Ok, so this evening, Beach Beauty and I had a discussion that was like none other, and it really got me to thinking. Over the past 11 and a half years, we have had conversations of this nature before, but not quite like tonight. To be honest I was a little disturbed, but not do to the topic, but more because of reality.
So, should I get to the point?
Well OK!
Every couple has this kind of conversation at some point. It is the, what will you do when I die conversation. Now, before you start making comments regarding our morbid nature, and saying things like, "hey, your young, you don't have to worry about that" remember that we are all human, and humans do in fact die.
Anyway...
We started having this conversation by what some people would call chance. It just kind of started, and before we knew it we were an hour into a topic that neither of us was really wanted to talk about, but we couldn't stop. During the conversation we talked about everything from burial arrangements, life insurance, to re-marry or not to re-marry, what we would do in the event of an untimely death, and many more things. In all truthfulness, it was rather nice. It was a truely intimate moment.
So, everyone knows that there is a but coming, so let's just through it out there.
BUT!!!!
It also got me to thinking pretty hard. I'm not scared of death, I'm not concerned with the wellfare of my children if I were to die young. I have somewhat of sketchy plan of attack if something were to happen to my Beach Beauty if she were to go at a young age. But what I was really thinking about was this. Have I been the best husband to my beautiful wife that I could have been, if I were to die today? Have I been the man that she needed me to be? Have I prepared her for a life without me? Have I taught my children the important things of life?
You see, I know that my Beach Beauty knows that I love her. At least I know I have verbally told her so. She seems to know my heart better than I do sometimes. But have I really been the best husband? Have I been the best example of Christ for her that I can be? If I answer these questions honestly the answer would be no. Not just because none of us measure up completely with the standard that the Lord has given us. But because I have been completely worried about myself more that I have been concerned with her or the kids.
I know, I know... some of you are saying "don't beat yourself up, we all have our moments of being selfish in relationships" and yes I know this is true, however God has given me a job. What is my job? It is to raise my family in love and fear of the Lord. I am to be the example of Christ to my wife and children. I am to teach my family how to worship. I am to be in constant prayer for my family, raising them up before the Lord as a priest. I am to protect them, not only from physical danger, but also from spiritual danger. I am to profess the Word of God to my family as a prophet.
And so, tonight I found myself in a moment of self evaluation. The evaluation was not pretty, because you see, when you rate yourself against God's standard you realize just how much you lack. So much in fact that there is not excuse. And to think, I thought I was doing pretty good when I rated myself against other people.
So before I close this post, I would like to turn what seems to be rather dismall and turn it into a challenge for the good of each of us. Fathers, each day set out to place the Word of God in a place of prominence. Reflect on Deuteronomy Chapter 6, and realize this: "The Lord our God; The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might." That is the first step. Let us live a life that is evidence of our love for God. So much that when people are talking about us at our funerals they can say in all honesty, "That man loved God with all of himself". But let's not forget the rest of this passage. As men, we are to be treauring the Word of God in our hearts and teaching it to our families, speaking of the word day and night, as we come and go, and even keeping it right before our eyes that we will not stray from it.
This is a daunting task. It will be difficult, because it is not the way of the world. However, as a husband, this is my job.
Do I love my wife? yes, of course I do! Do I love God with all my heart? I haven't yet. Will the love for my precious Beach Beauty and three sandy kids change if my love for God changes? You better believe it!
I want to be the best husband and father that I can be, and in order to do that, I have to be the best child of God that I can be first!
Will I die at a young age? I dunno. Will my kids always have both of their parents? We will have to wait and see. Will they know that their daddy loved the Lord? I pray that they will see that in me and follow Him in a better manner than I have.
So, let's leave the past behind. There is nothing we can change about the past, it is over, done with, and we can't fix it. What we can do however is affect the future. Men join with me and from this day forward be the man that God has designed us to be. Ladies, seek to be the reflection of God to your children, and a help meet to your husbands.
I know this has not been a really funny or light post, however, I pray that it has been a challenge.
Let me leave you with this: Press on toward the prize!! The race is not easy, it is long and treacherous, but the prize is well worth the sacrifice. The prize is eternity with God himself!
Until next time,
Clear skies, high surf and sandy feet!!!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Times like these...really get me thinking!
OK, so before you say anything, I know that it has been a really long time since I have written a post. It has been so long in fact that I don't remember when I wrote last, or what I said in that post.
For those of you who actually read this blog, it may be important for me to note that tonight this post is more of a therapeutic writing, designed for my personal therapy then for your entertainment. However, with that being said, some of you may get some joy from this.
A few minutes ago, I was watching a video that Beach Beauty had posted on her facebook page, and I was taken by surprise by this touching video. It portrayed a grown man, speaking to his father, as he prepared to take his two young daughters on a camping trip. Typically most people would find the videos that come from these guys to be cute, and very funny, however tonight, I was struck with a different emotion. I was sitting in the bed watching this video and tears were welling up in my eyes. Why? you might ask. Because as I watched I was thinking about the things that my Dad and I would do as I was a kid, that were our little traditions. The things that we just did, because that was who we are.
For those of you that don't know, I lost my father 14 years ago, very suddenly. I was 19, and not really sure of what the future would hold, or more importantly, just how much of an impact my Daddy had on my life. I am now a Daddy to the three greatest kids anyone could ever ask for, and I pray that I am making the same kind of impact on my kids as Dad did on me.
So, in tribute to my Dad, I would like to share a few of the traditions that we had as I was growing up. The things that we did together, that were just for us, that made me the man that I am today.
