Those of you who have been following my blog or have been following the journey that Mandy and I have been on over the last couple of years may have heard us talk about the lack of friends in our lives. The schedule I have been on for almost 5 years and the move to Washington have made it hard on us both in the area of connecting with other believers. But in the midst of our frustration while we wait in anticipation for the changes in our schedules God has recently brought an opportunity to us to establish friendships.
A week ago from last Saturday we took Jillian to the Lacey Fun Fair. The daughter of one of the guys I had gotten the chance to hang out with at the men conference a few weeks ago was in the parade at the fun fair. So after we hung out for a while looking at booths with Jilly we decided to go get a bite to eat. Then we saw the Stark and Himes families and they invited us to sit with them. So we did and that started a whole day of hang out time. After the fair we all head to that S-place for coffee. Then they invited us over to the Stark's house for a BBQ but I had to work. I encouraged Mandy to go with out me which she did.
All of this said just to lead up to the moment I encountered Sunday morning at church. A moment that made me smile with a grin that went from ear to ear. I had gone to check in Jillian for her Sunday School class for church at the Living Water Regal Campus Service. Jilly was not wanting to go and so I was a little frustrated by this but her step picked up and attitude changed when she saw the Starks and sound out that their daughter was in class. Then upon returning to the lobby I was greeted with a wonderful heart warming sight. There was Mandy, not standing alone as I have so often found her lately, surrounded by our new friends. Katy and April were talking with her and Michael and Seth stood nearby waiting for me.
What a blessing. Thank you Lord and Thank you Michael, Katy, Seth and April.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Optimus Prime vs. Eeyore - A lesson in perspective
If you read the title of this blog post you may be thinking along the lines of what Optimus and Eeyore have to do with each other. It would be hard pressed to find two animated characters who are more different than Optimus and Eeyore. When you think about it Optimus and Eeyore are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Now I am not saying that Eeyore is a evil super-villain in disguise. But you look at the personalities of Optimus the confident, powerful, heroic leader of the Autobots, and the gloomy, pessimistic, down trodden Donkey of the 100 Acre Wood you can see how opposite they are. You might be thinking that it would make for a much shorter blog post if I was to write about the similarities between Optimus and Eeyore. That is if you can find any similarities other than that they are both cartoon characters.
Here is the biggest similarity.......
Peter Cullen.......
Some of you may be wondering Peter who? Peter Cullen is a voice actor who has quite an extensive filmography and has been doing voices since 1976. You may be making a connection here. Voices and cartoon characters. Peter Cullen is the voice of Optimus Prime in the new hit live action/CGI Transformer Movies from 2007 to the newest release coming out this year as well as the voice in the original animated series from 1984 until 1987. Peter Cullen was also the voice of you Eeyore from 1988 until 2009. Here is a video clip of Peter using both voices.
From the perspective that both Optimus and Eeyore are being played by the same person you can find a new set of differences. The differences in what makes the voice of Peter Optimus and what makes it Eeyore. I find three T's can be used to show the difference. Tone, Tempo and Terminology. Optimus speaks with authority, confidence and strength. "Autobots Roll Out!" Slow it down a bit and soften the strength of the voice and you will begin to hear Eeyore. Now just and an "I suppose" to the end and you have totally turned Optimus into Eeyore. "Autobots... Roll... Out... I suppose.."
How many places in our life do we take the characteristics, skills and disciplines that a Christian should have; a growing, victorious life and with a few changes to the tone, tempo and terminology they become negative? We allow conviction to become condemnation. We allow discipline and self control to become a lack of freedom. We see the words of correction spoken into our lives as words of disapproval or that we are disliked. Between our flesh, mind and the influence of the enemy we can easily go from Optimus to Eeyore. All it takes is for the tone, the tempo or the terminology to be changed.
One such skill that a growing and maturing Christian needs is the ability to look at/into themselves (James 1:23-25). I find myself saying I am not very good at this skill of introspection or soul-searching. Then it came to me that I do this quiet well. But just not in the positive way. Instead of a self-awareness that results in me changing and growing as I seek to improve who I see myself as. I often fall into a pattern of self-deprecation. I see the pit I am in and decide to make it bigger. I pull an Eeyore.
I have been assigned by some close loved ones a title that I am not proud of. I am often called an Eeyore or Charlie Brown because of my frequent gloominess and lack of confidence. So this post is personal to me in this fact. I know I don't want to be called an Eeyore. I know that God hasn't called me to be an Eeyore. Do you want to be seen by the people around as an Eeyore or an Optimus?
