My friend Ron watched The Journey Sunday

Then he had some thoughts, so he blogged

I just want to repost what he said as it adds to what I said Sunday:

 In MY Spot

A friend of mine was teaching on time during a New Years church service.

He asked 4 questions.

One really struck me. Will it matter in 1year, 5years, 10 years? This really made me think about how I react to any situation.

 A small, but maybe a representative story that happened just minutes before I listened to the teaching.

I came home from doing our weekly nursing home church service and found, for what have become innumerable times, a car parked in my spot. I live in a duplex and we both have our own driveways, with room for 2 cars each. I have only a single vehicle so I graciously let my neighbor use my extra spot anytime. Recently this has escalated to both my spots being used.

Now lets set the big picture here. I have just spent almost 5 hours at church leading the first impressions team. In fact I spoke to my team before both services about how we need to love even those that rub us the wrong way. After that I spent almost 2 more hours providing a church service for people at a nursing home. When I pulled up and both MY spots were full I was angry. Yes there was plenty of space on the street, and even in the other driveway to park. But both of MY SPOTS were taken. I parked in the other driveway, slammed my door and stormed into the house. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. (Before I heard the message that God had prepared to slap me up side the head with for good measure.) I was mad at nothing. I still parked my car safely. I didn’t have to walk any farther. In fact the only difference was I was on the east side of the house not the west side. It did not matter in the moment, in an hour, or in 5 years that I parked in a different place.

I was mad because I didn’t get what I thought I had coming to me. My life was not as expected. Someone had placed a car in my way, in MY SPOT.

Our reactions to situations almost always exceed the long-term consequences of the problem.

Someone cut you off in traffic. Will it matter 10 seconds later. No! So why react.

Your kids don’t do the dishes, and it is the end of the world. I can guarantee, that the dishes will come clean later. Look in my sink any time! It may be a teaching time for the kids on responsibility, but the reaction should fit the event.

People walk out of friendships, relationships, marriages, because they react to “someone parking a car in their way”. Their life in the moment is not what they expected.  Yet, it will not matter 1 year, 5 years, 10 years from now!

It seems that if we react with grace and forgiveness, people will remember that 1 year, 5 years, maybe forever.

Change someones life today and under react. Then throw on grace and forgiveness. God did for you. Thanks Devin for your words!

Hey guys,

Whats your ideal Christmas present? The question was asked of a group of adults so toys were not really part of the list.  Answers were all over the board though:  Time, Diamonds, Sex, were the top of the list and of course A Red Ryder BB gun with plenty of other responses. 

How would you answer the question?  As I scanned the list, there was one obvious answer missing...Life!  Maybe thats because that gift has already been presented to mankind on the first Christmas. Maybe the answer is missing because theres too much consumer clutter hiding our eyes to the obvious.  Maybe those answering truly dont know the truth of one of Gods names: Immanuel- meaning God with us.  I know its kinda a Sunday School response but I am hoping that during this very traditional season we remember the reason. 

I asked a group of kids individually at the daycare what Christmas was, 3 said presents, 1 said fun and one said Jesus birthday.  I love it.  Then we could go to another extreme, I remember a lady telling me that Santa was Satan if we just moved the N to the middle.  Hmmm.  OK so once again we need some balance, but I think most of us could add a little more Christ to Christmas.

Relationships are hard.  You meet someone, you fall in love, you get married, and then you have babies.  Maybe not the whole list and not always in that order, but we all have relationships. If you follow the “typical” pattern,  you now have a relationship with your spouse and your kids that are like no relationship you have ever had before.  And relationships take work.
I just returned from a vacation that was good, (I’m sure I will talk more about the shark I swam next to another time).  But we are starting this series at The Journey called “He said, She said” and I am pretty excited about it. The assumption obviously is that it will be for couples.  But you know what happens when you assume… Anyway, this vacation was with my oldest boy; we went scuba diving.  I discovered that the two of us have very different personalities and very different tastes.  With all that said, it was just him and I so we needed to learn to have a vacation together.  Relationships are hard, spouse, kids, and parents; there are some things in this new series that will pertain to all of us.  Come all month as we do the series “He Said, She Said” and lets learn together how God wants to guide us in our relationships.

