Reflections on Life

Warriors

2012-02-07T00:02:00.001-05:00

Warriors – the dictionary has this definition:

war·ri·or wawr-ee-er, wawr-yer, wor-ee-er, wor-yer] Show IPA

noun

a person engaged or experienced in warfare; soldier.

a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness, as in politics or athletics.

So are you a warrior? I know that I am. No, I am not at war physically. I have been in the past, but not now. But as a believer, and a son of the King, I am at war spiritually. Our enemy came to steal, kill and destroy. I make war through my love. That’s totally different, and almost impossible to do without the love of Christ in your heart. But I am still a warrior. Warriors don’t’ rum from trouble, they embrace it. Warriors don’t hide from conflict, they engage in it. Warriors don’t’ try to escape the situation. No, they use the situation to mold them into better and stronger warriors.

Tonight we saw a presentation by Graham Cooke. He talked about us being warriors, and I realized that I have become one. Baby Christians worry about having their needs met, mature Christians move into their inheritance. There is a big difference. We have to learn to embrace whatever situation we are in. God might not have put us in that situation, but He will use it. That doesn’t mean we need to stop praying for healing. Quite the contrary: He wants to give us victory over it, and to get it we have to contend for our victory. When we first get into a situation, obviously we try to get out of it. But if we find ourselves in it for a long while, then we have to begin looking at what we can learn abd how we can grow, while at the same time contending for change.

In the midst of our greatest challenges, will come our greatest victories. Yes, we contend and contend again. We have to learn to relish the fight and continue to press into all that He is doing. We are all called to the fight, all called to be warriors. Wheter we engage or not, that is totally up to us. The problem is that if we choose not to engage this time, there will always be a next time. So we may as well learn to fight and stand for something that is worth fighting for.

Coming Alive

2012-01-27T23:31:00.002-05:00

It’s been over two years since Julia’s death, and I have been healed in so many ways. Much of my life is back to normal, or at least a “new” normal. God is so good, and I can’t thank Him enough for carrying me through the hard times. I am so blessed to have Sheryl. I never thought that I could love again, but I can. I couldn’t ever seeing myself being happy again, but I am. Who knows what life will bring to each of us, but this I do know. He does make all things new, and He does work all things for good to those who love Him, even the pain and grief of losing your lover and best friend.

Sometimes I just find myself sitting back like I am out of my body and I am looking at myself watching all that is happening. I am totally amazed by what I see and feel. I wish my girls could have what I have. I pray that they will get it in time. I have been healed in almost all areas, and now I find myself coming alive in probably the last area that was left numb. I am exercising with a passion again. Before Julia’s death, I was running with a passion. I had completed the “Goofey” Marathon and half marathon race in 2008 and that burned me out on long distance, but I was still enjoying running and staying in shape. But after her death, it seemed like running was just something I did out of duty, not for fun. I didn’t care about my body. As I look back, I realize it was because I really didn’t care how long I lived. Even though God was there, it seemed like it was just as easy to not be here as it was to be here. I wasn’t suicidal or anything, I was just numb.

I could tell it in my eating and in my exercise. I wasn’t the same. Even after I married Sheryl, I still wasn’t the same in that area. It was a numbness that had taken over that part of my life. I can’t put my finger on when it changed, when the numbness left. Maybe it was as I grew even closer to Sheryl, but I found myself really wanting to live again. I had had dreams before, but now those dreams meant even more. I found myself looking at what I was doing, and not being happy. I know better. I know that I need to exercise and I needed to eat properly. Once again I wanted divine health. I want to live a long time, and I need to be in shape and in good health to enjoy it. The numbness was lifting. I knew it was lifting when I had the urge to train for a marathon. I know what a commitment it would take to train; yet I started at the end of January. Wednesday I completed a 17-mile run. I’ll do 18 next week and work my way up to 20 miles before the marathon. That means I am running anywhere from 25 – 30 miles a week.

Things are great; I am alive. The training is kicking in, and the weight is slowly beginning to come off. Sheryl and I are going to the gym three days a week to work out. It’s like a layer of cellophane that had me bound up has been cut away. It truly feels good to be alive. I don’t know whether it is just being married, or moving down here to Peachtree City, but things are changing for the better. I know that I will be fine in all areas now. Life is full and exciting, and I am so blessed to have a part to play in all that God has in store. Yes, I think that this is the last area to come alive, and for a long while, I didn’t even realize it was dead.

Goodbye to an Old Friend

2012-01-19T23:43:00.000-05:00

Today I said goodbye to an old friend. You know cars are inanimate objects. They really are not fun to buy because the minute you drive them off the showroom floor, they loose value. That is why I will never buy another new car. From now on, when I buy a new car, it will be new to me, but used by someone else first. In 1999 I bought a new Mazda Miata right off the show room floor. It was a beauty, state of the art. The Miata had just changed body styles, and it was beautiful. I had always loved the Miata, and had leased a 96 model, thinking I would get it out of my blood. But it only made me want one more.

So, when the lease was up. I went and bought the ’99 Miata. I figured that I would drive it until I retired and then I would get something sensible. It was a fun car to drive. I put 191,455 miles on it, and I enjoyed every one of them. It was always dependable. I think that in over 12 years, I broke down only twice and had only one flat tire. It has had minimal maintenance and was very easy to drive. The power wasn’t great, but it was so much fun to take around corners and to shift the short throw gear shift. Yes, I really did enjoy that car. But over the last year, she has been getting very tired.

The speakers and sound system were going bad, and there was a constant hiss in the background. The leather seats has long since worn out and covered with sheepskin. Now the power windows would barely work, and it seemed that more and more things were going wrong. With over 190k miles; the engine was on borrowed time. At one time I thought of rebuilding the engine, but I was really looking at rebuilding the whole car. That would cost too much. So, today I sold the car to CarMax. I couldn’t bring myself to sell it to an individual. There was too much wrong with it for me to do that. I felt like CarMax gave me a good and fair price and so I drove it to the dealership with the top down. The sun was shining, but it was cold. It was still fun, and as I drove I remembered some of the trips and good times that I had with this car. So, I lost an old friend today and I was sad to see her go, yet I knew that it was time.

So, what did I replace her with? I’m glad you asked. I now have a 2006 copper red Mazda Miata. It has 50,000 miles on it, so it is barely broken in. I am excited because this is the new model that started in ‘06 and it is totally different, yet very similar. So, I’m still not old enough for practicality when it comes to cars. I guess that I just like to have the sun shining down on my head and feel the wind blowing through my hair (lol).

Will I become as attached to this car as my last one. It probably depends on how she runs. If she is dependable and stays fun to drive; I foresee a wonderful long lasting relationship. I hope I am still able to get in and out of this one in 12 years. We shall see.

Infected and Contagious

2012-01-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

I was running the other day, and I had a long time to think and meditate on things. I was asking Father God about my life and my dreams, and how come they are so much different than my peers. He told me that “I was infected.” I thought OK, so what does that mean. Then He told me that I was contagious too. That really got my attention. Infected? What with? I can understand being infected with strep throat, and being contagious with it. You have to stay isolated until you are not contagious anymore. Well He told me “I would always be contagious.”

But I still wasn’t sure what He was talking about, and then He began to have my life flash back before my eyes as I ran. I was saved when I was nine, but it wasn’t until 1981 that I was filled with the Spirit. The next thing that happened was that I got connected with the Vineyard. I was being drawn into a kingdom mindset and began to seek more after the things of the Holy Spirit, you know, the way out things that we don’t’ necessarily think about in traditional denominations. That began to draw me in, but I still wasn’t infected.

I became infected in 1994 when the renewal broke out in Toronto. I can trace the infection that has impacted my life back to that one visit. It was summer of 94 and the revival had been going on every night since early January. In fact, it’s still going on up there right now, 18 years later. It was there that I first felt the Holy Spirit move in a tangible way. I mean moving corporately, not just on one person. That is what infected me. I had to be in that environment. I couldn’t live without it.

Once you have tasted and partaken of it, that is all you want in a service, and you are never satisfied if you don’t have it. Normal services don’t work for you anymore. You are always looking, hunting for His presence. You know that you are infected when you will drive 50 miles and bypass hundreds of churches just to be at one where He occasionally shows up. You wind up surrounding yourself with other people who are infected also. It’s fun, but you have no choice. It’s the only thing that satisfies you.

But there is a big difference between being infected and being contagious. If you are infected, you could be safe to be around other’s who are not infected. What you have won’t hurt them; it might not spread to them, you are no risk. But, on the other hand, if you are contagious, you are dangerous. You can be dangerous to those who are not infected. Being contagious means that we are able to spread the infection to others. I am contagious because I carry His presence in my life. Everything that I do, I do to spread His Kingdom. As such, I know that His presence goes with me. It’s about His presence, It always has been about that, we just lost our focus. But I am focused, and others like me are as well. So, I know that I have His presence with me, and I know that if I carry His presence, then I can change the atmosphere wherever I am. That is why I am contagious. I’m dangerous to those who aren’t yet infected. If they hang around me long enough, they will be. I’m glad that I am contagious. And I am glad I am infected. Life would certainly be dull if we weren’t releasing the Kingdom and changing the atmosphere. It’s a new day, and I am so glad to be a part of it.

Post Number 693

2012-01-10T23:25:00.002-05:00

It’s been two years. Two years since I started this blog. In the past two years I have made 693 posts. That means that I have written all but 37 days in the past two years. The blog has almost 32000 hits on the internet from many different countries over the world. I don’t think that I have that much to say, but I have been blessed with more people reading it than I ever thought possible. I didn’t really start to have people read it, but I have enjoyed it.

But, change is inevitable and this is a good time to make the change. After two years the thought of doing a nightly post is really tiring. My life has changed dramatically and there is too much going on to keep the quality high. So, I am doing away with the daily posts. I tried to do that last year, but I probably wasn’t ready. Now I am. I still plan on writing, just not as often. Hopefully that way, my thoughts will be clearer and there will be greater insight and revelation. So, for those of you who still want to follow this blog, I suggest the following. Check the blog twice a week. I plan to try and post by Wednesday and Saturday each week. It might vary, but it should be around there, and twice a week should keep you caught up. That is about what I plan on writing. Sometimes if things come up I might write more, but probably not less.

I want to thank each of you who have walked with me through this journey and prayed for me. Your support has been invaluable. I’m not leaving, I enjoy writing too much, but there are many other things that are taking a lot of my time now, and I its time for a course correction. Two years has brought a lot of healing. God is good, and He is in a good mood. Goodnight.

God is so Good

2012-01-08T23:59:00.004-05:00

Tonight I want to reflect back some on the last two years. It’s hard to believe that Julia died two years ago tonight. That night was the lowest valley I think that I have ever been in. Sometimes I look back and I just don’t believe how I got through it. The utter shock of seeing someone who was so full of life and so vibrant, gone. Yes, hone in what seemed like an instant. That night I had a choice to make. What was I going to do, was I going to blame God for this tragedy. Or was I going to choose to run into His arms and let Him carry me. I thank Him that I had been learning and studying about His true nature. I am so thankful that I knew that He wasn’t responsible and that I know of His goodness. I had experienced it in a small measure, but I had no idea that He was as good as He is.

That first year, especially that first six months, I basically went to sleep with Him every night. He was always in my thoughts, and it was always about His love and His goodness. I missed Julia so much, but His love and His comfort were there with me constantly. I didn’t want to be with anyone, but He was there, holding me and watching over me. It was if His Spirit was there, as a salve covering my deep wounds. I had a choice, do I hold onto the past and try to keep things the way they were, or do I begin to try and heal, try to live again. The school played a big part in my healing, as did my friends. But really it was my learning to release Julia to Father God that really began my healing.

We can hold onto things and to people long after it is safe and healthy to keep them. I could grab onto Julia’s memory, my memory of the way things were and live there, or I could release her and allow Father God to shift my memories and remove the pain from them. You see, if I held onto her memory from that moment, then every memory would be filled with the pain of loss. But by releasing Her to Father God, I released all the pain, and over time, He gave me memories back, but without the pain. He is so good, we just have to allow Him to work with freedom in our life. His goodness to me is so overwhelming. I never thought that I could love again. I truly thought that I would never be able to find room in my heart for anyone else. But H had other plans.

He expanded my heart to make room for more love. Why? I believe because He has plans for me that needed a place for more love. Anyway, He then connected me in ministry to a wonderful woman that Julia and I had met in November. The rest is history, Sheryl has come into my live, a gift from my Father to be with me in this next phase of my life. As much as I loved meeting Him every night that first year, He knew that I needed more of His love while I was here. So He sent her to me. My love for her is so great. It’s something that I never thought I could experience again. I know that if I hadn’t given my memories of Julia to Him, He couldn’t have prepared me for this.

It’s all about His goodness, but we play a part. We have to choose to move forward and mot to stay locked in the past. I still miss Julia, and tonight I do honor her. But I see her all the time. I see her especially in my girls. They carry so much of her inside them. Even my granddaughters carry some of her. But now, I can see her and still love Sheryl. That is as it should be, and I know that Julia is happy with this. Today at church, we sang “Love Came Down”. That was my song that I listened to for a year as I wrote this blog about her. But today it was sung is an upbeat fast arrangement. It was like it was being performed just for me. He wanted me to celebrate her life and His love. I could do this, because He taught me about His goodness.