Saturdays were always reserved for me and Dad. The day would always start very early, as we had to be at the church by 7AM for men's prayer meeting. Now, please understand that Dad was taking me to these meeting by the time that I was 4 years old. He saw to it that I was surrounded by Godly men, and these men, along with primarily Dad would teach me how to pray. They taught me how to be a real man. Not the macho man, but the man that relies on God, that fears God, and that has a real relationship with God. We would spend hours together sharing with each other the needs we all had, the burdens of our hearts, and the praises from the past week. Then we would come together on our knees in prayer. The prayer times were beautiful times where I heard men opening up their hearts to the Lord. There were several occasions that during these prayer meetings I can remember us crying together over the hurts or needs of one of the men in our group. It truly was a beautiful time. Now, when prayer time was over we all head over to one of the few locally owned restaurants in town, "OLDE TOWN" where we would enjoy a hearty breakfast that would prepare us for the day. Most days we would have the special, which was chip beef gravy on toast and home fries. As we ate we would discuss the work that was ahead for the rest of the day. Usually this work consisted of cutting wood for widows in the church, or others that needed firewood for the winter. Other times we may just go home and take care of the stuff that we needed to do around the house. Either way, there were very few Saturdays that didn't involve some sort of manual labor. You see, Dad knew that in order for me to grow into the man that I should be that I had to spend time around men that had it right. First and foremost I must have a relationship with the Lord that was not superficial, but genuine, and then I needed to be a hard worker, not for material gain, but for integrity's sake. This is who were are, it's what we do.
Saturdays are probably my most valued memory of times with my Dad. However there are other traditions that we had that are still so vivid in my memory. Such as our Christmas Eve tradition. Each Christmas Eve Daddy and I would spend a portion of the day, usually most of the day shopping for Christmas. Now you may think that this is not really a tradition, just a way of life, however I must say it was a tradition. Daddy didn't have to go shopping that day, the craziest day of the Christmas season, no, he wanted to. And not only that, but he wanted to include me in his time. It was special. We would go to the mall and take our time, in the midst of the bustling crowds. We would watch people as they frantically searched for the gift they had forgotten to buy, and usually we would start laughing. Eventually, sometimes after several hours, we would make the purchase that Dad had set out to make. Almost always, and I say this not remembering a time when it were not true, but to insure credibility among my sisters, we would buy the big present for Mom that Dad had purposefully waited to buy. One year it was a new recliner, another year it was a dishwasher, and one year the greatest gift that almost didn't happen was diamond earrings (that is a whole other story for another time). Now, Dad had a very purposed reason for setting out on these insane days to shop. It all went back to my parents first Christmas together. Dad had to plead with shop owners to even let him come in and buy some gifts for Mom, because he had literally not had a moment to shop for her. Each year he would tell me about that first Christmas, and we would set out to make a salesperson day. Dad would tell his story to the eager sales staff, and then let them know that he was going to purchase the item that he had been looking at for weeks, sometimes even months. He always made sure that a deserving person received a good sales commission on Christmas Eve. It was so wild to watch as Dad would talk and buy and then get outright gitty as he planned the big reveal for the next morning.
You see, Daddy showed me during these wonderful Christmas Eve shopping trips that he loved my Mom! He loved her, and he was so excited to show her just how much he loved her. He would plan a clever way to give her the present, which often times included a surprise visit by a fellow church member on Christmas morning. And whether he knew what he was doing or not, I know that he was showing me just what it means for a man to love his wife. Daddy showed me this time and time again, not only at Christmas time, but all year long.
So, now we come to Fathers Day this weekend. A time for us to honor the man that God placed as our Dad. I hope that this post has reminded you of the traditions that you and your Father had as you were growing up. If you are like me, and your Father has been gone for a while, then take the time this weekend to thank the Lord for the blessing that your Father placed on you while he was still with you. If your Dad is still with you, then cherish the time you have with him. I pray that you are able to spend some time with him this weekend, even if it means a phone call, and tell your Daddy how much you appreciate all he has taught you, and shown you while you still have time.
As I bring this post to a close let me encourage you to never take your Dad or Mom for granted. As we are young, we believe that our parents are indestructible. Nothing will ever happen to them, because they are our parents. Well things do happen, and time is short, so cherish them. The Bible is very clear about how we should regard our parents, God thinks so much of parents that he even used the third commandment to tell us "Honor your Father and Mother".
Thank You Lord, for giving me parents that raised me to honor, fear and revere you. Thank you for a Daddy that taught me how to be a Godly man, a good husband, and a Daddy. Thank you for a Mommy that nurtured me, trained me, and showed me what a Godly woman looks like. May I be able to be the Daddy that you have called me to be and given me the great example of in my Dad.
Till next time,
clear skies, high surf and sandy feet!
For those of you who actually read this blog, it may be important for me to note that tonight this post is more of a therapeutic writing, designed for my personal therapy then for your entertainment. However, with that being said, some of you may get some joy from this.
A few minutes ago, I was watching a video that Beach Beauty had posted on her facebook page, and I was taken by surprise by this touching video. It portrayed a grown man, speaking to his father, as he prepared to take his two young daughters on a camping trip. Typically most people would find the videos that come from these guys to be cute, and very funny, however tonight, I was struck with a different emotion. I was sitting in the bed watching this video and tears were welling up in my eyes. Why? you might ask. Because as I watched I was thinking about the things that my Dad and I would do as I was a kid, that were our little traditions. The things that we just did, because that was who we are.
For those of you that don't know, I lost my father 14 years ago, very suddenly. I was 19, and not really sure of what the future would hold, or more importantly, just how much of an impact my Daddy had on my life. I am now a Daddy to the three greatest kids anyone could ever ask for, and I pray that I am making the same kind of impact on my kids as Dad did on me.
So, in tribute to my Dad, I would like to share a few of the traditions that we had as I was growing up. The things that we did together, that were just for us, that made me the man that I am today.
