Good Day

One of our first pictures together

I was thinking today about Tricia and hope much I adore her. This weekend she was out buying some clothes and she got this hot little dress that made me think about dating her - in fact it reminded me of those feelings that I felt when I first would see her for a date - wow she is spectacular!

Tricia - also has an incredible quality - she loves her God more than anything else. That was the thing that drew me to her - I was on
perry nobles site today and saw a quote about Bobby Bowden that reminded me of her "If your Bible is falling apart then your life is not!” I have given Tricia 3 Bibles (nice leather) Bibles since we have been married - she uses those like no ones business - everyday!

Tricia you have no idea what a turn on that is to know that my wife gets the truth and uses it! She reads it to my boys, inspires other.

I love you baby - thank you for inspiring me. You truly make me a better man!

Uncle Bud

Uncle Bud

My wife has a professor that told her about a 90 year old man in her church "Uncle Bud" he just turned 90. When asked what are the most important thoughts he had at the time this is what he said. . .


1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

Good words - I would add one more love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul.

Stickiness

2 Corinthians 7:1- “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

Sticky - Life is this we find ourselves in things and places that leave that sugary stick that just is a pain to get off - Sticky.
I want to live a life of no contaminates.

One of the chief ones for me is money and every year I look at the lists of the richest people in world.
I wonder what it would be like to have that sort of cash. Where would you sit on one of those lists - what would you do?
Here's your chance to find out. Find out how wealthy you are by going to
Global Rich List
Find out where you rank among the world's richest.

You might be richer than you think!

Lets wash the stickiness of envy off and realize the blessing that we live in (for me where I live).

I will finish this later....

Today

Today

Boy - the day has felt like a wreck.

But Thursday is coming and it will be good.

Leaning and Learning

Learning and Leaning

Had a good weekend and learned some good "stuff" from Greg's Message I am always amazed how my dependence on God is on my terms (what a joke on my part) - so here are a few points that I took home;

1. God cares about my need not my greed
2. God does know my cares and wants me too relinquish them to Him
3. Worry about nothing and pray for everything

Those are a few things - I have more and will share later -

Lets live this thing out Authentically and truthfully!

Jake thank you for the response.

Fun Video

The Dudes at Saddleback - fun Kung Fu video Click here

Life Lessons

My friend Eric @ Luis Palau sent me this pic - it says it all!

Here are some items I have been thinking of and so was Jake Beaty (he holds a similar position to mine at a cool church and I have been doing some similar thinking - check out Jakes Blog and here is something that is is similar to his that I feel God has been teaching me.
Top 10

1. I must be with Him (in The Bible - Read!, Prayer, With my wife also) before attempting to serve others for Him.

2. I must minister in the Power of The Holy Spirit, not the flesh.

3. I must be authentic and real.

4. I must be under authority.

5. I must remain teachable.

6. I must be a team player.

7. I must be a minister to the whole church, not just in my area of expertise.

8. I must be diligent in pointing others to Him. He will not share His glory!

9. I must Love my wife and show her daily - not through words

10. I must Love My boys and show them that I am living this out daily - so they will!

Go Hit it!

Thoughts of the Day

I was thinking today and going over a few blogs and I found one that stood outPerry Noble Perry was speaking about being lazy in scripture and home
 "I could become lazy in my walk with God neglect seeking Him on a daily basis–thus resulting in numerous stupid decisions because of me trying to do life alone.
 I could become lazy in my marriage and not continue to pursue my wife like I did when we dated…and NOT love her as Christ loves the church–thus resulting in a fried marriage that IS NOT a reflection of how God loves us."

These thoughts resonate with me.

Proverbs 21 and 22
in it talks about the heart.

It is a matter of the heart.

Forward Living

More Sessions I was on Tony Morgans website today and I was struck by something Mark Beeson said Granger Church - here it is
""No one ever drifts to greatness. Want to be a great musician? Methodical practice is required. Do you long for athletic prowess? You must train, and train methodically. Building a great marriage, a great family, a great friendship or a great career requires the ongoing discipline of methodical effort. Wesley had it right; the methodical practice of scriptural holiness is the way to maturity.