Never be afraid to release something to Him. He will only give it back to you in a better way. That is what He did with my memories and pain. That is what He will do for you if you will let Him. You see, He is really that good!

Tempest in a Teapot

2012-01-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to take a ride on my Harley, but I guess we have been traveling too much, because the battery was dead when I went to start it. Well, the battery is hidden behind a cover that is almost impossible to get off, so I guess I will have to either find someone who knows what they are doing or take it on a trailer to the dealer. So, I didn’t get to ride today. I did get a workout in at the gym. That was OK.

I go back to work tomorrow. I am blessed to have a job that gives me so much flexibility. It was an interesting week though. We got a letter giving us a 2 percent raise, but canceling our usual bonus of 6%. I know math, and this doesn’t seem like a raise to me. Anyway, I have never seen such an uprising in the ranks of the DGS instructors. Really it wasn’t about the money, we get paid pretty well for what we do. It had more to do with respect and honor. The instructor group as a whole felt dishonored. The way it was handled by management was not good.

Management said that it was because of the economy. Really it’s because they felt they could do it. We are professionals and it doesn’t change the way we train or teach, it really doesn’t affect our paycheck all that much. But once again a company loses its goodwill and trust by going after a few dollars. Bill Johnson said something a few days I go. He said that there was nothing wrong with Capitalism except Capitalists . He also said that there was nothing wrong with Socialism except Socialists. In other words, there will always be those who try to take advantage of any system. Greed is what will ruin any system, and greed is rampant in America.

So, the question for me is how do I react, and how can I bring the Kingdom of God into this situation. First, my source is not Delta Airlines or this job. Thank God I finally learned that lesson. So, it doesn’t matter what they pay me. I work for the King, and I am His representative here. So, I will continue to give my best and do all that I can do to provide Delta with quality pilots. Did I feel dishonored? Yes, but once I put my eyes back on my source, it was like water running off a ducks back. No, I think that I have learned over the past few years not to let things shake me; especially things where I have no input.

It will be interesting to watch how all this plays out. If it’s like everything else, it will be liked a tempest in a teapot. Anyway, I have an A period in the morning, and I really am glad that I have this job. It is a gift from God, and I will never take it for granted.

Getting the House in Order

2012-01-06T00:24:00.001-05:00

The Christmas decorations are all packed up in the basement. We got it all done yesterday, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I got the tree boxed up and all the wreaths down and packed. Sheryl packed up all the small things and I loaded all the boxes to the basement. We finished right before supper. The next step was to bring back all of the furniture back into our sunroom. We were both excited to have our sunroom back so we can have our morning coffee there. It is a great place to read and pray as well as have coffee. So the house is in order now, and we can begin to really settle in.

January is a time of reflection and implementation of new ideas and new strategies for the New Year. So there is really more to “getting the house in order”. It’s time to look at changes that need to be made. As I have said, one of the changes I want to make is in my diet and exercise regime. Today I completed my long run for the week. I ran 12 miles, but it was way too slow. I know that the weight will come off as long as I keep running. But it needs to come off so I can pick up my speed. But there are other things that I want to do. I really need to make some time to read. I have a pile of books that I wanted to read last year, but never got around to them. I need to make it a point to read at least one book a month. I think that I will make that one of my goals as well. Since we are moved in, I hope that we will be able to spend more time meeting with people and doing some entertaining. I’m not sure how that looks yet, but I know that it will begin to happen.

It was good to see the kids, but now we are about to enter a time where we will be doing a lot of traveling; especially in February. So this month we need to take care of things around here. One of those things is our Sozo team. We have about five new people to train and a couple of seconds to train as first, so it will be a busy time doing tht, but we are catching up on Sozos and I can see the team beginning to form like we want it to. God is so good and I know that He has a plan for this team. Yes, the house is being put in order, in most every area. This is a good thing. I don’t like to feel that I have to run just to catch up. I want to run, but run ahead of problems and keep them from occurring.

It’s funny, but I have found that I like an orderly house too. Years ago I thought it was just Julia. Then Sheryl started talking about wanting to get things in order. I thought it was a woman thing. Well, maybe I have been around women too long because I have found that I work better and feel more refreshed when the house, including my “house” is in order. So, this is going to be an exciting and productive month because we are getting things in order, in all areas. That is a good thing, and I believe it’s a God thing too.

Taking Down Christmas Decorations

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

We got back home yesterday afternoon. It’s hard leaving 78 degree weather and coming back to temperatures in the low 40’s for a high. But at least it was sunny. I guess the wind blew all the clouds away. Anyway, I was able to get to the gym for a quick run in the tread mill and then had to go to school. I missed Monday night, but Sheryl and I were teaching a Sozo AMT during the last part of last night’s school. We have three more Tuesday nights to teach and it has been fun working with a small group.

When we came home yesterday, Sheryl immediately started taking down the Christmas decorations. When I came back from my run at the gym, I could tell she was getting serious. The tree was in pieces on the floor and all the decorations were stacked up on the chairs around the tree. So, the die is cast. Today is the day to pack up all the decorations. I guess that I will start bring up boxes after I finish this post. We did manage to get to the gym for a workout this morning, and we have a couple of other places to go, but for the most part, it’s time to get the house back in order.

I hate taking down Christmas decorations. I don’t mind putting them up, but there is something very depressing about taking them down. It’s sort of like losing recess when I was in school. Christmas decorations just mean fun. When you take them down, it’s like saying the fun is over. That’s why I usually am very hard to pin down when it comes to doing this. But, they are already piled up now, so I really have no choice. So, I guess we will get it done today. The good news is that it will be done. I guess it’s like taking medicine that taste bad. You know that you have to do it, but you try to avoid it for as long as possible. But when it’s over, you don’t have to deal with it for a while.

I have to stay positive, that is why I am working out, running and looking at my goals. January can be a very depressing month if you are not careful. It’s the end of Christmas and winter really sits in. I have to look for things that are uplifting and positive. But, then there are a few Christmas bills that have to be paid as well. School starts a very long stretch. No, it’s hard to stay positive, but I know that I will be able to do it. So, I look at all the things that I have to be thankful for, and that brings me back to the reality that I am a very blessed man. It’s a sunny day outside, and even though I have to put the decorations away, Christmas still lives in my heart. Yes, I can carry that with me into this month of January. Life is good, and I am glad to be involved in so much. Now, to the boxes…

Last Day in the Sun

2012-01-02T09:16:00.001-05:00

Well, all good things must eventually come to an end, and it looks like we will be leaving the nice sunny 70 degree weather for the frigid 20’s tonight. We were going to leave tomorrow, but there are three bowl games in Florida this afternoon, and I think that the traffic going north tomorrow afternoon will be terrible. So, I guess we will leave after dinner tonight and drive up as far as we feel like it, at least to Lake City, Fl before we stop to sleep. Then, tomorrow morning we should be ahead of most of the traffic. I’m not really looking forward to the drive back, but there is so much less stress compared with trying to get on an airplane this time of year.

It has been a great time with Jennifer, Sean and the girls. We have really enjoyed it and I hope the girls have had a good time. I know that they will enjoy getting their room back. Yesterday we had our first swim of the New Year. We got in the pool for a few minutes before sitting out in the sun for an hour or so. I also got in a 7 mile run through some very beautiful neighborhoods. Last night we watched “The Help”. We had seen it before, but it was just as good the second time.

The diet starts in earnest when we get home, this has been like a vacation, no time to diet when you are visiting family. So the workouts and training really begin. I’ve done well on the aerobics, and I am where I should be this week. But the weights have to pick up. My goal is to lose two pounds per week average. I know that some weeks will be more and some less, but I am really committed. I have to if I expect to be able to run 26 miles.

What I have seen and experienced these past few weeks with all the kids is the love and sense of belonging that family gives. I received that in Alaska, in Atlanta and here in Ft Lauderdale. Family gives you a sense of belonging, a place where you know that you are loved and accepted. At least it should. As we move into this new year, I can see why Bethel Atlanta is seeking to have a supernatural family. In your family you should feel safe. Safe to share even when you disagree because you know that you love each other. Safe to know that your dreams are encouraged and you get positive feedback. Yes, God’s plan is for us to thrive in families filled with love, joy and hope.

The enemy’s main tactic is to break up families and isolate individuals; once isolated we make easy targets. It’s like in the wild where the buffalo who strays from the herd is the one that gets picked off by the mountain lion. We have families for protection and it’s our job to nurture and love them. It’s too easy today to allow them to drift apart. I never thought that my family would be so scattered, but it is. We have to find ways to stay connected. That is why I think that “Facetime” is so important. We have to use all the technical advantages that we have to keep connected.

Well, it’s been a good time of connection here, but it must end. I’ll be sad to leave, at the same time life calls. Families are important, but we all have lives too. The key is still to live life in balance and harmony. Only through God can we achieve these both.

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-01T10:40:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting here at Starbucks in Ft Lauderdale. It is a beautiful day, and the coffee is very good as always. Yesterday was filled with fun and excitement. We spent most of the day discovering Ft Lauderdale by boat. We bought day passes on the water taxi system and spent most of the day looking at the houses of the rich and famous. It is so beautiful to see this city from the intercostal waterway. You get a whole new perspective on it. Then we watched Tech lose again. That was the worst part of the day. While we were out and about, we ate a delicious meal at Coconuts. It's a waterside diner. The food was excellent and the view was breathtaking. At night, we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, facetimed with Lisa and the girls and then watched a movie. We watched the ball drop from New York and went outside to see some fireworks.

Last night I read my post from New Years 2011. I was amazed at how accurate it was and how much has happened to me this past year. 2011 really was a year of change. There were more changes than I could ever imagine. Everything from falling in love with a wonderful woman and getting married to changing churches. It continued with moving out of the Marietta area down to Peachtree City. There were changes in my ministry as I took on helping to lead first year at BASSM. Then, Sheryl and I were asked to lead the Sozo team at Bethel Atlanta. Lisa and Hernan moved to Juneau with the girls. I added new family when I married Sheryl and that is another blessing in my life, but also another change. Yes, 2011 was a year of change and a year of entering in.

So, here we are, Jan 1 2012. What does this year hold in store for us? I sense that I have not entered into everything in the fullness that God wants me too. It's like the door to the house has been opened, but the house still has to be occupied. So, there will be more of an occupying and settling in as this year progresses. In some ways, it might not be as exciting, but it is maybe the most important time. It is a year of seeing promises fulfilled, and deferred hope made complete. I declare this over myself and my family.

2012 will also be a year of fresh revelation as to how our destiny is fulfilled. There are so many open doors. None of them will be closed, but our path will narrow and certain doors will become more obvious as the ones we should choose. It is about choice, you know. I believe that our Papa gives us endless possibilities, but He also puts within us certain desires. When we follow His heart within our heart. Those endless possibilities narrow to those that will propel us into the destiny that He has for us. It is about running our own race, not someone else's.

So, this year I want to focus on my race. It's not a coincidence that I feel compelled to train for another marathon. I believe the pace is picking up. There is much I want to do but the time is short. All of life is spiritual, you can't separate it out into parts. Whether it is running, travel or ministering in the school. If I stay connected to Him, He will give me balance. Balance for the race that I am called to run. My race looks different than your race. I can't judge another's race, because I don't know what God has in store for them. I just bless everyone who is in the race. May 2012 be a year of hopes fulfilled and destiny realized. Happy New Year.

Nice Day at the Beach

2011-12-30T22:51:00.001-05:00

I can certainly understand why so many people from Canada, New York or anywhere it is cold and snowing love to come down here and spend the winter. Today's weather was absolutely perfect. It started in the low 60's and ended in the upper 70's with hardly a cloud in the sky. We went to Starbucks early in the morning and then had lunch. After lunch I ran for an hour. It was great weather to run in, and running down las olas blvd looking at all the yachts and then along the beach was a lot of fun.

Then this afternoon we all went to the beach for an hour or so. It was very warm and the water wasn't real cold. No, I didn't swim, but I did walk down in it for a little while. But just sitting on the beach, relaxing and talking with all the kids was a lot of fun. Then we came back and went out for a good dinner at J Alexander's. It's one of my favorite spots here and I always enjoy dinner there.

We had an interesting conversation about how each of us has different callings on our lives, and we work in different mission fields. I know that Sheryl and my calling at this stage in our lives is sitting people free to move into their destiny. We do that all the time in Sozo, and it's our main focus in the school of ministry also. Sean's calling right now is in the professional world. Jennifer's mission field is in the hospital. None of these are more spiritual than the other. What is right for me would be completely wrong for Jennifer or Sean.

It's all about releasing the Presence of God wherever we may be. It's about bring the Kingdom of heaven into the hospital, or a business meeting. It's about bringing freedom wherever you happen to be. No one will see the true Jesus unless they see Him through us. Religion won't cut it any more. Instead we have to be real. Real love from real people who know and reflect the real God. That's what the world needs and is looking for.

I wish we could undo the years and years of "This job is spiritual, and this one isn't." I want everything that I do to be spiritual; and nothing that I do to be religious. Religion continues to kill Christians. Religion had to be an invention of The enemy's to keep believers working so hard that they would miss the real reason they are here. I know that I really just want to live life and let ministry happen. I'm not sure that I am there yet. But I know that I am closer to doing it right than I have ever been before. This year I want to get even closer.

