to CCDA...

just finished serving at the CCDA national conference. it was a learning event. if you're looking to join a community of folks that are working to make a change in their communities on behalf of those that either can't or don't know how, these are some good folks doing some good stuff. i was glad just to be a part of it. 

what i appreciated about the conference was that there were no 'rock stars.' all the headline speakers were walking around with everyone. it was pretty cool in that i got to say hi with folks anywhere at anytime. everyone was pretty accessible. they ate with everyone, spoke to everyone, and even shared the bathroom with everyone. pretty unique from a conference standpoint. 

some folks that i got to share with were (i suggest you google them to see what they are up to)...

john perkins (civil rights leader)

wayne gordon (aka coach)

noel castellanos (immigration reformist)

larry acosta (urban youth workers institute) 

good stuff. 

to enough...

i'm just gonna throw the word out there. you tell me what comes to mind and how to approach it.

EEEE   NN       NN  OOOOOO    UU   UU   GGG      HH   HH

EE        NNNNNN   OO      OO    UU   UU   GG   G   HHHHH

EEEE   NN    NNN  OOOOOO    UUUUU   GGGG   HH    HH

i know, i've got time.

so what do you think?  

to sweeney todd...

we took my son to get a haircut tonight. he's much stronger than i realized. for those of you that don't know; he hates the barber. it's like he sees sweeney todd.

either way, he's much more handsome now. he hates me, but at least he looks good doing it. hope to have a pic up soon. 

he's afraid of the machine. i know it sounds silly, but i hate clowns.

any other fears out there? 

let me know.

to instability...

October 17, 2008

it's weird because i don't things in the world have been so unsettled like they are today. as i read this morning, watched last night, and heard on the radio on the way to the office today, everything seems to be going haywire. whether economy, jobs, health, climate change, or life, it doesn't seem to really matter. 

if it exists, it's going bonkers. 

in my time of reading, it's moments like these that God will use to create stability in His people. when all else fails, He won't. when all else seems to crumble, He doesn't. when it's too hot, He's just right. when injustice gets worse, He gets better. when....He....

i've been learning that during the instability, i will be the stability that God will use to navigate people through these hard times. it's not that i'm better than most. on the contrary, i find myself among the general public in the u.s. just trying to get by. and still, i'm not freaking out. i really think that this is part of the 'mystery of the gospel' that paul refers to. 

how can you stay calm when all else is going off?

how can you not lose sleep when people keep getting laid off?

how you can you...finish the sentence. 

i can because He is, was, and will be. in control, on top of things, planning out time for His best interests. 

thank goodness that i'm not in control He is. 

to observations...8 of them

so as i considered number 100, i thought about writing 100 reasons for this, that, or the other. not happening.

so here it is. as i've recently started journaling again (healthy exercise), i come to grips with a couple of things. among them. so here's to 8 observations that i've made this last year...

1- the need for more prayer, especially when all is well

2- the need for more prayer, especially when all is not well

3- obedience =  where my faith intersects with God's faithfulness

4- when you are doing something new, it's always hard

5- reverting to what you know is always easiest

6- God is more concerned with His glory than mine (rightfully so...He's God)

7- If we're not planning on changing lives, then we're thinking too small

8- i want to be on the amazing race

maybe i'm missing a couple of thoughts on here. let me know

to #99...

this is my 99th post. any suggestions on how to celebrate #100? i've got some ideas, but i'm open to thoughts. 

the heart

so i've been doing some thinking on the heart and what the WORD has to say about it. the heart is truly messed up - implication, all of us with hearts are messed up. out of the heart, the mouth speaks. it's crazy some of the things i'm capable of saying, let alone thinking. 

there's gotta be a way of not only filtering the heart, but actually working with God to change the heart and the messed up that it is. 

as of recently, i've been exposed to how wicked and great the heart can be at the same time. i've seen it in the life of others and experienced it personally. 

what i've discovered is, what you project unto others is a reflection of what is found inside. it's the exterior reflection of the inward.

just where i'm at. 

...to syndication

so i watched 30 rock for the first time tonight. funny. as i was changing channels to see what's on these days. aside from the news that ike is going to bust up  the eastern coast of tx, seems like there's tons of stuff about burning off fat, panties-medias, cartoons, the office, and really old re-runs in syndication (different strokes).

not sure what the best show on tv is today, but i've got some ideas. i would love to hear about what you guys are watching out there in the blog world. 

so give it up...what are you guys watching on tv?

what's the best thing on tv today? 

to the hitachi...

so tonight we had some awesome cuban food at our gathering. madd props to yannick's mom and her glorious hitachi. it may not solve all of the worlds problems, but it sure does make some really good rice.

besides really good food, we had an amazing time of prayer and intimacy with each other. amazing how the hitachi can bring people together :-)

to the hitachi! thanks yan. (you complete me - you had me at hitachi)

i should host the VMA's next year...

i've never been so disappointed with the selection committee on who elects the host of the VMA's. 

here's the question:

was no one else available to host? - next year, mtv, i'll be around!

besides the stupid appearance, foolish comments, and ridiculously tight pants, the poor fellow looked like a woman with a beard. 

for a 25th anniversary, i'm thoroughly disappointed. 

the only positive things about the VMA's, they encouraged people to vote. please vote according to what you think is the best for the country. don't let people from other countries tell you how to vote, especially at the VMA's. 

also, my 2 year old kid was totally upset on the knocking of the jonas brothers and their choice on waiting till marriage for sex. 

to an interesting opinion...

so as i was reading this morning in luke 4, they gave Jesus beef about the coming of a new day. a shift was occurring around all who were there and they didn't even know it. when He tried to warn them, they didn't want to hear about it.

came across an interesting opinion this afternoon as i was doing my daily reading (check out the column to the right for more info on what i'm reading). here's the opinion:

"doing church differently is like rearranging the chairs on the titanic. we must realize that slight tweaks, new music, creative lighting, wearing hula shirts, shorts, and flip flops won't make doing church more attractive.  church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we are about. church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the very way of Christ."

pretty hard. 

what do you think? right? wrong? some right or some wrong?

let me know.

to facebook...

so i have a facebook now. less than 48 hours later, i'm getting pics of me back in the 60's when i was just a glimmer in my father's eye.

thanks alex. u made my decade. 

sweep the leg...awesome

this has got to be one of the best things to have come out of the 80's. what's awesome is that whenever mr. miagi comes out, the asian flute begins to play.

