Head vs Heart

About a week ago I ran across this question in my quiet time. Its from a great little book my mentor gave me a while back Mystics,Mavericks and Miracle Workers: a 30-day journey with some saints. Here it is:
"In your relationship with God what has carried the most influence: feelings or intellect?"

**necessary paragraph** Obviously both are necessary. God created us as rational beings but also as emotional ones. One without the other is dangerous. We all know people who live too much in one camp or the other.

I've been wrestling through this question because I don't know how I answer this. When I think of significant moments in life, moments when the Spirit really kicks my tail, I'm finding my answer to be yes. Yes, because they influence on another. It's why it stirs so deeply inside me when it happens. And I've not yet figured out how to manipulate that or mass produce those moments. In fact the truth is the only thing I've brought to those breakthrough moments is my attention.

Combine that with the reminder these past couple weeks of just how faithful God is has my head spinning. I've grown up always looking to grow, always looking to change, always looking to become better. And I think I'm called to that to some extent. But I'm also seen as perfect by the one who knows me best. That doesn't make sense on an intellectual or emotional level. I am fully known by Him and that's not something to be ashamed of. In fact its something to embrace.

So here's to remembering again that He doesn't change. He never fails. He is always active. He is always there. And in a world where we value change, innovation, transformation and development, the greatest thing in the whole universe is the same today as He was 4000 years ago and that's a good thing. A good thing. Steady isn't always bad. And steady doesn't mean stagnant, stale or lame. It means if He is already awesome, already more than i can comprehend, already perfect than why change? It means no matter if I connect on a head level or a heart level, its tapping into what will only make sense on the other side of eternity.

Distribution vs Redistribution

Sometimes I write because I am confused. My hope is that by putting some words down things will start to connect. The danger of that is when I do it in a public space, you can see how dumb I am. This might be the case here. But more on that later.

I had the chance to hang out with some incredible people last week in Indianapolis. They are the CCDA and you can learn more about them at www.ccda.org If you haven’t heard of them or their founder John Perkins, you should remedy that problem as soon as you can. They are great thinkers but more than that, they are great practitioners on their thoughts. They aren’t perfect, but they are putting their words into action on a daily basis and that’s never a bad place to live.

In the midst of hanging out with them, one of their core values kept coming up, redistribution.  And that got me to thinking.

At its most basic level I got to wondering, what is the difference between distribution and redistribution?

Ok, besides the fact that one word as re on the front of it.

But that’s not a bad place to start. This prefix as they called it in my English classes is an important little thing. We in the church are very comfortable with the gifts that are ours because of re. Redeemed, restored, reconciled, removed and renewed are all Biblical concepts we’d be hopeless without. But how does that play out with distribution?

So we move to a Webster look at re to learn that it brings with it: 1.  indicating return to a previous condition, restoration, withdrawal, etc: rebuild; renew; retrace; reunite 2.  indicating repetition of an action: recopy; remarry

 

Here’s where I’m at today with all this. When I dig in scripture I don’t find the word redistribution. Not even in the Message. I do find a couple appearances by distribution. (Thanks MSG) Now the fact that I’m about to quote passages not from the NIV might make some of you uncomfortable but follow me for a second.

One is in John 3. "The One that God sent speaks God's words. And don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! “ (The Message)

Another is Acts 6. “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.” (New Living Translation)

If I am being honest, I’m confused. Here’s what I’m taking away from this as of right now though: That when it comes to redistribution, it’s not about what I accumulate, but rather how I use what I’ve been given to empower and bless not just myself. When I think like that, it starts to sound like sound stewardship. It starts to sound like the way Jesus gifts us as believers. And that starts to smack against the way I sometimes distribute things based on what I want to give up or based on what I think you deserve. Otherwise I start to sound like a selfish only child. And when I see myself as a distributor, I put myself in a position of power that isn’t mine. And it starts to sound like a bad transactional relationship. I have a shirt; you need a shirt so take it and go away. No relationship, no ongoing partnership, no looking at the other as someone with value and someone who can speak into my weaknesses with their strength. 

So maybe I am trying to create a difference here that shouldn’t exist. But they are two different words thanks to re right?

Here’s what our friends at the CCDA say about redistribution and I like their words much more than mine right now.

“When men and women in the body of Christ are visibly present and living among the poor (relocation), and when people are intentionally loving their neighbor and their neighbor's family the way a person loves him or herself and family (reconciliation), the result is redistribution, or a just distribution of resources.

When God's people with resources (regardless of their race or culture) commit to living in underserved communities seeking to be good neighbors, being examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ, working for justice for the entire community, and utilizing their skills and resources to address the problems of that community alongside their neighbors, then redistribution is being practiced.

Redistribution brings the principles of Justice back to the underserved communities. Justice has left communities of color and lower economic status, leaving an unjust criminal court and prison system, unjust hiring practices, unjust housing development and injustice in the educational institutions. Justice has been available only to people with the economic means to acquire just treatment.

Redistribution brings new skills, new relationships, and new resources and puts them to work to empower the residents of a given community of need to bring about healthy transformation. This is redistribution.”

http://www.ccda.org/learn/philosophy/86-redistribution

So………

Are all mission trips created equal?

It's the weekend between our 2 weeks of CIY Engage the City here in Joplin. I cannot begin to tell you all the amazing things I heard, all the powerful ways God moved and all the unexpected moments that have happened and continue to unfold each day. At some point I hope to share a few of these stories as I know these 2 weeks here this summer are something that will shape who I am for the rest of my life.

My time here has certainly shaped more of my feelings and understandings about service and about the trips we take in youth ministry. There is one glimpse I'd like to share here that might help shed some light for all of us as we think about the trips we take our students on.

I had the opportunity to meet a group here in Joplin last week that was from out of state. I don't know all the details of how they ended up in Joplin but they came with a van load, a desire to serve but little preparation. They happened to be serving at one of the locations where part of our Engage teams were serving as well. As I talked with them I learned that they had found housing at the last minute and had found this one option for serving while here in Joplin. Other than that, there was nothing "built" around their service to help the trip equip them for ways to continue to engage their own community when they got home.

I compare their experience with what we saw last week. I do not say this to toot the CIY horn by any means but hopefully to help us see that we have to be intentional with our trips. Our groups were able to engage God's word in the morning, to serve in a variety of ways during the day but most importantly to hear from the churches here in Joplin each night. Whether it was a person impacted by the tornado, a survivor, a first responder, a variety of kingdom workers or a pastor sharing how their church was helping we learned a ton about what God is doing and what he has taught each of them.

