Fellowship

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.”

Hebrews 3:12-13 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/heb.3.12-13.nlt)

My Christian Motorcyclist Associstion family has spent much of the motorcycle ride season in ministry serving other motorcycle clubs, donating to charities, working events, and praying for bikers. It's been busy. The last two months of our ride season are spent, mostly, in fellowship with each other. We have multiple events planned to just ride and be a group. Some may be critical of this part of our year. They might say,. "Jesus never took a break" ( yes he did!) 

Our ministry, in all of Christ's kingdom, is about helping each other keep our eyes on Jesus. We need to minister to some who don't even know Jesus and others who  know him but need help in keeping their hearts from hardening.  They need help to keep the sin "at bay", keeping it from taking away their joy. That's why I spend time with my CMA family as well as my other dedicated Christian friends. We need to be there to support each other. What better way to do that except through fellowship in fun.

Ministry is full time. The true Christian never takes a break. But it's ok to vary your focus. Who you focus on, can greatly change, hour to hour, day by day, or month to month. Sometime we need to look inward for spiritual growth, sometimes we need to face outward, to others for that same growth. We need to minister to our own brothers and sisters just like we minister to the lost. Ministry towards fellow Christians is ministry. 

Praise God for ALL opportunities to minister. May God use me to serve all people, the lost and the found!

Time for a rant

“When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.”  Proverbs 28:2 NLT. http://bible.com/116/pro.28.2.nlt

Boy, this struck me right in the face as I was reading it last night. It doesn't get more appropriate than this. So it's time for a rant. Our nation is rotting morally. I am so dissappointed in how far we have fallen. We are afraid to tell the truth. Really, we don't even believe there is truth. This simple little verse speaks clearly about where we are heading. Leadership needs to step up and the timing is right. I'm not endorsing any one candidate yet. But I do know we need a leader not afraid to speak the truth. We need someone with a belief in right and wrong. We need someone with a moral compass to guide them in decisions based on truth. We need someone who is above politics and runs this country from the morality of Jesus. Not some fake morality guided by polls and the fickleness of the American people. We need someone not easily swayed by special interest groups and powerful money. We need someone who truly cares about the poor and knows how to help them out of their situation, freeing them from oppression. We need someone who supports law enforcement and will not tolerate placing a target on them. We need someone to lead this nation, really lead.

But, that is not enough. We can elect the best presidential candidate and our nation will still crumble. We can't continue to live in a nation hostile to Jesus. We can't continue down the path of eliminating faith from public view. We can't continue to worry about offending everyone except Christians. We can not be ignored and we can't be tossed aside. Christians need to rise up, take back this country.

Lord, we need you, now more than ever! Amen!

Becoming a student again

“We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”

Hebrews 2:16-18 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/heb.2.16-18.nlt)

At my school I am a part of a "blended learning program" . We offer a mixture of online learning and traditional learning with the guidance of learning coaches (teachers). We offer such a wide variety of courses to students that want to accelerate their education and those that need EXTRA time to successfully complete their work. As a learnIng coach responsible for helping students with math, it can be very challenging to keep up with all the different courses we offer. My favorite method is to take the courses just like the students. So most of the summer I was "relearning" Probabilty and Statistics so I could better help my students. I've also retaken a PreCalculus and Teigonometry course. In order to better serve my students I needed to be one of them. I need to do problems on paper without the answer sheet. I need to take assessments to see how I'm doing. I need to see myself make simple mistakes even when I know the material. I need to be one of my students. Jesus did the same thing for us.

God sent Jesus to us, to be one of us, to defeat the enemy once and for all. He came down to earth to give us hope, to give us an example of how we were to live. He went through what we go through. He suffered even more than we could ever think about suffering. He came to us to better represent us before the father. Now all we have to do is listen, to follow, to heed the words of our savior Jesus Christ. 

Dear Lord, I praise you for your wonderful love. I praise you and am humbled that you would lower yourself to become one of us. You didn't need to do it, but you did anyway. I am committed to take that sacrifice you made and pursue a similar life of love and sacrifice. Help me Lord. Help me to take your life and death on this earth and apply it to my everyday walk with you. I love you and praise you for my wonderful life. It's pure joy! Amen!

Who's in your flock?

“Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.”

Proverbs 27:23-24 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.27.23-24.nlt)

Who is a part of your flock? How far is your prayer reach? Both these questions are key to your spiritual life. It's kind of like Facebook or Twitter. How many people can you have as friends or follow on Twitter? If you have too many friends or followers on social media you can't really keep up with all of them, it's easy to miss key posts or tweets. It waters down your presence in their lives. The same thing holds true for prayer. In order to pray for someone you need to get to know them. You need to know the state of your flock. When you know what's going on in their lives you can put your heart into caring for them. Obviously you can pray for someone without knowing the details. God knows. But, to petition for someone it is best to know what they are going through. 

Your flock is your family, close friends and coworkers that you are with every day. Your flock consists of those you can pray for without them asking you. You know what to pray for because you know their struggles. These people are a part of your daily prayers and you  are sincerely concerned about them because of your relationship. I have a very specific group of people, my flock, that I pray for nearly every day, they are more important to me than praying for riches or asking for things.

Dear Lord, I pray for my flock. I love them and ask you to protect them in their daily walk. I ask that you make your or presence known in their lives. I pray that protection on my direct family, my CMA family, my coworkers, my school, my community and this nation. I love you Lord because you first loved me and sacrificed your own son for me, a member of your flock. I am humbled by that wonderful love. Amen!

Kill them with kindness

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the LORD will reward you.”

Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.25.21-22.nlt)

I know you have heard the saying "kill them with kindness". This verse says the same thing. But it might be better to say, "Don't give your enemy a reason to hate you." We are put on this earth to serve others, not just our friends or loved ones. We are here to serve all. Find out what those who hate you need and help them get it. Don't judge. Don't criticize, just love on them.  It is easy to love those that return that love. It's not so easy to send love "one way". When people talk about you, spread rumors, and lies, it is easy to hate them or at the very least ignore them. 

We need to resist the urge to ignore and avoid our detractors. We need to intentionally show them the love of Jesus. That just can't be done from a distance. I'm not great at doing this so don't think I have it all figured out. But the Holy Spirit urges me to do just as this verse asks. I just need to act on that prompting more.

Dear Jesus, help me to treat my enemies with your love. Help me to serve all people not just the ones that love me. I know the only way to turn my enemies to you is through service and love. I need your strength and power in order to fulfill this verse. Give me the power as I go through my activities today. I praise you Lord. I praise you for your patience, mercy, and grace with my life. Amen!

Under pressure

“If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.” 

Proverbs 24:10 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.24.10.nlt)

Most of us complain about stress. It's not fun being under pressure to do something. I have to admit there are plenty times I my life where I fail under pressure. I always look back at those events with sadness. Failing under pressure usually means hurting those we love. It means making poor decisions with serious consequences. I have written about the stresses of life in this blog and I usually write about trying to turn things over to God to relieve the stress. Sometimes God wants us to be under stress. He wants us to develop a strength that will be able to defeat even the toughest enemy. The only way to develop that strength is through trial. Even though I hate the stress when I'm in the midst of it, I always grow personally and spiritually through fire.

Dear Lord, thank you for caring enough about me to guide me through tough times. Thank you for helping develop my strength. I trust you and love you with everything in my life. I have had many trials and tribulations, but they have made me who I am. I wouldn't ask to change anything in my past or ask to remove the stresses that lie ahead. When I turned my life over to you, it was through all things, not just the good parts of life. Thank you Lord for my wondeful life. It is wonderful because of you and you alone. Amen!

What's in a name?

““Our father died in the wilderness,” they said. “He was not among Korah’s followers, who rebelled against the LORD; he died because of his own sin. But he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.””  Numbers 27:3-4 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/num.27.3-4.nlt)

My daughter is pregnant for her fourth child. It will be our first baby boy in the family. We have all been going crazy about names. It really is a little overwhelming choosing a name. When Stephanie and I got married we made the deal I got to name the girls and she got to name the boys. We never had a son. Sometimes I think about "my name" not living on. I have even teased my daughter about naming this new child Steve. To make a long story short, they can't use Steve, it has too many letters. All their kids only have four letter names and Stev just doesn't work. 