Saturdays were always reserved for me and Dad. The day would always start very early, as we had to be at the church by 7AM for men's prayer meeting. Now, please understand that Dad was taking me to these meeting by the time that I was 4 years old. He saw to it that I was surrounded by Godly men, and these men, along with primarily Dad would teach me how to pray. They taught me how to be a real man. Not the macho man, but the man that relies on God, that fears God, and that has a real relationship with God. We would spend hours together sharing with each other the needs we all had, the burdens of our hearts, and the praises from the past week. Then we would come together on our knees in prayer. The prayer times were beautiful times where I heard men opening up their hearts to the Lord. There were several occasions that during these prayer meetings I can remember us crying together over the hurts or needs of one of the men in our group. It truly was a beautiful time. Now, when prayer time was over we all head over to one of the few locally owned restaurants in town, "OLDE TOWN" where we would enjoy a hearty breakfast that would prepare us for the day. Most days we would have the special, which was chip beef gravy on toast and home fries. As we ate we would discuss the work that was ahead for the rest of the day. Usually this work consisted of cutting wood for widows in the church, or others that needed firewood for the winter. Other times we may just go home and take care of the stuff that we needed to do around the house. Either way, there were very few Saturdays that didn't involve some sort of manual labor. You see, Dad knew that in order for me to grow into the man that I should be that I had to spend time around men that had it right. First and foremost I must have a relationship with the Lord that was not superficial, but genuine, and then I needed to be a hard worker, not for material gain, but for integrity's sake. This is who were are, it's what we do.
Saturdays are probably my most valued memory of times with my Dad. However there are other traditions that we had that are still so vivid in my memory. Such as our Christmas Eve tradition. Each Christmas Eve Daddy and I would spend a portion of the day, usually most of the day shopping for Christmas. Now you may think that this is not really a tradition, just a way of life, however I must say it was a tradition. Daddy didn't have to go shopping that day, the craziest day of the Christmas season, no, he wanted to. And not only that, but he wanted to include me in his time. It was special. We would go to the mall and take our time, in the midst of the bustling crowds. We would watch people as they frantically searched for the gift they had forgotten to buy, and usually we would start laughing. Eventually, sometimes after several hours, we would make the purchase that Dad had set out to make. Almost always, and I say this not remembering a time when it were not true, but to insure credibility among my sisters, we would buy the big present for Mom that Dad had purposefully waited to buy. One year it was a new recliner, another year it was a dishwasher, and one year the greatest gift that almost didn't happen was diamond earrings (that is a whole other story for another time). Now, Dad had a very purposed reason for setting out on these insane days to shop. It all went back to my parents first Christmas together. Dad had to plead with shop owners to even let him come in and buy some gifts for Mom, because he had literally not had a moment to shop for her. Each year he would tell me about that first Christmas, and we would set out to make a salesperson day. Dad would tell his story to the eager sales staff, and then let them know that he was going to purchase the item that he had been looking at for weeks, sometimes even months. He always made sure that a deserving person received a good sales commission on Christmas Eve. It was so wild to watch as Dad would talk and buy and then get outright gitty as he planned the big reveal for the next morning.
You see, Daddy showed me during these wonderful Christmas Eve shopping trips that he loved my Mom! He loved her, and he was so excited to show her just how much he loved her. He would plan a clever way to give her the present, which often times included a surprise visit by a fellow church member on Christmas morning. And whether he knew what he was doing or not, I know that he was showing me just what it means for a man to love his wife. Daddy showed me this time and time again, not only at Christmas time, but all year long.
So, now we come to Fathers Day this weekend. A time for us to honor the man that God placed as our Dad. I hope that this post has reminded you of the traditions that you and your Father had as you were growing up. If you are like me, and your Father has been gone for a while, then take the time this weekend to thank the Lord for the blessing that your Father placed on you while he was still with you. If your Dad is still with you, then cherish the time you have with him. I pray that you are able to spend some time with him this weekend, even if it means a phone call, and tell your Daddy how much you appreciate all he has taught you, and shown you while you still have time.
As I bring this post to a close let me encourage you to never take your Dad or Mom for granted. As we are young, we believe that our parents are indestructible. Nothing will ever happen to them, because they are our parents. Well things do happen, and time is short, so cherish them. The Bible is very clear about how we should regard our parents, God thinks so much of parents that he even used the third commandment to tell us "Honor your Father and Mother".
Thank You Lord, for giving me parents that raised me to honor, fear and revere you. Thank you for a Daddy that taught me how to be a Godly man, a good husband, and a Daddy. Thank you for a Mommy that nurtured me, trained me, and showed me what a Godly woman looks like. May I be able to be the Daddy that you have called me to be and given me the great example of in my Dad.
Till next time,
clear skies, high surf and sandy feet!
Monday, September 21, 2009
A Happy Birthday to my Beach Beauty
Birthdays are a wonderful, and yet strange thing. If you haven't figured it out yet, I am a young kid in a grown ups body. I still get really excited about lots of the little things in life, birthdays are no exception. I look forward to my birthday each year with great expectation, knowing that this years B-day will be greater then the last. I love the attention, the pie (cause I really don't care for cake), the time with family and friends, and lets not forget the presents. There is so much wonder and excitement surrounding a birthday. Having three kids, I remember the day of each of their birth with great detail. Beach Beauty reminds me at times that my details are beginning to get confused from child to child. But I still remember that day with fondness, joy, and excitement.
Each parent can relate with me, that the day their child was born, was such a wonderful day. No matter what circumstances were in your life, for a brief moment, nothing else mattered. As you held your child for the first time, welcoming them to the world, it was if time stood still. You look at their ten fingers and ten toes, round face, precious eyes, little mouth, and button nose, and realize at that moment that God has blessed you with a miracle.
Yesterday was Beach Beauty's birthday! I only wish it could have been a better day for my bride. Before the day was even here, we knew that it would be busy, and plans for celebration were to be moved to a less busy day. Then as she awoke on the day of her birth, she woke with a fierce cough. Who wants to be sick on their birthday? I know I sure don't! As the day wore on, I could tell that her sickness was setting in for the long haul. She is such a trooper! She never once complained about her Birthday being ruined, only that she didn't feel good, and wished she could feel better, that she might go to church. Needless to say, she didn't get out, at all, and the only real celebrating she was able to participate in was Taco Bell in bed late at night, and a small gift. Many Happy Birthday wishes have been shared with her from family and friends,she enjoyed breakfast in bed by the kids, and even an early birthday bouquet of flowers arrived for her on Friday. I only wish that it would have been a better day for her.