Sunny South Florida

2011-12-29T23:36:00.000-05:00

When we left Peachtree City this morning, the temperature showing outside was 29. This afternoon in Ft Lauderdale it was 78. What a difference a 11 hour drive makes. Yes, it only took us 11 hours to get here, and that was with three stops. It was an easy drive, just a long one. Hopefully it won’t be any harder going back next week. It was so god to be able to see Jennifer, Sean, Adair and Meleah. I now feel that Christmas is complete. Last year we were all together. This year Sheryl and I had to travel about 9,000 miles to see them all. What a difference a year makes. We are looking forward to spending time with them these next few days. We have great weather for the week. It looks like plenty of sun and high 70’s. That and all the family should make for a great few days.

Sheryl and I did get to talk and do some planning for the New Year. We looked at different areas of our lives, and talked about the focus for 2012. We didn’t make “resolutions”, but we did set some measurable and achievable goals in many areas. I believe that this will help us as we prioritize things during the year. It really is hard to believe that there are only two more days in 2011. 2012, I never even dreamed of living in this year. It seems that my earlier dreams in life stopped in 2007, when I was scheduled to retire with Delta. Then came early retirement in 2003 and 2007 really meant nothing. I have dreams, lots of them, but I realize that even as I have them, I am living them. When you are my age, you don’t have time to let them sit. You have to think and act, almost simultaneously. That is hard for some people, but I find it rather easy. I guess it is from all my training as a pilot. You make decisions in life, act on them, and move on. You really don’t have time to stop and stay in one place, even if you are young. Life is just too short.

We will make mistakes; sometimes they are very costly and might hurt others. The key is to always try to be aware of unintended consequences to our actions, and learn for our mistakes and the mistakes of others. When we make them, as we all will, we have to be ready to quickly move on as if we hadn’t made them. If we try to put others in the forefront, then we will minimize the mistakes we make. I know that I have made many mistakes over the years. Some were my fault, and some weren’t. But I have to keep living life going forward, and take the consequences when they come. Thankfully, God’s grace is sufficient to carry me through the hard times, and to lead me into the good times.

Anyway, I digress. 2012 is going to be a year of great change in the world. You don’t have to be prophetic to see this. We can’t stand on the things of this world for our security. Many of these will shake, crumble and fail. We have to be the answer for many. Our love, faith and fearlessness will draw others into our sphere of influence. Then we can help them understand where their true security lies. This is a great time to be alive, and I truly believe that this next year will see revival begin to break out in small pockets through out the United States. It’s already started and those who are looking, like Simeon and Anna of old, can see it already. My advice to you who are reading: get ready. A few years ago, we were told by the prophets to position ourselves for the next move of God. Hopefully we are positioned where God wants us. If we are we can be used most effectively. That’s my real goal. What’s yours?

Nine Mile Run

2011-12-27T23:58:00.002-05:00

As I look back on the past two years, especially since Julia’s death, I realize that probably one of the biggest things that has taken a hit in my life even after my marriage to Sheryl has been my physical fitness. Some of it can be attributed to my busy schedule and the fact that I really didn’t have time, but I always made time before. Some of it could be attributed to the grief that I was going through, but that has been almost two years, and in every other area, I have received great healing. Even after my marriage, it has been hard to get motivated to really go out and run. I’ve tried a number of times, and it hasn’t really worked. It’s like I have been in a dead zone as far as training and fitness went,

Because of that, I have continued to have trouble maintaining or losing weight. I have slowly gained weight over time and that makes it even harder to get motivated. But I think that I am finally turning the corner. I have decided to train for another marathon. This will be my 15^th if I finish it. I plan to finish it and I have finished everyone that I have run. So, I have to seriously get into the grove, and quickly. The marathon is the Georgia Marathon here in Atlanta. It runs on Sunday March 18, 2012. I have about 12 weeks to complete my training. That should be enough based on what I did today. Last week I ran a 10K course for my long run and felt good. Today I ran probably the longest run that I have run in over two years. I completed 9 miles and I felt pretty good doing it. Sure, it was slower than I liked, but I am carrying some extra weight right now. As the weight comes of, the time will increase, running should help the weight to come off faster.

I am not one for New Year’s Resolutions, but at the same time I believe that the week between Christmas and New Year is a great time to evaluate where you are in all phases of life. As I spend time this week, I really want to look at a few things. Sheryl and I have basically just been living on the go, trying to stay ahead. I want us to be ahead of our schedule and be proactive about what we do. So, maybe during our drive down to Ft Lauderdale we can come up with some ideas about how to do that.

There is so much that we want to do, but in order to do it all, we have to prioritize all the things we do. That takes time and thought; hopefully we can put the thought in during the time we have before things really get started up again. The drive will be a good time to do it. I want to be able to focus on the kids once we get down there. The weather looks great, and it is going to be great to be able to run and walk in the nice south Florida weather.

So, I guess the question is really how to begin to “train” in all phases of life the way that I started training for the Marathon. It’s all about dreams and goals. Dreams will never be realized if you don’t match them with some measurable and achievable goals. Have fun as you begin to visualize all you can do in the next year. There is no limit to what we as believers can accomplish if we prioritize and focus on the main things.

It Was a Great Christmas!

2011-12-27T00:04:00.002-05:00

What makes a good Christmas? When I was little, I thought it depended on whether or not I got what I wanted from Santa. Then as I got older I knew it was a good Christmas when I was able to spend time with my friends and I got the presents I wanted. Later, I just wanted money, to buy my own presents, and I wanted to be able to spend time with my girlfriend or my friends. Sure, I love seeing my family, but that wasn’t my focus.

I think it was after I got out of college and was in pilot training when Christmas with the family began to be important. I guess you don’t realize the importance of something until it’s taken away. Now, I look back on all the Christmas’s past, and I can’t remember many specific toys of gifts. What I remember most are the faces and smiles of my family. I remember Grandmother Roan who for ten years said this would be her last Christmas. I remember Nena and Van along with Mae, throwing a party and trying to dance with all the kids. I remember Mom and Dad keeping us from coming down to early on Christmas morning. I remember all my sisters waking up and sitting at the top of the stairs until we could all run down to check what we had gotten. I remember Aunt Jean and Uncle Charlie, who actually paid for many of our presents in the early years. I remember so much more.

You see, it’s not really about the gifts. It’s not about whether you give or get. It’s really about love. His love is the key that unlocks hearts at Christmas. You might not be a believer, but it’s still His love that opens the door to let your love out at Christmas. Why do people get happy and smile. I think that they want to believe. There is a hole in their heart needing to believe in something. Christmas allows them to fill that hole temporarily. I think it is God’s way of drawing us into loving. If we open ourselves to love, it begins to bring a crack in our armor so that we might receive His love.

So, yes this was a good Christmas. I was able to spend it with Sheryl and Scott and Lacey and the kids. I got to see Jennifer, Sean and the kids on face time as well as Lisa, Hernan and the kids. But that’s still not the same. It would have been a great Christmas if we all could have been together. No, that’s really not fair. We might never all be able to be together at Christmas time. That means I would never have a great Christmas. So, I am declaring that I did have a great Christmas. I really did enjoy every part of it, and seeing Lisa and her family last week and now about to go see Jennifer and her family will make it complete. It’s great, just different.

Christmas is about love. It’s also about remembering, and I do remember all the Christmas’s past with fond memories, especially those with Julia when the kids were little. But as good as every Christmas is, it’s always about the next one, and the anticipation of life and love that it brings. So as I say goodbye to Christmas 2011, I look with great anticipation to next year and Christmas 2012. What joy we will have because of His love flowing through us all. Making memories is a lot of fun too!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T00:54:00.002-05:00

Well, it’s after midnight, so it is officially Christmas here in Atlanta and in Ft Lauderdale. It won’t be Christmas in Juneau for another three and a half hours, but it’s close enough to wish everyone of you a Merry Christmas. As I think about Christmas, I am reminded that it is not about presents, but about His presence. Yet, I so enjoy watching kids open gifts. I love to see the expression of surprise on their face when they pull back the paper and realize that the gift they are getting is something that they have really been wanting for a long time.

I got to see that expression on Anna’s face when we were in Juneau. And I saw it tonight on Ava’s and Judah’s face as well. Oren, well, he is a little old for this expression. But to see “the look” and know that they feel good about themselves and they know that someone cares about their wants and needs, which is what it is all about.

I think that is how Father God sees us. He loves to see the expression of surprise and joy on our face when He surprises us with His goodness and His grace. The thing is, He wants us to see it all year. Sure we celebrate His goodness over Christmas and the fact that He sent His son to bring us into the everlasting light. But He shows us His grace and His goodness all the time. Our problem is that we miss seeing it most of the time. He is in constant communication with us. Our problem is that we aren’t listening on the channel He is speaking on most of the time. It’s true that His still small voice is what we need to listen for. But as we listen, we need to be obedient to what we hear, no matter what the cost. The more we obey, the more we hear. Most of our lack of hearing comes because of our lack of obedience. But don’t worry, He loves us so much that when we turn and ask for forgiveness and another chance, He is quick and just to begin speaking where we can hear Him again.

So, Christmas can be about renewing our relationship with Father God, and learning to hear Him all over again. He wants that, but we have to make the first move. He is not willing to invade our space if He is not welcome. It’s like the picture in Revelations of Jesus standing at the door, knocking. He won’t open it himself; He wants you to open it. So, I guess the real question for all of us this Christmas is this: Am I hearing Him like I should? If not, what do I need to do to improve my relationship with Him? Am I being disobedient? If so, what do I need to do? You see, if we are not hearing Him, the problem is on our end. I know that for me, I want every day to be like Christmas next year. I want Him to know how much I love Him, and I want to really appreciate His goodness and love just like I do at Christmas. So to all of you, my friends, may each day of the New Year be like a very Merry Christmas to you as you receive all that Papa has for you each day.

Christmas Eve, Eve

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

It was almost 70 degrees in Atlanta today. Way to warm for Christmas unless you are in Hawaii, Florida or Australia. Since I am not in any of those places, it could be a little colder for Christmas. I’m not really complaining, I was able to get out and take a six-mile run this afternoon without dressing up for winter. That was really nice and it was the longest run that I have had in a long time. We are getting ready for Christmas Eve. We will have church tomorrow at 5 and then Scott, Lacey and the kids over for Christmas dinner. Sheryl has been cooking most of the afternoon and evening, and I know that it will be a good dinner. It’s still hard to believe that we are down here in Peachtree City. It’s good, but everything seems so different.

One of the good things about being down here is that we can see Dad and Allene. We are taking them to brunch tomorrow morning and that will be fun. I still find myself thinking about Christmas last year in Hilton Head. It was so cold. We could have used some of this year’s weather there last year. Oh well, you have to enjoy what you have when you have it, and that’s what I intend to do. We had fun in Juneau, we will have fun here and then fun in Ft Lauderdale. Three very different locations, but all filled with families and memories to be made and enjoyed. What are some of your favorite memories?

If you are like me, you probably have so many that it is hard to answer. But as I think back on Christmas past, I have a hard time thinking of a bad memory. Even the ones when we were so poor that we hardly had any gifts were very special because we had each other. I was so fortunate that I had a home that was loving and joyful, especially around Christmas. I know that is the type of home that we tried to give our girls growing up. Gifts are nice, but the greatest gift you can give is yourself. Giving yourself and your love to those who love you is so important.

I guess that’s why I still get so much pleasure listening to all the old Christmas songs. I’m doing that now. Listening to “Here Comes Santa Clause” reminds me of my aunt and uncle “Sister and JB”. I think most of these memories were when I was around three and staying with them during Christmas time. It was where I began to hear Bing Crosby, Perry Como and Gene Autry sing all the old Christmas songs.

The show that we saw about the Andrews Sisters stirred up these memories too. It’s amazing that I can remember something that long ago. No, Christmas is about memories, so as I get older, it’s my responsibility to help make memories for my grandchildren. I saw a card today at the store. It said that Christmas was a great way to end one year and begin another. I truly embrace that in reality, 2011 ends on Christmas Eve, and 2012 begins Christmas Morning. It begins full of hope, joy and peace. I pray that it will stay that way. So, it’s about to be Christmas Eve, and this is a special time. Enjoy it!!

Home From Juneau

2011-12-23T01:21:00.001-05:00

It’s always good to be home again. We got home last night about midnight. It was a little over 24 hours from the time that we left Lisa’s in Juneau. We had to get creative to get home, which is not surprising for the holiday travel. We went from Seattle to Memphis to Atlanta. Then we had to search for our bags in Atlanta. Praise God, they were there, and after about 30 minutes we found them. But we were, and are still on Juneau time. We came home and had something to eat and didn’t get to bed until after one in the morning. Then getting up was another chore. We finally got up around 10:30. It will probably be the same tomorrow since it is already after one now.

Anyway, I’m sitting here listening to Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. The tree is beautiful and we spent a wonderful night at the Steeds with friends from RiverStone. It’s important to keep connections and tonight was a lot of fun. Tomorrow is for running, going to the store and cooking. I’ll do the running and probably go to the store. Sheryl will do the cooking. Anyway it will be a full day and I don’t think we have the time to sleep as long in the morning.