"sweep the leg" were the words uttered by the mean karate guy/teacher (sensai or something like that). it's awesome cause the music goes up and daniel goes down. hope goes down with him. but just like all good movies in the 80's, he gets up and wins. 

i love the 80's. i love karate kid I, II, III, but not the girl version with hilary swank. the 90's were desperate times - so was pat morita (mr. miagi)

sweep the leg...awesome

...to being human

i had the opportunity to share with a friend of mine today about her frustrations with life in general. there are lots of things going on, but part of the problem was found in her problems with church and how her specific church operates.

she seemed disillusioned, stressed, frustrated, and disappointed. what's weird is that she thought that there was something wrong with her. i assured her that wherever people are involved, anyone of those characteristics mentioned above will be present...we are all human; that's our pattern and tendency.

but why? why is it that more and more believers are feeling this way about church today? guestimations are that there are between 20 - 25 million xians in the US that don't go anywhere for whatever reason. 

as i continued to share with her, i honestly sensed her passion and concern for her church; it was awesome. i believe that she'll be just fine as she re-engages slowly but surely. 

just wondering, in your opinion what seems to be the problem with the church today and what do you think is the best way to fix things?

let me know. 

...to sleeping giants

so today i was listening to a guy out of texas share about this idea of waking up. that many folks kind of live like zombies. they move, they eat, they breathe, but it's almost as if they are in this sleep walking stage - like zombies.

then he got real passionate and began to expound on his idea that much of the church in the west is in this chronic state. we move, we eat, we breathe, but we are walking in our sleep.

then i thought to myself...what if the sleeping giant of a church were to awaken to do what it was created to do? what then?

-how would things change?

-how would things be different?

-what would that mean for the current state of where the church is?

if only the giant would awaken.

how would it be different? why isn't it different?

let me know.

waiting for the light to change...

when you are waiting for 'next' to happen...this can be an interesting time. for some it's school, for others it's work, for some it's a life mate, for others it's that very next thing. learning to wait for what's next is good, it's just the process that's not too much fun. 

it's like sitting at that street light that's red -- it's been red for about 15 minutes. you don't want to turn and then turn around 'cause you know it's wrong or someone might catch you doing wrong. so you sit there, waiting for the light to change. finally, when it does change, you move forward in confidence -- you have the clear and obvious permission to do so. it's just the waiting for the green light...it takes time. 

what's cool is, when i've waited for His green light, the wait proved to be worth it. the destination was better than i had expected, and had i arrived there sooner...

1. i would not have been ready for it

2. my destination would not have been ready for me

3. it would not have all fitted together, just right

so for all of you waiting for whatever is next...find a good book to read while you're on the wait. the 'next' doesn't go away,  you just learn to adjust to His schedule and timing. while you are at the light waiting, what can you do there to serve Him and others? chances are that's why the light is still red.

what can you do at your red light for God, for others? 

to the everyday...

i was listening to perry nobles today and he had some good insights on hearing from up above. 

"when you wrestle with the word and begin to walk in what the word says, the result is God's will."

it's that simple. knowing what His will is, is the easy part. living it out is when it can get tough. especially when you realize that your next step is leading you to an uncharted, unexpected, unprecedented territory. but isn't that like Him to do that?

as we are making big decisions again, i'm reminded that everyday is big, because God is in it. that alone should be enough to have my fullest attention -- i should go after the everyday in the same way i go after answers to life's hardest questions.

how do you approach the everyday?

to one of many medals...

regarding IT...i think this kid has IT. he's not trying to win, he's trying to walk out with 8 gold medals. it's performance to a whole new level.

question:

who else do you think has IT? (church, business, sports, etc)

why do you think they have IT?

to IT...

so this morning i heard from craig groeshel at the leadership summit hosted at a flamingo road cooper. some of his thoughts on ministry regarding church were pretty good. some stuff was refreshing, some stuff was different. he basically broke the idea of the "IT" factor down. the IT factor is the special something that people/churches/organizations may have that separates them from the rest. it's not the Holy Spirit because all believers have the HS. there's something different. not sure what that different is, but craig calls the difference, IT.

so here you go...these seem to be some consistent qualities in people/organization when IT is present:

1. focus - less ministries = better ministries

not trying to do a lot of stuff at a mediocre level, rather focusing on what one does well and kicking butt at it

2. opportunities, not obstacles 

you find a way when others fail to do so

you realize that you have exactly what you need to accomplish what God wants you to do

3. you have to be willing to fail 

failure is often the first step to seeing God and who He is

if you can do it, it doesn't require faith. if it doesn't require faith, you can't see God

4. lead by people who have IT

the leaders of these organizations need to have IT

IT finds it's way out to others and can become contagious - when you have IT inside, it tends to spread outside

and to close...

when it becomes about your church or your organization and not His kingdom, you will lose IT

is he crazy? does he have a point? chime in and let me know. 

to the 'pause'...

and so we find ourselves waiting for God to do what He does best...acting in His time. that's right boys and girls, the lopez clan are at another crossroads that will be determined by God's timing more than anything else. so we'll see what happens and when God moves, we'll let you guys know. we need God to provide for us - adriana is looking for a job; we know He will, it's just...when?

in the mean time, help me understand what you do when you are in the 'pause.' i know that we're supposed to wait and we are, and we're good. we really are. different people handle it differently when they are waiting for God to respond to a situation. i'm just curious, how do you handle it?

help a brotha' out!

...to spider sense!

at our gathering tonight, we touched on acts 8 - philip and his adventures to places that normally are not welcoming. my hats off to those brave enough to trust Christ and His leading to places others may call hostile or unwelcoming. i raise my cup to the person willing to risk all that he/she may have for obedience towards a calling. because of philips' obedience, the word says that many 'samaritan' nations came to faith and rejoiced. then he's off talking to a foreigner about things that pertain to history and heritage...a eunuch from ethiopia of all people. why? because the Spirit led him to do so. crazy. 

what kind of 'spider sense' or what 'frequency' was he in tuned to? 

i want that. 

i just fear how i would respond if the Spirit told me to do something as difficult like go to a 'hostile' place or speak to a random person, because the Spirit told me to. 

what would you do? have you ever had one of those moments when you knew that God was leading you to do something, something that seemed so foreign or weird to you that you simply had to stop and question everything about the situation? i have. 

great questioned was posed tonight: who is the "eunuch" in your life that you need to be sharing with? 

what do you think? does this kind of stuff still happen? let me know of your experiences with it...i'm still trying to figure things out myself. 

mama mia...why?!