With all this being said, let me say once again, she never complained. I am the one complaining at the moment. I hate it that her day was met with illness. So here is what I am proposing. For the lady that gives of herself each day for her family, I think she deserves another Birthday. A day that she can enjoy, anticipate, and have a ball. So even though September 20th has passed, I declare Saturday September 26th as Beach Beauties 2nd 30th Birthday! September 20th will happen again, in order that Beauty can have her day.
Beach Beauty, I want you to know that I Love You, and I am so happy that 30 years ago, God saw it fit to bless your parents with you as their miracle. Then 20 years later He blessed me with you as my best friend, and wife. I want you to anticipate your Birthday with the joy and excitement of a child. I will say once again, as I did many times yesterday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
To all the rest of the Beach Bums out there,
I hope I haven't bored you with the sappy stuff that has flowed all over these pages tonight. Have a wonderful week, and expect more posts to follow.
Until next time,
Clear Skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet!!!
Each parent can relate with me, that the day their child was born, was such a wonderful day. No matter what circumstances were in your life, for a brief moment, nothing else mattered. As you held your child for the first time, welcoming them to the world, it was if time stood still. You look at their ten fingers and ten toes, round face, precious eyes, little mouth, and button nose, and realize at that moment that God has blessed you with a miracle.
Yesterday was Beach Beauty's birthday! I only wish it could have been a better day for my bride. Before the day was even here, we knew that it would be busy, and plans for celebration were to be moved to a less busy day. Then as she awoke on the day of her birth, she woke with a fierce cough. Who wants to be sick on their birthday? I know I sure don't! As the day wore on, I could tell that her sickness was setting in for the long haul. She is such a trooper! She never once complained about her Birthday being ruined, only that she didn't feel good, and wished she could feel better, that she might go to church. Needless to say, she didn't get out, at all, and the only real celebrating she was able to participate in was Taco Bell in bed late at night, and a small gift. Many Happy Birthday wishes have been shared with her from family and friends,she enjoyed breakfast in bed by the kids, and even an early birthday bouquet of flowers arrived for her on Friday. I only wish that it would have been a better day for her.
With all this being said, let me say once again, she never complained. I am the one complaining at the moment. I hate it that her day was met with illness. So here is what I am proposing. For the lady that gives of herself each day for her family, I think she deserves another Birthday. A day that she can enjoy, anticipate, and have a ball. So even though September 20th has passed, I declare Saturday September 26th as Beach Beauties 2nd 30th Birthday! September 20th will happen again, in order that Beauty can have her day.
Beach Beauty, I want you to know that I Love You, and I am so happy that 30 years ago, God saw it fit to bless your parents with you as their miracle. Then 20 years later He blessed me with you as my best friend, and wife. I want you to anticipate your Birthday with the joy and excitement of a child. I will say once again, as I did many times yesterday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
To all the rest of the Beach Bums out there,
I hope I haven't bored you with the sappy stuff that has flowed all over these pages tonight. Have a wonderful week, and expect more posts to follow.
Until next time,
Clear Skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet!!!
Friday, September 18, 2009
I suppose a post is in order!
I suppose I should start this post with an apology to all of you that enjoy reading my ramblings, for the lack of rambling that has taken place over the past several months. I could offer many excuses such as, the summer has been crazy busy, the Beach Beauty's laptop has been and still is out of commission, or there have been way to many fish to catch and not enough time to write a post. However I feel it is best to just say, "I haven't written a post, and now I am, so I'm sorry if you have been sitting by your computer anxiously awaiting a post, and I have failed to give it to you."
OK, now that the formalities are over, I thought I would just spend a few moments updating everyone on the happenings of this summer, that has flown by far too quickly.
It seems that as a minister, the summer time is the busiest time of year. With Sports camps, mission trips, vacations, visitors, picnics, end of school events, school kick off events, planning, reflecting, it all just seems to take all the time out of the summer, and one day you wake up, and it's all over, and the school year has begun once again.
I must say, most of my summer has been a blur, so many things taking place. However, with that being said, there are some wonderful gems from this summer, that God has used to change my life forever.
I want to start with a reference to one of my last posts. If you have been keeping up to date with my blog, then you know that at the start of the summer I made a huge life change. I willing walked away from eating pork, due to a study I had done on the Levitical law. God convicted me about my eating habits, and more importantly on the over indulgence issues that I struggle with. Well, I am happy to say that with the exception of one week, I have been "pork free" since the day I made my last post. I have found that while I am not eating pork, and I really miss it from time to time, mainly when wanting to eat pizza, or smelling a rack of ribs on the Bar-B-Que, I have felt so much better.
Now you may be asking, "why was there one week that you ate pork?" That question leads to me to another wonderful, life changing event from this summer. In late August, I was given the opportunity to leave the land that I love, fly over a portion of the Atlantic Ocean, and minister in a medium sized city in Ceara, Brazil. I spent 9 days ministering with these people, sharing the Love of God with them. I will be preparing a post that will be fully dedicated to the work of God in Brazil, and the work He has begun in me through that experience.
This summer has proven to be life changing. God is speaking, God is working, God is ministering, and God is Amazing. I can't stop talking about how He has worked in my life. I look forward to moments when I can share with someone the way God has revealed Himself to me each day. There are so many wow moments that have taken place that I can't even begin to count them. And here is what is so interesting about each of them... are you ready... this is really going to blow your socks off... here it is, God speaks when you are least expecting it, He speaks in a still small voice, and yet when you are ready to hear He is loud and clear. Let's just say that God placed me in a position this summer where I was ready to hear from Him, and the speaking that He has done has changed my life. I am sure I will post in greater detail in the near future, as I am able to compose my thoughts into complete, logical sentences.