Christmas is so special. It’s about giving and blessing the ones you love, and some people that you might not even know. Father God set the example by giving us His Son. We all need to learn to give. I think one of the first signs of maturity is when you begin to understand that giving is really more fun than getting. Sure, I still love to get gifts because it makes me feel special and loved. But I really do love to give much more. I love to see the look of surprise and shock on someone’s face when they receive a gift that they were totally not expecting. That makes it so worth every thing.

So tomorrow starts the weekend of Christmas. I will miss those that I love that are not here, and enjoy being with those that I love that are here. If I had my way, we would all be together, but that is a perfect world, and we don’t live in a perfect world yet. But no matter where we are, love still flows, and we will be in contact with each other. Life moves on and decisions that we have to make take us apart physically, but nothing can separate us spiritually. Memories are the glue that keeps us together and makes our love even stronger when we are apart.

Well it is late here in Atlanta, even though it’s only a little after 9 in Juneau. I have to begin to transition back to Eastern time, so I guess it’s time for bed, even though I’m not sleepy.

Sitting in Airports

2011-12-21T10:45:00.003-05:00

In some ways it seems like I have spent most of my life sitting in airports. I guess being in aviation for over 40 years would give anyone that perspective. I do know that it is much more fun waiting in an airport knowing that you have a seat. When I was flying and on a trip, I still hated the sit around, but at least I knew that I had a seat. Right now Sheryl and I are sitting I the Seattle airport. We have already missed one flight, well really two, since the second is about to leave without us. I am already looking at other options beside the direct flights to Atlanta. We will try going to Minneapolis and then to Atlanta next. We might have a chance with that one.

Of course, no longtime traveler nonrev's the week before Christmas. That is unless they want to see their grandchildren then they lose all their senses. We left Juneau at 8pm last night and then got a hotel in Seattle at midnight. We got up at four and here we are. Yesterday we had "Christmas" with the kids and it was a lot of fun. It was a great visit with the whole family, but it was hard to say goodby knowing it will probably be summer before we can get back.

But now, back to reality and trying to get back to Atlanta for Christmas. We are looking forward to that too. We will have Scott, Lacey and the kids over for Christmas eve dinner. Then after Christmas the drive to Ft Lauderdale. It will be 12 hours, but at least we have control of our own destiny. Well, this is an unusual early morning post, hopefully I can update it tonight from our home.

Closed on Mondays

2011-12-20T03:52:00.002-05:00

A number of years ago, we had some friends from England staying with us. They were only with us for a couple of days and we wanted to show them some of the local sights. It was a Monday, and we started driving around. Well, everywhere we went the establishment had a sign saying "Closed on Monday". It was before we had smart phones and could look up addresses and phone numbers. We just drove around from place to place reading "Closed on Monday". We spent all day doing that and it got to be very funny.

Today wasn't nearly that bad. We were able to "Let our fingers do the walking". We saved a lot of gas and time by not driving to all the places that we wanted to go that we're closed. It seems that most of Juneau, restaurants and all were "Closed on Monday". So we spent most of the day deciding where we weren't going to go instead of actually going anywhere. It was 40 degrees and everything was melting. I couldn't run outside because it was very icy and slick on the sidewalks.

We did get to go to "The Hanger". It's my favorite restaurant in Juneau. It sits on the water with the mountains in the background. The food is great too. I had a bowl of Halibut and Clam Chowder that was outstanding. Then we wound up at the best food store in Juneau, Fred Meyers, for a Starbucks. So the day was still a lot of fun. Salmon for dinner topped the day off.

Lisa had to work from 6:30 to 6:30 today, so we were without her presence all day. For the most part, Anna and Julia did just great. It has been so much fun keeping up with them this week, although I have to admit that my back is a little sore from holding them so much. The bad news is that the flights are filling up fast, and we are going to leave tomorrow night at 8pm. That will allow us to standby for all the flights to Atlanta on Wed and if need be, on Thursday as well. Hopefully we will be able to get home sometime
on Wed. We really do hate to leave a little early, but we don't want to spend Christmas eve in the Seattle airport. So it looks like this time tomorrow night we will be still flying toward Seattle. I'll try to get a hotel room close to the airport. That way we can get a few hours of sleep before we have to start standing by. So I don't know if I will post until I'm back in Georgia.

Christmas is all about family, and I am so glad that we got to spend this time with Hernan, Lisa, Anna and Julia. It really has been a great week.

A Rainy Sunday

2011-12-19T03:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday it was snowing again. It wasn't snowing all day, but it snowed lightly most of the day. I was able to run, the snow helped give traction on the ice. It was more slippery than the other day, but an hour run was very fun and beautiful. Of course it was slower because it was more slippery, but it was still fun. I have decided that I like the snow better than the rain. Today it rained all day and it would have been impossible to go out running. So snow, in limited amounts, is definitely better than rain. A having said that, it rained so hard that if it had been snow we probably would have had at least a foot.

We did get to church, Juneau Christian Center. It was a very good service. I am so glad that Lisa and Hernan have found a good church. It had good worship, and the message was very good as well. It would definitely be where I would go if I lived here. After church we went to lunch and to see Santa at the mall. Anna had a cute picture taken with Santa. It's the first time she has ever sat in his lap. Julia would have nothing to do with him, even with Lisa sitting next to him. I guess that she will be just like her sister.

It's been so good being here. I really miss my girls, both are so far away. It's hard to get to see them as much as I would like. It's just hard to believe we have been gone 5 days. Of course to get here you have to add at least a day of travel on each end. I've got to start watching the flights. It's going to get harder and harder to get home as we get closer to Christmas.

I'm sitting here, probably the only one still awake. Lisa has duty tomorrow from 6:30am until 6:30pm. It's the only day she has to work while we are here. We will have fun with the kids, and hopefully I will get a run in outside. I did get to the gym this afternoon with Lisa. I grot a good workout, so the rain didn't totally stop me from doing what I needed to do. Tomorrow will be fun, no matter what we are able to do. I am excited to see what the day brings. Hopefully it will be a day filled with light snow showers and very little rain. Yes, that would be very good indeed.

Playing in the Snow

2011-12-17T02:36:00.002-05:00

When I woke up this morning, it was raining. When I looked outside you could tell that the snow was melting around the house and on the roads. My plan was to get out for a run, but Lisa had other plans in mind, and they were better, so I didn't mind going along with hers. She wanted us all to get ready and drive up to the ski slopes. We were Going to go no tubes down a few hills. I sounded like fun, so we packed up to get ready to go. When she called to make sure they were opened, we found out that they no longer had he tubes, but we could come up and find a place to go sledding, so thats what we decided to do.

When we got there, it was really hard to find a place for the girls to sled. Everything around the lodge was just so compact and crowded. We finally found a place down near one of the cross country trails. It was fun for Anna, Julia just wanted to walk and play in the snow. But Anna really did want to sled, and she had a good time. I even went down once, and it was fun. It didn't take too long to get cold, so eventually we went back down to town and found a place for a late lunch.

It's only 10pm here, but I still must be suffering from jet lag. Sheryl is in bed, probably asleep by now and i am ready to join her. Lisa is up making cookies for the birthday party tomorrow afternoon. I really don't have anything else to say, so I'll stop for the night and continue to write tomorrow.

Juneau in December

2011-12-16T02:32:00.002-05:00

The sun came up today at 8:45 this morning and set at 3:04. That is really better than I thought it would be as far as sunlight, but it was cloudy with light snow most of the day. Terri really wasn't much sun. At 4:30, I felt like it was 8. Maybe that is because of the four hour time difference between here and atlanta. I blamed it on the sunset, but that might not have been right.

I did get out for a run in the snow this morning. It was a slow run, but I did go for 48 minutes, and tomorrow I'll probably go for an hour. It was a lot of fun, because I was dressed for it. It really was a beautiful run, and I can't wait to run even farther. This afternoon we went to Home Depot to buy a Christmas Tree. I have never bought a free there, how much different could it be? In reality, not much. We picked out a tree and had them trim the branches so it would go into the stand. It was sort of like old times, helping Lisa pick out a tree.

Tonight, I put the lights on, with Sheryl's help, and then we watched while Lisa and Anna put the ornaments on and Julia kept trying to take them off. I was a good night and we had a lot of fun. In fact, I had fun the whole day. I seemed to spend most of it holding Julia or playing with Anna. But that's the main reason that we are here. Tomorrow will probably be more of the same, but it should be fun. We got an inch or so of snow today, who knows what we will get tomorrow. It should be another fun day.

Somewhere Over the Northwest

2011-12-15T02:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a long day, but a good day. It's 10pm in Atlanta, and we just took off for Juneau by way of Ketchikan. It will be another 3:30 before we finally get to Juneau, so it will be about a 21 hour day. I feel remarkably good right now. We spent most of the day in the Seattle airport, but we had some good food, and got to drink some Alaskan Amber, my new favorite beer, so it wasn't too bad.

We did have one mishap however. When we went through security in Seattle, Sheryl stumped her little toe against a metal leg while she was barefooted. She has been in pain with it most of the afternoon. Advil helped, but I don't know what more we could do except tape it and ice it if we had been home. But at the airport there was not much to be able to do. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow because she is hobbling right now.

It's exciting to think that in a few short hours we will be in Juneau with all the kids. It's going to be a fun week. It's pretty comfortable right now, we are sitting on the back row of tourist class, but we have an empty seat between us. That allows us to spread out and relax more. This mornings flight was full, but it was still a good flight. I'm sitting here typing on my iPad listening to some of my "oldies". It really doesn't get much better than this on this type of flight. I really am impressed with Alaskan Airlines, they have a good operation and friendly people. They remind me of what Delta was like in the old days.

I guess the holidays really have started for us. No more work or school until after the first of the year. It's time to kick back and enjoy family. It's also time to focus on what the holidays really are all about. We were talking about school today. Sheryl was asking me what I thought about Georgian Banov. I thought he was great and carried an anointing of joy and rest that we all need. Our school is all about freedom, and we have so many different speakers from so many different streams. I loved Georgian and I loved Bobby Conner, but if you listened to them closely, they were on opposite sides of many issues. Who is right? In many ways, they both are. A pendulum swings from side to side, and who is to say at any one time what is right. But there is always a plumb line. It is the line that defines all truth. I believe that the plumb line is that God is Good, and nothing bad comes from Him. The rest I let Holy Spirit sort out as the need arises.

The first semester of school is over. It has been great. I've grown as I taught, prophesied and led.I can't wait to see what is going to happen this next term. Many of the students that I was really concerned about have come through in great shape. I pray that they continue to be strong and grow as much in this next term as they have this term.

Well, I think this is all for tonight. Hopefully I will be able to update tomorrow night, but if things get busy it might be the next day. Enjoy the good weather in Atlanta, it's 34 here all week. I wonder how much snow we will have?

Off to Alaska

2011-12-13T23:44:00.001-05:00

It gives you a sick feeling when the agent listing you on you flight says that you are brave to be traveling to SE Alaska this time of year. I guess we are, either brave or stupid. Well, I know this. We are supposed to go, and if my Father wants me to go then I trust Him to help us get there and get back. So, tomorrow morning we begin the journey. Even at best it is going to be a long day. We fly to Seattle and land at 10:51, but we miss the last nonstop to Juneau, so we get to take the scenic route. It stops on two other islands and takes over 5 hours to get there. That will be over 10 hours in an airplane and about 4 sitting in Seattle. Yes it will be a long day even if everything goes right. So I probably won’t be able to post a blog tomorrow night.

I still can’t wait to get there to see them all. We did face time last night and talked to Anna Roan on her birthday. Both of then are so cute, and it is going to be great to see Hernan and Lisa too. Families are a lot of what Christmas is about, and as long as I can travel, we will always try to see them all. But I do admit that this is a little challenging this year. Next year we will definitely go ahead and buy some tickets.

The bast two nights we have had a revivalist from Bulgaria, Georgian Banov. I have never seen a man so down to earth and childlike and yet so full of wisdom and joy. He plays the violin and helped lead worship. It was amazing. He brought the joy of the Lord to our school at a time where we really needed it. He spoke on the finished work of the Cross and all that Jesus bought when He died for us. It’s very simple but very radical to most of the church. He bought it all. We don’t have to work for anything. Think about this quote: “Everything you don’t believe Jesus did for you on the Cross, you have to do for yourself.” That is so true, because we keep trying to do things ourselves that Christ has already paid for.

He constantly spoke of the joy of the Lord, and was releasing a new level of Joy to everyone. I loved this quote: “Religion wants you holy but not happy. The world wants you happy but not holy. Jesus wants you both holy and happy. That’s what I am going after, happy holiness or holy happiness. It really is available and we can walk in it if we just allow ourselves to begin to believe that it is ours. We don’t have to strive for it, it’s not about works, it’s about stepping into it through His grace and His finished work. It’s all about walking in peace and mot striving. My prayer is that I can walk in that peace thorugh all of this travel. I know we are supposed to get there, so I am declaring His favor, and seats for us on all the planes that we need to get on. Alaska here we come!