i don't normally do this, but because of the epic proportions of 2 hours of life, i will. i went see a movie with adriana today called mama mia. i know, what was i thinking. i wanting to be a better husband. one who supports and encourages. that's what it got me today. let me just say that if weren't for the spectacular scenery of the greek isles, the movie would have sucked. instead, it was just bad. it takes a lot for me to hate on movies. so, if you are a lady looking for a romantic movie, don't use this one unless you're trying to make him pay for it. if you're looking for movie to score you some points with the beautiful babies, they are not worth it with this movie. 

music = cool

story = ok

acting = ok

mix them altogether and you get good actors doing bad film. i'm just saying. i'm not even trying to compare it with the dark knight or other summer films, it's not fair to mama mia. if i had to watch mama mia or sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen any day and twice on sunday (at least it changes).

needless to say, i wouldn't even recommend it as a rental; even if you've never seen it and love abba. 

sorry. 

for those poor unfortunate souls that have seen the film, what do you think? am i hating too strongly or am i right on?

like a ton of bricks...

last night at church we were having a discussion on God. no biggy, i know. yet somewhere in the midst of a discussion that i could have swore that i have had before, it hit me like a tone of bricks...

"God is always changing and moving towards change, yet He still remains the same."

i've been thinking about this all day.

any takers on this idea or thoughts on the matter? i dare you to try to explain. 

to an honest reflection...

as i listened to this announcement, again, about the ending of 7.22, i was moved and challenged. in case you didn't know, 7.22 is a ministry that's been around for about 12/13 years and has helped shaped what some churches look like/feel like today - for the good or bad. either way, some of the thoughts that were shared were difficult ones to face. i often wonder what an honest look in the mirror will do to me as a person, minister, husband, or father. i think, no matter which hat we wear, looking in the mirror and seeing the truth is a must.

more over, we must act on what we know to be true and i think that's what the folks at 7.22 are doing. besides the fact that they are huge in numbers and by all measures a successful ministry, they are stopping for a moment and changing. why? because from what i guess, they need to be doing other things to reach those people that aren't being reached.

gutsy, honorable, courageous, and cooky. these are they types of people i want to go into battle with. 

check this out and let me know what you think. click here.

 

friends need help...

it would be most kind of you all to help alex and kristel by purchasing some of their stuff as they get ready to leave to n.c. i'm sure they would greatly appreciate your money and willingness to give it to them. help a brother and sister out!.

much thnx!

to the funk...

recently a friend of mine shared about being in a 'funk' with God and life. i can totally relate. those moments when nothing makes sense. or even if they do, you really don't care. it's almost as if you become stagnant and you cease from living, you merely exist. 

those moments are tough. it's always easy to comment when you're not in the 'funk' about what to do or how to get out or a spiritual prescription on the matter. do this and you're out. fact is, it's been different for me every time. and every time i get out of the 'funk' i too am different. usually better for having gone through it. 

i hate going through the mud and yet mud treatments are great for your skin. maybe perspective is what changes funk from treatments. 

how do you handle the 'funk' when it hits you?

let me know. 

from moments to movements...

how does one separate moments from movements? been thinking about those pivotal moments in history that lead to movements. great depression was a moment that lead to a movement. mass genocide were moments in history that caused movements of response. the stoning of stephen was a moment that sparked a movement of faith. moments of sickness caused movements of cure and healing. moments of poor economy caused movements of innovation and change. 

have you seen moments today that are waiting to happen that will lead to the birthing of movements? good or bad, i bet you they are there. whether we like it or not, once the movement begins, we normally can't do much to stop it. rather we are faced with how we will deal with it; positive or negative. 

there are moments in my life that are clear. moments that marked me and defined part of who or what i am today. just a thought, perhaps my life is a constant movement that is being forged and directed by moments. 

burning bush = moment

parting of the seas = moment

fire from heaven = moment

walking on water = moment

feeding of 5000 = moment

laying of hands for healing = moment

yet, any single one of these moments was and is critical to the lives of those that experienced them. for moses, his moments lead to a nation wide movement. for Christ, his moments lead to a social/spiritual/history changing movement. for paul/peter and the rest, those moments of faith and/or suffering, lead to movements that still seep with spirit and truth. those are the ideas and hopes of something better that run in our veins. it is in the quiet still moments when God speaks movements into place. 

i want to be part of that. 

to hearing from others...

this week i've learned and relearned some pretty profound things from members of our church. so here they are in no particular order

-if there is no risk, can there really be faith?

-if i am are comfortable in my faith, then i'm probably not moving towards Christ and his desire for me

-my discomfort comes from the change that Christ is wanting to create in me

-to trust the Spirit, means to trust the fact that He works through others, not only through me

-God is actively bringing lost people to me, i just need to look up and acknowledge them

-Lost people can validate good things - they know good when they see good

-God is actively working towards change - in people, places, things, and creation (me especially)

i think that's a lot. 

what's God been teaching you?

growing and changing...

to the ever growing and changing church. it looks different every time. i love how God is working anywhere, everywhere, and through anyone that He chooses to use. 

how have you seen God at work lately?

not-yet christians...

so tonight, we heard something that probably caused great praise before our Father. as we gathered together for a time of prayer, after breaking bread with each other, one of our visitors volunteered to pray. his opening line:

God, this is the first time that i've ever prayed out loud...

he's not a christian...yet. for whatever reason, God has been working to bring him to this place. he asked where he could go and was invited into our community of faith...and then he prayed out loud for the first time.

even non-believers can go to God and ask. even not-yet christians can offer up worship. God will have His praise one way or the other...even if it's not through the 'saved.'

how awesome is that?

...enfleshing

philippians 2

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 
 6Who, being in very nature^[a] God, 
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
 7but made himself nothing, 
      taking the very nature^[b] of a servant, 
      being made in human likeness. 
 8And being found in appearance as a man, 
      he humbled himself 
      and became obedient to death— 
         even death on a cross! 
 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 
      and gave him the name that is above every name, 
 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
      to the glory of God the Father.

it floors me every time i try to read and understand this passage. that God, being fully God, came and while being fully God was also fully man; choosing to limit Himself of His "GOD" attributes and abilities in order to fully experience humanity - why? so that a full and complete sacrifice that would be found as good before Himself could be made up. 

a sacrifice by Him, for Him, on our behalf. 

