Archive for January, 2007
Where Does Chuck Norris Write?
Anywhere he wants.
Actually, he writes here every week. Interesting bits.
The Chuck Norris Posts:
Chuck Norris Doesn’t Hate Mondays Because If He Did, They Wouldn’t Exist
For Wayne and all my other engineer friends
Dwyane Wade Is Chuck Norris’ Kryptonite
[tags]Chuck Norris, WorldNetDaily[/tags]
What Do You Make?
I just got this from Harry…
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”
To stress his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?”
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began…)
“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental… You want to know what I make?” (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, because we live in the United States of America.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.
(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) “Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want t know what I make?
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?”
Attitude…not so much Action
I’m preaching this weekend – Ray is enjoying the great So Cal weather. Right now in So Cal it’s pouring down rain. Sun is out here.
Granted – its 17 degrees here and you don’t have to shovel rain.
But I digress…this weekend I’m continuing our series through 1st John. You can’t love the world and love the Father.
Thanks for leaving me such an easy topic to preach on, Ray.
At Life Group Sunday night:
“What are you preaching on this weekend?”
GE: “If you love the world, you can’t love the Father.”
Conversation killed.
Later – “So I better go shop like crazy this week, right?”
Honestly, I love my stuff like anyone else. I love skiing, video games, tv’s, cell phones, ipods, and computers. I love a great big fat juicy steak and long dinners with friends. I love my house and my DVR. While I don’t make a ton of money, I make more than most in the world and I’m not signing up to make any LESS than what I do.
So I feel the tension. But then I ran across this quote from a guy named Warren Wiersbe:
Worldliness is not so much a matter of activity as of attitude. It is possible for a Christian to stay away from questionable amusements and doubtful places and still love the world, for worldliness is a matter of the heart.
I’m still putting it all together – hopefully I’ll have SOMETHING by Sunday – but I think I see it. Some of the most “pious” people I know are also the most hateful. They’ve got all the right actions and behaviors but they still function on a world system. Top-down leadership instead of servant. Keeping track of wrongs instead of forgiveness. “What have you done lately” mindset instead of grace.
Or more pointedly – having your own agenda for your own glory instead of having His for His glory.
To me that’s more convicting. Am what I am doing, saying and becoming more about Him or more about me?
We did a retreat for middle school boys about becoming men of God. A couple of the dads complimented the team on what a great weekend it was then asked why we didn’t talk about marriage and being a great husband and dad.
Steve, my middle school guru had a great response. “What if your son never gets married? Could he still be a man of God single? If he gets married – great. May he be a great man of God who happens to be married. What if he never has kids? What if for some crazy reason he trades the middle-class suburban dream for a single life in Tibet telling people about Jesus?”
We were all speechless. Steve had hit a nerve in us all. Most us function out of the mindset of what brings us the most glory or what’s best for us.
Regardless of how moral or right the decisions may be – if it isn’t about the Father or his Glory – it may just be TRUE worldliness.
Still marinating…
Jason Lofton, MD and Snowboarder Exhausted
Yesterday was AWESOME. James Caldwell and I took off at 5.30 am. We dropped Ray off at DIA then headed to Copper Mountain.
[That's in the morning for all my youth pastor comrades. I know many of you will find this shocking but people are actually awake at this hour and able to have a coherent conversation. We, of course, are not one of these kinds people. Ray and James seemed to be perfectly fine at this hour. I'm happy for them. They need professional help and if they don't get help at Charter, I hope they get help somewhere.]
We get to Copper and meet my bro and good friend Jason the Lofton. I love this guy…even though I remember him being a lot taller than this.
The day was absolutely gorgeous. This is the view from the top of Sierra lift, right before we hit the Jupiter Bowl.
No one was on the slopes. We never waited in a line. There were times when we were the only ones on the run. As far as the time with Jason…too short. They had been boarding for the past 2 days and we’re pretty spent by 2 pm. Here’s a pic at lunch. The other guy is Chris. I first met him at Jlo’s wedding. Neat guy.
Any rate – they took off at 2 headed back to Arkansas. James and I – we were the last ones on the final lift ride up at 4.