Our groups were also able to take part in a prayer journey through the city, spent a great deal of time journaling and reflecting and even a beautiful prayer wall experience. At the end of the week our groups and theirs both did work. But it was all the other details that made the trip truly memorable and equipped them with Biblical truth and principles that equip them to do kingdom work when they get home. Not only did we engage our hands but also our heads and hearts.

At the end of the day, we take our students on service and mission trips in the hopes that it teaches them things that make a difference every day of their lives. These things do not happen by accident and students (and adults for that matter) need tools to think, to listen and to process. Debrief isn't just everybody telling a funny story at the end of the night. It's the hardest and i think most vital part of the experience as we together sharpen one another and develop tangible steps on how the things we do during the day make an impact on what we will do tomorrow.

So do me a favor, think back on your latest mission trip. Can you clearly articulate things that changed for the better in the lives of your students because of their trip. This isn't just the fun things they saw and ate. This is the people they learned from, the things God showed them and the changes that happened internally and externally because they gave their time and their full energy to become stronger disciples of Jesus.

Anybody can take a trip but not every trip is really worth the investment of dollars and peoples lives. It's why I love our teams at CIY. Trust me, we have plenty of things to learn but I'm grateful for the men and women who are dedicating their lives to worrying about the details and being intentional about all the things that create environments for God's call on a students life can be clearly heard.  There are things youth pastors can do that we at CIY cannot. But the reverse is also true and I hope that you will consider serving with us in the future so that together we can continue to train kingdom workers who are going to do things for God that will truly change our world.

Joplin

It's been over a month since the tornado.

By now you've seen the pictures and you've heard the stats. And if you have been here you have said the same thing as everyone else, "Pictures don't tell the whole story." Each time I hear that I realize that's the same feeling those of us who live here have.

Instead of being on the road with Know Sweat this summer, I've had the chance to prepare a couple of weeks that CIY will host here called Engage the City:JLN I don't know if I can adequately explain my feelings and emotions throughout this process. Remember, this is coming from a person who's home was not damaged, who had no family harmed and didn't have their place of employment impacted either.

But as we sit just a few days from welcoming groups from as far away as Washington and New York, here are a few things I've heard or noticed.

1. Most people I interact with don't have 417 area codes on their phones.
As we put together a plan of where groups will serve, where they will eat, who they will learn from while they are here and who the go to people are, many of them have phone numbers that aren't local. It is incredible the people who have come or in some cases come back to serve. Whether its a church loaning key staff people to come and share expertise or retired teachers returning to the town they love, there are dozens of people in key roles who are real kingdom workers. They have spent days and weeks away from "life as normal" to offer vital support and infrastructure to a rebuilding effort that is going to take years.

2. Everybody wants to work, many don't want to serve
I spoke with a church yesterday so has a unique set of needs. In their words, everybody wants to do debris and construction work inside the footprint of the tornado and when they are asked to do other things they at best complain and at worst say no. Now, this isn't true for everyone but follow me for a second. For most of us we think of disaster relief as something that applies to all work done following a natural disaster. However relief last days not weeks and month. Rebuilding has more sides to it that I've yet to wrap my head around.
This church yesterday said what they need is people to serve in less glorious and behind the scenes ways. Maybe it is sorting clothes in a warehouse, maybe it is keeping that warehouse clean. Maybe it is cleaning porta potties. As they said, "For someone who is living in a tent, trying to rebuild their lives and sometimes have to go pee in the woods, a clean porta potty is a luxury. That was a perspective I hadn't thought of.

3. Multi-purpose buildings really do have multi purposes
There are countless churches in our area who are functioning as distribution centers and volunteer coordination hubs while continuing to be church buildings. This goes way beyond the tents of bottled water and clothes they are still sorting and distributing. Whether it is meeting places, shower houses, temporary lodging or sites where the temporary AT&T office can be located, they are community centers in ways never before imagined.

4.  There are 2 ways to tell every story
It is true, in a fair estimate, 25% of our city was destroyed in less than an hour. It's hard to fathom just what that means. But it is also true that 75% of our town was not physically damaged by the tornado. There is untold strength and resources available and those continue to rise to the forefront as more organizations and groups pack their bags and head home or to the next site. Joplin has enormous needs but also incredible assets.

5. Our prayers have changed
Everybody tells me this. People are learning to ask for help. People are learning what's really irreplaceable. Even my kids. Brynn, our 4 year old discipleship pastor who always prays for our family at dinner has even changed her prayers. The usual things are still there, "Thanks for the food, thanks for family" etc have been joined with another prayer that comes out of her mouth differently every time but always has a common denominator "Help Joplin". What she thinks and prays about at 4 years old has changed for a long, long time. Both our kids are aware of a reality in life that smacks against the latest development on Yo Gabba Gabba or who Dora will use her map to get through the forest.

So please, don't forget Joplin. Find ways to serve it. Find ways to encourage the incredible pastors in our town. Find ways to encourage those doing kingdom work. And listen, listen for truth and understanding that you can take from those here that can impact who you are and how you engage the community you live in.

BEST DAY EVER!!!!

I shared with the event staff here this week a lesson I am learning from my kids.

It seems that in our house, when the kids are having a great day, each of those days gets the same title, BEST DAY EVER!!!!and is usually accompanied by cheering and pounding of fists on a table, chair or any object close.

BEST DAY EVER!!!! status or BDE as we shall now refer to it can come about from any number of circumstances. Most of them consist of ice cream, baseball, Wii, movies, or food of any kind eaten not at home. A combination of more than one of these can result in multiple BDE exaltation's in one day.

What caught my attention however was the frequency with which these announcements were being made. As a seasoned (read old) adult, BDE announcement are few and far between. They are reserved for important life milestones like marriage, birth of children, tax refunds and well, baseball games or certain food items.

But upon further investigation, I realized my kids were teaching me a profound truth. Every day really has the potential to be a BDE, I just don't live that way. I can tell you right now the days I would forecast would be a BDE but those days rarely just show up. For my kids though, each day is ripe with the promise of becoming the latest BDE.