God enfleshed Himself to be one of us, while still being Himself the whole time. 

why? so that when i'm in my corner dealing with my sin, i could have the assurance that i don't need to be worried about being separated from Him. because He knows to the fullest extent the difficulty of sin without succumbing to it. that's why He's good enough; God enough.

how do you explain this? 

ah...selflessness.

as of late, many of my conversations have been occurring around the word 'selfless.' fun to talk about, difficult to act upon, unmistakable when you see it...selfless.

these are the people that make impacts in life. the ones that understood that they gave up their rights when they came to Christ. i find myself wanting to hold on to some of my rights; the ones that i truly enjoy the most. not to selfless of me. the areas that God asks me to sacrifice in are often the areas where it hurts the most; the areas where i have most to lose. i've never seen it any other way - maybe it's just me.

outside of Christ and His sacrifice on the cross...

what's the most selfless action you've ever seen?

why was it so selfless?

what's holding you back from following in those foot steps?

here's one of my favorite verses of all time - a call to selflessness:

1 peter 2:21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 

completing the task...

acts 20:22-24

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

what a difficult thing to follow God's calling, especially when He leads you to a difficult place. paul did not know exactly what was going to happen in detail; he only knew that it was going to be tough. and at the end of the day, he considers his own life nothing compared to the task that was given to him -- how selfless.

what have you found to be some of the most difficult things that God has asked you to do?

what did you gain from either doing or not doing what He asked you to do? 

to different...

as i continue to meet more people in the city of miami, i'm encouraged to see how God is actively moving and shaking things up. different people, different stories, different ministries, same God. what i wrestle with is...can all of these different ministries and people work together (at the same time) to serve the same God?

what have you seen? what do you think are some of the obstacles? benefits?

let me know. 

powerful words...

as i'm wrestling with acts 20, i find it interesting and difficult to read paul's words:

32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

makes me wonder about my habits in coveting, work ethic, and discipline in giving. not that i think that i'm really bad at any of these, but am i exceptional at any one of them? not coveting, having the best work ethic, and giving as much as i truly could. 

powerful words paul...you don't even blink! 

i want to be like this man.

brickell and south beach...

some of the cool things that are currently in motion...

an opportunity is still in the works for beginning something in the brickell area. after some chat and connection with some folks down on that side of town, i think God is opening doors that are serious about doing something over there - totally pumped. please keep this in prayer. pray for our friend alexandra who's opening her doors in the next few weeks. she's currently going through some tough times with family illness and other stuff. once she settles down from her traveling, we are set to start something down there. 

something new that might be brewing; an opportunity of starting something at south beach. over the last few weeks, we've been in conversation with folks that are like minded and 2 families right now are considering working with us as this network develops with a potential 3rd family sometime around the end of summer; but that's not for sure.

all to say, good things are happening all around town. i can't wait to see what's gonna happen in the next few months and years. 

as we are reading the book of acts, there is a statement that keeps coming up:

THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY (over 7 times - i'm in chapter 17 right now)

that's what im praying for, for the church in miami - God, please build it and add to our numbers daily

what are you praying about today? for your church? for your self? for your friends? 

to a great beginning...

so we began church tonight. those present: a nurse, police officer, school teacher, administrator, project coordinator, and i. what's cool is that i didn't do most of the talking. lots of questions went unanswered and i think that it was ok that they weren't answered. truth is, some answers i don't have and for some of the ones that i do, maybe God has a better one.

i'm learning that i need to slow down and listen to Him. His leading and direction; especially in His business, i.e. the church. we all agreed that we needed this and that we will continue to walk together, despite the fact that we are all mainly strangers.

it's funny how the common factor is Christ -- that's really all we need. that's all we had. we've decided that before we get into too many details and try to set up parameters, we will walk through the book of Acts as a church together to determine what God wants and not just assume on traditions or personal preferences. 

so we began church tonight. mixed feelings -- pretty positive overall. i don't want to jump the gun, so i'm trying to contain so much because we are just beginning. but i think it's the beginning of something good, something fresh, something new and old at the same time.

to a great beginning...watching God do what He does best!

new opportunities...

so i began this new phase of ministry just over a week ago. i've been in transition for a bit now; one of the reasons i've not done too well in april jotting down what's been going on. regarding new transitions, one of which is the new job that i have with FCFC. check out their website. they are up to lots of good things regarding community development here in s.fla.

here's my story for this week. i better understand james 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

as i consider james (brother of Jesus) and what he must have gone through, it makes a bit more sense to me.

james was probably left fatherless at a pretty young age (the last time we hear of him is when Jesus is only 12 - then he's gone; most believe that he died after Jesus entered manhood...13 years old) 

if Jesus was only 12/13, that means james was much younger than that. imagine the trauma of growing up poor - the man was the one who earned the income. w/o dad, they were stuck depending on Jesus to earn the money - since he entered the workforce as an apprentice, he probably did not earn a whole lot. meaning the family probably suffered a good bit.

james is an orphan and his mom is a widow. 

i had the privilege of serving a widow and an orphan this week. pretty difficult, but i know that it pleased the Father. i'm fortunate in that part of my role at FCFC is to serve and advocate on behalf of those that may not have enough for whatever reason. pretty cool.

let me ask...

how are you serving your community?

how are you serving members of your church?

how are you serving God where He has you? 

did you know....

in 2007, for the first time in 65 years, more churches were actually started than those that closed. could be both positive or negative. good things, i think. 

who i met and what i've learned so far...

so, right off the top, i was invited to be part of a pretty cool dinner last night. among the new 'friends of dave' are a cool group of people responsible of putting on the CATALYST CONFERENCE, Ed Stetzer (church planting beast and SBC rep - i had to walk behind him to take a pic with him), Allan Hirsch (i think he's a modern day prophet and visionary of the organic/missional church movement), and the purpose driven guru himself, mighty rick warren (as i kissed his forehead, he fell over in uncontrollable laughter).

what i've learned...

christianity - christ = religion (duh, but take a look around, sounds all to familiar)

church the way we are doing it is good for about the 20% of americans that would be open to it (about 12 - 15% actually attend once a month based on stats.)