Love you guys
                Devin  

Hey guys,

We were unloading groceries and Seth, my youngest, was helping.  I get a kick out of it because he always has to be the tough guy.  He grabs a gallon of milk and heads up the steps. He goes up 3 steps in its too much.  “Can you help me dad”?  I couldn’t say “you started this project, now finish it” So I simply took the milk out of his hands, because I knew it was too heavy for him to handle. As his earthly father I understood what his limits were and helped him carry the load.

Thankfully, our heavenly Father understands our load limit and comes alongside to help. It’s hard to stick it out during difficult times when the troubles in our lives seem far too heavy and there is no end in sight.

1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Press on you guys. Push the rock and stay tough. Give your gallon to God.

God will not let so much “weight” on you to crush you.

Love you all

          -Devin

Hey you guys!

                I was just thinking, I know that’s pretty scary.  My role here is pretty weird, but one of the things I do is like a bus driver.  I am supposed to pick up 3 kids from school that go to The Journey daycare.  I am supposed to be there at 3:00 every day.  Because I get involved with stuff, I don’t always remember so I set my phone to ring at 2:45 every school day.  Well my phone did not go off; it can't seem to remember either.  Twice in the last month I have forgotten and had to be reminded. I was very late, like 25 minutes late, that’s just not cool.  So in anger (lol, much more calm than me 20 years ago) I went in to the Verizon store to complain.  After making some calls and trying a few things, she said I would need to re-set my phone.  She warned me and then proceeded to re-set.  When she was done all of the phone numbers were gone, pictures, alarms, calendar appointments all of it was gone.  She was able to store my phone numbers and put them back on, but it was wiped clean.

                My life needs a regular re-set.  I get it all gunked up with stuff and a lot of meaningless stuff and I need to re-set it. Then of course I have my poor choices that add to the mes. I will call it what it is “sin”.  After a week or 2 I NEED to be re-set.   I am glad God offers that in his plan.  Its called forgiveness and honestly its easier then what Verizon did to my phone.  “God I am sorry that I disobeyed your perfect ways, please forgive my sin and give me the strength to not do that anymore.”  A good re-set makes me feel like I lost 40 pounds and just stepped out of the shower. 

1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Hope to see you Sunday at 9:54

We are doin one called “I Love My Church”

Love you all

-Devin

A poor hungry young man sat moping on a bridge, watching a group of fisherman.  Looking into a basket and seeing a bunch of fish nearby, the young man said “boy, if I had a mess of fish like that, I’d be in good shape.  I’d sell them and buy some clothes and something to eat.”

“I will give you that many fish if you do a small favor me” a fisherman replied.

“sure.”

“Tend this line for me awhile. I’ve got some errands to do up the street,” said the older man.

The young man gladly accepted the offer.  As he tended the man’s pole, the fish were really biting, and he reeled in one fish after another.  It wasn’t long before he was smiling, enjoying the activity.

When the older man returned, he said, “I want to give you the fish I promised. Here, take all the fish you caught, but I also want to give you a piece of advice.  The next time you’re in need, don’t waste time daydreaming and wishing for what could be.  Get busy, cast a line yourself, and make something happen.

                                -John Maxwell

Just passing on a good ol’ chunk of advice.  It kinda goes with this whole reaper thing we are doing on Sunday.

Hope to see you at “The Lodge” at 9:54 this Sunday!

Hey you guys

I was thinking about writing a blog and somewhere bouncing around in my noggin was thoughts of the word humility.  I was thinking about what that really means humility.  I know that God want us to be humble but humility is a confused word.  I was talking to a guy a while back who wanted to help out at The Journey and he kept saying things like “well I don’t have any fancy degree”.  I was really wondering if he was trying to be humble or if he was embarrassed about his past. 

Some thoughts about humility, are these examples of humility?