Just when I start feeling sorry that I don't have a namesake, I realize how truly unimportant it is that my name be carried on to the next generation. My name is NOT the legacy I hope to preserve. I would much rather my kids and my grandkids carry on the torch of Jesus Christ. I don't care about their label. I care that they love Jesus and will get to join me in eternity. Nothing else matters. What good is a name? It is temporary, life with Jesus is eternal. 

I am so lucky to have daughters who love the Lord. I see their own commitment growing every day. I pray the Lord reveals himself to all my daughters, their spouses, and certainly my grandkids. I pray they will grow closer to the creator of the universe everyday. I pray he will protect them, make his presence known, and to guide them throughout their lives of decision making. I want them to pass the exact faith I have, to their own kids and they to theirs. Passing the name of Jesus from one generation to the next is what life is truly about.

You are who you hang out with!

“Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.”

Proverbs 22:10 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.22.10.nlt)

I have known this to be true. In my former life, as an athletic director at my high school, I had to have people thrown out of an athletic contest. It wasn't pretty, but it was effective. Once you get rid of the troublemaker, things settle down . Classroom discipline is the same. In the past I have removed a student only to see ALL the troubles melt away. This is true in nearly every part of my life.

You are who you hang out with. You hang out with drunks, you will, more than likely, be a drunk. You want to maintain a negative attitude, hang out with the people that can't see goo in anything. You want to live life with joy in your heart? Hang out with the God of the Universe. His mercy, grace, forgiveness, and peace will permeate every crack and crevice of your life. Throw out the mocker, throw out the sin. Then look at the quality of your life, not to mention the eternity you will enjoy.

Lord, I praise you. I long to spend time with you, selfishly, because my life on Earth always gets better. Thank you Lord! Thank you for your love and sacrifice even to the cross. Amen!

Why did I do that?

“The LORD’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.”

Proverbs 20:27 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.20.27.nlt)

Why did I do that? This has been an all too familiar question throughout my life. I'm sure that's true for most of us with a conscience. Unfortunately when we get to that key question, the damage is done. Usually the damage is done through words. Once the words escape your mouth, it's too late. You can never recapture them. The consequences are set in motion. I have been on both ends of poorly chosen words. I've spoken them, with regret and I have had them spoken about me. 

Words are so powerfully destructive or so powerfully uplifting.

When I've been hurt, it takes some time to heal. I do heal, but the process is slow. When I've offended someone, I want them to heal quickly. I want the scars to go away. The best way I've seen to combat my loose tongue is to multiply my efforts to love the person I've offended. It can be tough and most people avoid that awkward situation. I recommend confronting that situation head on. Love conquers all. 

Even better than the healing power of love is the power of the Holy Spirit at eliminating the hurt before it occurs. If we let the light of the spirit chase away our hurt, our vengeance, and our hate, words of destruction will not be apart of our vocabulary. We will only build up. We will only speak of love and kindness. I need the Holy Spirit to keep my tongue in check. We need the power of Jesus to work in the hearts of people to eliminate the pain of poorly spoken words.

Forgive me Lord for hurting others and help me forgive others that hurt me. We can only do that with your love. Help us to mimic you and the way you handle those that hurt you and speak bad about you. Your mercy and grace should be our own goal. We love you Lord. We praise you and thank you for the joy in our lives.

The "nomadic" life

“The Israelites traveled next to Oboth and camped there. Then they went on to Iye-abarim, in the wilderness on the eastern border of Moab. From there they traveled to the valley of Zered Brook and set up camp. Then they moved out and camped on the far side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness adjacent to the territory of the Amorites. The Arnon is the boundary line between the Moabites and the Amorites.” Numbers 21:10-13 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/num.21.10-13.nlt)

This verse made me think of my "nomadic life" this summer. Stephanie and I love travel. We have been blessed to travel the country in our toy hauler this summer. We have traveled east and west. We love serving the Lord and we have been able to combine both throughout our lives. The last few weeks our travels have dealt specifically with CMA (Christian Motorcyclist Association) ministry. Three weekends ago we had a great ride to Toledo. Then we attended a big secular rally last weekend and this weekend we attended a family friendly event in Bluffton. It truly is a blessing to be in ministry sharing Jesus with people. We have had the privilege to pray with countless strangers. We have prayed for healing, safety, families, and businesses. We have spread the word that God is real, he's alive and he is active in the lives of his people. There is nothing more rewarding or powerful than sharing Jesus with people that just don't get to hear the message. It's not "in your face" ministry. It is ministry of service and loving people. It is ministry of just being available to listen. It's ministry offering something for nothing. There are no strings attached in what we do. That is rare in this world we live in. When you offer your time and your service for no gain, people will listen to what you have to say. 