I think they have tapped into something deeper though. The thing that makes today good, bearable, worth getting out of bed for or dare I say hopeful is something that was solved thousands of years ago on a cross. Since that is figured out, today really is the BDE. If that isn't solved, no amount of ice cream, baseball games, family movie nights complete with popcorn AND candy could make it good. Just think about it. If things are not well with my soul, what I do and what happens means jack nothing.

So here's to my kids for teaching me. And here's to us living each day like it is a BDE because it is. Even if junk happens. Even if we don't get our way. Even if we don't enjoy some of the moments in that day, it's still awesome.

Why I'm Not Talking Smack to Ohio State Fans

Over the weekend I happened to notice in a couple media sources that Ohio State's football coach had reigned. By now we all know why and saw this moment coming over the past few weeks. He joins a (unfortunately) growing line of "cheaters" or people aware of serious infractions of NCAA rules. However as much as I don't root for Ohio State, I'm not very happy about this.

One report I saw showed the 5 or 6 coaches who have made the most BCS appearances. I don't remember the exact list and I'm too lazy to Google it but the names I remember were Jim Tressel, Bobby Bowden, Bob Stoops, Pete Carroll and Frank Beamer. Each of these coaches has been wildly successful and if my memory serves me well, has all been accused of some level of NCAA violations and rule bending. Here's what I'm getting at, the old adage "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying" no longer covers the problems. Winning is now everything and winning at all costs drives men to poor decisions too often. Do I think the coaches on that list are crooks. Uh, do I have to answer that? Actually though, no I don't. There are a couple I wouldn't let my son play for but there are some that I think are great leaders and for the most part run great programs. And for some of them the issues aren't things they initiated. Sometimes great leaders still have poor decision makers around them.

Here's why all this bothers me though, because my 8 year old son is learning more about sports than I'd like from all this. Our beloved Oregon Ducks played for the National Title last year (against a team that has had at least one question raised about them) and I don't believe for a second we didn't find some way to "interpret the system" to make it that far. Sure our uniforms are amazing. Sure Oregon is the finest State in America. But kids don't show up in Eugene because Autzen Stadium is the best ever and they care more about the offensive system than the campuses proximity to the beach. Heck, we already got busted for overpaying a "recruiter" in Texas in the off season.

So one reason I'm throwing no rocks at OSU fans right now is because they'd be lobbing them back at me once we find out it's not just Chip Kelly's amazing offense that landed us in the title game.

What I wrestle with though is what to teach Carter. Don't get me wrong, I know what to teach him. What I mean is how do I handle it once we fall from grace? What deeper lessons is he learning about cheating and competition? I don't think the response is block all 45 ESPN channels we have. I don't think it's to deny it or mock those that fall. But am I the only one that is bothered that the old adage "cheaters never prosper" isn't entirely true anymore. Sure, coaches give up National Titles or lose their jobs but you can't tell me their bank accounts are hurting. Sure, they lose face for a time period but its funny how eventually most of them end up coaching again or become a talking head the next season for ESPN.

So I have no solution for this. Yet. But I know that even though he's 8 I'd be a fool to not start a simple conversation with him about all this. Why? Because he has already put together that since that Bautista character in Toronto is hitting so many home runs "He must be on steroids like Sosa and McGwire." That by the way was his direct quote. Maybe my kid is just a bit crazy about sports (I blame his mom) but he's already drawing some conclusions I'm not comfortable with.

And by the way, I was joking about his mom. Just want to make sure we are clear on that.

Will Know Sweat Run Weeks in Joplin This Summer

It has been a few days since the tornado and even as we wait for more storms to potentially arrive tonight, it is still hard to wrap my mind around the destruction. It's hard to know how hard places all over have been hit and even as I write this there are new tornado's hitting our neighboring state of Oklahoma. Overall, it's been moving to see the response to help and I'm impressed with how quickly things have mobilized.

I've also heard from dozens of great friends who want to know how to help. At the risk of sounding like one more person adding to the twitter feeds, let me share my perspective and answer questions about if Know Sweat will run weeks here this summer.

The reality is, there is work that will need to be done in Joplin for months and months. We certainly will need people to come and help, especially once the initial rush of workers comes. Right now, there is lots that could be done but little that can be done. As they lock down neighborhoods and continue to look at what damage has been done there is not a lot of hands on work that can be accomplished.

We are blessed with some amazing local churches who are working together to mobilize groups. There is a lot of conversations happening about opening doors to groups this summer etc. There are good people wrestling through how to do this in a way that not only helps those from out of town serve but also allows them to do work that actually matters and can really be a blessing.

Right now the best resources coming in are the truckloads of supplies being delivered that allow people to have food, water, clothing and supplies that they need. Those with the financial abilities to give are also blessing the churches and ministries here with finances that will continue to provide the needed resources in the future.

As I have looked around the last couple days I am moved at all the cities I am seeing that have sent workers and it is incredible to realize that each of those vehicles represents men and women giving up vacation days to come to the city to serve. What I have witnessed is that they are able to stay busy and work randomly at different locations when they are able to navigate through the security roadblocks.

So you didn't ask but here's what I would suggest to you. Send supplies and money as you can. In regards to sending workers can you wait a few weeks? Can you know that you will send a group but can you give the emergency workers time to sort through the wreckage and decipher what big plan will be put in motion. Once that plan is in place, trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities to come to Joplin and serve. I'm confident there will be opportunities to serve even next summer.  But right now send supplies as you can. Pray all the time and continue to think about those that have lost so much. It's hard to imagine but basic communication is difficult. Cell phones are spotty, email is down for much of the city so give the men and women the time they need to build a plan and once that is in place, let's talk about mobilizing teams.

3 Things You Need to Know More About: Birds, Solidarity and Swimming

One of the best parts of working with Know Sweat is that we daily have the chance to run into incredible people. Some are ministries we partner with, some are students and leaders who attend our events and some are just incredible people doing faithful kingdom work. In this post I want to highlight 3 of these partners in ministry that I get excited by every time I talk with, partner with or think about them.