Birthdays and Memories

2011-12-13T00:08:00.002-05:00

There were two family birthdays in the last two days, and both of them were born in Hawaii. Coincidence? Maybe but I don’t believe in coicidences. So as I sit here writing this I am trying to piece any connections together. Jennifer was our first born daughter, and Anna Roan was Lisa’s firstborn daughter. At the time, Lisa was in the Coast Guard flying C-130’s. I had my Aircraft Commander checkout in the C-130 three days before Kennifer was born. They were both born on Oahu, really not very far apart. I don’t know, I’ll have to ocontinue to think about the similarities.

Jennifer was born on December 11. I remember it well. We got up that morning, and around 8 or 8:30, Julia started having labor pains. She had had some before, so I wanted to make sure before we went to Tripler. Tripler is the big Army hospital. It is a tremendous pink building sitting up in the hills. You can see it from almost anywhere in Honolulu. It took about 30 minutes to get there, so we always had a bag packed. We had taken Lamaze classes. That’s the closest thing to natural childbirth that we had heard of, and we were all ready.

So, I took Julia to the hospital. They said she wasn’t dilated enough, and had us walk around the grounds for about 30 minutes before they sent us home. So, we drove home, disappointed and then Julia went to bed. I was getting ready to go to work when her water broke. We called the hospital and they told us to come back, so we made the drive again. Once we got there the labor and delivery went pretty fast, and Jennifer was born about 1:30 in the afternoon. Tripler was ahead of it’s time, they made Julia get up and walk to get her meals, and they had Julia with her in the room most of the time.

Julia and I were in Hawaii for Anna Roan’s birth. It was beautiful looking at all the Christmas lights. I think that Hawaiians make up for the lack of cold or snow by over decorating. I can remember walking down one of the streets near Lisa’s and it seemed like walking down the main street at Disney world during the Christmas parade. I remember that we left for Hawaii on Dec 4^th because Lisa’s due date was around the 5^th or 6^th. Well, by the 11^th Lisa was fit to be tied. That afternoon, she just wanted to be alone, so she sent us out to dinner and to a movie. I think we went to see the movie about Mary. We were only a third of the way into the movie when Hernan called and said that Lisa was in labor and wanted us back.

Well, Lisa was going to have a home birth. She had a midwife, and Julia was going to help. I was going to help by staying out of the way. As far out of the way as I possibly could. My plan was to have my headsets on and watch Star Wars on my computer. It worked too, at least for a while. But once everything started, I could here things through my headset; things that I really didn’t want to here. Well, Lisa’s labor started on the 11^th, and we thought that Anna Roan would be born on Jennifer’s birthday, but that was not to be. It was close to 1AM on December 12 when she was born. We were there. We were there for both births, born in Hawaii, years apart, but really close together. Both were special and we were very glad to be at both.

So, Jennifer celebrated her birthday yesterday in Ft Lauderdale, and today Anna Roan celebrated in Juneau. Sheryl and I will be there in two days, so I hope to make some new memories for Anna Roan and us while we are there. Life moves on, but memories remain sketced in your brain forever. O, looking forward to the opportunity to make some new ones. This Chirstmas will be a great time for making them.

Your Music Helps Define You

2011-12-11T00:09:00.002-05:00

OK, I’m a baby boomer who came of age in the late 60’s. I still live in the sixties in many ways. I love sixties music, and I think about the cars I had in the 60’s. I remember what went on in high school and college as if it were yesterday. I don’t hang out with many of my friends anymore, but I remember most of them. Here it is 2011, almost 2012, and I know more about The Doors and Peter, Paul and Mary and The Beatles than I do about any current musician, or any musician since the early 70’s. Strange isn’t it? Not really.

I believe that we all have an era of music that defines us. Today, we went to the Legacy Theater to see “A Swinging Christmas”. It was about the Andrew Sisters as well as other entertainers of the late 40’s. I knew almost all their music. I wasn’t even born during most of their music, but I knew it because mom was stuck in the 40’s so I listened to it growing up with her. The 40’s music helped define her, and she would have loved the play today. I regret that I didn’t ask Dad and Allene to go with us, they probably would have loved it. In fact, most of the people were people who probably were stuck in the forties.

I’m so glad I was stuck in the 60’s rather than today. I would hate to have to drive all around every day for the rest of my life listening to Lady Gaga, or Justin Beaver. I guess you love what you grow up with. The good news is that is not the only music that I like. I love worship music and some classical. But if I am looking just to kick back and relax, Pandora Radio comes on with my sixties channel to bring me back into my easy space.

Yes, today was fun to step back in time, and the actors and actresses were unbelievable. It was a good time to think back on my childhood, and remember the 40’s music that my mom loves do well. Shoot, I still listen to the 40’s during Christmas. Bing Crosby is one of my favorite Christmas artists. I’ll have to listen to some more of the Andrews Sisters; they were very good in their time. No, I still won’t ever be able to embrace today’s music. I’ll stay in the 60’s until I can’t listen anymore.

Christmas is a Coming

2011-12-10T00:34:00.002-05:00

Well, it’s been a busy two days. I did two sozo’s yesterday and one this morning. Sheryl helped me this morning and it was fun to work together. All three went very well, it is just so fun to see the Holy Spirit bring freedom and set captives free. So, that part of the day was awesome. Then I went to work this afternoon and didn’t get home until a little after 8PM. We had dinner together and then watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase. It’s hard to believe that it was made in 1989. It is a great, funny movie and I really have to watch it every Christmas.

I remember that last year we watched it together in Hilton Head. We were all together last Christmas. It’s going to be hard not being together this year. But the travel begins soon. We will be leaving on Wed for Juneau. It’s hard to believe that it is coming so soon. It will be great to see everyone and spend time with them. Then we will be back here for a few days during Christmas and then it’s off to Ft Lauderdale over New Year’s with Jennifer and her family. So, we might cover over 5000 miles or so round trip. We will be up with Santa Clause as we travel.

Tomorrow I am off, that is good. It should be a nice easy day, so I want to get to work out in the morning. Then in the afternoon we are going to a play. It’s a Christmas play about the Andrews Sisters in WW2 era. It should be fun. I still have two more work days before we leave. I work on Sunday and Tuesday, both on B periods. It’s really getting exciting as I sit here listening to Christmas Carols. But Christmas is all about family, and as much as I am excited, I’m still a little sad that we are so spread out, but I certainly understand the dynamics of life, and it will be fine. I think I will treat myself to an eggnog latte tomorrow. That should make me feel better. Anyway, life goes on, as we all grow up. But Christmas is for families, and I will do my best to make sure we get to see each other as much as we can,

Date Night

2011-12-09T00:21:00.002-05:00

Well, I didn’t get to write last night. I had planned to, but I had worked an early A period that morning, and I didn’t get home until very late last night. So, buy the time I was ready to write. I was just too tired. But it was a great night. What was I doing? It was a date night with my wife. We really needed some time off together. This has been building for a week or so. It seems that everything is keeping us apart, or when we are together, we are so busy that we don’t have time for each other.

So, after work yesterday, we went to lunch together and then went to Lenox mall to do some Christmas shopping. It was a fun afternoon, if you can have fun shopping. No, seriously I did enjoy it. I quickly realized that it was the first time I had been at a mall shopping since Julia died. I had some good memories flash by, especially as we walked through pottery barn, but my focus was on being with Sheryl and having fun with her. We looked for clothes and got some different stuff for each other. We got a Starbucks and walked through all of Lenox Square just window shopping.

I think one of the most telling sights I saw had to do with where technology is going. First we packed the Apple Store and it was packed. You could walk in, but you would have a long wait to be waited on or to buy anything . It was filled with shoppers. Then when we were downstairs, we saw a Microsoft Windows store. It was almost twice as big is square footage as the Apple store, but there must have been only three to four customers in the store. In fact, there were a number of employees just waiting around for something to do.

We then left Lennox and went over to Nordstrom’s at Phipps Plaza. I was looking for shirts, and I found some that I liked there. By then we were tired and hungry. I was thinking about eating there, or on the way home, but Sheryl had heard about this restaurant from Scott and Lacey. It was called “Two Urban Licks”. It’s over near the Carter Center, and it was as good as advertised. I had Calamari and a salad. It was probably the best Calamari that I have had here in Atlanta. It was a very upscale place. It was an old abandoned warehouse that had been converted in to this beautiful restaurant. So, to make a long story short, it was a night spent on each other, just hanging out and walking around talking. It was a needed time, and I am so glad that we really enjoyed.

What Are You Worth?

2011-12-06T22:41:00.002-05:00

That’s a fair question. What are you worth. I think that a few years ago, all the chemicals in your body would be worth a couple of hundred dollars. I’m sure that I would be worth a lot more if I were to sell my organs off one at a time. Who knows maybe I might be worth a million dollars or so. What is a heart worth on the black market; or eyes; or kidneys, lungs or liver. Yes, piece by piece I probably would be worth millions. But that is not enough, not nearly enough.

I must be worth a lot if Jesus was willing to die for me. Think about it, if we realize what price our Papa was willing to pay to redeem us, we are worth so, so much more. We tend to devalue ourselves if when we think that Christ died for all mankind. Yes he did, that is true. But He would have done the same thing if it was just me or you. So we can’t use that excuse to cut down our worth.

Tonight Paul Manwaring was talking about our worth to our Father. In the Old Testament God inhabited the Tabernacle. It was a tent who’s value in today’s currency would be about 16 Billion dollars. Then He moved to the Temple which is was worth about 60 Billion dollars. He left both of those to dwell in my heart. So, I must be worth at least 76 Billion dollars with Him. Think about it for a minute. It puts a different light on the subject, doesn’t it? 76 Billion is a lot of money, and that is just the beginning.

Most of us don’t value ourselves as much as God does. If we could just see ourselves through His eyes, we would know that we are truly awesome. We need to realize that we were made to hold His glory. That is one of the reasons we are worth so much. He wants His glory shed abroad in the earth, and He wants us to do it. We have to expand our view of glory. It’s not just found in the church. Glory is found in every area of the earth. It’s our jov to harness it and release it out into the world. But first we have to understand how much we are worth. I’m still learning, but I know that I am worth a lot more than I have ever realized. You are too!

Sons and Fathers

2011-12-06T00:08:00.002-05:00

Tonight Paul Manwaring spoke at BASSM on Sonship. He talked about what it takes to be a son, and how the process comes about. It was a great night and some real revelation was released to us all. Paul is head of all the strategic planning and leads the Global Legacy network. It’s a network of churches that are affiliated with Bethel Redding. He is also one of the elders in our church and plays a big part in our strategic planning as well.

Paul talked about how one of the marks of a son is his teach ability and not being prideful. He talked about the verse in Proverbs that says: The eye that mocks a father is never satisfied. Too often we believe we have arrived. A true son never stops learning. He never stops being able to receive from others. Even if he is more experienced, He must be willing to constantly learn, To often we stop and say that we have arrived. Of course we don’t say it out loud, but in our hearts we begin to settle. We are at peace where we are and don’t want change. The churches job is to bring change, so we should embrace it, not try to hide from it.

If you don't learn how to become a son or a daughter then every earthly father will let you down – Paul Manwaring. We have to learn to become true sons and daughters; otherwise we will constantly run from those fathers who can best pour into our lives. If we are to succeed in the Kingdom, then we have to let Fathers and Mothers pour into our lives. If we don’t then we will not be balanced, and will wind up hurting ourselves or others. This is one of the major problems in the church today. The orphan spirit doesn’t allow us to trust leaders. We have been hurt in the past and many times we have not been healed. We project that same hurt and pain onto other leaders and then we allow ourselves the luxury of not listening to sound advice and getting the opportunity to grow.

Responsibility and faithfulness to those who are not sons looks like performance and duty. - Paul Manwaring. Once again, we see that the good and the bad can look alike. The outcome depends upon the heart and our attitudes. As sons, we are to personify responsibility and faithfulness. As a son it is easy, because we want to show and release love and respect. But if we are not sons, it looks and feels like its our duty and we have to perform to get it ready. It’s all about where our hearts are. If our heart is right, then our attitude will be right, and then it will feel like we are responsible and faithful. Otherwise it is all about how we perform and what’s in it for us.

It really is about serving, but serving as a lover and a son. In fact, we have to be sons, servants and lovers if we are really going to be the bride of Christ here on the earth. We all have our own mission, but as sons, we have to allow our mission be brought into submission to the main mission of the church. Only then will we be released and sent out by gathers to fulfill our mission. That’s how it works in the kingdom. Hopefully we can all become sons and daughters, because we can’t become fathers and mothers until we have past that first test. The world is needing more Fathers and Mothers. It’s up to us to give it to them.

Birthdays

2011-12-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

I think that birthdays are special. They ought to be the second most important day you celebrate, right after Christmas. OK, we might need to add Easter. But birthdays are unique to each individual and as such they each need to be celebrated. I think that December is one of the most busy months for birthdays that ma family has. First, Sheryl’s is on the second. Then my nephew Gil will have his on the 8^th, along with Sean, my son in law. Jennifer’s is on the 11^th and then Anna Roan’s is on the 12^th. That’s five birthdays in 10 days. That is a busy time of year. Then you throw in Christmas on top of all that. It’s definitely enough to keep you busy.

But back to birthdays in general; many people don’t think that they are important. I guess comes down to identity. If you believe that you are special, and important then you normally enjoy celebrating your birthday. However, if you have low self worth, then you tend not to enjoy or celebrate birthdays as much. Of course that is just a generalization based on my limited observation, but I really think that there is a lot of truth in the statement.