I hope that this post has not been too much of tease. As I have time, I will be telling you more about my trip to Brazil, and the wonderful things that God is showing me. My prayer is that through all of these posts, you will see beyond the "Beach Bum" that is writing these words, and see God glorified and lifted up as the author of this life.
Until next time I wish you,
Clear skies, high surf, and sandy feet!!
OK, now that the formalities are over, I thought I would just spend a few moments updating everyone on the happenings of this summer, that has flown by far too quickly.
It seems that as a minister, the summer time is the busiest time of year. With Sports camps, mission trips, vacations, visitors, picnics, end of school events, school kick off events, planning, reflecting, it all just seems to take all the time out of the summer, and one day you wake up, and it's all over, and the school year has begun once again.
I must say, most of my summer has been a blur, so many things taking place. However, with that being said, there are some wonderful gems from this summer, that God has used to change my life forever.
I want to start with a reference to one of my last posts. If you have been keeping up to date with my blog, then you know that at the start of the summer I made a huge life change. I willing walked away from eating pork, due to a study I had done on the Levitical law. God convicted me about my eating habits, and more importantly on the over indulgence issues that I struggle with. Well, I am happy to say that with the exception of one week, I have been "pork free" since the day I made my last post. I have found that while I am not eating pork, and I really miss it from time to time, mainly when wanting to eat pizza, or smelling a rack of ribs on the Bar-B-Que, I have felt so much better.
Now you may be asking, "why was there one week that you ate pork?" That question leads to me to another wonderful, life changing event from this summer. In late August, I was given the opportunity to leave the land that I love, fly over a portion of the Atlantic Ocean, and minister in a medium sized city in Ceara, Brazil. I spent 9 days ministering with these people, sharing the Love of God with them. I will be preparing a post that will be fully dedicated to the work of God in Brazil, and the work He has begun in me through that experience.
This summer has proven to be life changing. God is speaking, God is working, God is ministering, and God is Amazing. I can't stop talking about how He has worked in my life. I look forward to moments when I can share with someone the way God has revealed Himself to me each day. There are so many wow moments that have taken place that I can't even begin to count them. And here is what is so interesting about each of them... are you ready... this is really going to blow your socks off... here it is, God speaks when you are least expecting it, He speaks in a still small voice, and yet when you are ready to hear He is loud and clear. Let's just say that God placed me in a position this summer where I was ready to hear from Him, and the speaking that He has done has changed my life. I am sure I will post in greater detail in the near future, as I am able to compose my thoughts into complete, logical sentences.
I hope that this post has not been too much of tease. As I have time, I will be telling you more about my trip to Brazil, and the wonderful things that God is showing me. My prayer is that through all of these posts, you will see beyond the "Beach Bum" that is writing these words, and see God glorified and lifted up as the author of this life.
Until next time I wish you,
Clear skies, high surf, and sandy feet!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What do pigs have to do with the beach?
So you are going to have bear with me once again, as this post will have nothing to do with the beach. At least I don't think it will. Most assuredly I don't have any plans of speaking about sand, waves, sea breezes, sea foam, fish, crabs, dunes, sunsets or anything else beach related. No instead I plan to bore you all once again with more talk about the realizations I am having regarding the book of Leviticus. I hope you all will bear with these thoughts, and understand very quickly, that these are my thoughts, and mine alone. They may be off base at some point, however I don't think any of these thoughts will lead to a miss directed theological view, or legalism. Instead it is my hope that what you are about to read will give you one more insight into the Bible, that I believe was given to me by God.
We all know, or least most of us know, that the Jewish law forbid the Jews from eating pork. Now in today's society, pork is a common meat, eaten by most every people group, except the Jews. We also understand that Jews received this direction (to not eat pork) through the Law that was given to Moses, and passed down through the ages through the book of Leviticus. There are many other animals that were condemned as being unclean in Leviticus, to include fish with out scales, or any other form of sea life that was without scales, many types of birds (all of which were carnivorous), and animals that do not chew there cud. Probably more information then you wanted to know at the moment, however it is important to our discussion. Hold on to this information for just a moment, as I will come back to it shortly, and this should all begin to make since.
As I was studying several chapters in Leviticus today, I began to see a common statement. Moses would describe a ceremonial act of sacrifice, that of a ox, goat, lamb, or bird, and with each of these, he stated that the fat and the blood of the animal was to be offered only to God. The remaining portions of the animal, either the breast or the leg would be given to the priest for his own use. Now... This at first struck me as redundancy. Each animal sacrifice was to be given basically the same way, allowing the priest to have fresh meat from the sacrifice, but they were still about the same. Then the question hit me! Why would God have instructed Moses to give the remaining portions to the priest, and why could they not have the fat. (This is where you my personal opinion begins) Could it be that God was protecting His people? Could God have been showing through example, what was good for the human body to process, and what wasn't? I then began to take this thought a step further. God was allowing the priests to have the "ham" of certain animals. Now I want you to think about the meat you purchase from the store. What are the things you look for in a piece of red meat. Good color, fat marbling, little gristle, and a good price. Now most of the meat you would purchase is what would be considered "breast meat" of the animal, it comes from the muscle rich area of the animal. However a good roast, like a rump roast would come from the upper portion of the "ham" of the animal. This piece of meat should be with as little fat as possible when you purchase it. There may be a layer of fat on the outside, but the inside piece would have little to no fat. And this thought is what got me to thinking.
