Marv steps on the nail....

"Home Alone", a classic movie in my opinion. I hope you can remember  the wonderful scream Marv lets out when when he is walking up the tar-covered stairs and steps on the strategically placed nail!! That scene played out in my mind this week after doing some disaster relief here in Birmingham. On saturday we were assigned to pick up rubble in a neighborhood that was destroyed by the tornado a few weeks ago. "GREAT" I thought, I get to do my part and help out! And I did, I had a great time serving and being obedient to what God has called me to do. However when we left, I took some rubble with me. Not know this right away, I had stepped on a nail that went through my shoe and decided to just chill in the sole. I couldn't feel it so i didn't realize it was there....until yesterday when i decided to go for a walk with Ashley. About 15 minutes in our walk i felt this sharp pain in my heel. I just thought it was a small rock that got stuck in my shoe, so i gave a little shake and moved on. A few seconds later I felt it again and wanted to see what was going on. Needless to say I found that nail which made its way through the sole of my shoe and was pricking my heel. Ashley freaked out and said you need to get a tetanus shot ASAP.  Being married for almost I year, I've realized she is usually right about this stuff. So she calls the doc and they tell me i need to come in THAT DAY. Okay, I don't think its that urgent....but I say okay and drive over to a local Urgent Care to get a tetanus shot. I arrive and tell the doc I just need a tetanus shot. A few moments later I'm called back to one of the rooms with a nurse saying, "okay you're here for a TB shot" as she is getting the needle ready I'm frantically thinking, "TB, TB....isn't that tuberculosis?" I decided to say to the nurse, "Isn't TB, tuberculosis? I need a tetanus shot, not a TB shot." She looks at me very flustered and begins this rant: "they told me TB, so I put you in the computer to get a TB shot, now i have to change the computer and get a new dose and needle." As she went and got a new dose i sat there thinking, If i wouldn't have said anything she wouldn't have given me a TB shot!!! I realized an important lesson. As a christian I have a choice,  I don't have to let death infiltrate my body due to my surroundings of a fallen world. . As a christian I have a choice. Because of the Holy Spirit  I won't face any temptation that I can't handle. But then i thought of the people that don't have that power on their side. Those that don't have the power of the Holy spirit have no choice but to get the wrong shot. They don't have the voice to say, "I don't need a TB shot!!!"
Without the Holy Spirt to enable and empower us, we have no voice against sin. As a christian I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to act on my behalf each day to be the voice that allows me to choose life not death.

In-laws are coming over...

Moses ranks with the greatest men on the face of this planet! For many reasons:  Prince of Egypt even though he wasn't an Egyptian, the ten commandments, standing up to Pharaoh, being obedient to God through a burning bush,  leading an entire nation out of slavery, used by God to perform miracles. He was THE man in charge. Among all those accolades Moses also set the standard of how to treat your in-laws... and he set it high!
         We see in  Exodus 18 that Jethro, the father-in-law to Moses was coming in for a visit Moses...you know where this is going. However, when Jethro arrived Moses greeted him with open arms and begin sharing  everything the Lord had been doing for the people of Israel.  Jethro listened intently and rejoiced and celebrated  the wonderful things the Lord was doing  through his son-in-law. I imagine Moses was feeling pretty good, having impressed his father-in-law, but this was only the beginning! The next day Moses was really going to make ol'l Jethro proud by taking the seat as the judge over all the people! Moses had Jethro in his pocket at this point!           
        However, that evening Jethro went up to Moses and began questioning  his leadership style and his approach as judge, he flat out told Moses he was doing it all wrong. My first reaction:  Look here, pops I was called by God not you! I was called to lead these people and that is what I'm doing. You can't imagine being in this position! I appreciate you coming but please don't tell me how to do my job! Moses' first reaction: Exodus 18:24  "Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said." 
        As a newly married man, I'm am  learning what it means to have in-laws. And I pray I will be humble enough to listen to their wisdom and instruction like Moses. I pray I will honor them in my actions and respect them with my words.  I am  extremely blessed to have wonderful in-laws that are so loving, selfless, gentle, giving, respectful, and fun to be with.  I pray I will be able to show them everything they have shown me.  Honor your in-laws and show them the respect they deserve

Get a move on lil doggy!!

God sees the misery of His people.  Not only does he see it, v.8 says, “I have come down to rescue…” Whatever your Egypt looks like, God sees your suffering and knows your secret sorrows and comes down and devises a plan to deliver you from pain. God reveals His itinerary to the Israelites detailing their upcoming exodus out of Egypt! The plan: to “rescue them from the land of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land…” This land was what you would see in a resort brochure. “A land flowing with milk and honey.” An expression describing the best of the best! This was top of the line land, producing the most prized and precious produce. A place where you can find complete rest and repose.  I try and imagine the feelings and anticipation of arriving at their new land and the excitement of leaving their old lives of slavery behind. You know the feeling I’m talking about.  The vacation is booked; the bags are packed and loaded to the brim! You’re rocking the shorts and flip-flops, little Billy has his Nintendo DS fully charged and everyone is buckled in. You are officially packed and ready to go!  Let the journey begin!

Growing up, I loved the excitement and high that came when we would get ready for our family vacation to the beach! I would get so excited thinking about what the next week had in store: swimming, surfing, fishing, exploring, hanging with my cousins etc. Just packing my swimsuit was exciting enough for me because that meant this trip was really going to happen…the beach was just a few hours away!