I do love birthdays, and I am still a little mad that I lost mine last year when I was flying to Australia for our wedding. We got on the plane in LA about 11PM on the 24^th of June and landed at 8AM on the 26^th of June. No June 25^th, so there really was no birthday. It wasn’t too bad though; I did get married that afternoon. But I was hoping to have the wedding on my birthday too. But still, there wasn’t much birthday celebrating going on.

So, this week will be bitter sweet. I celebrate the birthdays of those that I love, but they are too far away to visit, sol I will just have to send the cards and call and talk with them. That will be fun, but it could be so much more. These are just the birthdays of my relatives. It doesn’t even include my friends.

Facebook has revolutionized the way you can keep track of your friends birthdays. Every week I get an email telling me how many birthdays my friends have during the week. This week 12 of my friends have birthdays. That’s just the ones I know about. I’m sure that there are more. So, to all of you who are reading this post; If you have a birthday this week. Happy birthday! May your special day be filled with love, joy and peace.

Short and Sweet

2011-12-03T23:01:00.002-05:00

Well I know that tonight’s blog will be short, but I will just have to assume it is sweet. That is for you to judge. Anyway, this is a quick recap of the past two days. I did get to the gym yesterday morning. It was one of the few things that I did alone yesterday. Dec 2 was Sheryl’s birthday, and I took her to lunch at Teds, and then last night we took Scott, Lacey and the Kids with us to see the Christmas lights at Calaway Gardens. I have seen them before, but because they change each year I was more than happy to take her along with them.

It was really a great night, but we didn’t get home until after 11 and I had an A period this morning. Needless to say, I didn’t do my blog last night because it was so late. Tonight we had a sozo party at the house. I think there were 16 people here. We had a couple of new people who have just joined the team, and then some of the older team members. Their spouses came to and it made for a nice evening. We also saw Dad and Allene today too. They came over to see the house. I think that they liked it too.

The party is over, but I have an A period again tomorrow so I am going to cut this short. Until Tomorrow night!

World Gym

2011-12-01T23:42:00.000-05:00

I hope that I actually go to the gym more than I went to the Y last year. What is it that makes us want to join something, and then we wind up not going. I’m not sure, but today I went exploring Peachtree City for fitness centers. My goal is to keep it into a one or two mile radius from the house. From experience I know that the farther it is that I have to drive, the more likely it is that I will not go. So, I picked out the first two to check out.

The first one was Ultimate Fitness. It was probably the closest by about .3 miles, so I was hoping that it would have everything that we need. I liked it because I could ride the golf cart to it pretty easily. The pros were that it was open 24 hours a day, and that it was close. Everything else was a negative. When you are used to the West Cobb Y, you get spoiled in what you are looking for. This place was very run down and the equipment was not up to my expectations. So, even though the price was right, I knew that it wouldn’t work.

I went to the next place; World Gym, not knowing what to expect. I knew that there was another World Gym a few miles farther from the house in the opposite direction. I had seen a World Gym in Marietta, and was not impressed. I was not very excited about going. Boy was I mistaken. It was very nice inside, almost on par with the Y and yet it was actually going to be less money for the month. The inside was very nice, and it has a lot of equipment. The best news is that we get to use either of the two facilities. The other one has two pools and racquetball courts. I will probably use this one the most. We can ride the golf cart to this one as well. So, I went ahead and joined. I knew that this would be the one that Sheryl would like. I’m excited and tomorrow I will go work out.

But the real question has yet to be answered. Will I actually use it as much as I think that I will. I hope so. I don’t have the excuse that it is too far away anymore. I can tell that the only way I am really going to loose weight is for me to work out regularly. That is the key to seeing my body change and go back in search of the fountain of youth. So, the easy part is complete. Now comes the hard part, actually using it. Hopefully I will have no problem with that. Tomorrow starts a new day!

Where Did November Go?

2011-11-30T23:47:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is December 1^st. That is really hard to believe. It seems like yesterday that Sheryl and I were in Australia getting married. Now, in 14 days we will be going to Juneau, in the snow, to visit Hernan, Lisa and the kids. It’s going to be cold, but hopefully not as cold as it could be. Yesterday it was warmer in Juneau than Atlanta. I’m praying for a warm spell while we are there. But no matter how cold it is, it will be great to see all the family and spend time with them.

But, back to the end of November; time is just passing too fast. I think dad said this the other day. “It seems like every nine months a new year begins. I say that it seems like every six months a new year begins. Things are moving fast, and I am at the point in life where I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. That only makes me want to run faster. The closer to the finish line I get, the more that I want to see accomplished. Sometimes I seem driven, but it is not anything that is consuming, it’s just that I have so much that I want to do, and so little time. No, I don’t feel that I am going to die or anything like that, but I have fifty years worth of dreams to squeeze into the remaining productive years of my life.

At the same time, I am being pulled to just travel the world and have fun. I would love to spend a month in England, and maybe a month in Italy. A week is no longer enough. I want to be able to savor the country and all that is in it. How does all this play out? How can I afford to do that and still work for Delta? What’s more, how can I afford the time for these trips and still accomplish the dreams that I have been given. What is right and proper? These are the questions that are running through my mind. How does one desire play against the other? Is one right and one wrong? Or are they both right, but in moderation? If they are both right, how does that work out?

Questions to ponder and seek His face about. I want to totally be in His will, but I know that dreams come from Him. The on going question is can I fulfill both dreams? I don’t know, this is something that Sheryl and I have to seek His face about. How it works, only He can say. Tune in, someday I will have the answer. I don’t think it will be today.

Winter?

2011-11-29T23:46:00.003-05:00

Well, it finally looks like winter is coming to Atlanta. Today I think the high was around 42 and cloudy. It will warm up to 52 tomorrow, but then drop down into the high 20’s tomorrow night. I talked to Lisa this afternoon, and I think the tempretaure in Juneau was higher than it was here. Weird weather, but in reality, the cold is probably where it should be this time of year.

At any rate, it’s time to look for a gym, before the first of the year when everybody and their brother will be out looking for one. There are a number to choose from here in Peachtree City, but I just have to go check them out. Tomorrow I work a B period, but hopefully I will be through around 1:30. There is much to do to get ready for our Sozo Team party this year. Even now, Sheryl is putting up some decorations on the mantel. The last two days have been busy with school and meetings. We both agree that last week was fun. No meetings or school or work to speak of. It was like a vacation without having to go somewhere.

Tonight at school we had teaching on the prophetic and them we had AMT’s. We are teaching Sozo, but we have a very small class, which could be a lot of fun. The class is very interactive and that should make the time fly by. We have four more classes to teach it but it will be broken up so it will run well into January. The Christmas holidays are coming up. We only have two more weeks of school before we have our break. Shoot, the day after our break, we leave for Alaska. That is almost two weeks away. I can’t wait, but it is so hard to believe.

Not much else going on tonight. I’m enjoying the fire sitting here writing this post. It’s good to be in the Christmas season, I love the old Christmas tunes. Well, it’s late, so I’ll close until tomorrow. Hopefully I will have more to talk abut then.

Freedom Can Sometimes Be Messy

2011-11-29T00:47:00.000-05:00

The reason Religion places so many rules on us is that Religion is all about order and the appearance of respectability. In the Spirit there is freedom and when there is freedom, sometimes things get messy. So, what is so hard about living in freedom? That is the question that we in this country and we who live in the Spirit constantly have to ask ourselves.

Freedom requires responsible actions. Rules just require blind obedience. If you live in a dictatorship, you just do what you are told. If you live in a democracy, you have input into what you can do. The same thing happens in the church. If we live in freedom, then we have to weigh our decisions and how they affect others. Sure we are free to do whatever we want, but there still can be repercussions. With great freedom comes great responsibility. That’s why most churches live by rules and not freedom. At our school, we don’t have many rules because we want our students to learn how to handle freedom. For the most part they do pretty good, but every now and then, some of them make mistakes. Shoot, we all make mistakes. But, mistakes can be messy.

We had a few students make a mistake over the holidays. Luckily it wasn’t a mistake that couldn’t be corrected, and it was corrected tonight. But it was a reminder of what is involved in walking in freedom. I once heard someone say that “Freedom is giving your kids wings, even though you know that they will fall sometimes.” That is true.

I would rather give someone wings and watch them fall as they learn to fly than keep them in a pen on the ground like a turkey for the rest of their lives. Sure, freedom is messy, but it is the only way to learn to fly. I want our students to be able to fly in the Spirit and if it takes a mess every now and then, it is a small price to pay for freedom.

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

2011-11-27T23:09:00.002-05:00

Tonight I am sitting here listening to Joy to The world by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. It really does bring back old Christmas memories. AS we put the tree up yesterday, I remembered many of the times that mom would take us to get the tree. Then I remembered the times that we got a live tree when the girls were growing up. I love a live Christmas tree. There is something about the smell and the feel of a real live tree. And the adventure is in going to pick it out. It doesn’t matter whether you go to Home Depot, Kroger or the woods. It’s still an adventure.

Most years when the girls were growing up, it would be a family affair. We would all load up in the car and go out looking for the perfect tree. It was the one tree we never found. It’s because live trees are like people. No one is perfect. The only perfect trees that I have found have been artificial. If you think about it the only perfect people are artificial too. But let’s stay in trees tonight. You can imagine what it is like trying to get four people to agree on anything, especially a Christmas tree. Size was very important. It couldn’t be too small, but it couldn’t be too big either. Price figured into size too. The larger the tree, the more expensive it was, so size could be limited by budget. Then the shape came into play. It couldn’t be too skinny or too fat. It had to be full through out, otherwise it would have gaping holes. In reality it could have a weak side if it was going to stay up against the wall. Anyway, getting four people to agree on these variables was almost impossible. Eventually as the girls got older, Julia would send me out with them to get the tree. That was a little bit easier, but we always had to worry about whether or not Julia would approve when we got it back home.

The girls and I had a good time, and that went on for years. Somehow Jennifer got too busy one year to help and it wound up just Lisa and I picking out the tree. That worked better, and when Jennifer went to college, Lisa and I did that until she went away to school. Then, it was left up for me to pick out the tree by myself, and the fun went out of it. Slowly we wound up with an artificial tree. They are easier and they are “perfect”. But it’s still not the same. Some of the best memories I have growing up and then as a Dad, are going to pick out “the tree”. When you go to an artificial tree, you don’t get a chance to build new memories or relive old ones.

So, for the past ten to twelve years, I have had an artificial tree. No fun! The good news is that for a few of those years I have been able to help Lisa and her kids pick out their live tree. It’s not about the tree; it’s about making memories. If we weren’t going to be out of town so much during the holidays, I would have a live one this year. Maybe we can get it next year. It’s always an adventure when you set out on the journey for a real tree. We have enough artificial things in our lives; Christmas Trees shouldn’t be one of those things.

A Roller Coaster Day

2011-11-26T23:28:00.000-05:00

I’m sitting here in the sunroom tonight. I’m listening to Christmas music sitting next to the Christmas Tree. It looks beautiful, and it is in a perfect place. Since we live on a corner lot, you can see it from the road. The sunroom has three sides that are all windows and it is sitting toward the back. It’s the only room that a nine foot tree can fit in, and it looks great. So, this morning I got the tree out and put it up before the Tech – Ga game. I said this was a roller coaster day and it was. One of the lows was the game. Tech’s defense was terrible as usual and it couldn’t hold a good Ga team. So for the 10^th time in the last 11 years we lost.

One of the highs of the day was decorating the tree with Sheryl. We talked about our ornaments and the history behind some of them. It was a great time building good memories for our first Christmas together. She brings such joy to my life. Sometimes I think that I don’t deserve her, but then I realize that God gave her to me, so it doesn’t matter what I deserve. Anyway, the high of the day was spending time with her as we decorated the tree and took a golf cart ride this afternoon. Tonight we were able to finish up some more decorations and then watch some TV.

Emotionally it was an up and down day as well. Putting the tree up and getting out some of the Christmas decorations stirred up memories. They were good memories, but today being Julia’s birthday, the memories were mixed as I thought back on times past. I did talk with both of the girls, just to check in on them. I’m sure they were dealing with memories of their own, but they seemed to be doing OK. I know that this Christmas is going to be hard for them because we won’t be together. Last year, this tree was in Hilton Head and we all decorated it. It’s hard thinking we won’t be together. I am so grateful that I do have Sheryl, and that our love blocks out so much of the pain that I might feel. The girls don’t have that luxury, and I feel for them.

But the highs exceeded the lows today. Maybe I am getting too mellow in my later years. The sting of defeat wasn’t so great this year. The tree looks great, and it represents a symbol of new life, and new growth. That’s what I am after, and I am well on my way to finding it, even in the midst of some turbulence. Turbulence during this season is to be expected, but I have my eye on the prize and someone to walk with me through it all. This is going to be a great Christmas. I just know it.