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 80% that don't care??!!! WTF! 

we don't take christ to people - if he's God, then he's already working. our role is to help people interpret these 'religious' experiences through the filter which is christ. this is pretty profound in that most people know that if they want to get closer to god, they would normally go to church. the irony lies in that God is everywhere, whether the church is there or not. so what's he doing? he's prepping the people to meet him through the expression of church - His people and oddly enough, not His building.

meaning, the people in your circles of life, have been waiting for you - God's been working on them before you even got there. how will you engage them to help them understand their experience with the almighty?

the church does not have a mission -- God's mission has the church (missio dei - latin for the mission of God - to reconcile a dead world back to himself by using any means possible, mainly the church (people -- you and i )

how are you involved in this? 

totally psyched because it helps to answer the question of what matters most.

any how, just some tid bits. that's all for now. i believe God's gonna do something amazing in miami soon with our current churches and the ones that are to come! be part of it!

if you are not, consider joining a new effort in your town

what do you think? 

in orlando...

so, i'm in olrlando this week at the national church planters conference. for more info: http://www.exponentialconference.org/

lots of different people, different ideas, different forms...same goal. work with God to build His kingdom.

please pray for me as i discern the next steps of this new work. also, please pray for those that are considering joining this effort. it's not like what most of us know, so it will mean almost detoxing from previous ideas of what is and what was to what could be.

anyway, see you guys on friday.

question for the e-world reading...how are you working with God to build His kingdom where you are?

at work?

at school?

at home?

at church?

let me know. just trying to gather info as we determine the strategy for this new work

peace

to what's next...

just in case you missed it, the announcement was made this last weekend - with God's help, adriana and i will be working towards launching a new church here in town. we've been wrestling with different circumstances to get us overseas, yet we've not been able to go. after prayer and searching for God in his word, we believe that our calling to missions is still valid, we just need to put into practice what we'd be doing over there, over here. so this is where we are and where we hope to go for the next step. 

excited and nervous. anyhow, that's how it is. we are grateful to MBC for all their support and help over the last 4 years. we've been blessed and have grown as we've served there. we know that God is working there and that he has a great plan for MBC and it's team. we love them all dearly.

so...to what's next - there it is. join us in prayer as we venture out to the great unknown...again.

how to pray:

God's direction and guidance for the new church

housing in right area of town

for the lost to know Christ

for God to grow his church here and globally

will you join us in prayer? let me know. thnx again. 

ms/hs spring retreat 08 update...

hey all! here at spring retreat - it's going great! just to wrap it up, 

theme: "As Seen on TV - Take control of your reality"

kids: 56

counselors:9

first time decisions for Christ (so far): 7

lived dedicated to ministry: 5

lives touched by God:65

pretty awesome how God works in the lives of students and adults. keep us in prayer as we finish up and come home tomorrow

peace

2 questions...

ok, here we go. one question, maybe the question that i've been dealing with the most...ready?

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

help me find the answer to this question. i can't place a context or limit it to a circumstance, because then is ceases to matter most in other circumstances. so what is it?

next question...once we discover what matters most:

WHAT WILL WE DO ABOUT IT?

that's it for now. 

losing sleep and the mice in my head are running pretty fast.

what do you think?

easter moments...

so on friday night, for the evening worship concert, for some reason, i sensed that someone was looking at me. have you felt that sensation? when you know you are being watched; weird. any how, in the middle of the concert i look back and there is jason; a young teen who is para-palegic in his wheel chair looking at me. i looked at him and smiled. he smiled in response. i winked at him and  he winked back. after my time was done at the sound board, i walked back and sat next to jason. for some reason he reached over and held my hand as we sang in worship. the song playing was 'shout to the lord' by hillsong. needless to say, i was moved to tears quickly because jason can't speak. at best, he made sounds to get across what he felt inside as he joined with the rest of the church. i can't imagine how Christ must have felt in that moment to know that one more was doing his very best in worshipping Christ. moved, proud, happy, proud. 

i thought for a moment about how poor of a worshipper i truly am. sometimes i don't want to and sometimes i just don't care. 

his mom didn't know what was going on (they were first time visitors). she'd never seen him so moved before - the power of worshipping Christ.

once again, i realized, that worship has very little to do with a song or how well i may or may not sing. worship has to do with the object of my attention. as long as it's Christ, i don't think He cares too much about how great the notes are, as He does the intention and sincerity of heart.

Christ taught me and spoke to me through jason; through one that cannot speak. worship Christ with all that you have - that's why you have it.

what was your most inspiring moment this easter? 

how did God speak to you this weekend? 

easter...

hey blog world. i've got one word - EASTER. been a bit busy as of late getting things taken care of at mbc. if you haven't made any plans to attend anywhere, love to have you there. whether mbc or any where else, be sure to go, it's EASTER. 

any how, more to come after EASTER.

p.s. jesus wins - it's EASTER

cop out...

in john 12 it says that during Jesus' entry into town, his presence was a bigger deal than the actual celebration that was taking place. as i shared at the movement tonight, i questioned the students on how excited they are to celebrate the biggest Jesus party in the world - to think that for a weekend, believers world wide unite in celebration, remembrance, and victory. i compared the fact that the police concert sold out in 15 minutes; jonas bros in about 8, hannah montana in about 4. 

where is the line to celebrate Jesus?

are we inviting anyone to his party?

for a man who raised the dead, healed the sick, cured the blind, forgave all sin, and resurrected from the dead - i'm sure that he'd have no problem filling up any venue. yet why is it so difficult to grab the attention of those who don't know Christ?

could it be that i'm not inviting anyone to the greatest celebration on earth?

could it be that i'm not celebrating Christ in my daily lifestyle?

could it be that i truly don't believe that what Jesus did then, he can do now?

these are the questions i posed to the students. as i thought about stuff later on, i thought it fair to ask myself and the rest of the 'grown up' blog world - why aren't we inviting others to Christ more often?

i thought to myself that perhaps its because... 

of what they might here or see. cop out.

of what they might like or dislike. cop out.

of what they might understand or not understand. cop out.

the reason they are a cop out: whether the church experience is right for them or not, you and i have been placed there intentionally to clarify the matter. it's just easier to not invite anyone - there's less work on my part that way and i can pass the blame. it's a cop out, again. 

let me ask: why?

why don't we invite others more often?

why don't we reflect this celebration more often?

why do we choose the easy route and blame others instead?

help me out. why?

it's not Him, it's me... seriously

there's a pattern that i'm seeing in life. things that i want. things that i can't have. things that i can't have now. things that i shouldn't want. and then, again, there is this thing called "WHAT GOD DESIRES." a.k.a - God's will, God's plan, God's preferred plan, God's sovereign plan, whatever. pick anyone of those titles and if you're like me, you wrestle with the why's of life and the why not's of life. 

see, the problem is that i'm not always satisfied with His choices in my life. i'm not always satisfied with my choices in life either, but i think i give God more beef because He's perfect - and because He is, i guess when He doesn't do what i want, somehow, i seem to fool myself that he's less than perfect - which he's not. hear me clearly, HE'S ALWAYS PERFECT and RIGHT!

it's part of that pattern that i was mentioning to you. i discovered the problem in the formula. it's me. it's always been me and what i want. major problem. it's not Him, it's me. it's not Him, it's you and me. it's not Him, it's us. seriously. i know it sounds like a bad break up line, but it's so true. 