God condemned pork for the Jews. In today's culture we eat pork as often if not more often then other meats. And for the record, what makes pork such a tasty meat? The FAT!!! A good piece of bacon, pork ribs, and lets not forget a good ham, all have an abundance of fat in them. Of all the animals we eat on a regular basis, the legs "ham" of a pig has more fat content then any other animal. Could this be why God condemned pork. Was He trying to keep us healthy? Of course we could begin to speak of the same things with the other animals I mentioned earlier. A fish without scales speaks of fish like catfish, bottom feeders, that although they have a lot of muscle, are also full of fat. Carnivorous birds as well, are processing more fat in there systems then herbivores.
So why I am so hung up on this? I'm glad you asked! I have been struggling recently with a statement, that comes from many people that claim that Christians are hypocrites. Their statement is this..."how can you condemn my sin, when there are more fat, lazy, gluttonous Christians in the pew, and we know the Bible condemns gluttony as a sin?" Well, there you have it. How can I condemn one mans sin, when I am just as guilty of being a glutton. I will be the first to admit that I have a real problem with eating. If you know me very well, you know that I am not much a vegetable and fruit eater. I love meat, steak, pork chops, ribs, ham, chicken, turkey, roast, hamburgers, you name it, I like it. And to take it one step further, the greasier the better. I am 31 years old, and if I continue to eat the way I like to eat, I will have a very short life. On top of that I am guilty of gluttony toward food.
I have been reading a book recently that has challenged me to not only learn what I am reading, but to also put into action the lessons I have been learning. So with that being said, the Beach Bum is turning over a new leaf. I need each of you to help me with this, being that it is going to be very difficult for me. Here is the task... I am swearing off pork. This is the first step in a new direction, to make everything that I do a worship experience to God. We are to glorify him in all that we say... and do. Eating is something that we do. May my eating habits bring glory to the Lord.
I hope that I have not grossed anyone out, by the nature of this post. I am looking to each of you to hold me accountable in this. It will be very hard for me. Pork is everywhere, and I love it! However it is well worth this endeavor in order to have a body that is fit to be the "Temple of the Lord".
Until next time:
Clear skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet.
We all know, or least most of us know, that the Jewish law forbid the Jews from eating pork. Now in today's society, pork is a common meat, eaten by most every people group, except the Jews. We also understand that Jews received this direction (to not eat pork) through the Law that was given to Moses, and passed down through the ages through the book of Leviticus. There are many other animals that were condemned as being unclean in Leviticus, to include fish with out scales, or any other form of sea life that was without scales, many types of birds (all of which were carnivorous), and animals that do not chew there cud. Probably more information then you wanted to know at the moment, however it is important to our discussion. Hold on to this information for just a moment, as I will come back to it shortly, and this should all begin to make since.
As I was studying several chapters in Leviticus today, I began to see a common statement. Moses would describe a ceremonial act of sacrifice, that of a ox, goat, lamb, or bird, and with each of these, he stated that the fat and the blood of the animal was to be offered only to God. The remaining portions of the animal, either the breast or the leg would be given to the priest for his own use. Now... This at first struck me as redundancy. Each animal sacrifice was to be given basically the same way, allowing the priest to have fresh meat from the sacrifice, but they were still about the same. Then the question hit me! Why would God have instructed Moses to give the remaining portions to the priest, and why could they not have the fat. (This is where you my personal opinion begins) Could it be that God was protecting His people? Could God have been showing through example, what was good for the human body to process, and what wasn't? I then began to take this thought a step further. God was allowing the priests to have the "ham" of certain animals. Now I want you to think about the meat you purchase from the store. What are the things you look for in a piece of red meat. Good color, fat marbling, little gristle, and a good price. Now most of the meat you would purchase is what would be considered "breast meat" of the animal, it comes from the muscle rich area of the animal. However a good roast, like a rump roast would come from the upper portion of the "ham" of the animal. This piece of meat should be with as little fat as possible when you purchase it. There may be a layer of fat on the outside, but the inside piece would have little to no fat. And this thought is what got me to thinking.
God condemned pork for the Jews. In today's culture we eat pork as often if not more often then other meats. And for the record, what makes pork such a tasty meat? The FAT!!! A good piece of bacon, pork ribs, and lets not forget a good ham, all have an abundance of fat in them. Of all the animals we eat on a regular basis, the legs "ham" of a pig has more fat content then any other animal. Could this be why God condemned pork. Was He trying to keep us healthy? Of course we could begin to speak of the same things with the other animals I mentioned earlier. A fish without scales speaks of fish like catfish, bottom feeders, that although they have a lot of muscle, are also full of fat. Carnivorous birds as well, are processing more fat in there systems then herbivores.
So why I am so hung up on this? I'm glad you asked! I have been struggling recently with a statement, that comes from many people that claim that Christians are hypocrites. Their statement is this..."how can you condemn my sin, when there are more fat, lazy, gluttonous Christians in the pew, and we know the Bible condemns gluttony as a sin?" Well, there you have it. How can I condemn one mans sin, when I am just as guilty of being a glutton. I will be the first to admit that I have a real problem with eating. If you know me very well, you know that I am not much a vegetable and fruit eater. I love meat, steak, pork chops, ribs, ham, chicken, turkey, roast, hamburgers, you name it, I like it. And to take it one step further, the greasier the better. I am 31 years old, and if I continue to eat the way I like to eat, I will have a very short life. On top of that I am guilty of gluttony toward food.
I have been reading a book recently that has challenged me to not only learn what I am reading, but to also put into action the lessons I have been learning. So with that being said, the Beach Bum is turning over a new leaf. I need each of you to help me with this, being that it is going to be very difficult for me. Here is the task... I am swearing off pork. This is the first step in a new direction, to make everything that I do a worship experience to God. We are to glorify him in all that we say... and do. Eating is something that we do. May my eating habits bring glory to the Lord.
I hope that I have not grossed anyone out, by the nature of this post. I am looking to each of you to hold me accountable in this. It will be very hard for me. Pork is everywhere, and I love it! However it is well worth this endeavor in order to have a body that is fit to be the "Temple of the Lord".
Until next time:
Clear skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
A Response to the past week!