I praise God for our summer travels. I praise him and am humbly honored to be chosen as a minister of the gospel. I pray that the Lord continues to use Stephanie and I for his purposes. I pray we are open to where he wants us to go. I pray for the wisdom in serving the way he wants us to serve. Praise God for this wonderful life of adventure. 

The result of Foolishness

“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD.”

Proverbs 19:3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.19.3.nlt)

It amazes me how Christians and how the world blame the Lord for their trials and tribulations. We sin, and sin, and sin some more, then we suffer the consequences of that sin and get mad at the Lord. I know I have made some poor choices throughout my life. I can't say my life was ruined, but I can truly say my life has suffered. Many of those instances of poor decision making could have been avoided had I listened to the Lord. I need to spend more time with my Lord. Every day I try to teach kids to take responsibility for their actions. Yet, when it comes to my own life, I want to blame the Lord. It's just not right. If I could just naturally go to him with everything, my suffering in this world would be gone. Through the heat of the moment, I ignore his wisdom and guidance. I listen to my own sinful nature instead and then comes the pain. It's a vicious cycle that I have repeated too often throughout my life.

I praise God that he is patient with me and his love overcomes his hurt from being blamed for all my ills. He hates sin, but he loves us so much that he helped us defeat that sin through Jesus. Forgive me Lord for blaming you for my troubles. I know you have a perfect plan for me and I just need to rely on you for that plan to be revealed. I praise you for your  wonderful patience and love. Amen!

Always Learning

“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.”

Proverbs 19:20 NLT. (http://bible.com/116/pro.19.20.nlt)

When was the last time you formally tried to learn something new. Was it high school? College? I love learning. This summer I took an online statistics course so I could help my students learn stats. It was fun relearning something I haven't done in years. I have done multiple studies of the scriptures and I love reading different perspectives on Gods word. I am interested in re-learning a foreign language. I want to relearn calculus. I am always interested in learning things. God has wired me that way. It's clear that God wants us to learn, not just during out youth years. He wants us to keep learning for the rest of our lives. If you think you've gotten to the point where you've learned it all, you are completely wrong. 

Thank you Lord for the gift of knowledge. Thank you for the complexity of this life that leads us to the search for knowledge. We know we have a lot to learn. May we have a heart that aches to know YOU more just like we thirst for knowledge of the world around us. Amen!

No water

“There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The people blamed Moses and said, “If only we had died in the LORD’s presence with our brothers!”

Numbers 20:2-3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/num.20.2-3.nlt)

As I've read these bible accounts of the Israelites, I have been so critical of their rebellious nature. Yet, we are no different. Look at what they had been through. They were slaves, then delivered, pinned against the Red Sea, delivered, then attacked, delivered, starved, then delivered. Time and time To again they were delivered in dramatic style. They were still a stubborn and rebellious people. 

We are no different. I am no different! Our country is in constant rebellion. I'm not talking civil war rebellion. I'm talking Israelite rebellion. I'm talking about defy and doubt God rebellion. Can't we see how truly blessed we are? Is it impossible for me to be satisfied with where the Lord leads? When things are great and I'm getting my way....... All things are good. One small sign of distress and I completely forget about the power of my Creator. I forget about how he has rescued me for 55 years. I love the Lord. He is my rock and my deliverer. I praise him for his glory and how that manifests itself in my life. 

Lord, I am sorry for my rebellion. I am sorry I doubt you, over and over again. Please Lord, help me keep my eyes on you throughout sunshine and darkness. I love you forever, amen!

A truly wise person.........

“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”

Proverbs 17:27 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.17.27.nlt)

I have weaknesses. 

We all do. 