amazing, that as cheezy as my excuses seem to be, even to me, he doesn't break up. i'm sure that it bothers Him. but He's slow to anger and quick to forgive - me and my stupid patterns. it's in this that i take satisfaction. it's in this that i find joy. even though i'm me, He's still Him. that's enough for me and us all.

happy birthday...

just wanted everyone out there to know that today is adriana's birthday. she's hot and my wife; one the greatest blessings that God's ever given me. give her a call or drop her an email and let her know that you love her.

splash...

have you noticed the great amount of movement that's occurring everywhere? i'm not sure if it's the price of gas, the recession that 'we are not in,' conflicts in the middle east, or just the amount of people coming and going these days. the world truly has become a smaller place; because of it, i think i notice the motion, transition, and constant change that we as a people, we as a culture, we as a country, and we as individuals are always in. 

it's so easy to get caught up in the movement mistaking it for accomplishment. if there is one thing that i know, busyness doesn't = accomplishment. busyness = busyness. sometimes things get done, sometimes i go backwards. 

so i was thinking about the idea of movement and where God seems to be moving my city (miami) as a whole. always transition. always multi lingual, multi cultural, multi faceted - moving in multi-ple directions. it is what it is. but what will i make of it and what kind impact can be made in such a fluid culture. 

when you think of your home town  and you consider the way it's moving and where it's going - what can you see being the greatest area that needs to be addressed in the ever-moving culture, people, and society? 

i figure, once you pick a direction to move in, you'll make the biggest splash and impact there.

where are you moving? what are you doing to cause a splash? 

connected in community

where are you connecting for community? where can you let your 'hair down' and just be you?

cool thing about tuesday nights is the way that a bunch of different kinds of people connect, have coffee, pray, eat sandwiches, study the bible, laugh, and stay connected. it's cool because people can just be people. 

as i was hanging out with adriana, a couple of thoughts came to mind - especially as i was thinking of community and how we do it today and how it was done in the book of acts. 

that first group of leaders and original group of emerging leaders had no idea that what they were doing would change the world. they were simply 'being' and 'doing' instead of being so technical or precise. 

so a couple of things from these 1st generation leaders and groups:

-they spent time together (lots of time)

-they spent time eating together (lots of time)

-they spent time not in a church building, rather among the 'normal' people (lots of time)

-they prayed (lots of prayer)

-they devoted themselves to the things that were most important (do we?)

so...i wonder if we over complicate things. do we distort and over kill the simplicity of simply doing life with others? is there something more needed than a bible, people, a cup of coffee and God?

what do you think? 

what can we learn from the 1st gen. leaders and groups? 

in your opinion, what do you think we should be most devoted to doing?

journey...

as we finished zeal this evening, i was thinking about how all that we experience at zeal happens. just wanted to extend my thanks to the whole team that makes these gatherings possible. from everyone on stage to the folks that you never see -- the people who do everything that no one else wants to do, THANKS!

regarding tonight, i think it went really well. as i was reading some the 'next steps' that some of us need to take, it made me smile - God is actively at work in our of lives as we're traveling through this journey. i know that the future is unknown, but what about your very next step?

so...what is your next step? what do you sense God is asking you to do? where do you sense He's leading you to go? what's the next step you need to take?

let me know how God is working in your journey - let's journey together. 

fyi, tonight's podcast will be up soon at www.zealmiami.com

next week at 6.30 -- homeless feeding, be there!

don't forget...

all right blog world - this is your official reminder ZEAL is tomorrow night: journey starts @ 7.30 pm - don't miss it.

also, as we get ready for ZEAL april, if you have any thoughts or suggestions on subject matter that would be good to be addressed, let me know. if not, then we'll probably end up talking about sex. that's right. that's what i'm thinking right now.

any how, best thing that happened today - my son made a clown feel bad. she started making something for him out of a balloon but he just wanted the balloon.

made me think, sometimes we try to over complicate matters when it's the basics of simplicity that will make the lasting impression -- it's also the stuff that we are more likely to remember. 

we don't remember sesame street because of the amazing graphics or computer generated effects. we can see the sticks the puppets work off of. what we do remember is how to count, spell, and identify colors (for most you at least).  any way, details can sometimes bring things down. keep the basic plan excellent, the rest will fall into place. good night. 

wisdom from others...

i'm always impressed when i spend time with a local pastor and wife. they are some of the people that i probably respect the most in this world. they've been around longer than we have in different circles of ministry. either way, i'm grateful for examples like theirs. these are the kind of people that i want to be like when i'm older. things that we touched on our time with each other...

1. fear God above all things - when you mess with God, you're gonna get messed up

2. know that you know beyond all things that you know what God has called you to do and where to do it

3. being a 'man' is a hard thing to do, especially when most remain boys

4. God is the One building his church, not anyone of us (no matter how cool or innovative we think we are - at the end of the day, He's in control, not you, me,or the iMac)

5. today, it may seem like God and church are separate from each other. that should not be the case. when church is not in God, then church has a problem, not God

6. 3 sides make a square. (i'm not sure how, but it makes sense when he explains it to me.)

-what do you think about this advice?

-what's the best piece of advice that you've ever received from people that you respect and listen to?

growing bigger..is it better?

what are your thoughts on bigger churches and what they do? check this out and let me know. 

Jesus Factory 

time for change...

tonight i shared a tough message with the ms/hs students at MBC. we touched on the idea that God gives to us, so that we can give to others. not for self comfort or satisfaction; it's a means to something greater. as i prepared, i came face to face with numbers, faces, and lives of so many displaced and hurting people. real, actual human beings. after doing some homework on invisible children, i was deeply moved. it's been racking my brain -- what can i do TODAY to make a change. im sure i can give a few bucks here or there. but truly, what can be done now?

call me crazy, but do you think that it would be possible to organize something here in miami to help those who are in need of help? to provide some form of relief to those that suffer from social injustice?

im not talking about a rally or a info gathering. rather a place where a group of people committed to change can actually stand together for something greater than themselves. can we do that?

something else that keeps me up at night, it's not the church that's leading the way towards social reform, towards educational reform, toward defeating poverty, sickness, or any other killer of life. why is that?

do you think that it would be possible for 'church' to be the one to lead the way to world reform? not gov't. not obama, mccain, hillary, or even hannah montana. nope. just the hands and feet of the savior; the church.

tell me, what would it take and would you be willing to be a part of it.

let me know - maybe this is the beginning.