It was kinda cool how the day went. I spent a lot of time with Jason as a young med student. It started out because he was a volunteer in youth. It grew into something much deeper than that. As great of a volunteer he was, he was an even better friend. I got to see him grow in his faith and his practice of medicine and his compassionate heart. I consider myself fortunate to a be a part of his life.
I’m thinking this and look over at James. He’s a youth volunteer at Pinecrest. He’s a good one. Can’t wait to see where this one goes…
Unbiblical Ministry & A Slap of Reality
Tim asks the question is Youth ministry biblical? Should we pay youth pastors?
It reminded me of this letter I wrote back in 2005. I guess I’m still a little torqued because it erupted a ton of emotive responses from my soul that I’m not sure I can print here.
I know a couple of people who are desperately trying to get into full-time ministry. My first question to them was “Why on earth would you want my job?”
Here’s how it normally goes – I love studying the Bible, I love teaching, I love [insert focus of ministry position] and oh yeah…I hate my current job.
I’ve got to be honest with you – there aren’t words to describe that kind of stupidity and shortsightedness.
Are you called to this? Who in your circle is confirming that calling? Are you equipped (or willing to be) to do this? If you’re not called to this – you’ll be dead in the water in less than a year. Oh, you might be able to stay employed longer than that. Most churches are incredibly gracious in that area. But your soul will be damaged and dried up. It’s hard enough for those of us who are called, confirmed, and equipped.
Secondly, the patterns of discipleship and reproduction of leaders you had OUTSIDE of paid ministry – those will be your patterns INSIDE. If you haven’t reproduced a spiritual leader as “laity”, you’re probably not going to do it as a “paid guy (gal).” The myth that you’ll have more time to be “spiritual” is exactly that – a myth. Trust me – you don’t really have any more TIME as a paid pastor as a lay guy working in the warehouse. You still have to MAKE time for that which is truly important.
Besides that, no one questions the validity of pay or position for doctors, teachers, plumbers, postal workers, truck drivers or lawyers (okay, maybe lawyers). Pastors – what do they “do” the other 6 days? Is it right for us to even pay them for doing such a grand and noble thing as teaching the Word of God? Most people couldn’t handle having their profession/vocation questioned as much as pastors do. Most people can’t handle the junk we hear and read from people.
Especially STUDENT MINISTRY. Do you realize that student ministry is the only ministry where the potential exists for you to get blasted from both sides of the shore? Think about it. Students rarely make it home with 50% of what you said. So as a leader you are constantly being misquoted and misunderstood with little to no chance of correcting it.
Challenge a student to grow up spiritually, take a risk for the Kingdom, or change a belief and you’ve a 1 in 3 chance in that going positive.
Option 1: Student blows you off, ignores you – calls church, you, student ministry “boring”
Option 2: Parent gets upset because now kid wants to spend life in Lebanon planting a church instead of working the family business.
Option 3: Both get it and actually jumps in the journey.
Now mix in either a defensive or weak Senior Pastor or Elder/Deacon Board who is more concerned with butts in seats and checks in plates and you’ve got a real minefield to walk through.
For the record: my current senior Pastor and elder board are neither of those things. I’m not just saying that. If they were, I wouldn’t have said anything. One of things I learning from Ray is how to be a strong leader, keep focus on reproducing leaders and serving the community in a way that is loving but uncompromising. It’s possible. We’re early in the journey but the groundwork is getting put in place.
Are those circumstances unique to pastoring? In one sense, yes they are. Just like there are a unique set of circumstances for a doctor, teacher, plumber, counselor, postal worker…whatever.
I’m okay with that. I can’t fix a car to save my life. I can’t fix leaky pipes either. That’s why I’m not a mechanic or a plumber.
But I am a pastor and I do know a lot about the care of a soul.
I guess I’m not as over it as I thought I was. Back to the healing place….
Long Messages
I got an email from a buddy today –
Grant,
Did XXXXX leave long messages on your cell phone?
I laughed out loud because – SHE used to all the time. I think it’s a woman thing.