1. Birds of Hope
If you haven't met this ministry yet, you need to. This is two incredible young ladies to came to our event in Kissimmee last summer. They were moved to do something about the water crisis Zambia and decided that the one skill (I venture to say they've got quite a few) was sewing. So they began crafting these little birds that they sell for $5 each. That all started back in July. As of today, they have reached almost $15,000 in money raised! Yeah, I know it is incredible. They have some huge opportunities in front of them but each time I tell their story I am reminded of just how much God can do with what might seem like a simple skill. Their partnership with ActiveWater is amazing and I cannot wait to see where this goes.
So check them out on facebook.Better yet, buy some birds.  www.facebook.com/birdsofhope

2. Solidarity
This summer we launch our new Know Sweat week in Fullerton, CA. This week promises to be pretty incredible and one partnership we will begin is with a ministry called Solidarity. I can't begin to explain just how unique and exciting their work is. I'm inspired by their vision, encouraged by their wisdom and blown away at their honest and sincere ministry they do each day. I don't even know all they are a part of but I'm honored that KS has the chance to be taught and guided by what they are doing. You can check them out on facebook and the web as well. I recommend their new promo video which is very solid.
On facebook search : Solidarity Live Christ
Or on the web: www.solidarityrising.org

3. Swim to Chicago
This one is a bit more indirect than the other two. Last year all of CIY partnered with Active:Water to raise awareness for the water crisis in Zambia. If you haven't seen Zambia's Song yet, the documentary CIY created, shame on you. Go find it. But as Active:Water continues to raise awareness, their leader Daren Wendell has taken on a new challenge. Walking across the U.S. was one thing he has already conquered. Now, it is to swim across Lake Michigan non-stop all the way to Chicago.How far is that? 40 miles. Non-stop. Daren is training non-stop and is looking for investors, partners and people to spread the word. I suggest you check him out on facebook too.
www.facebook.com/swimtochicago
Or here:
http://www.active.com/donate/activewaterupick/SwimToChicago
www.activewater.com

My response to the National Championship

First I want to say congrats to my beloved Oregon Ducks men's basketball team that ran the gauntlet known as the CBI Tournament presented by Zebra Pen. The list of daunting foes is impressive: Weber State, Duquesne, Boise State (Take that smurf turfers) and Creighton in a best of three showdown.

I hope you sense the wide brush with which I am applying my sarcasm to this.

In the "Fact that don't mean crap" realm, VCU did parlay their CBI Tourny championship into a Final Four appearance in the real tournament this year. I do not expect that for Oregon. Not unless we start paying for recruits in basketball as much as we do in football.

But oh, you logged in to see my response to the National Championship. Here's what I think.

1. I only watched the last 8 minutes so to me it seemed like an okay game.From what I hear, I didn't miss much.
2. For those of us who moan about a playoff for football, maybe we know not what we ask for.
3. Congrats to both teams for making it. You beat every opponent put before you. If people don't like that, maybe their favorite team should pay for better recruits too.

4. I am sad to see both teams struggled so much. It happens. Was it a lame culmination? Sure, how dare these 19-21 year olds not deliver as good a product as the SCRIPTED AND FIXED NBA does each playoff season. Nonetheless, they deserved to be there. No poll gave them that game and no man made computer generated completely arbitrary and biased towards big conferences system made us have this game.And what did you expect, another epic showdown ending with a "what could have been" half-court three point miss?
5. For most of us, we are just upset our team wasn't there and our bracket had more red marks than our last math test.
6. I'd still rather have had that tournament than what the Bowls give us each season or any other scenario we might come up with.
7. And finally, I hope this shows the NCAA that a 128 team tournament is a horrible idea.

So here's to 100 more years of Zebra Pen's and the CBI Tournament!

Learning from my mistakes #3: Standing Up For Myself

I absolutely love the street we live on. Well, except for that huge section where the blacktop got torn up so its not just gravel and makes a huge mess. But besides that I'm a big fan.

One of the best parts is all the kids. There is rarely a day where our doorbell doesn't ring and somebody is down wanting to play with our kids. I love the interaction he has with them and the little ways they set up kickball games or recreate Bulls and Celtics basketball games.

Occasionally, okay just about every time, somebody ends up getting mad at somebody else and they quit playing. At least for as long as 8 to 11 year old boys can stay mad. Then they realize being in the house with mom and dad is lame and strike a new peace accord.

Last week Ang and I were talking with Carter because he's learning the lifelong lesson called "Being a Leader, Being a Follower". Since he's the youngest, he does more of the latter and less of the former and we'd like. Sometimes this means our toys get broken, sometimes this means they say mean things to each other or Brynn and sometimes it is just kids being kids. My personal favorite is how those kids run like our family has the plague as soon as we say "Time to clean up the toys."

So in the midst of this impromptu John Maxwell leadership lesson at our dining room table, we encouraged Carter to stand up to his friends. Through tears he said "But if I tell them to stop, they might get mad and leave."

Now, being all knowing, we realize this is not true. As mentioned before, being at home with mom and dad is lame. But I get where the manchild was coming from. Sometimes speaking our mind or setting boundaries is tough and sometimes, those friends don't come back.

Which makes you wonder how good of a friend they were.

Could it be that part of friendship is being able to set and respect boundaries with each other? As a person who for far too long hated confrontation and was a people-pleaser too often I too sat knowing I should speak up but was more content with the discontent of the moment than I was with saying what needed to be said.

It's a good thing I've figured this all out now isn't it? I assume the same is true for you.

Learning from my mistakes #2: Dirty Looks

It was the last Friday of February and I decided it was time to renew the tags on my car at the DMV. Yeah, I know I'd had the paperwork on it for over a month. It wasn't technically the last day of the month but it was the end of a long week and I figured what better way to cap a busy and stressful week than to hang out at the DMV on Friday afternoon right? It's true, I DO know how to party.

So after finding out I didn't have all the right paperwork (I've only lived here for 6 years so I'm still new at this whole thing) I headed over to the courthouse to secure the document saying that I was in deed a tax paying citizen of Missouri.

However once I talked with the lady I found out I indeed was not yet a tax paying citizen. The lady behind the desk was, well, not as helpful as I'd like and I was annoyed. She then asked me for the paperwork I was referring to which I of course had left in my car. The whole interchange was about as awkward and unproductive as that one time I tried to ask out a cheerleader.

So in much the same level of frustration I gave her the meanest look I could and said dismissively as I walked out the door "Thanks so much." At least on this occasion I didn't do anything overtly rude, I was just a jerk and by the time I was halfway home I knew it.