control le bouche...(french for 'the mouth')

have you ever noticed how some folks find it difficult to control what they say? sometimes it's those soccer moms that are too competitive; the ones that yell at 4 year old kids trying to distract and belittle them. sometimes it's those people that are too smart, even for themselves. sometimes it's the people that you work with, live with, do life with. either way, controlling what we say is critical to our character and development. both now, but more importantly in the future. as we continue to grow in life and relationships, do you always think before you speak? do you always speak to those that will in turn spread what you have shared?

proverbs 13:3
he who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

what steps have you taken to control what you say?

how do you monitor what you speak out loud?

who loves you enough to correct you in truth?

fill me in.

a bowl of warm soup...

people often expect life to be a piece of cake. i'm not sure why. if there is one thing that i've learned, it's not easy and i don't think that it was meant to be easy. something else that i've seen, when we don't get our way, we make decisions to get our way as soon possible. instead of dealing with the situation, we try to go around it -- we prefer to do that than to have to deal with the matter head in. sounds good in theory, but what i've learned is that 'going around' typically leads to someone compromising something, somewhere, along the way. compromise, can be painful. not immediately, but eventually. in genesis 25, esau gives up his birth right for some food. jacob trades him soup for the rest of his future. a bowl of 'instant goodness' was far better than the rest of his future that was before him. instead of dealing with the situation, like a grown up, he simply caved in and did what he had to do to get what he wanted. it was as simple as that. i bet you that esau didn't even think about the significance of his decision. the people it would impact, the lives it would change -- the life that he would no longer have. the part that kills me, it's over a bowl of soup.

i know it sounds silly, but in retrospect, how often have i compromised something great for something instant? how many times did i see that 'thing' that i 'needed' to have and i did what needed to be done in order to take hold of it - without thinking who it would affect and how it would affect them. we sometimes forget that our decisions don't just affect us, but those that we live in community with. a bowl of soup. something nice and warm for the moment.

the part that sucks is that a few hours later, he was probably hungry again. then what? what do you do when the 'food' has run out but you are hungry again?

what have you found the toughest areas of compromise to be in?

what kind of safe guard to you have in place to protect you from not compromising in these areas?

how do you continue to move forward in your resolve?

v-day...

happy v-day to all of you out there. love each other. enjoy each other. sex is for marriage.

good night.

mission...leading...success.

mission...directions...following orders. sometimes the easiest of requests can be misunderstood. sometimes they are simply just not obeyed. when people fail to follow orders, the ranks break. when the ranks break, trust is breached. where there is no trust, there can be no success.

in gen. 24, abraham's servant uses the words 'mission,' 'leading' and 'success.' all this guy knew was that he was given vague instruction about where to go next. not really the specifics, more like ideas. he knew his mission was from his master who believed in God; therefore it was enough. he worships God over and over because it is obvious that He is the one leading the servant. the result of his journey was success.

notice, his success was not measured in riches or glory. rather he was there to set up another to have success. his role was to do his master's will, that's it. when he did it, he worshipped God - he knew that God was at work in his life and that He was leading him -- that was enough.

how ironic that sometimes we measure success without considering what God is leading us to do next. i find that God often paints with vague broad strokes to convey ideas, rather than specifics. i think that He will show us the specifics of the mission as we follow in His leading. i believe that when we do this, we will be successful.

the catch is that, when we fully obey, we are setting up Christ to have the glory and success, not ourselves. we need to remember, when we come to Christ, we become His servants. servants have no rights, their role is to serve and to do it as the master bids. what a strange perception on success.

how is God teaching you to be successful in your daily journey?

what have you found to be the current 'mission' that He's leading you on today?

aliens among us...

as immigration continues to grow in the US, it's becoming one of the buzz topics in this year's election. how will it be handled? can it be resolved? what's the best action to take regarding it? it's important to recognize that foreigners, aliens, immigrants, or whatever else you call it are not from here. then again, who truly is from 'here.'

as a Christ follower, i wrestle with this immigration issue. being His, i know that i am not my own. gen. 23, abraham uses the term alien and stranger to describe himself among a people that he has lived with for years. it's easy to say that we are from this place, but are we really of this place.

when a person from a foreign country is here, i know it. whether it's the voice, the accent, the language, the smell, the color, or the way of dress - you can tell that it's different. are we any different? are we seen as aliens or immigrants in a place that is not our own, because technically, we are citizens of a higher place that supersedes culture, language, or even affluence.

as we move on to where God calls, may we remember that our allegiance is not to a flag. Christ is not a white middle class american. our allegiance is to a King and His Kingdom.

what do you think it means to be a God-alien in this place?

how should this affect the way we think, live, and behave?

too difficult to change...

what a difficult thing to give up what is most valuable or important to one in life. im not sure how i would respond if God were to ask me to give up that one thing which is most valuable in life. there is too much pain, hurt, and maybe even unforgiveness that comes with it. when things get taken away, it bothers me enough already. but when i m asked to give things up out of my own will, its pretty difficult. cutting out things that are invaluable seems to be a cinch. but it's those things that hold some kind of value to me, those are the things that i find trouble letting go of.

in gen.22, abraham is asked to let go of his son -- the one that God told him he was going to have, the one that he had been waiting nearly 20 years for, the one who would carry on his name and be a blessing to the rest of the world. God not only asks abraham to let go, but he actually tells him to cut him off of himself (sacrificing him). that's crazy.

what's even crazier is that abraham doesn't even argue with God. no conversation about the matter-- nothing. he gets up, takes his son out on a few days trip, sees the place, goes up, builds an alter, ties his son up, and gets ready to sacrifice him on the alter -- all because it's what God asked him to do.

for all of you who are not familiar, God intervenes and gives him mad props for not withholding even his son from God. abraham becomes known as the 'father of our faith.'

pretty cool name, but the title came at a cost. it nearly cost him the one thing that he cared about most.

can it be that there are things in life that God calls us to 'cut off' from ourselves? things that don't please him? things that He knows are not in our best interest? and maybe, just maybe, because He wants us to be obedient, no matter the cost.


how would you respond if God called you to get rid of the thing that you value most?

how do you obey God when it doesn't make sense or when it seems too difficult?

let me know.

hesitations...

hesitation can be the thing that breaks you the most as God works to develop the best in you. it can be crazy because hesitation demonstrates who's in control. gen 19:16 teaches that lot hesitated; it should have cost him and his home their lives. later on in that verse, we read the words that God was merciful and he got them out. when God speaks, we should act. when we hesitate to act on what we know to be from God, it shows how much we don't trust. does God truly have the best in mind for his people? yes. do we always live like we believe that? no.