For example – if I call someone, IF I EVEN LEAVE A VOICEMAIL, it’s something like this –
“It’s Grant. Give me a yell.”
Or…”You’re a dweeb and loser and I love you for it.” – Mainly for Bruce and Wayne and Harry.
Amy is now awesome at this. So is our good friend Renee’. Early on, I’d get a message worthy of a soliloquy in a Shakespeare play. And I’m sure that the intent was awesome but a guy’s attention span on a message is about 7 seconds.
A common conversation when I’d call back was like this…
“Did you get my message?”
Me, not telling the WHOLE truth: “Yeah.”
[Insert Long Pause]
“Well, what do you think?”
Me, completely busted that I did not listen to the message but still trying to fake it: “Well, let’s talk about it for a bit. Do you really think that?”
“You didn’t listen to the message, did you?”
“No.”
“WHY DO I EVEN LEAVE YOU A MESSAGE??!!!”
“Well, that’s exactly my question.”
Click.
I’m not saying one is better than the other but I think women GENERALLY leave longer messages than MEN do. Okay, i really am saying that one is better than the other but that is beside the point. What we really need to do is a Mythbusters on this one.
Holy Moment #37
I meant to write this last week but amidst all the snow and stuff…it slipped my mind. It shouldn’t have because it was one of those “holy moments.” It was over a burrito in a place called Brewery Bar IV. (Why is a Mexican food place named Brewery Bar???)
A couple of you “young” youth guys (I can’t tell you how painful it is to write those words…) have asked this – how do start “eating the elephant” of building a student ministry? I’ve said this before – building something from scratch is slow, hard, but rewarding WORK. I know it’s about reproducing spiritual leaders and that takes time. But there are pockets of discouragement. Moments when you ask the unanswerable question – is what I’m doing really making a difference? The bottom line is this – the more vehement a youth worker says “It’s not about the numbers” the more likely they have a large youth group. File it under false modesty if you like.
“We” may think that and even believe that it’s not about the numbers – but the soul on Thursday mornings tells a different tale. We (probably better said I) do judge how “well” a Wednesday night by how many showed up. Some of that isn’t all bad.
It’s not because I want to show up to NYWC and brag about how my youth group grew by 360% this year. It’s because I want us to be a part of God making an impact in our community. I want as many people as possible to encounter Jesus. Hence, the Thursday morning discouragement.
As a young Army officer, I once got to hear Colin Powell speak. I only remember a couple of lines from the talk. The first one was that to really lead people we were going to have to …upset some people. (He didn’t use that term…it was the Army.) The second line has been etched in my soul – “Being positive is your best force multiplier.”
In Army speak – you are always looking for force multipliers – the things that will increase your force strength without adding more soldiers. Technology, certain weapons, tactics, etc are all force multipliers. General Powell said this is not “pie-in-the-sky” lying in the face of reality rah-rah stuff. It’s find the good, the hope, the goal, the building block and accentuate the heck out of it.
So I’ve tried to do that. Fast forward to this moment with these two guys who – for better or worse have decided to do student ministry.
Being positive is not only your best force multiplier but it’s reciprocal.
So my answer to how to “eat the elephant” – create a positive environment then find some people to eat it with you. Make sure they are trustworthy, make sure they are called and love teens. Make sure they are honest to the point of uncomfortable with you.
Then go eat a burrito with them and feel them lift your soul and your eyes to the hills.
I Would NOT Do It Again
I was graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in May of 1997. My first day of class was the day that then President Dilday was fired. At the time, I learned under some of the most educated, thought provoking professors in the nation. From Calvin Miller, Keith Putt, and Curtis Vaughn “The Greek Demon.”
I also had women professors who challenged not only my head but my heart.
The last few years has seen Southwestern regressed. Instead of preparing pastors for today’s culture, they’ve chosen to pick fights that nobody outside the SBC and Texas cares. From the convention that brought you “home-school only”, “no shorts on Sundays,” and “Tuesday Night Visitation”….comes this:
They fired a woman professor teaching Hebrew because she was a woman. Paige Patterson said that her hiring was a lax in judgment from the previous administration.