"Just as God calls us into community, Wesley called his “awakened” to live in community. Iron sharpens iron and Wesley knew the best strategy for discipleship included the honesty (and sharpening effect) of Christ-centered friendships." --Mark Beeson, senior pastor of Granger Community Church as quoted on LeadingSmart.com
In case you've missed it Tim's blog has a series of posts taken from an interview with Mark Beeson that will challenge your personal spiritual development and your ministry strategy.


Wow! So what am I doing to grow!

Thank you Tony and Mark for pushing us forward - lets live forward and boldly!

It is good to know We can through God - Lets get Crooked

The team

Life is wild isn't it! Everyday I do feel like it is another session with Jesus - a session to learn and grow.

Today's lesson for me was a hard and good lesson.

So here it is:

As some of you know I wake up early (between 4 and 5) every day so, with some knowing that - enter Rachel (our business manager) said we need coffee before the youth group goes to Houseboats - I said I will pick it up - so here is where the story gets wild and for me a teachable learning session.

Rachel (she is so on top of it) - she calls in the order - I didn't realize that even though I should know she told me, in fact she is not wrong (I cant think of a time that I have known her (2 years almost)where she has been wrong).

So I went to another Starbucks got part of the order done (a list of 15+ drinks)when she texts me hey I called it in to 122 (arrgggh!) why did I not listen instead of doing my own thing - for me that is teaching moment
1 - why don't I listen to those that are helping me achieve success - in leadership I get remenided that it is a stewardship - it is temporary and I am accountable to it ( I am sure I got that from somewhere else recently but it hit me in the face) when God places people in your life to help you use them - listen to them and watch what will happen - they are not there by chance but by God for his purposes even if you don't realize that or accept that.

Second lesson - I am bringing the coffee to the adults going on the trip (they all rock) but they all said thank you to me but I took it and said your welcome and I missed it I BLEW CHUNKS - I should have said - "guys it was Randy and Rachel's idea I am just the team member who picks up coffee". I took it for me not for the team.

I blew a team moment. I know this is ramblings but I need to make sure that I understand what I missed because those moments are few and far between - moments to lift up others I work with who work there asses off and love the Lord and that are doing a great job for his glory - people I could not do ministry without!

God forgive me for missing your moment!

I don't want to miss those anymore with anyone!

Team is so important - living out the team - working together in tandem leadership.

Cease the day!

Change

Change - what does it really mean?

How do describe change?

Change in home. marriage, the work place, personal, life change?




Change - I see it in my kids lives happen so quickly as the grow - as they learn, but what about me - how am I experiencing it in my life?

I guess that is the question of the day for me!

Harmless Living

No more Harmless Living!

I am reminded today the way that Go wants to restore and have us realize who we are (I am)in God.

David was a young Sheppard boy who knew God was bigger that Goliath all of Isreals great army was afraid watching the fight in fear - thats me sometimes wanting to fight but living in fear. No more fear God knows my fights my battles and my issues and He is bigger than them all!

No more living in fear live like there is no tomorrow - only heaven - get crooked (Ecc 7:13)!

Random thoughts in the morning!

Wives/Friends

I love my wife!

I was thinking about what a blessing it is to do life with my best friend. Boy, I sure do make a mess out of life but when I look at my family I realize God loves me and showers me with his grace.

What a day and a blessing!

Earl blumenhaur - Hi Earl read the article in the Oregonian

Simple Pleasures

This summer - The theme is and has been

"SIMPLE PLEASURES"

We are doing our best to enjoy "the simple" - the things that we so easily can take for granted (fresh cut grass, blow up pools, ice cream, a fire in the patio fireplace at night, great coffee at night, reading the paper in the morning sun, eating outside 1 meal everyday" those things that are so easily missed.

I want my boys to not take for granted the simple (like the picture playing in Salmon Creek Fountain in downtown Portland).

What are you missing - the simple, why and how can you find it and enjoy it?

Go experience the simple!