I am a talker and I can not say I'm even tempered in any way. I'm trying. The older I get the more I listen and speak less. In my "younger and dumber" days of the past I would speak without thinking. My emotions would get my tongue moving before I would listen or think about the impact of my words. I still do that. It just happens much less than it used to. God is continuing his work in me. 

I praise God for how he has changed me through my life. I am not where I want to be, but I am moving toward those goals. I love it that God is patient with me. He has no notion that I will achieve perfection. He doesn't care. He wants me to love him, talk with him, and work towards growth and perfection. Sure it pains him when I say something stupid that hurts others. He doesn't want me to offend others when I'm in a bad mood. I will suffer the consequences of those poor choices, but he loves me through it all. 

Thank You Lord for loving me and being patient with me. ThAnk you for helping me grow toward perfection. I know I won't get there, but moving toward it is your hope and desire. I love you Lord and want to do and say the things that will make you proud. Amen!

My eyes

“Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”

Proverbs 17:24 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.17.24.nlt)

We always talk about how your words can damage or build up other people. It is very true. But, your eyes are directly connected to your heart. How you look at others speaks volumes about your priorities and your faith. How do you look at the "ugly" people you meet every day. I'm not just talking about looks. That's also important. Do you look with the same loving eyes at physically UNattractive peole as those that are. How do you view sinners? How do you view people that go against your beliefs. How do you look at gays, drug users, prostitutes, and killers? How do you REALLY look at them? I know many that look at them with disgust? They look at them with anger, hate, and disdain! Others ignore them altogether.

Not me. 

In my Chrisitan Motorcyclist Association ministry, I have had the opportunity to hang out with many of the people I just mentioned. I have actually gotten to know many of the people most Christians treat as the enemy. I can truly say I look at them with love and I certainly look at them with sorrow. I can see such great potential and hope if they can just find Jesus. I know I'm not going to force that to happen, but I won't give up hope. We can't just ignore them. We need to look at them with the eyes of Jesus. Jesus does not want us to ignore the lost. He wants us to go to them, love them, and serve them. That's exactly what I'm going to do.

Dear Lord, help mé to have your eyes. Help me to look past the surface and to see into the hearts of the people I meet. Help me not to judge by looks but to get to know, really know the people in this world. Help me to serve them with eyes of love. My life is yours! amen!

Where are You?

 “They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD’s people?””

Numbers 16:3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/num.16.3.nlt)

 On the first day of school for our teaching staff, my principal talked about three different type of people in your life. The bottom 33% of people drag you down. They are negative about everything will make you miserable. Avoid them. The middle 33% are with you and massively supportive until things go wrong or life gets hard. Moses and Aaron we're dealing with those people. The top 33% are the positive people that do their best to make things work. The top 1% are people like Moses and Aaron. They will lead through all things.  Where are you?

Dear Lord, help me be the leader you want me to be. I want to be in the top 1% when it comes to being your follower. I want to lead others to you by my positive attitude, support for others, and a servants heart. Help me to ignore the bottom 33% that are trying to drag me down and help me to not drag down others. I love you lord and want to serve you more each day. Guide me, my words, my thoughts and my deeds today! Amen!

Do you have any enemies?

“When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.”

Proverbs 16:7 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.16.7.nlt)

I am devoted to living a life pleasing to the Lord. It doesn't always happen. Over the years of pursuing that goal, I have seen very positive results. I'm not sure I really have any "enemies". Sure I have people that don't like me and some may hate me. But, we are at peace. I am not aware of their presence. They don't affect me. I can take no credit for that peace or the lack of evidence my enemies even exist. My loving savior has shielded me from my enemies.

I am so blessed. My life is full. It is full, busy, and greatly rewarding. I praise my Lord for his love, his protection, and the joy in my life. Thank you Lord for shielding me from my enemies and keeping me safe and secure. I love you and praise you for your wonderful grace mercy and love! Amen!

My "Day" team!

“Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”

Proverbs 15:22 NLT.  (http://bible.com/116/pro.15.22.nlt)

I am starting the third year on a new adventure in education. That adventure is an academy of personalized learning. We have a team of four teachers all specializing in the core curriculum. We have really developed into quite a team. We are truly devoted to each other and spend countless hours collaborating. I love it. We work hard, try new things, we support each other, critique each other, and we advise each other. If two heads are better than one, then we are 4 times better than we are alone. Teaching used to be, and still is in most schools, a private endeavor. I am glad we are moving away from teachers isolated and alone.