OK! I know it has been a while since my last post. I have been having trouble coming up with a topic to write about. Isn't it still to early to have writers block? Well anyway... I have been thinking a lot lately about the topic for this post, and I hope that you can follow the rambling that are sure to follow.
So before I can start talking about the "mystery topic", first I have to tell you about the events that have led to this topic. For the past week I have been struggling with, or should I say, pondering God's divine nature. I have been in several different discussions over the last few days where someone has questioned the nature of God. Whether they are questioning his intentions in regard to Law that was given to the Hebrews, or questioning their freedom through "Christian Liberty". Either way both of these scenarios seem to question the Divine nature of God. Then as if I had not been bombarded enough with these thoughts, I was brought to question my own desires in relation to God. You see it is really easy to see the faults of others, and see how they are quick to stretch their liberty with the excuse of grace, or to question the ethical ramifications of actions based on a changing world climate, but how easy is it to place my own life judgement before the one and only Divine God.
So here it comes...
Tonight as I was doing some reading I decided to begin studying the book of Leviticus. Now many of you would ask "why Leviticus, were you trying to make yourself sleepy?" And yes I am aware of the nature of this book. It is full of minute details regarding sacrifice and levitical law, and at times can be read with the same enthusiasm as the genealogy's that we all love reading. However I was on a mission. After one of these discussions I mentioned earlier I was brought to question God's intention with a specific "rule" that many seem to think is outdated, and unjust. I figured I would search the levitical law and find out for myself the context of this rule and try to offer my friend a biblical grounded response to his question. In turn I was given some food for thought for myself, and still have not found an answer to my friends ethical questions.
So the mystery topic is this:
Just how perfect is perfection in the eyes of God?
Scripture tells us that the world was created in perfection, by the will of God who is perfect. Now as we all know, Genesis tells us that sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, as they went against the plan of God and became aware of Good and Evil. Now with that being said, it was no longer possible for man to have a walking, talking, communing, relationship with God, because sin placed a barrier between God and man. Now, this is where it gets interesting, at least in my mind. The only way that God could have the relationship with man that He desired, was for man to sacrifice unto God. In a way, the man was paying penance for his sin. This allowed him to be temporarily abolished of his sin, until the next sin. What I find interesting is this... Levitical was very clear on the procedures of offering sacrifice. The bull, goat, sheep or bird was to be perfect, without blemish, and then prepared very specifically and intentionally for sacrifice, then placed on the alter for burning in a very specific way, so specific in fact that portions of the animal were to be burned directly while others were to only be near the fire, and smoked. God did not sacrifice a single detail as He gave Moses the law. He expected things to be carried out in His manner, or they would not be carried out at all.
So, what does all this have to do with me. Well, as I continue to study, and reflect on these previous conversations, I am drawing a common theme. Man is sinful, when placed to his own devices he will almost always sin before choosing the will of God. Then it becomes a matter of the heart. Where is my heart in this matter, or that matter, or better yet what is the central focus of my heart. Do I seek the things of the Lord, or do I seek the desires of my flesh. You see as we continue on in life, it is very simple to live a life that is self serving, especially in today's humanistic society. However that is not what God designed us for. He designed us to have a walking, talking, communing relationship with Him, on this earth, in the present. I fail at allowing this each day, each moment of each day. He has given us the guidelines, but I know I fail to keep them. Often times I find myself thinking that the sacrifice does not have to be specific, because God knows whats on my heart, however He has shown me through the Levitical law, that specifics are just as important as the heart. A heart knowledge is good, but following that heart knowledge with action is what leads to perfection. You see, the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross would not have been worth anything if Jesus had not followed Gods will by going to the cross. His heart would have known God's will. He could have desired that all men be saved from the sins of their lives that lead to death. However, without following God's will in the specific action of dying on the cross, there would never have been the sacrifice.
So here is my question to myself, and I hope that you will reflect on it as well, then act on it. In what ways has God given you specific instruction that you have all heart felt desire of following, and yet there are no "feet" to your thoughts? Secondly, Is it good enough to want to be without sin? is that perfection? or is perfection produced through action?
I am sure that many, if not all of you will be lost through these ramblings, however, this post is just as much for me as it is for everyone else that may read it. It is my prayer that each one of us will choose to seek perfection in God, rather then a hum-drum life of adequacy. May my Christian walk be one that is productive, and not relying on Christian Liberty but instead seeking the face of God on a daily, moment by moment basis, that my heart may change, and in turn my actions be those of God.
Until Next Time:
Clear Skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet!!!
So before I can start talking about the "mystery topic", first I have to tell you about the events that have led to this topic. For the past week I have been struggling with, or should I say, pondering God's divine nature. I have been in several different discussions over the last few days where someone has questioned the nature of God. Whether they are questioning his intentions in regard to Law that was given to the Hebrews, or questioning their freedom through "Christian Liberty". Either way both of these scenarios seem to question the Divine nature of God. Then as if I had not been bombarded enough with these thoughts, I was brought to question my own desires in relation to God. You see it is really easy to see the faults of others, and see how they are quick to stretch their liberty with the excuse of grace, or to question the ethical ramifications of actions based on a changing world climate, but how easy is it to place my own life judgement before the one and only Divine God.
So here it comes...
Tonight as I was doing some reading I decided to begin studying the book of Leviticus. Now many of you would ask "why Leviticus, were you trying to make yourself sleepy?" And yes I am aware of the nature of this book. It is full of minute details regarding sacrifice and levitical law, and at times can be read with the same enthusiasm as the genealogy's that we all love reading. However I was on a mission. After one of these discussions I mentioned earlier I was brought to question God's intention with a specific "rule" that many seem to think is outdated, and unjust. I figured I would search the levitical law and find out for myself the context of this rule and try to offer my friend a biblical grounded response to his question. In turn I was given some food for thought for myself, and still have not found an answer to my friends ethical questions.