Summer Days and Simple Pleasures

This summer - The theme is and has been
"SIMPLE PLEASURES"

We are doing our best to enjoy "the simple" - the things that we so easily can take for granted (fresh cut grass, blow up pools, ice cream, a fire in the patio fireplace at night, great coffee at night, reading the paper in the morning sun, eating outside 1 meal everyday" those things that are so easily missed.

I want my boys to not take for granted the simple (like the picture playing in Salmon Creek Fountain in downtown Portland).

What are you missing - the simple, why and how can you find it and enjoy it?

Go experience the simple!

The Day!

Here is the verse for the day:

“In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.”

This verse makes me think of what I got to participate in this week with a bunch of people from our church - proclaiming who God is!

What a great time on the Fourth!

Our Church had an event that it helped serve thousands - I loved it!

we gave out over 3000 bottles of water
2400 Glowsticks
fed over 300
Now that is priceless!

It is so good to be involved in a church like Abundant Life!

On the Fifth I worked a bit and then hung out in the pool with the boys!

Then met with a couple who is getting married - good times.

Today will be barkdust and yard work!

Oregon summers are the best in this country (all 45 days of it) so lets get at it!

Cheers!

Children and Leadership

My children picked these on this week and had no idea that these are what carrotts looked like (I have been in suberbia to long).

We should go off and live off the land - NO WAY! My idea of living off the land is picking up dropped food and eating it or cold In & Out.

I love kids and all that they do they make me realize who I am and where I reall Stand!


I found this info off of another blog

Reading from Erwin McManus’ Seizing Your Divine Moment this morning. He has some GREAT stuff to say about…

Influence:

“We understand the difference between authority and influence when we watch our children grow up. What your children act like when they’re under your authority is very different from who they become as a result of your influence. Many parents become broken-hearted when they realize that their influence on their children is at best minimal, at worst inconsequential, compared to the influence of others in their lives. I am convinced that great parenting is all about influence. It is more about shaping values than it is setting boundaries.“
“Influence is rooted in character - who we are and who we are becoming. Influence transfers best and moves most quickly whenever respect and trust are present.”
“There may be no greater reward than to experience the life change of another human being through the investment of your influence. But to have this kind of influence, you have to let people come close.“
“If you want to increase your influence, risk bringing people up close.”
Risk:

“The most important decisions of our lives will require us to forsake invisibility and risk becoming visible.”
“The greatest opportunities require the highest risk.”
“Women and men who seize divine moments embrace the inherent dangers that come with them. Divine moments oftentimes require us to put our own well-being aside for the well-being of others, to relinquish our safe places for the sake of others. We can touch only those within our reach and can change only the world in which we live, but we can do that much. It requires us to move from the isolation of our invisibility to the dangers of visibility if we are going to make the invisible visible. That’s the amazing thing about seizing divine moments. We choose to no longer be invisible, to take the risk of letting others see us, and so when we become visible, the invisible presence of God becomes visible.”
“Risk that God respects is fueled by a passion for His purpose and a willingness to subjugate our lives to His mission. Prayer moves from God, what is your will for my life? to God, what is your will, and how can I give my life to fulfill it?“
“There comes a time when you just gotta get up, get out from under the shade, pull your team together, and go to the point of no return. To the best of my understanding, faith is trusting God enough to obey what He has said, and hope is having the confidence that God will do everything He has promised. One pushes you; the other pulls you. They lead you into the wonder of experiencing divine moments. But without question, in between faith and hope, there is risk.”

The Word for the day-My Journey

“The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.” - Psalm 138:8

This verse makes me think of my life - (mostly because I am doing a funeral tomorrow and I have been pretty reflective becuase of it).

Also Gods love does endure forevor and I am so glad for it because on my own I am so lost - I really only understand love because of my savior and His care for me!

The iPhone Has Arrived!

Well it is here and I am going to do it - maybe? I do have some hesitation but the money is saved and I might do it!

I hate indecision so that it the only thing that makes me think no, but once I have the box in my hands I do think I will go for it.

So look back tomorrow and I will let you know how it is!

Today

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Great verse for the day - True & Pure Freedom!