Everything I Do

I was trying to think of a topic for this week’s blog when God hit me with something:  I can’t do anything in my life without Him.  This thought wasn’t anything new, but I think that from time to time we have to be reminded of this exact point.  Let me give you a few examples.

I am currently working on getting myself into better shape.  I can try all I want until I die, but without God as a part of the process it’s not going to happen.  He gives me time in my day to get it done.  He shows me ways to not eat certain foods and provides other foods that are better for me.  He gives me the will power to pass up some of those sweets.  He gives me a loving wife who is there working on the same thing at the same time, who wants to go on walks and eat better, etc.

As a couple we’re also working on getting out of debt.  Yes, we’ve been doing this for a long time, and it’s a long process when you don’t have huge things to sell off.  Yet, no matter how much money we make ourselves we realize that to truly get out of debt God is the answer, not money.  He will provide for our family.  He will show us the light at the end of the debt tunnel and make sure that we’re focused in that direction.  Without God our finances would be a disaster for the rest of our lives.

My last example this week if our family.  We’re really working hard as parents to raise our children right.  We know that it’s not going to be easy and there are always going to be challenges.  Kids today go through so much more than we ever did growing up.  And we know that without God as the true head of the family there is no chance that we’d get the jobs done on our own.  Yet, we give up our parenting to God and allow Him to guide our decisions, and although we aren’t promised a smooth ride, He does work through everything going on in our family's lives.

So, as you can see, there isn’t an aspect of any of our lives that God isn’t a part of when you invite Him in.  Don’t be afraid to lose control.  Instead, allow God to take the leadership role in everything you do!

Back In Time: Learnings At The Grill

This week I decided to go back in time a bit and re-post an older Momentum for everyone to read again.  I think the lesson here is solid and so I wanted to share it again.  This was originally posted on 6/30/09.  Hard to believe I've been doing this blog that long!  I hope you enjoy - some of you for a 2nd time..

I, like many males this time of year, love to grill out meals for my family. I enjoy the time spent in the back yard cooking up these manly meat concoctions for the families enjoyment. The reason I bring that up isn't to brag about the fact that I bought a new grill the other day (notice I did mention it though!) but for the fact that I learned two things the other day when I used it the first few times.

#1 - If you are unsure of how something is going to work, don't walk away from it! Yep - the first time we used it I was getting phone calls about softball, etc. and I ended up leaving the brats for a little too long. Par for the course, 5 of the 10 were burnt to a crisp in the process. I had a good flame going and the brats were cooking up well. Yet, I walked away from it and what happened? I now had crispy brats! I should have stayed there and watched them cook, and made sure they were cooked evenly, etc.

This should be done with your spiritual life as well. I've seen a number of people get almost too turned on for God at times. (Ok, not really possible, but follow me here) These people jump right in with both feet and really seem to have the fire burning to a full blaze. They are eating up every book they can find and learning so much, so fast. (almost like a baby when they are learning to walk who takes one step, and think they can run.) What happens next, they fall flat on their face, at least spiritually. Make sure you "cook" your spiritual life on all sides. You're probably not going to be able to stop everything from your previous life right away and be happy. It has to be gradual, and watched....don't let it burn to a crisp!

#2 - You have to try again and again. It's true, I didn't let the burnt brats get the best of me. The next day not only did I grill again, but I grilled something different, trying a new technique. Much like changing your life, you may have to change a lot of things in your life. You may have to even adjust the process in order to get the changes to work. It may take many times before you get it right. My point here is that you have to keep trying as it's worth it in the end. Not only were the pork chops I made good, but the Dr. Pepper mixture that I basted on it made for some good eats. I'd gone back and tried it again, and it was well worth it.

Anyway, I'll let you know if I have any more adventures to learn from this weekend as we host the family for a cookout on Saturday.

All-Star Break

Yesterday officially started the Major League Baseball all-star break.  It’s a four-day window in the baseball season for all teams to catch their collective breaths.  Yes, there is an all-star game tonight and some festivities last night, but 90+% of the players that play in the league get some much needed rest.

I bring this up not to promote the sport, particular players, or even tonight’s game.  Instead, I like the idea of taking such a break.  I think all too often in our day-to-day lives we don’t take the time to really take a break from the mundane.  We just go from event to event without even pausing.  Our kids and their events take over our lives, and when we finally get any time we fill that time up as well instead of taking the time to relax. 

So, today it’s a simple lesson:  learn to take a break.  All of the major sports take a break in their seasons in order to relax, and all of us “regular people” should do the same thing.  It’s hard to stay sharp year round if you don’t give yourself a break here and there!

God bless.

Bump In The Road

A married couple who are friends of ours are adopting children from overseas.  They have been working on this process for quite some time now, and just the other week they were told to come and pick the kids up.  They were overjoyed that it was time to finally get them, so they made arrangements and eventually left.  They were reunited with the kids recently and everything was going well.  However, they have hit a speed bump.  Not all of the paperwork has been processed in a timely manner and so arrangements are having to be shuffled.  The family is weary, things are costing more than they were supposed to, and the bumps in the road seem to keep coming every day.   

This couple knows for certain that this is something God has wanted them to do.  He spoke to them separately and led both of their hearts to know for certain that this is His will for their family.  They already have two kids of their own, and yet God called them to adopt two more kids, and from overseas!  Yet, through all the happiness they have hit a bump in the road that seems to have derailed the progress indefinitely.

So, the non-believer has to be asking the following:  If this is truly something God wants them to do, why then isn’t it going smoothly?  This couple knew that God called them to add to their family with these two kids.  They have jumped over quite a number of hurdles before they even left to pick up the kids, and yet they are still having to encounter more hurdles? 

The answer to me is simple.  God never said following Him was going to be easy.  Yet nothing worth doing ever really is easy.  When this couple gets over all the bumps in this road and get the kids back to their new home they are going to be so grateful.  They will appreciate and cherish the kids even more due to all they have had to go through to be together.  Someday they will tell the kids these stories and the kids themselves will see just how much their parents love them, and how much their Heavenly Father loves them as well.  And those on the sidelines who have watched the entire process unfold will get to see the light of God in this family.

You see, this is what God does.  Often we as followers have to struggle to follow Him.  Yet, those struggles make us stronger.  They make our love for Him stronger, and it allows our light to shine even brighter to the onlookers.  It’s often the bumps in the road that truly show God working in our lives, not only to us but to the entire world.  This family will be united and back in the States in the near future.  Yes, they are going to struggle, but overall God will work this all out.  And the stories that will be told for years to come will proclaim again and again God’s great working in their lives.

Decaf

Honestly I have no idea how anyone can drink decaf coffee…at least in the morning.  I see the commercials and I always get a good laugh from them.  It’s early morning and one person is getting the other that much-needed cup of coffee.  Then the product shot comes up and it’s Folgers!  How does that help anyone in the morning?  No caffeine?  It’s decaf coffee instead of regular coffee.  To me it has to be like drinking it just because you like the taste, like the nonalcoholic beers, right?

I only bring this up today because we can deceive ourselves the same way in our spiritual walk.  We’ll act as if reading a devotional or blog like this is enough to get us going like that Folgers coffee instead of getting the real thing, the Bible.  I’ve done this myself many times.  Yet, when I take the time to actually read the Bible along with the blogs and devotionals, then I get the full picture.  Only when you read directly from the source can you get the full look at everything God has in store for your life.

So, in other words, I’m not saying that your decaf coffee is bad for you, but if you are expecting it to wake you up in the AM you are fooling yourself.  The same for blogs and devotionals.  They are good in their own right, but when combined with reading the Bible you are expanding the possibility of getting all from God that He wants you to have.