Spiritually I also need a team. I need advisors to make sure I keep on the path that aGod has planned. Certainly my family is on that team. I am so blessed to have a family that relays on each other, but more importantly they rely on the Lord. We pray for each other and we give advice. The Lord uses us to speak to others, especially those close to us. I also have friends that are close advisors. My pastors, my church, and my Cma friends are only on my team of advisors. We need to surround ourselves with godly people that love us and are not afraid to advise us.

Dear Lord, thank you for sending people into my life that can advise me. Thank you for my family and their faith in you. I am truly blessed with the people around me. Amen!

Wendy Whiner!

“Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated.” Numbers 11:10 NLT, http://bible.com/116/num.11.10.nlt

After I titled this blog, I realized I have a friend named Wendy! Yikes! 

THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU WENDY!

Out of any personal habits you could have, Whining is the worst. I hate it when my own kids do it, when my students do it, or adults do it. It is worse than fingernails on a chalk board! It's really hard to describe what whining is. But, we all recognize it when we hear it. Whiners stress about everything, are weak, and helpless. They are solely dependent on others to solve their problems. God gives us the ability to control our own circumstances. Whiners give up control and blame everything on somebody or something else.

I love that the Lord has given us control of our own lives. Beyond that he also gives us a place to go when we just can't do it on our own......... The feet of Jesus. There is no need to whine. There is no need to stress about the trials of life or the times we just feel like screaming out loud! Whining is about a lack of faith and giving no hope to your life or the situation you are in. Trust in the Lord!

Des Lord, forgive me for the times I resort to whining and complaining about life. I thank you for the love and patience you have with me. Thank you for your amazing grace and love. AMEN!

Money

“Some who are poor pretend to be rich; others who are rich pretend to be poor.”

Proverbs 13:7 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.13.7.nlt)

As the political season gears up for the presidential contenders there will be a lot of talk pitting the rich against the poor. This idea that money is the one thing that defines who we are is a ridiculous notion but many feel it does. Since the early days of human life on this planet we have been trying to get "stuff". I certainly fall into that trap also. I have plenty "stuff" . I don't want to embarrass myself by listing those things here. But, I do TRY to dedicate all my things to the Lord. Really everything I have is not my own, it ALL belongs to the Lord. 

This is a curious verse. Stop and think about it. What does it mean to "pretend" to be rich or poor? Those that live beyond their means are certainly pretending to be rich. They don't really have things, they borrow them. The rich that pretend to be poor live well within their means and  make sure they are not over extended. It is so easy to make mistakes with your money and live beyond what you earn. I certainly have made those mistakes and have suffered because of it. It affects your entire life, but you can recover. I'm not sure I can say  I have it all figured out. I do know the more I dedicate my life and my things to the work of the Lord, the more I am blessed and the more peaceful my life is. 

Thank you Lord for watching over me. Continue to watch over all parts of my life including my finances. I dedicate all that I have to you and for your glory. Watch over my daughters and their families. Their is nothing than can tear a family apart more than the stress of money. Help us to use common sense and to pray about everything including the use of our funds. Thank you Lord for your patience with me and the forgiveness you have granted when I have used poor judgment with my money. You are amazing and I love you more than life itself. You truly are amazing! Amen!

Don't miss a moment!

“Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.”

Proverbs 12:27 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.12.27.nlt)

I'm not a hunter. I am sure I would enjoy it, but I just never have taken the time to out it in my busy schedule. When I read this verse my ind instantly went to a presentation we had this week at school.  Our entire school corporation got to hear about "Rachel's Challenge". Rachel was the first person killed in the tragic Columbine school shooting. She has left a legacy to this world. She is impacting the lives of kids all over the world. She gave us 5 challenges through an essay she wrote before her death. They are:

Fight Prejudice

Dream Big

Choose positive influences in your life

Speak with kindness

Start your own chain reaction

I think these are challenges we all can take to heart. But, throughout the presentation I realized I need to take advantage of every moment of my life. I need to concentrate on these five challenges and one more big challenge. I need to bring people to the love of Jesus. All five of Rachel's challenges are great but the one thing missing is Jesus. My moments, no matter how fleeting they are, need to be spent doing good, but I have to go the next step. God's challenge is getting people to know about him and turn their lives over to him. Accept the challenges! Take advantage of your blessedlifeto lead others to the truth.