All I can say is this – the SBC got what it deserved when it hire Paige Patterson. Conflict and Irrelevance have followed him wherever he has gone.
And the “Sure Bride of Christ” takes another black eye.
[tags]Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, SBC[/tags]
Smith Withdrawals
I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to explain the mystery of how some friends connect in such a way that they become…family. Family in the true sense of the word. I have a great relationship with my parents and in-laws. I’d classify it as intimate. The ability to be real, honest, and vulnerable. Extend out into the other circles of “family” and it’s friendly but not intimate.
I like friendly. It’s nice. But I crave intimacy. I think we all do. God has hard-wired us for it.
And in the best of times, hopefully, our earthly relationships gives us a taste of what heaven will be like.
That’s not to say the entire weekend wasn’t without it’s share of drama. We had 4 girls in the house. You can do the math. I’m amazed at how young the mothering instinct kicks in. I’m also amazed how quickly they get angry, forgive, and drive on. Sermon in there somewhere.
So as life returns to normal…here some of our favorite moments of the reunion too short.
Seeing a pattern? Cayden thinks Carson is the center of the universe. Especially with his cool hat.
Singing In The Rain
Chris is Back on the Wagon
After a blog fast that resembled at times a lock-out, Chris has returned to the blogging scene. And in a rookie, bad-form move tagged me to answer 5 things not that are not that well known about me.
First of all, Chris…I love you. You know I do. You’re an Alabama guy, a former student pastor – I can completely overlook the Church of Christ thing. I won’t bother you when we get to heaven and ruin the dream that only C of C people are going there. I promise.
But the tag thing is way below you…isn’t it used when you have a serious case of bloggers-block?
HOWEVER…since your blog needs a desperate reboot in readers after your 5 year sabbatical, here you go:
1. I’m addicted to Mythbusters. Today I bought season 1 on DVD (on sale). It’s so addicting that I’m thinking of doing a whole series on Mythbusters for our youth group.
2. April is my least favorite month of the year. I wish we could ban April. My goal is to one day have enough vacation so that I can take the ENTIRE month of April off. Why? Football is way over, March Madness – OVER. Tax Day. No school breaks at all. POLLEN. Ski Season – OVER. Heck, there isn’t even any good baseball going on in April.
3. I hate straight lines. Even when we play cards, I don’t line up my cards straight. I hate waiting in lines, driving in straight lines, looking in straight lines.
4. If I could get away with it – I’d wear a Bronco jersey every day of the year. They are just that awesome. The most awesome thing ever would be to see Chuck Norris in a Bronco jersey.
5. I’m always going to be addicted to video games. My next great purchase will probably be a Xbox 360 with Guitar Hero II and Halo 3 and College Football ’07. I love College Football the most. I love Madden as well.
There you go Chris.
[tags]Chuck Norris[/tags]
The Long Awaited Bio
Some of you cared (thank you mom and Kitty) so I thought I’d post it here…the “official” bio of Grant.
After 16 years of student ministry, you’d think Grant have a few things worked out. You’d think that…and you’d be wrong. “My goal is to ruin teenagers with Jesus and release them back to the wild where they came from.†Grant’s a “semi-native†of Colorado. “I got here as soon as I could – I was 7.†He was graduated from Rangeview High School in Aurora, Colorado then went on – in Grant’s words – “a 16-year exile from the Motherland.†He quickly adds “I can’t complain too much – I got Amy out of the deal.â€
Amy and Grant married in 1991 while they were both at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. After some time in the U.S. Army, Grant graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He’s led student ministries in Texas, Kansas, and Arkansas before returning “home†to Colorado. They have 3 kids – Cooper (9), Camber (7), and Cayden (4).
“Growing up and parenting people who are growing up is the hardest fun in life and shouldn’t be done alone. Pinecrest is a place where we’re trying to figure it out together with Jesus. That’s why you’ll see encounter Jesus and living life together are such huge values for us here. We are also going to challenge students to lead out of this passion for Jesus.â€
Most of the English’s life can be observed at Grant’s blog where his love for Brazil, teenagers, the Broncos, Fantasy Football, Youth Ministry, and snow dominate the discussion.