What characteristics, skills and disciplines in your life have you allowed to become traits that produce Optimus and which ones produce Eeyore? Remember it doesn't take more than an adjustment of the tone, the tempo or the terminology to go from one to the other.
Here is the biggest similarity.......
Peter Cullen.......
Some of you may be wondering Peter who? Peter Cullen is a voice actor who has quite an extensive filmography and has been doing voices since 1976. You may be making a connection here. Voices and cartoon characters. Peter Cullen is the voice of Optimus Prime in the new hit live action/CGI Transformer Movies from 2007 to the newest release coming out this year as well as the voice in the original animated series from 1984 until 1987. Peter Cullen was also the voice of you Eeyore from 1988 until 2009. Here is a video clip of Peter using both voices.
From the perspective that both Optimus and Eeyore are being played by the same person you can find a new set of differences. The differences in what makes the voice of Peter Optimus and what makes it Eeyore. I find three T's can be used to show the difference. Tone, Tempo and Terminology. Optimus speaks with authority, confidence and strength. "Autobots Roll Out!" Slow it down a bit and soften the strength of the voice and you will begin to hear Eeyore. Now just and an "I suppose" to the end and you have totally turned Optimus into Eeyore. "Autobots... Roll... Out... I suppose.."
How many places in our life do we take the characteristics, skills and disciplines that a Christian should have; a growing, victorious life and with a few changes to the tone, tempo and terminology they become negative? We allow conviction to become condemnation. We allow discipline and self control to become a lack of freedom. We see the words of correction spoken into our lives as words of disapproval or that we are disliked. Between our flesh, mind and the influence of the enemy we can easily go from Optimus to Eeyore. All it takes is for the tone, the tempo or the terminology to be changed.
One such skill that a growing and maturing Christian needs is the ability to look at/into themselves (James 1:23-25). I find myself saying I am not very good at this skill of introspection or soul-searching. Then it came to me that I do this quiet well. But just not in the positive way. Instead of a self-awareness that results in me changing and growing as I seek to improve who I see myself as. I often fall into a pattern of self-deprecation. I see the pit I am in and decide to make it bigger. I pull an Eeyore.
I have been assigned by some close loved ones a title that I am not proud of. I am often called an Eeyore or Charlie Brown because of my frequent gloominess and lack of confidence. So this post is personal to me in this fact. I know I don't want to be called an Eeyore. I know that God hasn't called me to be an Eeyore. Do you want to be seen by the people around as an Eeyore or an Optimus?
What characteristics, skills and disciplines in your life have you allowed to become traits that produce Optimus and which ones produce Eeyore? Remember it doesn't take more than an adjustment of the tone, the tempo or the terminology to go from one to the other.
Friday, May 6, 2011
David or Saul - 05/06/2011
When Looking at the story of David, Bathsheba and Uriah our human minds give weight to David's sin. David's actions here are probably in the top 5 most grievous of sins written about in the Bible. He committed adultery and then killed several men to cover up his sin. He out right in cold blood had the man who was the husband of the woman he slept with killed. And that was only after his failed attempt at covering up his sin. Uriah wasn't the only man to die that day in battle other men died also. David was caught in the middle a sin spiral. With each move trying to cover it up making his sin that much greater.
Have you found yourself slowly starting with a "small" sin, looking at another woman lustfully in David's case? Then instead of dealing with the little sin it slowly grows into bigger and more grievous sins, We see David path into adultery, deception, and the murder of multiple men. All which could have been stilted at the thought, right? If he had just stopped then the rest wouldn't have happened? Oh the power of hindsight or of being able to look at the path of others choices. Some times it becomes so easy to see the path and the results of each choice when you get to the end and look back.
One of the questions I have is what was different between David's fall to Sin and Saul's fall. I see a few that challenge my thinking of how I respond to sin in my life. Take a quick read through these two passages of scripture one about Saul and one about David.
1 Samuel 15:3-32
15:24 And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.25 Now, I pray you, pardon my sin and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord.
2 Samuel 11:1 - 2 Samuel 12:23
12:13 And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
Both had sinned against God, both tried to cover it up through deceptive actions(David tried to get Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba even to the point of getting him drunk then when that failed killed him, Saul tried to blame it on the people of Israel and tried to claim he did it for God.), both men God sent a prophet to identify and point out their sins, and as we see in 1 Samuel 15:24 and 2 Samuel 12:13 they both acknowledged their sins. So why did God react different? God removed His anointing from Saul but not from David. What is the difference? When the lives are compared I see two differences.