Lord, thank you for my wonderful life. I am humbled by how you are using Rachel's life for your purposes. Please continue to use my life also. Help me take every moment I breathe and make them yours. I love you and look forward to each of those moments. Amen!

People are not nice!

“Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.”

Proverbs 12:18 NLT (http://bible.com/116/pro.12.18.nlt)

What ever happened to civility? Is it no longer proper to keep your mouth closed if you have nothing good to say? I watched mega hours of political debate tonight and those people were downright mean to each other. It was entertaining the same way that the super bowl is entertaining, but is it right. Is it the way we want our politicians to treat each other. Sure we can talk about immigration, abortion, jobs, the economy, or a host of other topics, but maybe we should legislate being nice to each other. I'm a little shocked that many people support candidates tha spew fiery rhetoric at "each other".  I do want a strong, confident candidate, but not at the expense of respect. I want them to be passionate about their mission, plans, and aspirations. I don't want them to act like school kids fighting at recess. 

We need to get back to really loving each other regardless of the differences of opinion we have. We need to be nice to each other. How can you share the love of Christ without that coming out of your mouth? God wants us to use our words to bring healing. He wants us to use our words to build up and not tear down. He wants us to speak well about people wether they are with us or not. He wants us to listen more than we speak, but when we do, we need to be nice! 

Lord, I love you. Please forgive me for my "cutting" words. Fill me with your spirit, use my words to be an extension of your love. Thank you Lord for loving me even with my flaws, weaknesses,and my poor judgement. Amen!

Hi! Is not enough!

‘May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.’” Numbers 6:23-26 NLT (http://bible.com/116/num.6.23-26.nlt)

That's my message today. It's not the typical short greeting that we use in our fast paced society. For me right now, I'm lucky I have time to say "Hi!" I need to SLOW down and keep in mind the purpose of my life, it's about relationships. 

School starts and life gets crazy. I çant wait for the new routines to set in. I get so busy this time of year that I just don't take time to do anything I really want to do. I love sitting and talking to students , leisurely, in the morning, after school, between classes, and at the start of each class. But, I've got so much to do, I just don't take the time. I hate it. It's not what I teach that's important, it's who I teach that's important. Building relationships takes time, it can't be done "on the fly"!

Lord, give me time. Give me peace to just talk with people. Help me relax. Help me to show your love even when times are busy and stressful. I love you and want to be your servant with everyone I meet and everywhere I go.

I love working with my wife - Happy Anniversary!

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!””

Proverbs 31:25-29 NLT. http://bible.com/116/pro.31.25-29.nlt

That is my wife!

Today is the first day of the new school year AND it is my 37th wedding anniversary. Many people would say "what a terrible way to spend your anniversary, the first day at school". I totally disagree. I have had the great opportunity to serve as teacher and husband for the last 22 years working most of that together with my lovely bride. The greatest part of my day is I get to spend it with the love of my life. So starting the first day of school is more wonderful because I get to spend it with Steph. It's fun to work together and to set an example how it can be done. We have many students from broken homes. They comment constantly how they can't believe we can work together. They usually say their parents can't even be in the same room together. We have had a wonderful 37 years.

Des Lord, I thank you so much for giving me the precious gift in my wife Stephanie. As in all things, I didn't do anything to deserve such a wonderful caring woman. I thank you for providing us with. Great place to .work and jobs we dearly love. I pray that you will continue to use us for your glory and your purposes. Guide our words, actions, and thoughts as we start another school year and as we continue our lives together. 

Easily offended!?

“We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Romans 15:1-3 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rom.15.1-3.nlt)

Are you easily offended? Are you overly sensitive? 

I know people who are greatly affected by the words and actions of others. They are hyper sensitive to the remarks, actions, or inactions of their families, friends, and coworkers. I am not one of those people. I can't say nothing phases me, but over the years I have learned, by the grace of God, to ignore the "jabs" from others. I don't dwell on the comments, try not to hold a grudge, and don't let it affect my relationship with the offender. As a matter of fact, I have gotten into the habit of instantly praying for that person and our relationship. I am so amazed how this affects my attitude in a very positive way.