Favorite Food: Brazillian, Mexican
Favorite Time Killers: NCAA College Football ’06, Madden, playing the guitar, blogging, Barnes & Noble
Favorite Shows: Mythbusters, Deadliest Catch, NFL
Favorite Teams: “Are you serious? The Broncos and whoever is playing the Raiders.â€
Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Favorite Starbucks: toss up – White Chocolate Mocha OR Java Chip Frap…
What was not included in the bio:
The Swimming Tundra Incident
My love for peanuts and Ritz Crackers
How ice cream is my comfort food
Why or what I yell at my television during a Bronco Game
My incredible desire for friends closer than family.
Wise Builders?
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
If I’m lifted up – I’ll draw all kinds of people to me, Jesus
The brutal honesty of starting a student ministry from scratch is this – foundation work is frustrating. Ever been to a construction site when they are pouring the fittings or laying concrete block? Ridiculous boring. Then there’s the foreman who walks around and shakes his head and has the workers do certain sections over again, which is more TIME “lost.” It LOOKS like they are just a bunch of guys staring in the ground while the others “work.” It LOOKS like it’s just a complete waste of time for most of the people there. It FEELS like wasted time.
The real fun starts when the framers, roofers, and bricklayers show up.
“The foundation is the most important part of a building.
Nobody but a builder really believes that. It’s the longest to build, easiest to screw up and has the least amount of sex appeal to a building.
“What are you doing?” “Watching concrete set.”
How exciting. A real builder would answer this way – “I’m making sure the foundation is level, stable, and strong enough to put an entire building on it.”
So here we are, watching concrete set. We are practicing some disciplines, trying to hear to whisper of the Spirit. How will we react when the “mad dogs” that want to put up framing and roofs and walls too soon? Will my ego handle the short-term “what the heck are you doing?” questions? (My answer – we’re learning…together.) Will we invest in the now for the future instead of investing for the future at the expense of the now?
So far – the answers are good. We’re gambling that Jesus is right.
And yeah, it’s work. It’s slow. It’s at times – dare I say it – monotonous.
But there is honestly, no other place I’d rather be.
Marinating…please excuse the silence
Len posted this which got me thinking about this.
Then the following happened this past week:
I’m teaching my CRASH class and the comment I made was – “Students can tell a fake. Their…[and I paused here] baloney meter is always on.”
From the back of the room, a parent said “You mean a BS meter?” The parent also happens to be an elder.
“Uh…yes, I do.”
That moment illustrated the universe we’ve traveled this summer. I got blasted for using the word “period” in a sermon to explain Mark 5 just a few wee months ago and a thousand so miles. (I’ll let you read the context.)
I’m not going to write all my thoughts here but here are my random thoughts so far. Hopefully by the end of the week, I’ll tie them all together to make some semblance of a essay/article.
Language here (Parker) for the most part is a non-issue. In the South, HUGE issue. Why?
There is no way of escaping the contextual-ness of language. Not just regional, but generational and gender. Disagree? Then why do we have Women’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Senior Adult Ministry, and The Non-Splitting Family Tree Ministry. (Had to get a shot in at my Arkansas family!! haha)
Like it or not, we judge people by the words they use. Longer words – smarter. Shorter words – not so smart. Smart aleck words – youth pastor. Why?
If the New Testament was written in today’s language, I think we’d be offended. “We” meaning church folk. Most of the New Testament was written in koine Greek – the common, idiomatic/slang language of the day. Makes for some spicy passages.
So when Jesus calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers and white-washed tombs and sons of the devil – what exactly would be our equivalent? I shudder to think because of one last thought…
We use language to communicate MEANING and EMOTION and for impact and to connect with someone else. Language is not the ends but a means to an ends.
How am I going to tie all of this together???
Saturday with the Smiths
Whew…I’m tired.
First – Coop’s basketball game. Great job by Coopster. Then off to “Uncle Ray’s” house.
Great big, long runs with a ramp in the middle. Couldn’t ask for more. Great time. After showers and snacks – girls did their thing:
Cayden did her thing – follow around Carson.