So the mystery topic is this:
Just how perfect is perfection in the eyes of God?
Scripture tells us that the world was created in perfection, by the will of God who is perfect. Now as we all know, Genesis tells us that sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, as they went against the plan of God and became aware of Good and Evil. Now with that being said, it was no longer possible for man to have a walking, talking, communing, relationship with God, because sin placed a barrier between God and man. Now, this is where it gets interesting, at least in my mind. The only way that God could have the relationship with man that He desired, was for man to sacrifice unto God. In a way, the man was paying penance for his sin. This allowed him to be temporarily abolished of his sin, until the next sin. What I find interesting is this... Levitical was very clear on the procedures of offering sacrifice. The bull, goat, sheep or bird was to be perfect, without blemish, and then prepared very specifically and intentionally for sacrifice, then placed on the alter for burning in a very specific way, so specific in fact that portions of the animal were to be burned directly while others were to only be near the fire, and smoked. God did not sacrifice a single detail as He gave Moses the law. He expected things to be carried out in His manner, or they would not be carried out at all.
So, what does all this have to do with me. Well, as I continue to study, and reflect on these previous conversations, I am drawing a common theme. Man is sinful, when placed to his own devices he will almost always sin before choosing the will of God. Then it becomes a matter of the heart. Where is my heart in this matter, or that matter, or better yet what is the central focus of my heart. Do I seek the things of the Lord, or do I seek the desires of my flesh. You see as we continue on in life, it is very simple to live a life that is self serving, especially in today's humanistic society. However that is not what God designed us for. He designed us to have a walking, talking, communing relationship with Him, on this earth, in the present. I fail at allowing this each day, each moment of each day. He has given us the guidelines, but I know I fail to keep them. Often times I find myself thinking that the sacrifice does not have to be specific, because God knows whats on my heart, however He has shown me through the Levitical law, that specifics are just as important as the heart. A heart knowledge is good, but following that heart knowledge with action is what leads to perfection. You see, the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross would not have been worth anything if Jesus had not followed Gods will by going to the cross. His heart would have known God's will. He could have desired that all men be saved from the sins of their lives that lead to death. However, without following God's will in the specific action of dying on the cross, there would never have been the sacrifice.
So here is my question to myself, and I hope that you will reflect on it as well, then act on it. In what ways has God given you specific instruction that you have all heart felt desire of following, and yet there are no "feet" to your thoughts? Secondly, Is it good enough to want to be without sin? is that perfection? or is perfection produced through action?
I am sure that many, if not all of you will be lost through these ramblings, however, this post is just as much for me as it is for everyone else that may read it. It is my prayer that each one of us will choose to seek perfection in God, rather then a hum-drum life of adequacy. May my Christian walk be one that is productive, and not relying on Christian Liberty but instead seeking the face of God on a daily, moment by moment basis, that my heart may change, and in turn my actions be those of God.
Until Next Time:
Clear Skies, High Surf, and Sandy Feet!!!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Just how fast does a storm move?
Have you ever wanted to do something so bad, that you would risk really looking foolish in order to get a chance at it. Well I had one of those experiences today. Fishing has become a do or die for me. I love getting out on the water, casting a line, and waiting for the bite. Well today was the day to go fishing. I'm off on Mondays and my fishing buddy who is retired, will fish at the word go, so we decided to chance the weather (storms were in the forecast) and go out just as long as we could.
Shortly after getting out on the water, we began to hear thunder in the distance, and were watching a storm move from west to east, just north of us. The storm was beautiful, with all sorts of color. Well of course we kept our eyes on the storm, just hoping it would hold out long enough for us to catch a few fish. However, no sooner did we get anchored out in the middle of the bay, and got our hooks in the water, did we witness something that I have never witnessed before. The air temperature dropped 10 degrees in a matter of a few seconds, and we looked north to where the storm had been, and all of a sudden you could no longer see the storm in the distance, because it was on top of us. Mind you the time that had elapsed was literally just a few minutes. Needless to say we pulled anchor, cranked the motor, and took off across the bay to our dock, in hopes that we would arrive safely before the storm took swallowed us up as bait.
Thankfully, about five minutes later we were tied up at the dock and safe from the storm in the shelter of Fishing Buddy's house. Now as any good optimist would do, we planned to wait out the storm, figuring it would only be around for a short time, being that it moved in so quickly, however, three hours later I am writing this post, having given up on the fishing extravaganza.
To be very honest with you, I am quite bummed at the weather. However, I am really thankful that God saw to it to protect us on the water today, and allowed us to make it home, before the storm settled in.
Until Next Time:
Clear Skies, High Surf and Sandy Feet
Shortly after getting out on the water, we began to hear thunder in the distance, and were watching a storm move from west to east, just north of us. The storm was beautiful, with all sorts of color. Well of course we kept our eyes on the storm, just hoping it would hold out long enough for us to catch a few fish. However, no sooner did we get anchored out in the middle of the bay, and got our hooks in the water, did we witness something that I have never witnessed before. The air temperature dropped 10 degrees in a matter of a few seconds, and we looked north to where the storm had been, and all of a sudden you could no longer see the storm in the distance, because it was on top of us. Mind you the time that had elapsed was literally just a few minutes. Needless to say we pulled anchor, cranked the motor, and took off across the bay to our dock, in hopes that we would arrive safely before the storm took swallowed us up as bait.
Thankfully, about five minutes later we were tied up at the dock and safe from the storm in the shelter of Fishing Buddy's house. Now as any good optimist would do, we planned to wait out the storm, figuring it would only be around for a short time, being that it moved in so quickly, however, three hours later I am writing this post, having given up on the fishing extravaganza.
To be very honest with you, I am quite bummed at the weather. However, I am really thankful that God saw to it to protect us on the water today, and allowed us to make it home, before the storm settled in.
Until Next Time:
Clear Skies, High Surf and Sandy Feet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