Example 1: A teenage girl walks to school with her head down and a chip on her shoulder. She often utters to herself – “I’m fat, stupid, and ugly.”

Example 2: A man talks to his friends about his terrible job – he doesn’t brag about his job because he hates his job, but he dominates the conversation with talks of how terrible his job is.

Example 3: A woman talks with her friends. She interjects briefly, but for the most part she listens to what her friends have to say. 

Number 3 of course. The other two are not really displaying humility. Example number 1 is an example of ‘low self esteem.’  Low self esteem is not the same as the quality of humility!  Example number 2 is really displaying pride! It’s difficult to see because he’s not saying something positive about himself, but by dominating the conversation with facts about himself he says, “My life is very interesting! Everybody look at me!” This is not humility – it’s pride. The third example displays a mature lady who does not draw attention to herself. She is not consumed with thoughts about herself but shows interest in other people. 

CS Lewis put it like this: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”. 

Journey Folk, Let us be a people who do not obsess with our own issues and self-image – but on The big guy in the sky instead. 

Philippians 2:3-5 "(3) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (4) do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (5) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,"

Hope to see you all Sunday at 9:54

Cept you Texans, that a long drive-but we miss you.

Hey guys   So I have the honor of performing a wedding this weekend.  I did another for a friend back in June.  Weddings, they are a funny thing, a human tradition to join a man and woman and yet I believe that it’s a tradition that God likes and even honors.  In order for me to do a ceremony I want the couple to come in for at least 5 sessions of pre-marriage “counsel”  (as at least 6 of you know…).  During these sessions the primary focus is to enhance communication.  This is so key in any relationship (not just the romantic ones) learning to say what you intend to say, learning to hear what he/she intended to say and filtering everything –coming in and going out.  It will improve your relationships, I promise.      James 1:19 (NLT)  My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. So the last couple are really close friends, pretty cool cuz we could dig in.  Had some passionate discussions right in my office.  This couple I didn’t know all that well and honestly, I hope they talk about the issues outside my office because in my office was pretty quite.  I don’t care if its your brother, your girlfriend or your mom, communication its good stuff.   Hey this Sunday we are doing 9-11 ten years later.  We will be making some observations, pretty casual, hope to see you at 9:54!!   Love you all             Devin 

Hey guys and gals,   A lawyer was overheard praying in church:  We respectively request, and entreat, that due and adequete provisions be made this day and the date hereinafter subscribed, for the organizing of such methods and allocations and distribution as may be deemed necessary to properly assure the reception by and for said petitioner of such quantities of baked goods as shall, in the judgement of the aforementioned parishioners, constitute a sufficient supply thereof. -Interpretation:  "..give us this day our daily bread"                             -George Goldtrap   

Sillyness, but it made me wonder how silly our prayer life must sometimes seem to God. God wants a relationship with us. Yes, we show respect. Yes, we need to know He is King of Kings but God wants us to share our hearts not a bunch of flowery words. Remember to spend a moment in conversation with Him today Hope to see you Sunday. Love you all -Devin 

Hey Ya’ll, I was doin’ me some readin’ and I come across an intro to a famous religious fellow.  His name were John Wesley.            I think that’s the way I would talk if no one picked on me, The Redneck Preacher. Or the uneducated pastor…any way... “John was one of nineteen children born to Sam and Susan Wesley.  His father was an Anglican clergyman and his mother was devoted to both God and her children.  John attended Christ church college at oxford, was ordained an Anglican minister, and was made a fellow of Lincoln College. (whatever that means)  While he was at Oxford, he and a group of friends banded together to encourage one another to live a holy life.  Their methodical approach to holiness led others at the college to refer to them as ‘Methodists’”
           Wow its like a rest of the story.  I like Methodist folks much better now.  We can learn from this, we should as Hebrews says “Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. A spur is that round spiky-type thing on the heal of a redneck cowboy boot.  We are to encourage each …like a cowboy “encourages” his horse to giddy yup.
 Love you all
Hope to see you Sunday.
 Devin