Amy did her thing…
That’s my smokin’ hot wife on Guitar Hero! Carson getting us all pumped up…
About bedtime and the house will be quiet except for the 4 adults laughing.
Good times.
The Headache Chronicles
It appears that the cause of the headaches could be a couple of things.
1. Adjusting to the dry, high altitude climate of Colorado. It was his nice way of saying – “You don’t drink enough water.”
2. Muscle tension induced headaches. I really don’t have a clue exactly what that is other than it’s when your – wait for it – your muscles in your head are tense. I’m pretty brilliant, aren’t I?
He did ask if I had a stressful job. When I told him I was a pastor, he groaned.
“Wow. You do.”
Now I let it drop but I was both impressed AND disturbed. I’m impressed that he knew enough about the job to recognize that it’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world. On the other hand, I don’t feel near as stressed as I did say … oh, 5 months ago.
Nice man, the doc. He’s an artist – had his artwork through his clinic. I liked that. He sat down asked lots of questions, took his time. I liked that. His secretary is a bit quirky. “Crazy Linda” was on her name tag.
He tells me to get out now that the blizzards are over, get lots of sunshine, walk, drink some water, here’s a prescription if it gets to crazy and oh…by the way, we are going to do an MRI on your head just to be safe.
Hmmm.
“An MRI is this big….”
“I’m pretty familiar with what a MRI is.” (I did not have the energy or time to tell them that my dad worked, serviced, fixed, and played with them for the last umpteen years.)
“Are you clastrophobic?”
“Does it really matter?”
Hey – a pastor with a sense of humor!
So I get to sit inside this big, loud, cramped magnet on Wednesday to see if I have a brain and what’s in it.
[Insert Joke Here.]
The Conference Championships
Alright – so far my record is a stellar 7-1, 8-1 if you include the BCS Championship. That could all change this weekend.
Let’s start with the darling NFC game.
at 
You’ve got Soldier Field, special teams, and defense for the Bears.
You’ve got MOJO, Reggie Bush/Deuce McAlister, Drew Brees, Rex Grossman, and Sean Payton for the Saints.
Who Dat!!! New Orleans wins this game. Just listen to everyone pick the Bears, pick the weather, praise their defense then watch the game. The Saints have moved the ball and scored on everyone this year…except Carolina. Which is bizarre when you stop and think about it.
The AFC Championship:
at 
Now that Charger-Gate is over, let’s talk football. Patriots bring their swagger and Tom Brady into the RCA Dome. But the truth of the matter is that their two playoff opponents didn’t exactly show up to play. The J E T S Jets, Jets, Jets are a great team to root for but they were severely outgunned and outmanned for that matchup. The Chargers Schottenheimered.
The Colts won ugly against Kansas City and then won ugly against Baltimore. Won ugly – that’s key because the Colts have never had to win ugly. It’s usually a blowout – going one way or the other. You could say “Hey, the Patriots have won ugly!” and I’d just say – they always win ugly. I don’t understand how that team continues to win.
But…I’m taking the Colts. Why? It’s on the TURF, outside of the elements, the Patriots have to travel AGAIN, Dungy has placed his foot up the proverbial rear-end of the defense and they are showing up.
Which means my Super Bowl would have the Saints and the Colts. Not exactly made for TV but this isn’t the NBA where the playoffs are rigged.
Now watch me go 0-2 this week.
[tags]NFL, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, NBA[/tags]
The C
The Smiths Are Coming!
Row and Kitty and kids land in Denver today! And so begins a crazy weekend of our house being filled with 7 kids…9 if you count me and Rowland.
They want to sled and see snow. Well – we can do that.
Late night card games and Guitar Hero I think are on the agenda.
Defeated
I’m going to the doctor today. At 2 pm. For the insomnia and headaches.
So there, mommy. Now leave me alone! ha ha.
I hate going to the doctor. Which is odd because I have some great relationships with so many of them from Emporia AND Little Rock. Spending a few years discipling med students will do that. I remember one of my ministry peers asking me why I invested so much in med students.