Since it was Friday afternoon when all this happened, I had all weekend to stew on the fact that I'd not handled the situation well and when I really thought about it, I was the person who was in the wrong. To make it worse I realized on Monday I was going to have to go back into the same office and face the same lady and still needed to pay my taxes. What's worse than one bad interaction with a person? Well, two of them would qualify in my book!

So Monday afternoon I prepared myself to eat some humble pie. I decided I would own up to being a turd and take whatever punishment was mine. And I would pay my taxes.

Monday afternoon arrived and as I opened the door to the room, I realized I was not the only person in the room with my nemesis. Turns out she'd done something to anger the woman across the counter from her. This lady was going off on the courthouse worker. I mean, it was epic. Like, you know when you have a dream of going off on that one person you are mad at and you imagine saying everything you are thinking and finally finding the justice you've been without? Yeah, this lady was doing that.

If there was an academy award for "best performance at the courthouse" this woman would win. She'd probably have earned best art direction, best makeup, best direction and earned the supporting actor role as well. I mean this in all respect, it was amazing. Now, it was inappropriate, she looked ridiculous but holy cow, she got her money's worth. When she was done being baby Mt. Vesuvius, she stormed out of the room and left me with my friend who I'd had the run in with on Friday.

"Well." I thought. "That certainly set me up to look nice."

The lady looked up from her paperwork and led with this question, "So, are you in a bad mood today too?"

Let's just say I had scripted how this reconciliation was going to go and things were waaaay off script by this point.

"No, I'm not but I was on Friday and I'm certain I was a big jerk to you so I want to apologize." I said.

For a brief second she looked at me and then responded, "Honey, I don't even remember you. What are you here for today?"

It clicked in that brief moment that all that I had beaten myself up over didn't matter. Had I come in today without a desire to apologize, I would have gotten away with it because she didn't even recognize me. That's great I guess but it doesn't account for the fact that I still hadn't handled myself in the right way.

So in the end, I got back on the right side of the law, regained a friend at the courthouse and owned up, whether I had to or not, for having a bad attitude. Mind you, I'd done nothing "wrong" I'd just not shown another human the dignity they deserved and I'd taken my frustration at myself out on the wrong person.

So here's to owning up to our own messes. Here's to treating everyone with respect. And here's to making sure we slow down to realize that everyone we have interaction with matters and deserves our best, not just the people above us on the social ladder that we want to respect us.

And the rest of the story? On my way out the door, the police officer who runs security in the lobby of the courthouse leaned in the door as I was walking out and said with a smile on his face, "Could you guys quit pissing people off in here today?"

Learning from my mistakes #1 : Cussing

I have to admit as I logged in to post this, I saw that picture of the grilled cheese burger from my previous post. Wow, I'm hungry now.

So last week was Carter's spring break. Ang had a very wise idea to not just sit around the house eating bon bon's and catching up on the latest season of Real Housewives but instead do some Home Improvement.

I know, this is all starting to make sense already isn't it?

So one of the projects she had me working on was a minor face lift to our guest bathroom. Instead of spending ridiculous amounts of cash, we opted for some well-chosen changes that together made a big difference. On this particular day I had built/replaced/repaired a number of things and to this point was batting 1.000. For those of you who don't know sports, I was perfect.

I'd replaced the TP hangar, put in a new towel rack and was now on to installing the new light fixture. Let's just say (and yes, I did turn the power off before I started) that things didn't go perfectly. And let's go on to say that I didn't run my reaction through the WWJD filter. And let's finish up by saying that my wonderful 8 year old son heard a couple words usually reserved for those moments when the censor guy at ESPN doesn't hit mute quick enough during games.

I knew right away I'd messed up. Ang quickly summoned Carter upstairs before any eternal damage was done and I finished my project.

But it kept bothering me. Because I'd seen this play out before. Only I was the kid.

I've said before, I inherited my temper or at least caught how to handle frustrating situations. Mind you, this is not how I handle every stressful situation. That would have ended my youth ministry career quickly and left me with nothing but 15 minutes of YouTube fame.

So what got me is I know I can handle myself. Sometimes I don't.

So I did what my dad never did. I went and got Carter and sat down on the steps and talked with him. Now let me be clear, I have an awesome father. I'm blessed and wouldn't trade a thing but here's the deal. He's not perfect. And neither am I. And my son needs to know that.

And even more than that, he needed me to apologize. So we talked it out and I admitted I was being less then super. I told him that wasn't how we handle ourselves and I wanted him to learn sooner than I did how to deal with moments when things don't go as planned.

But I also wanted him to know that I'm not perfect. I'm trying. But I will make mistakes and what makes us better people is not pretending to be perfect or living in such a way where things are easy but in admitting our mistakes, learning from them and doing our best to never repeat them.

By the way, the light looks incredible and it made the next 4 hours of installing the new faucet a great opportunity to practice what I had just preached. Happy to announce it was a success. There were a couple close calls though.....

On why I hate hybrids

Maybe it's just me but I'm growing a little tired of all this hybrid talk. I know, I'm supposed to be a treehugger and all so how can I not love these little electric gizmos?

Well to be fair, I'm not against the car. In fact I've never driven one. I had the chance once when renting a car in Denver but they told me I had to go through a brief training period on how to use it. Uh, no thanks. I know how to drive and when I'm in town to get to work, the last thing I want to do is hang out at Enterprise getting my "how to drive a hybrid" certification. If that's what it takes to rent one of those things, give me the SUV. And not one of those stupid Hybrid SUV's. That's just ridiculous, that's like a veggie burger. Oh wait, nevermind, I love those things--why would anyone ever eat beef?

So I have some serious questions about hybrids. I will freely admit I am skeptical of them and their "good" they supposedly do. Plus I don't think my electric bill could accomodate one. But in the end if you want to drive a Prius, go for it.

The hybrid I'm getting tired of is the term. It seems like everywhere I turn now, hybrid is the new term for compromise between two terms or ideas that can't mesh. It sounds a little like this.

"I like both ideas, so what about a hybrid where we have a little of both." Sounds great. Seriously, it sounds like a great idea. Here's the thing, most of the time, when two people can't agree its because their ideas are different. Sure, meshing them might make it dynamic. Or it might make it a hot mess. Two ideas crammed into one implementation is not always the way to success.

Now to be fair, I love the idea of compromise. I'm all about keeping the peace in meetings and everyone leaving feeling warm and fuzzy. It's just that sometimes that's not an option.