One their view of God. We see two completely differing views of God. Think about the story of David and Goliath. If we look over the books of 1 and 2 Samuel we see David's view of God as being personal, he claimed God as his own. Saul never personalized God, God was always distanced. David always faced circumstances and calamities even the ones that where his fault with belief in what God could do and with worship. Saul would walk in disbelief and seek other sources for direction.
The second was their reaction to their Sin. David walked in repentance and sought God through fasting and worship. Saul went home and continued life. David rejoiced and lived a life with a joyous heart. Saul was plagued with depression and a darkness over his life. David corrected his life and refocused on God. Saul looked else where for guidance.
When we find ourselves in a place of disobedience and sin, which we will. How do we respond? How do we view God? The answers to these questions can have a great impact on our lives and our effectiveness in life. Some would argue that if you believe in Jesus your sins are covered and you are forgiven so why does it matter? The impact of our lives and the consequences for our actions are not a matter of salvation. David even in the midst of his repentance had to face consequences that touched him and his family for generations. We need to be aware of our sins not because they can not be forgiven or our relationship with God destroyed, but because the effect on our lives and the lives of those around us. You can be forgiven for murder but the family of the victim still has to face the impact of the choice as well as the murderer facing the punishment.
The challenge I leave for myself and you is this. Can we allow forgiveness of sins to be a fix-it solution for sin? How do we view God in light of our moments of obedience and disobedience? How are we going to choose to respond to our past failures, our future failures, the consequences of our failures and the consequences of those around us?
I know for me I am still working on getting to the David like response.
Have you found yourself slowly starting with a "small" sin, looking at another woman lustfully in David's case? Then instead of dealing with the little sin it slowly grows into bigger and more grievous sins, We see David path into adultery, deception, and the murder of multiple men. All which could have been stilted at the thought, right? If he had just stopped then the rest wouldn't have happened? Oh the power of hindsight or of being able to look at the path of others choices. Some times it becomes so easy to see the path and the results of each choice when you get to the end and look back.
One of the questions I have is what was different between David's fall to Sin and Saul's fall. I see a few that challenge my thinking of how I respond to sin in my life. Take a quick read through these two passages of scripture one about Saul and one about David.
1 Samuel 15:3-32
15:24 And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.25 Now, I pray you, pardon my sin and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord.
2 Samuel 11:1 - 2 Samuel 12:23
12:13 And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
Both had sinned against God, both tried to cover it up through deceptive actions(David tried to get Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba even to the point of getting him drunk then when that failed killed him, Saul tried to blame it on the people of Israel and tried to claim he did it for God.), both men God sent a prophet to identify and point out their sins, and as we see in 1 Samuel 15:24 and 2 Samuel 12:13 they both acknowledged their sins. So why did God react different? God removed His anointing from Saul but not from David. What is the difference? When the lives are compared I see two differences.
One their view of God. We see two completely differing views of God. Think about the story of David and Goliath. If we look over the books of 1 and 2 Samuel we see David's view of God as being personal, he claimed God as his own. Saul never personalized God, God was always distanced. David always faced circumstances and calamities even the ones that where his fault with belief in what God could do and with worship. Saul would walk in disbelief and seek other sources for direction.
The second was their reaction to their Sin. David walked in repentance and sought God through fasting and worship. Saul went home and continued life. David rejoiced and lived a life with a joyous heart. Saul was plagued with depression and a darkness over his life. David corrected his life and refocused on God. Saul looked else where for guidance.
When we find ourselves in a place of disobedience and sin, which we will. How do we respond? How do we view God? The answers to these questions can have a great impact on our lives and our effectiveness in life. Some would argue that if you believe in Jesus your sins are covered and you are forgiven so why does it matter? The impact of our lives and the consequences for our actions are not a matter of salvation. David even in the midst of his repentance had to face consequences that touched him and his family for generations. We need to be aware of our sins not because they can not be forgiven or our relationship with God destroyed, but because the effect on our lives and the lives of those around us. You can be forgiven for murder but the family of the victim still has to face the impact of the choice as well as the murderer facing the punishment.
The challenge I leave for myself and you is this. Can we allow forgiveness of sins to be a fix-it solution for sin? How do we view God in light of our moments of obedience and disobedience? How are we going to choose to respond to our past failures, our future failures, the consequences of our failures and the consequences of those around us?
I know for me I am still working on getting to the David like response.
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