Yesterday an email was shared with a group of friends. It contained a pretty strong jab at one of the members of the group. The result: instant hurt feelings. I hate that it happened, we should all be careful what we say. But when something does offend, we can let it ruin our day or we can stop, pray, and with the grace of God, move on. 

People make mistakes, some intentional and others unintentional. We can't let those mistakes destroy relationships. We can't dwell on the negative. Instead we need to choose the high road, look beyond the rhetoric, and continue to love unconditionally. Our father in heaven does the same thing when he deals with me, a sinner! He could dwell on my sins, both intentional and unintentional. He doesn't, he chooses grace. He chooses to look beyond the flaws and love me. We need to do the same with our "flawed" family, friends, and coworkers. If we can follow Gods example, this world would be an awesome example of mercy and love! Praise God for his love!

Rolł Big Train!

“I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.” Romans 15:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rom.15.14.nlt)

Today is the start of another school year. It's been 22 years since I started my SECOND career and joined the teaching ranks. Today our "family" at GHS reunites to prepare for another year. Yes, we are a family. We love like a family, we care for each other like a family, we argue like a family, and we hold each other accountable like a family. Our commitment to each other is second to none. Even though this family is a significant part of my life, it's not the reason I teach.

 I love our school leadership. They make the tough decisions that need to be made but I personally know how much they agonize over what is best for teachers, students, and the community. It is refreshing to know you have a leader that has a heart for people. But the school administrative team is not why I teach.

 I love this wonderful community we live. It is great being at a community school. The support of the community for our school is amazing. Our school is truly the center of Garrett. Sure they support the athletic teams, but they support the academics as well as the extracurricular activities. But, even with a great commnunity, they are not why I teach. 

I'm sure you can guess why I teach.

"I teach because I am fully convinced that the young people of our community are full of goodness and hope."

GHS has the absolute best students. 

I am excited to be with them. They have a passion for helping and caring for each other. They love to have fun, but they also work hard. I get to school pretty early each day and I love that many of our students like to get to school early and just hang out with teachers, and, of course, their friends. I've been at three different schools and the students at GHS are the best. As a teacher, I want to be a part, even if only a small part, in helping these great young people, filled with hope,  reach their potential. I know the hearts of the students at GHS. I know their passion to help the unfortunate. I know their passion to make a difference and I know their determination to making this world a better place. 

I look forward to teaching because it gives me hope that our future is not lost. I look forward to every moment of laughter, stress, joy, and sorrow. I look forward to renewing old and new relationships. I look forward to sharing my own passions for learning and fanning the flame of knowledge in my students. They always look at me weird when I exclaim the joy I have in learning, especially math. Yet, I have seen that joy spread. My students motivate me, challenge me, and support me in so many ways. I can't wait. Students arrive on Wednesday and I am excited to get another year rolling down the tracks! 

Roll Big Train!

Respect Authority!

“So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.”  Romans 13:2-3 NLT.  (http://bible.com/116/rom.13.2-3.nlt)

This past year, maybe more, has been filled with tragedy after tragedy where law enforcement are blamed for poor treatment of African Americans. To be honest, some of these officers have shown poor judgment. But nearly every incident could have been avoided by submitting to the officers involved. I can't figure out when it became ok to rebel against the police. EVEN if they are wrong, and they do make mistakes, I will never challenge them. Another police officer gave his life in the line of duty last night. They deserve the respect to obey their demands and to respect their authority.

I am just as shocked and dissappointed at how many people deny the authority of God. The creator of this universe is real. He is active now and wants you to invite him into your life. He is above all things loving, filled with mercy, and grace. He doesn't want you to change before you invite him in, he wants to change you after! Just like the officers of this great country, God is here to protect us and to give us life, forever. He has sacrificed all just for you. These officers have also sacrificed all just for you. 

Dear Lord, I pray deeply for this officer killed in Memphis. I pray that you give comfort to his family, his fellow officers and the community of Memphis. Please Lord, I am asking you to protect the fine men and women that serve us every day as police officers and law enforcement professionals. Lord we love you and honor you for your love and sacrifice,