In my opinion, and that's entirely what this is, its our desire to create hybrids that's gotten us in so much trouble. It seems as though we lack the intestinal fortitude to stand by a decision so we try to make a groupthink collective that ends up looking like a bad stew.

In the end, all I'm saying is that there is a time for a combination of ideas such as the grilledcheeseburger. But there are other times where let's just do one or the other and not try to mesh things. I guess I like the old Revelation idea of being hot or cold because lukewarm ain't that great.

So here's to having an idea and sticking with it, maybe even fighting for it because to compromise it might just make it lame.

Incomplete thoughts on poverty, part 3

I am going to warn you, my thought process is all over the place in this post. If that doesn't scare you off, at least consider yourself warned.

I have some friends who are going through hard times right now. I think about them often, even have some reminders set up so that throughout my day I can stop and pray for them. For one, I just got done writing them a quick email to let them know they were in my thoughts and prayers.

I didn't send the email for quite a while because I wasn't sure if it would make any difference.

Have you ever wondered that? Like, if you are going through a hard time does it mean anything if you get 4 people saying they are praying for you verses 40? I guess that's kind of extreme. Maybe I am weird, but there are certain people I EXPECT to hear from and then the others are nice. What kind of a judgmental creep does this make me?!

Maybe this comes from my years as a pastor where I would go do hospital calls (when they made me) and people would thank me for coming but want to know when the senior pastor was coming. Like I brought the JV prayer squad but they can't wait for the All Pro. But I know I've acted that way before too.

So then I wondered if I was sending the email because it made me feel better. Like in some water cooler conversation someone would ask if I had heard about the situation and I could now self-righteously comment "Yeah, I sent them an email." and the other people would be shamed at their sinfulness or amazed at my piety.

Now the reality is not every need I hear about I can personally respond nor do people want me to. There are people in my life though the moment something hits the fan I will drop everything to be there with them. For others, I mourn, grieve, hurt or sympathize from a distance.

On a separate but related issue(at least in my mind), I wonder about those that we try to serve that are needy. Maybe I am confessing that much of my "selfless service" is a lot more selfish than I want to admit. I just wonder if our way of caring for them or letting them know we are aware of their need is done in a way that they can appreciate or that really speaks to the situation.

Sure, we respond but we've done so on our schedule and in some level of convenience to us. I always think of Job's friends who drop everything and come and just sit. They don't talk, they just sit in some sort of quiet solidarity.

I guess what I'm saying is what we've heard a number of times, that we too quickly say things like I'll pray for you or you are in my thoughts. What if those words meant as much to the person as they do to us when we say them. I'm willing to admit if you are that I've told someone I will pray for them and then never done it.

So how do we raise the conversation out of the christianese and into reality that is meaningful and helpful. In the meantime, I'll keep praying for my friends and doing my best to mean what I say.

Incomplete thoughts on poverty, part 2

This thought is so incomplete, it is actually 3 peoples thoughts put together at one time. What you or I do with them is up to us now.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do." -Mark Twain

"The opposite of love is not hatred; it is indifference. When we have learned indifference, when we are really skilled and determined at the business of ignoring others, of putting our own well-being, our own options first--of thrusting our own ego into life, as the ideal form of life itself--we may be quite certain that at that point, life has become hell. We need be no more thoroughly damned."
--Daniel Berrigan

"Strangely enough, the havoc wreaked by indifference may be even 'greater than that brought by felt, lived, practiced hatred.'" --Miroslav Volf

The difference between a kind act and determined effort to solve a problem through action is becoming bigger to me every day. At least for me I am more and more convicted by the fact that I am aware of a lot of things that bother me, but I've found a way to file them in some part of my brain that isn't usually associated with action. Could it be that my inaction is actually worse than joining in with the practices I hate?

Incomplete thoughts on povery, part 1.

I picked up an "old" book I read a couple years back that is once again wreaking havoc in my mind. The New Friars by Scott Bessenecker is a powerful read and helpful as I continue to wrestle through all things Know Sweat and the issue of poverty in particular.

Here's just one part of a paragraph that has stopped me in my tracks today:
"Part of the reason poverty feels so intractable is because there is a conscious spiritual force committed to keeping people bound in states of oppression.....When you're desperate or even angry there is at least a shred of hope that things might be different, a holy discontent. But despair is what happens when you're tired of being desperate." : Page 57

From my comfortable middle-class life, its hard to truly understand a life in poverty. I am guilty of thinking I understand it when I make a brief foray into poverty for a day. A week. A summer. But in the end I'm not really there because I'm around it but not in it. At any moment I have the escape clause ready to pull me back out to "safety".. And yet I have the audacity to think I'm "helping".

I grateful for people's paths I have crossed in the past months as they've shed light on the path and spoken truth. Still, I am confused. How do we best help "the least of these" and see them as peers, as just as divine and worthy as we see ourselves, rather than as projects or object lessons or slide shows?

On Getting Older

The other night my buddy Molesky and I played Call of Duty online. I'm sure if there had been a camera in the room you'd have laughed yourself silly watching my figure out how to play my PS3 online. I had no clue and had Mo not been able to create the connection, I'd still be trying to figure it out. I like to consider myself pretty savvy, I even know how to turn my ipad on, but in the end, I'm beginning to realize that technology is on an evolutionary advance plan that at some point is going to pass me by.

Yesterday I got to go see the Doctor. Nothing major, they just wanted to check me and to figure out how one guy gets this good looking. Or that's what I told myself.

But waiting in the waiting room I realized there were roughly 25 of us and 3 of us didn't have gray hair. Well, I guess I should qualify that because I'm bald so that makes me old too. Let's say that only 3 of us did not qualify for AARP, a social security check and anyway....

I listened to one group of three talking about faith. One of the guys was a retired preacher and he was talking about his church. Their talk eventually transitioned into the fact that one of the other men liked Joel Osteen.

On a sidelight I learned that no matter your age, conversations about Joel O are never dull.

There was another older couple watching the TV in the waiting room and they spent the time bemoaning the fact that TV ain't like it used to be. Turns out Andy Griffith was the pinnacle for TV. Originally the one lady was adamant it was Andy Williams. Once the figured out it was Griffith they moved on to the problems with TV.

Now, I agree, TV isn't all that edifying often. But that's not the point of this post. But if you are wondering , the Real Housewives shows are stupid.