I told him that doctors are not only some of the smartest people in the world but they meet people in the middle of crisis everyday. To be the hands and feet in the middle of that crisis is a high and noble calling and one that should never be taken lightly. My goal was to be a part of transforming them into Theological Healers.
So now I’m about to walk into a room with a doctor I don’t know and what interaction will take place there? Does he value and care for the soul like the body? It’s important to me – will he get that? We’ll see.
What I’d do for a Lofton, McClure, Tomlinson, Edwards, Dr. Laura, or Schellhause right now.
Vomit City
Massive headache last night kept me up till 4 AM.
Get up with the remnants of a sledgehammer going off inside my head.
Amy just walked in and notifies me that the shower drain is clogged. (We had this problem in Little Rock.) She has a wire coat hanger in her hands.
Next from the bathroom I hear –
“Oh sick. Nasty. I am going to throw up. This is just….ohhhh…..gosh…..mmmmm….shew……ughhhhh.”
“Look at this!”
Which of course – I don’t want to but Amy pulls out this mass of wet hair about the size of a softball.
Then I get a wiff of the smell.
Oh sick. Nasty. I am going to throw up. This is just….ohhhh…..gosh…..mmmmm….shew……ughhhhh.
And to think I stayed home for this today.
Stupid People
So we get this past due bill with a nasty letter saying we are going to be turned over to collections from Absolute Air and Heat in Little Rock. For $10.
Absolute Air came and inspected my air conditioner, told me it was a bad coil but told the warranty company that is was poor maintenance. So WarranTech Home Warranty did NOT pay for the new air conditioner in our old home that we never got to use.
So we dropped WarranTech and so did the entire real estate agency we were with because they hadn’t come through on any of their promises.
So I called Absolute Air today. Once I told her who I was and the property – she remembered.
Absolute Air Girl: “You need to call the warranty company for an explanation as to why they rejected the claim.”
GE: “Uhhhhh, no. I’m not playing that game. You sent me the bill, you answer the question.”
AAG: “Well I can’t because I don’t know why they rejected the claim.”
GE: “That’s funny because we paid the guy when he showed up to do the inspection, not the warranty company. I can find the cancelled check if I need to.”
Long pause.
AAG: “I’m going to have to do some research and call you back.”
GE: “Of course you are.”
Then she hung up.
Here is the hilarious part – does she have any of our new numbers? No. Does she have anyway of GETTING our new numbers? Only if they have caller ID on their phones. They don’t even have our new address – the bill was forwarded from our old address.
Here the sucky part of all this…we are going to have to call her back because they are just stupid enough to turn us over to a collection agency for $10 on a $62 charge that we’ve already paid.
Stupid people.
Mark Cuban Said It and I’m With Him…
This is DIRECTLY from Mark Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks…
When I started MicroSolutions I was 24 years old. I had just gotten fired from my job and was sleeping on the floor of a 3 bedroom apartment with 5 other guys living there. I didn’t have a closet or a bed, but I had 2 suits.
I bought both of those polyester wonders, one Grey pinstripe, the other blue pinstripe for a total of $99 dollars plus tax. To go with those fashion forward wonders, I had several white polo button downs that I had purchased used from a re-sale shop, and a couple ties that I had bought on sale or had gotten as hand me downs from friends.
I wore those babies when it was cold. I wore them when it was 100 degrees plus. I ironed them and when I could I got them dry cleaned. MicroSolutions was started in June and over the next 7 years , starting with those first 2 suits, I wore a suit every work day. I bought new suits as the business grew. I bought shirts and ties and shoes new instead of used. I went 7 years without a vacation to make that company work, but I didn’t go a work day without a suit.
Someone had once told me that you wear to work what your customers wear to work. That seemed to make sense to me, so I followed it, and expected those who worked for me to follow it as well.
After I sold MicroSolutions I decided that I never would wear a suit again. I was able to hold true to that while I was making a lot of money trading stocks for the next 5 years, but then Todd and I started AudioNet which would morph into Broadcast.com.