i often believe that God calls our attention to get us out of areas or places where we should no longer be. sodom was that place for lot; God called him to leave. i believe that he knew it and yet there was something so charming about the place that made him hesitate. he stopped for a moment to reconsider his options. is it really better out there?

is it really? if God calls you 'out there,' then yes...it has to be. thank goodness for his mercy; for those second chances of redeeming our mistakes, our unwise choices, our hesitations.

why do you think we hesitate to go out there?

why do you think we always reconsider things when we know that God is leading us to a better place, to a place where he's waiting for us?

how do we respond?

in genesis 17, at the age of 90, God visits with abram. he introduces himself "I am God Almighty" (El Shaddai)

then he tells abram to do 2 things: walk before him and be blameless.

in verse 3, abram's response is falling facedown...in reverence, worship, fear? has this calling really changed that much from back then to us today? to walk with God and to be blameless(not at fault for wrong). what's amazing to me is how my response to God is seldom like abram's. the almighty OnE reveals himself through creation, through every breath taken, through life in itself and yet it seems so normal. so..routine-ish. i am convinced that to walk with him, we must first know where he is and which direction he's going in. these are things that we can't control, we must simply adjust to. then the whole blameless thing, we have good amounts of control over what we do or do not do. we can choose to do what's right and be blameless...it's just so hard. but i believe that when we walk with him in intimacy and we when we draw closer to him because we are further from sin and closer to him, we realize how much we are not God and how much we truly do not deserve to be in relation with him. we also realize how good he is and how kind and generous he is. our response to that is worship. falling face down before an almighty God, because of who he is and what he has done. when God appears, our response is worship. not singing, worship.

how do you worship when you aren't at church or without your ipod?

how do you fall facedown before God Almighty?

being credited...

abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness- genesis 15:6


a man who was really to old to have kids is told by God that not only will he have kids, but their will be so many, that it's going to be like the stars in the sky. for believing God, he is credited with righteousness. i know that God does the impossible and i know that God has done the impossible, and yet i still wrestle with doubts. i often think that it's because i try to do it myself and rely on myself instead of Him. i know the right answer, it's the whole putting it into practice part that i can struggle with. i would like to be 'credited unto righteousness.' that would be sweet.

why do you think it's difficult to trust God, even when he's proven himself over and over? let me know.

too much to do...

i am faced with the reality that there will always be something more to do. there is just too much and too little time. so in the process, i feel that God challenges me with using and developing discernment. since i cannot do everything (only God can), part of what i must figure out is what am i supposed to be focusing the majority of my time on. marcus buckingham says that you should 'play to your strengths. you may better weakness to being average at best, but people don't pay for average. focus on your strengths and make yourself invaluable to your organization.' regarding the weaknesses, my weaknesses are somebody else's strengths. one body in Christ makes sense. for all of you who aren't actively serving, your best is waiting to be developed, which means some one out there is doing your role at an average level at best. if we serve God, then he truly deserves the best that we have, not the best of our average. in sports we play our best players to win. in business we use our best people to make the sale and close the deal. you and i have a role in being the best at something that will truly matter, even when the sports season finishes or the fortune 500 company closes. what we do will last forever. make the most of your talent and abilities-it will have an impact on people and time that we will never fully measure until we are on the other side of the fence.

so the question is, what do i do?
-pray
-serve (trial and error - eventually we will find our fit)
-pray some more
-keep serving and develop others to take what we do and make it better
-keep praying


there will always be too much to do. thank goodness we've not been called to do it all. use discernment and serve in your strengths and potential. do that well.

'this one thing i do'
- Paul, apostle, martyr, servant, example

here's to the wii

as we were finishing up small group tonight, i had my opportunity of raising my goblet in toast to the monsters of rock. i rocked so hard that the vibrations of the tv sent a candle flying off and smashing into a bunch of pieces. it was weird...it was awesome. for a moment i felt like i had revisited micheal j fox in back to the future part one --- guitars and amps everywhere; he goes flying. to the wii and the unity that it brings. rock on wii, rock on.

different...diverse

as i study, experience, and watch -- i am more fully convinced that there is more than one way to getting something done, there has to be. it's part of what makes people different. not better or worse, just different. i've learned that there is more than one way to build a fence, more than one way to paint a picture, sing a song, or even write a blog. as i continue to explore, i am coming to grips with the answer: DIVERSITY. different people do things differently, that's it. some do it better than others, but they all manage to get things done -- one way or another. it's amazing to see how people with the same talents and abilities apply themselves differently, getting different results. not worse or better, just different.

if it weren't for diversity, life would look like a checker board. black, red, and so on. thank God for the guy who invented chess. taking the same board and adding to it. changing it and totally making it better. then came the genius who created the case for backgammon which houses the checkers, chess, and backgammon pieces all at once. what's funny is that they were all potentially looking at the same thing and saw different things.

i would like to see things differently. what's ironic is that im a bit color blind. i all ready do, it's just that sometimes, since it's normal for me, i forget that i see things differently. i guess that all we need to is close our eyes and see with our minds. maybe there we'll see things not for what they are, but for what they could be or should be.

i've found that the more i surround myself with people who are not like me, the more diverse that i become. not sure why, but it's what happened. they help me see things from a different vantage point. my mind is opened more when i see what others see because it opens up doors that i did not even see.

depeche mode calls it going from 'microvision' to 'macrovision'

they rock. diverse for their time.

to the giants...

to the giants and the patriots who will play each other for the title. joy. at least i will have something to look forward to in the commercials. fyi, we'll be doing some bbq, pig, and domino tournament at Miami Bap Church. for more info, check out www.miamibc.com -- it's gonna be fun.

what's up with the random weather change?

ps. anne marie, thanks for the invite to the strawberry fields - nothing like old german baptists to brighten my day. them and their cinnamon roles were delightful

thnx again.

Got robbed...

we got robbed last week. God is still good in that He always supplies what we need. whether it's food, wisdom, direction, or a car. truth be told, He goes above and beyond meeting all of our needs. He provides. i was considering this new year and all the craziness that we went through last year -- and as i looked back, it was amazing. we had enough to pay our property taxes, food, flood insurance, oil changes, panera, starbucks, diapers, and so many other perks to life. not needs, but conveniences. He has been so much better than what i deserve which reminds me again, there is nothing i can do to make God love me less. that is so profound. together in small group last night it was amazing to see facial reactions to this very well known truth, because when it hits home, it's like hearing again for the first time. He is so good; not because i have stuff, but because of the consistency of character. He loves. He provides. He gives. He is. amazing...