Here's what I've taken from the last 48 hours. We all get old.

In our own way we age, and at some point our methodology, theology, preferences and attitudes stick on a particular set and stop moving. We find that thing that brings us happiness and everything for the rest of time gets measured against that. Our knowledge base gets exhausted and we spend the rest of the time wondering why things aren't like they used to be. At some point whether it's a laptop, a cell phone, the microwave or the ignition for our car, we wonder how to operate the darn thing and why they have to make it so technical. At some point we start using something in its most basic way while ignoring all of the "extras" that it now comes with that those young whippersnappers are raving about.

My grandma used a microwave the same way every time until she died. She put whatever it was in there, typed 5 minutes and watched it till she was happy with the level of defrost, cook, melt or nuke she saw. She didn't need a defrost, a popcorn, a keep warm or a turntable button. She needed a 5, a 0 and a start button.

Some peoples TV need a power button and a channel and volume up and down. DVR? Never heard of it. Program guides? That's why they buy TV Guide. Pay Per View movies? That's what Blockbuster is down the road for. You get the point.

Don't you think all of "them" said the same thing "we" are saying now? "I'll never get old, I'm never going to be like them." Yeah, let me know how that works out for you. Just remember to call me on my rotary phone because I don't know how Skype works.

So what's the point of this post? I don't know. I guess it is to recognize reality. It's to make myself aware that there are some things that I want to keep changing as I get older. Some things can stay the same. But I DON'T want to keep thinking and acting the same way I do right now up until I take my last breath. When it comes to video games its not a big deal. But when it comes to my attitude and perspective on things that DO matter, I think it does.

So here's to staying young. Now I need to go fire up my dial up connection so I can put this thing on that WWW thing.

What Makes A Winner?

Carter and I sat and watched the NFL games this weekend.Turns out my predictions were right, it is the Steelers and Packers. Why did I pick them? Well for one, I can't stand the Jets. But really, I picked them because they are winners. The Bears and Jets? The seem to have a knack for coming up short, just like my Ducks and Blazers often do.

Now without turning this into a bash on teams that lose a lot I have been wondering what makes up a winner?

If you take a minute, you can list the teams in each sport that always seem to win. Duke, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Red Wings. Los Angeles Lakers. They are a select group. But every time your team plays them you know you think "We're screwed." If your team draws them in the playoffs or the tournament you immediately start thinking about what the next season will bring.

On the contrary there are teams who seem awesome but can't seem to win the big one. The Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Texas basketball. Now, I'm not trying to take shots at your favorite team. Some of these have even been winners at times but in those cases it is the exception rather than the norm.

So what makes a winner? How much does culture really play a part. Sometimes its just flat money that helps, other times it just seems like a persona. Same with teams that just flat out are horrible. It's a culture thing.

Raiders, Clippers, Pirates, Orioles. You know they are bad and even when they are good you know it is a fluke and by next year things will be back where they belong. They try all sorts of approaches but the results are always the same.

What I'm thinking is this, a culture of winning is a perfect mix of leadership and solid players. You can drop an amazing coach in a situation and get crap--just ask Bill Parcells. But you can sign tons of great players and get junk too--just ask the Blazers or Redskins.

So here's to realizing that whether its our home, our church, or whatever we do, excellence starts with us. It's not always about winning. In fact why we respect these teams isn't because they win everything every year, its because for the most part they are predictable....predictably great. What needs to change where we are so that excellence is the norm year in and year out rather than making one historic run of greatness every 25 years?

Turns Out We All Suck At The Same Stuff

Currently Listening to: American Slang by The Gaslight Anthem

For the past hour or so I've had the "opportunity"to read through a bunch of application and reference forms for potential Know Sweat interns. I actually enjoy the process quite a bit but it can get a bit tedious and my personal track record is that I'm average at best at judging character from sheets of paper. Whenever our team finally has what we affectionately call "The Selection Show" to pick them, my hope is that I'm not too high or too low on somebody everybody else feels strongly about in the opposite direction. That happened once, and I made the final call.

And I was wrong.

That being said, anytime you ask people to evaluate others on a 1-5 scale you end up with people who are all 5's and people who don't seem to have any areas of weakness. It gets comical to me how similar everything looks and sounds after a while. This year I made some notes and here's what it seems like every college student can be described as.

They struggle in stressful situations, seem to lack some self-confidence and could really benefit from more life experience.

Hmmmm, well from that description it sounds like everybody I know. Clearly we once again did not get any former Presidents, CEO's of major corporations and no retired military leaders. Of course they struggle under stress and could benefit from more experiences. By the way, they are college students!

Now please understand, I get what we are saying here but when I think about it these are issues we are going to wrestle with for a long time. The polar opposite of this person is stress-less, over confident and has seen and done everything. Quite honestly that person would annoy me. More than anything.

So here's my thought about all this rambling. Here's to thinking about some people we want to invest in. How can we help them get better in these 3 areas. We all know somebody and we can do something to encourage them or spur them on. And for us personally, what are you doing to better yourself in those 3 areas? Because I know me and I could always improve at handling stress, being a bit more confident and challenging myself to attempt new adventures.

Here's to changing.

MLK

I confess that though I'm a history lover, I did not grow up caring much about the Civil Rights Movement. I don't remember it being taught much in school and I only heard what was filtered to me by teachers and other adults in my life. In a totally non CQ way, I remember being afraid to visit my Grandpa and Grandma Gilchrist because they lived in the "ghetto". I went to an all white private school partially because my folks didn't want me to go to the predominantly Asian high school that was the magnet school in my neighborhood.

Please hear me, I was not raised poorly and I did not grow up the least bit racist. However, there is more in my opinion than just not being something, I was and I suppose still today am not the best at interacting with those that are not white and middle class. There are a lot of barriers in life I have learned and skin color is probably one of the easiest to navigate.

I'm grateful thanks to what I do that I've had to be in a lot of different situations, that I've had the chance to meet and learn from people I would have never otherwise met. What I've learned is there are some amazing people out there and I've yet to meet a person who can't teach me something and hasn't made my life better. I can only hope they feel the same about me.

Probably my favorite city where I've had the chance to learn and be stretched is Memphis. I love that city. Everybody on our team does. We love the atmosphere, the food, the culture, the food, the BBQ but especially the people. Some of the finest people I know live in that city.