With our new business, I decided that I would have to wear a suit, but would modify the rule so that I would only wear a suit when someone I was selling to was wearing a suit. If they were selling to me, I didn’t care if they were wearing a tux. I was going to go comfortable and not wear a suit.
When Broadcast.com was sold, the suit went out the window completely. I vowed to never wear one again other than weddings and funerals, and only then because it wasn’t worth the hassle to deal with people asking why you didn’t wear a suit. I’m certain the people getting married dint care, and I don’t think anyone is going to be looking down at me wondering why I showed up at their funeral without a suit. Suits make no sense whatsoever.
Why am I such a suit hater ? I’m not a suit hater, I just could never think of any good reason for any sane person to wear a suit in the first place.
Exactly what purpose does a suit serve ? Why in the world are so many people required to wear a suit to work ? Do the clothes make the man or woman in the western world today ? Does wearing a tie make us work harder or smarter ? Is this a conspiracy by the clothing, fabric or dry cleaning industry to take our money ?
Or are we all just lemmings following a standard we all know makes zero sense, but we follow because we are afraid not to ?
If you are a CEO , are there not better things your employees could spend money on than multiple suits, ties, dress shirts, dress shoes, dress socks, dry cleaning, and all the other associated costs ? Gee, no suits would be the same as giving your employees a tax free raise. Think that might make them happy ? Or do employees consider having to spend money on suits a perk ?
Now I understand some people think wearing a suit provides them with a certain level of stature. It gives them confidence. It helps them feel good about themselves. Well let me be the first to tell you that if you feel like you need a suit to gain that confidence, you got problems. The minute you open your mouth, all those people who might think you have a great suit, forget about the suit and have to deal with the person wearing it.
Is there a reason other than “thats just the way it is” ? Haven’t you looked at someone in a suit, trying to look important and just thought how stupid and out of place it is ? Why do we do this to ourselves ?
I know this all is a crazy rant, but come on now. If you have had to wear a suit to work every day, haven’t you wondered why ? If you are the CEO or in charge of a company, haven’t you wondered yourself why you are making your employees waste all that money and come to work and spend the day in uncomfortable clothing ?
Give your suit wearing employees a raise. Tell them every day is casual day.
I couldn’t agree more.
Writing a Bio
I’m supposed to write my bio for the church website. I was supposed to do it a long time ago and just didn’t do it. I understand on one hand why it needs to be done. A parent wants to know exactly who in the world they’re releasing their child to.
On the other hand – most bio’s read like the person can walk on water and cut tin cans in half and stay sharp for only $19.95. (Hurry, act now, supplies are limited.)
So – my adoring blog readers – how would you write my bio?
This is going to be fun…or humiliating…either way.
It’s Not About The Amount of Faith
Random Thoughts while reading Luke 17.
If someone jacks you up 7 times and 7 times he comes back and says “I repent”, forgive him.
To this the disciples answered – “Increase our faith!”
In other words – we don’t have enough faith so you make us have enough faith. I’m ashamed to say – I’ve prayed that. Increase my faith. I say “ashamed” because of Jesus’ next words.
He says if you have the amount of faith the size of a mustard seed you can move a mountain. I look at mountains every day now. I never get tired of staring at them. I’m amazed at their mass and how out here we are completely at the mercy of the mountain.
Avalanches, rock slides, wind sheers – we can’t control or manage any of those things.
So Jesus says that the amount of your faith is not the problem. He then tells the story of a servant who just does what he is supposed to do and doesn’t expect praise for it.
I don’t think I’ve ever connected the dots until today. Forgiveness is the “business” of a believer. Grace is everyday currency of the redeemed. To forgive someone or give grace should not be a big deal or even praised. It’s just what we do.
Jesus’ stiff words to the disciples was basically this – you asking for more faith to be what you are supposed to already be is entirely missing the point. Just do it. Just be it. Don’t get all “spiritual” on us and ask for more faith – just be the servant you’re supposed to be.
I think that some tough love that some of us need – there comes a point in your walk with Jesus where it’s no longer an issue of knowledge or even faith. It’s just a matter of obedience.
Ouch.
Ouch.