Christmas Season Begins

2011-11-25T23:23:00.002-05:00

Yes, it’s black Friday. Last night it began at Wal-Mart at 10PM and then at other stores at different times of the night. At some Wal-Mart’s, the people wouldn’t wait and broke down the barriers to get to the stuff early. In California, some woman set off a bomb of pepper spray to make sure she was able to get her TV. If you look at things like that and other incidents you will wonder what this world, and our country in particular, is coming too. I’m glad I didn’t go out last night or today. I did do the majority of my Christmas shopping in the past two days, but I did it online, over the Internet. If this is all Christmas is about, then I don’t want any part of it. Of course this has nothing to do with Christmas, and everything to do with human greed. One of the very things Christmas came to save us from is what we are dealing with here right now.

Well enough of today, right now I’m sitting by the fire listening to Bing Crosby singing “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”. This brings back such good memories. It seems like I can’t associate Christmas with anyone else but Bing Crosby and Perry Como. Of course I do put Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops in with that mix. Sure, I listen to lots of other Christmas music, but these are the tunes that really stir up my old memories. I can remember being over at my aunts “Sisters” listening to Bing Crosby singing Christmas music. I remember Perry Como on TV and Dad had a Christmas album by Arthur Fielder that we wore out every Christmas. Now I have them all on my Ipod Christmas play list.

It’s amazing when you think about it. I buy Christmas presents for people in Alaska and Florida while I live here. I don’t have to wrap them or mail them. I just purchase them over the Internet and have them shipped, usually for free, to the proper address. I probably have over 300 hours of music on this little device that I can put in my pocket. I can talk on a phone and see who I am talking to. I can do all this, yet it is still so much fun to listen to these old songs and think about all the “good old” days. Were they really so good? Probably not, but that’s how we remember them. If we are lucky, God edits out the pain and bad memories with time.

Tomorrow we will try to get the tree put up. That’s a secondary focus of mine. The first being the game, of course. I really hope we will win, but it doesn’t look good. Well, I guess that is why they actually play the game. Oh well, I’m going to stop now and listen to the music, Bing is singing “White Christmas”. I guess we will see that in a couple of weeks in Juneau. I really do love Christmas. It’s my favorite time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T23:10:00.002-05:00

This is a note to anyone who still reads this blog. I pray that you have had a blessed and happy Thanksgiving day. Whether you are in the US or somewhere else around the world, even if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving day the way we do; Happy Thanksgiving. You see, every day should be a day of Thanksgiving. We should all be thankful for all that we have and the blessings that we enjoy. I hope that over this year, I have been able to release some joy and passion into your life, because life in the Kingdom is filled with joy and passion.

This morning we woke up with a sense of anticipation. We knew that we still had a lot to do before everyone started showing up. We had been aiming for this date as sort of a target date to have the house in order, and we met that deadline. Thanks mostly to Sheryl; the house looks complete. Sure there are a few things left, but there are pictures on the walls and all the furniture is in place. It is a very comfortable house and a great place to live. As we figured, everyone loved the sunroom the most. In fact, that seemed to be the center of the afternoon. We had a total of 17 people for dinner and 6 more came by during the afternoon. It was a very busy time.

I was glad that we got to go by my Dad’s and see my sisters and Dad and Allene before our company came. They ate around 12:30 so we got to see everyone but Jodie and Jeff who were late. It was a quick visit but a good one. We did Facetime Lisa and the family for a little, and I talked with Jennifer later in the evening. But, we had company up until about 10PM, and then we still had to clean the kitchen. It was definitely a busy day. Tomorrow will be good, I don’t work and will be able to run and do some things around here.

It was a very good Thanksgiving; my only regret is that there are so many of my family and friends that I didn’t get to see. I miss you all, and look forward to seeing each of you at different times over the holidays. Thanksgiving means giving thanks, and I give thanks to God for each and every one of you.

Thanksgiving Eve

2011-11-23T23:31:00.002-05:00

In about an hour it will be Thanksgiving Day 2011. Time really goes fast, especially the older you get. So, it is officially the beginning of the holiday season. For all the shoppers, black Friday comes and then the annual Tech – GA football game. Yes it will be an exciting weekend. But back to Thanksgiving; I’m sure that all over the nation there are millions of turkeys thawing or cooking right now. We had a tradition when the girls were growing up. We all had a cranberry in our plate, and one by one, we would pick up that cranberry and say what we were most thankful for. We would do this right before we started eating. It was very good, most of the time and it was a great idea to get everyone thinking about what is important.

So, tonight I am going to pretend that I have picked up that cranberry, and that I am sitting around the Dining room table sharing with each of you what I am thankful for. First, I am thankful for Sheryl and her love for me. This year is so different for me. Last year, I was surrounded by people, but constantly lonely. This year, she has helped wipe that loneliness away. I didn’t know that I had the capacity to love again. I’m glad that God brought her into my life for this time. We are going to have a great time together tomorrow, and I am thankful for all the years that I will have with her as we move into the future.

I’m so thankful for my girls and all their families. Jennifer, Sean, Adair and Meleah as well as Lisa, Hernan, Anna Roan and Julia Anne. They are the light of my life, and I am going to miss them so much tomorrow. But I am thankful for their lives and everything they are involved in. Now, I have even more family to be thankful for; Scott, Lacey, Orren, Judah and Ava as well as Levi, Amber, Mecheal and Mason. And then of course I am thankful for Dad and Allene and Laura and Kay and all my nieces and nephews. I am thankful for all my friends that love us, especially John and Biddie and Bud and Cathy. But there are so many more that I can’t name them all.

I am thankful for churches like Bethel Atlanta and Riverstone that are going after the things of God and pushing to bring His Kingdom here on the earth, I am thankful for a God who loves me with an everlasting love and is willing to allow His son to die to save me and bring me into His kingdom as a brother and heir to the King. Yes,Ihave so much to be thankful for and I hope that tomorrow I will get the opportunity to express it.

Making Progress

2011-11-22T23:53:00.000-05:00

I’m sitting here tonight with two cars in the garage. I also have the golf cart, my Harley and two bicycles in there as well. This is the first time since I moved my stuff down that we have been able to get both cars in the garage. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it really is a big accomplishment. When I started this afternoon. I didn’t know where I was going to put everything. I certainly didn’t expect to be able to get the second car in tonight. But I just kept at it. I moved everything that I wasn’t using to the basement. I was able to get the pressure washer and the lawnmower under the house in the crawl space, Then I was able to break down all the cardboard boxes except the ones that I have stuff in,

So, it really did all come together easier than I thought it would happen. But when you think about it, my garage is something like my life. It gets scattered and cluttered with other people’s agenda’s and meetings. Then you begin to get bogged in what other people think and what their issues are. We as leaders have to learn that we can’t do anything alone. Someone is always there willing to help us, and they normally have answers that we haven’t even thought of yet. We have to be willing to open our selves up. Sometimes that is a hard thing to do, especially when you have been hurt before.

But at the same time we have to realize that our focus is primary. We can’t let the needs of others and their agenda cause us to lose focus on what and why we want to do something. Today, it was my focus on the task at hand that caused me to succeed. I had to keep focus on cleaning out the garage and moving boxes, In live, there are two many other ways to do what I need to do. I have to seek His guidance and then proceed as if it were the only answer,

You also can’t just work. You have to mix life into your schedule. And by live, I mean fun life. This afternoon, I got out the golf cart that I had spent so much time getting a place for it to be parked in the garage. We grabbed the map and went out on an adventure. We wanted to go to Kedron Village. That’s a shopping area that has Target; Kroger; Bed, Bath and Beyond and many more shops. It was definitely an adventure on the cart paths, and then it was an even greater adventure coming home on the paths in the dark. We did make it back, and it was a fun adventure. That is what you can expect. We need to make sure we schedule some down time in the spiritual as well.

So, even though I had an A period, today was really tired tonight it was a great time. I have learned to rest in the midst of chaos. That is why I am able to continue on less sleep. I know that I need sleep, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I can do without if necessary as long as I can remain at rest and in a state of peace. Sure, I sometimes get knocked out of this state. Everybody does! But I know that if I can settle back into His peace, then life will move on, and we will be able to move into a deeper relationship with the Father.

A Week Off

2011-11-21T22:26:00.001-05:00

Wow, it’s good to be home tonight. We have this week off for Thanksgiving and there is no school tonight or tomorrow. We also have no staff meetings, so I was able to get some much needed work done around the house today and I also got out to do a run. Then we were able to get over to see Dad and Allene for a little while. So all in all, it was a very good day. I do work early tomorrow, but that is the only time I work this week. I guess we have to begin to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. We are having about 16 people over. Lacey, Scott and the kids and also Hector, Terri and their family along with a few students that don’t have anywhere to go for thanksgiving. It should be a good day. Still I wish I could see all the kids. But that is impossible.

The holidays are fast approaching and it’s hard to believe it will be Christmas so soon. What to get everyone, that is the question. I know that in many ways the holidays are going to be different. Last Christmas, I was able to get the whole family together. We needed that and it was so good. This year we will be scattered, and I know that it will be harder for the girls not to be together. It will be harder for me too, but we will get to see them both. They won’t be able to spend time together. I am going to ask Lisa to make the coconut cake for Christmas while we are there, but it won’t be the same without Jennifer being there too.

Well, I don’t have anything profound to say tonight, just thinking about amily and Christmas. I do have an A period in the morning, so I think that I will go to bed and get at least 5 hours sleep. Maybe I will be more inspired tomorrow.

What is My Focus?

2011-11-20T23:11:00.000-05:00

I think that this is a question that we all need to ask ourselves periodically. It is evident to me that day to day living can easily get me off the main focus of my life. In fact, over the past month or so it probably has. It probably began when we started packing to move Sheryl out of her place into the house here, and it increased exponentially when we started packing my stuff. I know what my focus should be, but I also realize that I have been off focus for a few weeks. When we get off focus, our lives get out of balance and that is not a good thing. I believe that my focus is in three main parts.

First and foremost, my focus needs to be on my own relationship with my Father. Papa as I like to refer to Him is good and is in a good mood. But He desires intimacy in relationships. He desires my sole attention to hear and hang out with Him. That is why I was made, and to get off focus can be really disastrous because I miss everything that He wants to give me. I need it all, and by missing His love, I am robbed of a great treasure.

Secondly I need to refocus on my wife and then my family. It is so easy to be doing instead of being. This move has had me so busy along with work, that I haven’t been able to spend the quality time that I need to spend with any of them. Plus, distance keeps us far, far apart. I’ve only been married for not quite four months, and I still have a great deal of focus on our relationship. But it is too easy to get distracted with all the things that need doing.

It’s easy for me to allow my focus to drift to all the things that need to be done instead of who they need to be done for. I have to gain perspective on all the things that still need to be done. The key is remembering why they need to be done. Who will it impact if I slow down? What do I need to have accomplished? The answers can help rearrange my day on the fly.

Part of my focus has to be on my work and ministry, but this is not where life comes. It’s where I can give life to others. My life comes from my relationships. It’s life that helps me finish my blog and get to bed at a decent hour. My work sometimes gets in the way of my life. I know that has been very true, especially in the past few weeks. So, today as I write this, I have had a time to refocus. We all need to do this periodically.

Champions

2011-11-19T22:20:00.002-05:00

So, what does it take to be a Champion; a Campion runner or a Champion Husband or a Champion Father? I ask this question tonight because I just got back form the Florida State Cross Country Championships in Tampa Florida. It was a lot of fun, and I saw some really good runners there today. But there are many good runners, but very few champions. I am watching my granddaughter learn to become a champion. My prayer for her is that she will not only become a champion in running, but a champion in life as well.

I believe champions are made and not born. Sure, talent helps. But talent will only take you so far. I have seen many people with talent only go so far before they were left on the wayside. So, what are the qualities that it takes. I believe that the two main qualities that you must have to reach the championship level are will power and focus. Focus is the most important quality because there is so much that we can be involved in, but if our focus is on the prize, then we will be willing to do what ever it takes to see it happen. Focus gives life direction and drive. Without focus, we can all be messed up.

But almost as important as focus is will power. It takes will power to sacrifice certain areas of your life to make sure that you have time and commitment to do want needs to be done to see that you make it to the next level. There is always another level, and if it takes us time to get everything together then one has to be willing to sacrifice other things to make it happen. It takes a lot of will power to be willing to give up things you like in order to reach your goals. Most people don’t have the will power to see things through when they get hard.

As I look at Adair I see focus and will power mixed with talent. These are the perfect ingredients for a championship cocktail. I have seen it in her for a long time, but it is really beginning to stick out as traits now. I see total focus on what it takes to reach her goals, and I see the will power to do what ever it takes to get it done. Yes, Adair has talent. And that is important, but not as important as her focus and willingness to do what ever it takes. I saw all three in her race today. She came in ranked eighth in the state 1A schools. Her Personal Best for the 5K cross country was 19:04. Well, today she finished seventh in the 1A schools and ran an new Personal Best of 18:47. That was an awesome race and I am so glad that she did that. She ran the race that she wanted to run. You have to be happy when you do something and I think that she was.

Yes, it takes people who are champions to make others around them champions, I truly believe that Adair will win a championship race someday, but to me, she is already a champion in my book. It was really fun to watch her run, and to be with the family today.

In Tampa for the Race

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

Sheryl and I got up early this morning to make sure we were able to catch a flight down here without waiting around all day. It is good to be off today. Yesterday I had a double period at work and then did a Sozo last night after work. Needless to say, I was too tired to get the blog done last night. But we are here in Tampa tonight to watch Adair run in the state cross country finals tomorrow morning. My prayer for her in the morning is that she be able to run the race she knows she can run.