A while back I was there for a set up trip and my friend Tom and I had the chance to go through the Civil Rights Museum there. You see the room MLK was staying in when he was assassinated. You walk across the street and stand where the shooter probably did. You stand on the bus Rosa Parks made her stand, well, her sit, on. It's not a "fun" experience but it is moving.

So today we honor MLK. We will probably see part of that great speech, ESPN will play a bunch of basketball games which doesn't make much sense to me, but usually it doesn't cause much of reflection time for me. Until this year.

The picture I posted for this post is from a project Carter did for school. For some reason its struck a deep chord in me. I love the glimpse into his heart, I love what he's thinking and I think it is exactly what Dr. King was after. I'm sure he knew some of what he was doing that day on the Mall. I'm sure he had no idea what he was doing that day as well. I know he didn't give it so that my son and I could talk about his school project. However..... What I love about it is that it's not perfect and some ideas aren't the best. But its a starting place for a 7 1/2 year old. I know I didn't think that way at that age. Dreaming isn't always about having the perfect idea, its about casting a vision others can join and together something amazing happens.

So here's to thinking today. Here's to addressing the judgmental ideas inside our own hearts. Here's to remembering a leader, a pastor, a man who was not perfect but painted a picture of beauty and called us to something richer than what we knew or even know now. It's a lot bigger than Oprah having her own TV network. It's even bigger than Obama in the White House. It's best when it changes the way you and I think and act today. Here's to a dream, here's to calling kids to think now about what they can do for others. Who can you challenge today that might do things we never dreamed of tomorrow? That seems like something worth dedicating some time to.

Mind Games

Currently Listening to: Out of the Shadows by Matthew Perryman Jones

Possibly because I am an introvert, I think about things more than some. I am notoriously slow at processing information in the heat of the moment but give me a few hours to think and I can come up with a halfway decent answer.

I was reminded of this yesterday when I had to take a short drive. There is something about the open road that helps my mind find traction and before I know it I have an idea or two swimming in my head. That is probably another reason why Ang sometimes complains I'm not the most conversational when take a trip.

This all started years ago when I was in college and would make the 100 mile drive from Moberly to Quincy to do weekend youth ministry. Those minutes uninterrupted became for me the best time to write sermons, think strategically and put plans together.

These days I don't have much free time like that. It's true, I do spend my fair share of hours on planes and on the road but they don't seem to be quite the same. Maybe its the ipad that keeps me from being thoughtful these days.

I say all that to ask us a question. When do we think and what do we need to schedule into our lives to have some time with our thoughts long enough to put a plan together. I personally hate nothing more than feeling frantic or stressed and feeling like I have to make decisions in a rush. It seems like that is when I make most of my mistakes.

The thing is thoughts can be very powerful for good or for bad. It takes hard work to keep them useful.

Last summer I got to head to Oregon to hang out with my friends on the MOVE team. One night Matt Proctor who's the President of a college here in town was speaking and he talked about how we choose to make bad decisions. Every once in a while I'm a sucker for a snappy way of saying something and he said our thought process usually goes, "Hesitate, contemplate, negotiate, participate." Makes total sense to me, I've followed that path many times. Now follow me, this isn't just on major things, this is sometimes just a selfish decision or one that doesn't alter my eternal destiny as much as it is a shortcut or a prideful move. I'd go so far as to say I don't think you can commit a sin you didn't think about beforehand.

A while ago I was talking with a friend at work and I said to him that in my opinion there is no more powerful weapon in Satan's arsenal than our power to justify. It just seems to me that we sometimes make something seem okay in our head and that's the worst thing we could do.

So here's to a couple of things. One, let's find some time where we can get some peace and quiet and sort through our thoughts. Maybe its a nice drive, some time in nature or whatever. And second, here's to owning up to the fact that most of the dumb stuff we do that we regret afterward was a conscious decision. It's time to turn our minds loose being creative towards our future instead of allowing it to be used for our destruction.

The Bible and the Oregon Ducks

It's true, I've not written in a while.

This thought has been bugging me for the past few days. I kept trying to figure out why I had nothing to say and then it hit me. I'd been reading virtually nothing. At least for me if I'm not putting anything in my head to force me to think, I seem to sink to a pretty mundane level.

To be fair, I've been reading a lot. Most of it had to do with the BCS game and all sorts of things about bloggers had to say, most of which ended up being so far away from the truth it is a shame they get paid to write.

The problem for me is the longer I don't write, the harder it is to start writing again. Hence why there is a gap on this blog of a few years where it seems I had nothing to say. So though this post might not inspire you to stick with your New Year's Resolution, it is for me a reentry into posting.

So like I said, I've been reading but not any of the books I said I'd conquer over Christmas. In the end, most of my reading has been the mental equivalent of cotton candy. It looks good, is pretty enjoyable to devour but when I'm done I've got nothing but a sugar high and some junk in my teeth.

So this week I've been landing in a chapter of the Psalms that I can't seem to wrap my head around. I guess if we were to keep things in the realm of food, it would be the equivalent of a Snickers bar. It's chewy, its good and it keeps me running for a while. To be honest, I don't understand a lot of it but there is one verse in particular that I really like. The version I'm using is the ESV because, well, that's what my youversion was last set to. So here goes, Psalm 26:3

³For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.

The whole chapter is pretty nifty. I'd say it's a worthy read but that one particular verse has me going right now.

Maybe its the simple but profound truth it speaks of that I like. In the midst of way too much hype about a game, uniform colors and who's dad did or didn't get money under the table, it's a reminder to me.

If you were to answer how that verse is true for you, what would you say?

I know my answer and part of it is that terrific little boy who sat with with us big boys and watched the game. The same one who shed some tears as that kicked sailed through the uprights to crush a dream. The same one who came downstairs this morning covered head to toe with Ducks stuff ready to talk about next year.

Not a bad reminder that I'm blessed. Not a bad example of moving on and moving forward and realizing that in the midst of all things each day is ripe with new hope.

So there you go. It's me, back. And no, God doesn't give the slightest rip about the BCS. He wasn't on either teams side and I don't think Oregon makes my life any better, richer or hopeful. But its fun to follow, its fun to share that passion with my family and its best to have the daily reminder that God is faithful, that he loves me and I ought to stop reading blogs long enough to realize it. Unlike cotton candy, that kind of thing can really stick with you.