or using the example above; in over our head in the middle of a water hazard.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Alone With Christ
Recently my cousin told me the story about how on a trip last month to visit family in Jacksonville, Fl. she was given the gift of alone time. This may not seem like much to some, but as a stay at home mother of three; a few hours to just be by herself was a priceless opportunity. So where did she go? Well in spite of the fact that it was pouring down rain outside, the wind whipping all around her, the sun completely hidden behind the clouds with no sign of breaking free any time soon...my cousin went to her favorite beach and had just as much fun as she would've had it been a perfectly clear summer's day. As she wrapped up her story, she told me about how much she talked to God and how nice it was to almost feel him listening.
Jesus often took time out from his teachings to step away from the crowds and talk to Father God. Matthew 14:23 mentions such a time saying, "After Jesus said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. It was late and he was there alone." It really sounds like a simple goal when you say it out loud doesn't it? Say it with me, "I'm going to take a few minutes of each day to talk to God." The problem is that like with most goals, life gets in the way and before you know it today's To Do List's become tomorrow's regrets. So what do you do if you can't find an empty beach and friend to pick up your responsibilities for the day?
Like any goal worth achieving, alone time with God is something you must fight for in spite of the obstacle's Satan puts in your way. Tomorrow morning skip the snooze button and earlier wake up to pray. Cut the television off at 10:00 p.m. rather than midnight so you can read your bible after the kids go to bed. Time spent in prayer doesn't have to a once in a lifetime event. With a few tweaks
Jesus often took time out from his teachings to step away from the crowds and talk to Father God. Matthew 14:23 mentions such a time saying, "After Jesus said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. It was late and he was there alone." It really sounds like a simple goal when you say it out loud doesn't it? Say it with me, "I'm going to take a few minutes of each day to talk to God." The problem is that like with most goals, life gets in the way and before you know it today's To Do List's become tomorrow's regrets. So what do you do if you can't find an empty beach and friend to pick up your responsibilities for the day?
Like any goal worth achieving, alone time with God is something you must fight for in spite of the obstacle's Satan puts in your way. Tomorrow morning skip the snooze button and earlier wake up to pray. Cut the television off at 10:00 p.m. rather than midnight so you can read your bible after the kids go to bed. Time spent in prayer doesn't have to a once in a lifetime event. With a few tweaks
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Cereal Gifter
Last Wednesday night our sweet friend Natalie who teaches Alex's Bible class, had the kids make Mother's Day gifts. Not known for his patience, the moment class was over Alex runs up to Mandy begging her to open his gift. After a few minutes of trying to calm him down and get him to wait until the actual holiday, Mandy goes over to a side room and opens the gift which her little boy made with such excitement. What she pulls out of the bag is something similar to the Olympic rings in design except of course covered with cheerios.
"Wow Alex! This is pretty! Thank you!!"
"It's a bracelet Mommy!!"
With that, Mandy puts her wrist through the first loop and can't help but notice the 3 other cheerio filled rings dangling down her arm....
"I made it kinda big. I think it's a necklace."
Always the good sport, Mandy takes it off her wrist and begins to put the first loop over her head...and manages to get it about down to her ears before it refuses to go further. Sitting there in front of Alex (eyes wide and in full appreciation of his awesome Mother's Day gift), Mandy does the only thing she can do which is shake her head about flinging the dangling rings back & forth and says
"Hey look it's a headband! This is so great. And look if I get hungry I can just fling a loop in front of my face and get a cheerios snack!"
Seeing how pleased his Mommy is of his expert craftsmanship, Alex takes off to play leaving Mandy to enjoy her bracelet/necklace/headband/snack dispenser. Afterward while joining up with the rest of the church, somebody catches up to Mandy and says
"Did you like your Mother's Day gift Alex made?"
"Of course, but it's a little small. I can't quite figure out how to get it around my neck."
And that's when things fall into place....."Around your neck? You know it's a bird feeder right?"
Classic Alex! Forget listening or reading instructions, let's just put this stuff together and see what we come up with. To add to it Natalie told us later that right away he asked if he could eat some of the cheerios he was putting on. When she agreed, it was one cheerio on the loop and one handful in his mouth. Apparently Natalie lost count as to how many times she had to fill up his bowl so he would have enough to finish!!
"Wow Alex! This is pretty! Thank you!!"
"It's a bracelet Mommy!!"
With that, Mandy puts her wrist through the first loop and can't help but notice the 3 other cheerio filled rings dangling down her arm....
"I made it kinda big. I think it's a necklace."
Always the good sport, Mandy takes it off her wrist and begins to put the first loop over her head...and manages to get it about down to her ears before it refuses to go further. Sitting there in front of Alex (eyes wide and in full appreciation of his awesome Mother's Day gift), Mandy does the only thing she can do which is shake her head about flinging the dangling rings back & forth and says
"Hey look it's a headband! This is so great. And look if I get hungry I can just fling a loop in front of my face and get a cheerios snack!"
Seeing how pleased his Mommy is of his expert craftsmanship, Alex takes off to play leaving Mandy to enjoy her bracelet/necklace/headband/snack dispenser. Afterward while joining up with the rest of the church, somebody catches up to Mandy and says
"Did you like your Mother's Day gift Alex made?"
"Of course, but it's a little small. I can't quite figure out how to get it around my neck."
And that's when things fall into place....."Around your neck? You know it's a bird feeder right?"
Classic Alex! Forget listening or reading instructions, let's just put this stuff together and see what we come up with. To add to it Natalie told us later that right away he asked if he could eat some of the cheerios he was putting on. When she agreed, it was one cheerio on the loop and one handful in his mouth. Apparently Natalie lost count as to how many times she had to fill up his bowl so he would have enough to finish!!
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