We often have the same reaction when we sense the Holy Spirit speaking and calling us. He might give you insight into a problem you’re dealing with. He might bring someone into your life to encourage you during a difficult moment. He might give you the opportunity to achieve a life-long dream. He might be leading you to a new career or position. Whatever it might be, these times can be very exciting and holy. Don’t let them pass you by; don’t brush them off as “old dieing passions”. Be ready to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in your heart. Be packed and ready to jump on board with what God wants to do in and through your life today.  You don’t have to settle for Egypt, God is calling us to Canaan! Get a move on!  Exodus. 12:11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’S Passover.

MAN EATING SQUIRREL

I've always been a one-friend type of guy. Whatever chapter I'm living in at the moment I find myself making one good friend. For example.....High School: Gabe Coyle, College: Lyle Denton. I have a few good friends, but I have 2 to 3 BEST friends (let me first say this doesn't include my wife, brothers and cousins, my wife is my forever best friend and my brothers and cousin, they are closer to me than any brothers or cousins out there).
     I was in Costa Rica on a soccer trip in college and this old man told me to have two or three best friends in my life. I thought he was a weird guy when i first heard that statement, but over the years I have adopted it as my own. To have two best friends in my life: Gabe and Lyle. To be honest it takes me awhile to make friends.... I'm pretty reserved and like to connect with someone over a shared experience, something that can bring the two of us together. Which brings me to the point: If you want to connect with someone, go create an experience that is unique and shared only by the two of you. Create intentinal opportunities that will promote a possible friendship.
    I used to be really good at this. In 5th grade I was the new kid, so i needed to make some friends fast!!! I realized the seriousness of the situation so in my little 5th grade mind I came up with a pretty good idea. I was going to create a  situation that would bring me and Mike Walters together for many years to come! I didn't know it at the time, but I knew I needed to share something that would bring us together to kick-start a potential friendship. Shortly after the school year started, we went on a 5th and 6th grade wilderness trip. We had a blast, playing games, singing songs, shooting guns, eating smores etc... One night after our evening rally Mike and I were walking to the cafeteria to hang out with the rest of the group. I knew this was the moment... We were walking through the woods and we heard something in the bushes.  To be funny, I"freaked" out and started screaming pretending this little creature was after me, my reaction caused Mike to freak out and start screaming and running too (it worked!!) We both ran  as fast as we could to get away from the bone-crushing jaws of  this evil creature. We ran and screamed all the way to the cafeteria and told the group what had just happened...nothing really.... but I created a moment that Mike and I shared and experienced together. From then on we were friends until we graduated High School.
     Today,  I still try and create unique shared moments with someone. Those shared moments have the potential to start a wonderful friendship. Create a shared experience with someone today.

I drive a buick

It's true, I have the HONOR of driving a 2001 Buick LaSabre. This car was given to me and my brother when we went to college by my wonderful Grandma George. After Nathan graduated he was given another car, therefor leaving the beautiful blue buick to me. I live in Birmingham now with my wife and buick. My wife doesn't really like driving with my in the Buick, not because it isn't ridiculously nice outside, but due to the fact that she thinks its unsafe on the inside. You see. the buick has 219,000 miles and shakes when you really get her going. Ashley doesn't like that... I don't mind it at all, its like having a personal masseuse on your way to work! So one day on my way to work, with my personal masseuse running at full throttle... she slowly loses power and locks up on me.  I run through the possible reasons why this could be happening: gas? transmission?  coil springs? (I only thought of the last two because that is what the mechanic told me the last 23 trips to the shop). I knew it wasn't the gas  because i had recently filled up. So I was SURE  I wasn't out of gasoline. As i sat there pondering, a road side assistance truck pulls off the road and ask if I needed some gas, with out hesitating i said, "no sir, i just recently filled up, not sure what the problem is.." He said, "You sure you don't want any, i can top you off just to be safe." I responded with a quick "no thanks, its not the gas i don't think." So, off he went. Little did i know, after calling, waiting, paying and following a tow truck and sitting, listening, to the mechanic after a few hours, the results were in. I was out of gas.
When someone offers you help don't be so quick to dismiss their assistance. God sends people in our life to help shape us into who He wants us to be. Sometimes, though because that person isn't like us, or because they challenge us, or rub us the wrong way we don't take the time to hear what they are trying to say or receive the help they are trying to offer. Next time someone  comes into your life, give them a chance, listen to what they say,  God may being using them to speak truth into your life.

James 1:19 "Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

The Odd Pod...

I was talking to my wife the other day about ministry. We were on the topic of roots... let me explain the connection.  Children are a products of their environment.... So if a child comes to our ministry and has bullying tendencies, its probably a result of his/her home life. So, as important as the children are,  if we really want to do children's ministry purposefully we need to get to the root of the issue. We need to connect,  provide, encourage, and love our parents.  Here is a quick resource for parents to use at home. Growing up, I listened to "Adventures in Odyssey" ALL the time, (I just listened to an episode the other day.......for work of course...) These were tapes ( 1990's!!!!) of the everyday life in the small, american town called Odyssey.  In fact, my cousin has a ipod specifically designated for every episode of Adventures in Odyssey, he calls it the, "Odd Pod". These stories share a great adventure that teaches relevant lessons supported by scripture.  These are great for family road trips, listening before your kids go to bed etc. Anyways,  this is just one tool to help parents instill great biblical truths into their children's hearts.  I believe its both nurture and nature and to address both of these important factors we need to focus not only on children but the ones whom God has chosen to raise those children, the wonderful people we call parents.


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