It is really good to see Jennifer, Sean, Adair and Meleah again. It's been way too long since we have seen them. Seeing Adair is hard. Most of the time she is with the team, but we did get to see her a little bit. It's a quick trip, but that is better than not seeing them. Tomorrow morning we will go to the race and then leave for the airport in Tampa. I am so glad that we have been able to make this trip.

This afternoon, we were unable to check into the hotel early, so we made our way to a movie. But traffic and other things made us late. We wound up in Ybor City. , it is a historical district that was the hub of American Cigar production in the 1800's. This place was the home to Spanish, Cuban, Italian and German immigrants. They were tobacco specialists. All the cigars were hand rolled back then. At the heigh of this industry this area hand rolled over 500 Million hand rolled Cigars. We hung out tonight were all afternoon. We looked at shops and finally sat down for a drink. We had a good time in a place we didn't even knew existed. Well, it is late, and the race does come early tomorrow. So, we will go tonight and then give Adair our best as we pull her on to the state finals.

Saying Goodbye

2011-11-16T23:13:00.000-05:00

I’ve always been a big proponent of change. One of my favorite sayings has been “Change is inevitable”. You know that is really true. It is inevitable, in almost every form of life. If you live long enough, you will see a lot of change, whether you want to or not. Some change is forced upon you, like the death of a spouse. But there are many changes that are really by choice. Getting married is one of those changes. I think it’s the combination of changes that get to you.

It’s a combination of changes that brought me to today. I was up north in the house waiting for the Salvation Army to come make a pickup. I had time, so I walked through that empty house and spent time just remembering all the good times that I have had in that house. I can call it a house now because my home is in Peachtree City. The house will be on the market soon and today was probably one of the last, if not the last times that I will ever see it. So, it’s only natural to walk through each room thinking about the good times.

One of the best times in the house came right after one of the worst. Watching Julia Anne being born in that house was a refreshing treat for all of us that night. Well, maybe it wasn’t so refreshing for Lisa. But the results were refreshing anyway. I remember sitting by the fire listening to music writing my blog. I remember friends coming over for dinner and a movie. I remember the joy of building the house and putting the things in it that would make it uniquely ours.

But saying goodbye was really easy because I have already begun to become accustomed to the house in Peachtree City. Sure, Sheryl and I both want to know where the cart paths go, but that will come with time also. So, it is true, Change is Inevitable. I’m living proof of that. The changes that I am going through right now are good,

Settling in, Finally

2011-11-15T23:19:00.001-05:00

Well, I’m sitting here in my rocking chair by the fireplace listening to Judy Collins, so things are slowly getting back to order. I give Sheryl most of the credit for this. I am definitely not the one to build any kind of a nest. But I still enjoy it once it is built. The great room is pretty well finished. It has pictures on the walls and all the furniture is in place. The only thing that I need to do is to get the sound system for the TV hooked up. But I have to buy the replacement speakers and figure out how I am going to do that. It might take a while.

The Master Bedroom is almost finished, office desk and all. We still have a couple of pictures to hang, but the big mirror has been hung and looks good. All our clothes are unpacked and everything there is pretty well situated. The dining room is almost finished as well. We still have to hang pictures there and then it be finished as well. The Kitchen, now that could be a blog post in itself. We have lots of stuff and very few drawers, but things are still beginning to come together. The biggest problem is deciding what to keep and what to put in the basement and what to give away. We had duplicates of many things, and we both liked our own things.

Yes, the kitchen, that is the place where it was possible for us to maybe have a fight. But calmer heads prevailed. Basically I just told Sheryl to choose what she wanted. Ther were only a couple of exceptions. She did a great job bring in the best of both houses, and I really think that she did a great job. There weren’t many other areas where we had different opinions, except maybe the great room originally. We have a lot of furniture, but this room is really big, so most all of our furniture fit. The hardest part was coordinating where it would go, but we finally agreed to an arrangement that is really good. It will seat a lot of people, or can be divided into two seating groups if need be.

Yes, we are settling in. The biggest job that I still have is trying to clean out the basement. Where am I going to put my pressure washer and shop vac. The basement doesn’t have an outside entrance. I might put the pressure washer under the house if it will go there. The shop vac will have to go in the basement. But there are many other decisions like that to make the right choices on. The garage is big, but I need to get it cleaned out enough to hold my Harley, two cars, a refrigerator and a golf cart. I think it will, but we really have to work on it. So, that is my next project. Hopefully I will be able to get it done before Thanksgiving. We will see.

Birthright

2011-11-15T00:58:00.002-05:00

Jesus died to give us eternal life, not life after death. When does eternal life start? If we are in Him, we are in eternal life because His life is eternal. So, I guess eternal life starts when we are first in Him. That means it starts when we accept Him as savior and Lord of our life. Our problem in America is that too many Christians are waiting for the rapture to begin their life when they should already be thinking and living as if they were extensions and ambassadors of the Kingdom. Our enemy loves it, because if we don’t believe we can make a difference in our surroundings, then we can’t.

Tonight we had a South African preacher named John Sheasby speak at our school. His message is all about the new covenant and grace. As far the staff goes, he was preaching to the choir. However the students, well they are coming from many different backgrounds and they might not understand the new Covenant like he was explaining it tonight. Probably the majority of Christians, especially in the south, have taken the “Saved by Grace” part of the Gospel and have just added it to all the works that they feel that they have to do to get to heaven. John told the story of a Chaplin in a hospital who had been with over 2000 people as they died. He said that it was so easy for the non believer to accept and receive the grace of God for salvation on their death bed. He said that they died so peacefully, resting in the arms of their newfound friend. He said that Christians had a much harder time dying. They kept asking “if they had done enough”. They didn’t realize that it had all been for them and that all they really had to do was to rest.

Rest; that word is easy to say, but very hard to do. It’s really sad when Christians think that they have to perform in order to do anything in the Kingdom. It’s important that we as teachers understand that we should make sure that our students begin to understand and experience the grace that Father God was giving. We have to realize that it is not about any one person, but also understand that there was no striving in the Kingdom. There was so much more that I could say, but we will save them for another time and another place.

Face Time

2011-11-12T22:44:00.002-05:00

Today was a good day. We got up and had coffee in the sunroom. The sun was shining and all the plants and sunlight made the morning special. I then went outside and got the leaf blower started. Then I blew thousands of leaves off the yard and the driveway. It was cold, but it was rewarding to see a clean driveway and yard. There was a church craft fair and we went to that. We bought some items and it was fun as well. I wanted to leave because I had to work and I still wanted to get a run in before I left.

The run was a lot of fun. There are many reasons for enjoying Peachtree City but probably for me the best one is living near the trails. I love running on the cart trails. I can run a different route almost everything I run. That is so much fun; to have that much variety. It’s almost like living by Kennesaw Mountain. I haven’t enjoyed running as much since I moved away. I think I can get back into it now.

After that I worked and then came home for dinner. We watched a movie. It was “The Green Lantern” I definitely need to see it again. There was so much spiritual stuff in it. I have to see it again just to sort it out. During the movie I got a call from Lisa. She just got a new IPhone, and she was calling on “face time”. If you remember Dick Tracy in the comics, he had a watch where you could talk and see the person you were talking too. It was pretty far out, science fiction, back then. Well fiction becomes reality. Today, with the new IPhones if you are in WiFi you can not only talk, but you can see each other. Well, that’s what we did tonight. It was so much fun to be able see Anna Roan and Julia along with Lisa. It was fun for them to see us as well. I loved seeing them, and we will definitely have to do that more often. Tomorrow is an A period with an early getup. So, I think I will call it a night. Today was really fun. I can’t wait until we can do it again.

11/11/11

2011-11-11T22:59:00.002-05:00

Today is 11/11/11 and change really is in the air. On another note today is Veterans Day. It’s the one holiday where we honor all those who have served our country. Freedom is not free, it cost dearly. Our men and women have, and still pay for it with their blood, sweat and tears. Many pay for it with injuries and some pay with their lives. But whether you served in wartime or peace time, I want to thank you for your service. It seems like we have been in a constant state of war all of my life. I know that it is not true, but I think back to Korea onward, and I was born just after WW2. Then there was Viet Nam, probably one of the worst times to be a Soldier. Then there were little conflicts like Panama and Granada. There were things in Europe and Kosovo and Serbia. Then came Afghanistan and Iraq. I can understand Afghanistan better than any war I have been alive for. We had to go after the terrorist and those who were hiding them after 9/11. Today, things are getting even more crazy.

We have Iran, Libya, Syria, Egypt and more fighting. But what are they really fighting for? Who is actually in charge? No one knows, especially not Washington. We are so concerned about our politics and who is responsible for all the debt that we seem to have our head in the sand when it comes to foreign affairs. If I wasn’t a believer in God and His goodness, I could easily be depressed. Especially when I think of how messed up things are going to be for my grandchildren. Will we be free? I guess it depends upon how many brave men and women will still stand in harms way, even when they know that their country is messed up and spending their inheritance. So thank all of you who served, but I especially thank those of you who are serving now. You truly are my heroes.

Now back to 11/11/11. Numbers have meanings and one of the meanings for 11 is change. Well, this will be triple change. It’s the only time in our lives we will see it. I plan on staying up for a few more minutes to be up at 11/11/11; 11:11PM. My prayer is for our nation tonight. I pray that we would have heavenly protection from angels and no terrorist would be able to bring us harm. I also pray that we would understand how to steward all that God has entrusted us with. Yes, 11 means change. My prayer is that it would be change that would bless our people and bring prosperity back to the land. That is what we are trying to do with His help. There is no poverty in Heaven, and we need to continue to press for a poverty free country: a country where everyone can and will work. It’s not about capitalism or socialism. It’s about releasing the Kingdom of God into the earth. It’s about allowing Him to invade our space where we can learn to change our ways to adapt to the ways of the Kingdom. That’s the change that is coming. That is the change I am declaring every day, not just on 11/11/11. Change is coming. I believe it.

Tech Wins

2011-11-11T00:35:00.000-05:00

Yes, Tech won the game tonight. The problem is it was the wrong Tech. I guess it is hard to be perfect two weeks in a row. Ga. Tech played a perfect game to beat Clemson. It would have taken another perfect game. It didn’t happen. Tech played a great game, but not good enough. It was pretty obvious that Va. Tech has the most talented team, but we gave them a good game. If it hadn’t have been for a stupid personal foul by us, we might have won the game. Oh well, that’s life in college football.

I worked again tonight, but I didn’t hear the score and taped the game so I could watch it. Too bad, I could have gone to bed a lot earlier. It’s going to be good to have an off day tomorrow. I have a lot to do. The first thing is to take the Miata to the shop and get a tire fixed. It has a nail in it and keeps losing air. Then I guess I will help Sheryl unpack some more boxes. We still have so much to do to get the house livable, but it is slowly coming along. It is really good to be home for a while. I don’t guess we will be going anywhere until, hopefully, we get to see Adair in the State Cross Country meet in Tampa on the 19^th.

I do think that I am getting used to living down here. I’ts nice to be able to get home from work in less than thirty minutes. Especially when it’s late at night. There are so many things that I need to be doing, but I haven’t had time yet. I know that S the month progresses, I will be able to make good progress in my list. Well, It’s late, time to lick my wounds form this defeat and get some sleep.

Connections

2011-11-10T00:55:00.002-05:00

If you think about every person you talk to and interact with during a weeks time it is almost overwhelming. Even when we stay at home,. We wind up connecting with other people, even if it’s on the phone. Back when I was at Tech, we spent a lot of time making graphs. I can imagine a graph of the connections that I have had in just today. Interacting with others takes up most of my day, even on days that I don’t work. But today was busy.

All morning long, the connections were on the phone, except when I talked with Sheryl. She was the only live person that I connected up with this morning. But I was on the phone most of the morning. Then this afternoon I was able to get out. There were more live connections and then tonight at work, there were even more. We have varying degrees of strength in our connections. Some are strong, powerful and long lasting. Others are quick and brief. Tonight I had both.

Obviously some of your strongest connections are your family. These connections are made over time, and even when you don’t see each other, they are still there. Friends are another strong connection. But, you normally see your friends even more than your family. I remember one of the first books that I read on relational evangelism. It was “concentric circles of concern.” It talked about rings of connectedness.

Last week in Redding, Danny Silk talked about the same circles in a different way. He was talking about boundaries, and how if you didn’t put up boundaries, then everyone would be bothering and pulling on you all the time. I’m fairly good about boundaries. I need to work on them a little, but for the most part, I do pretty well. But, connections are the key to relationship. It takes someone willing to make and keep connections to work into a relationship. We thrive on relationships, and I am no exception. The relationships we make come from our connections. So, don’t think that they are not about relationships, but they are about the opportunity to develop relationships. Every connection doesn’t turn into a relationship, but no relationship is ever formed without the first connection. Yes, connections are important. Don’t take them for granted.

Home From California

2011-11-08T23:53:00.002-05:00

Night Rockets are always interesting. Last night’s flight was no exception. I normally choose not to fly them, either as a pilot or a passenger. There is just something about trying to race to land before the sun comes up that is sick. Sick in a bad way, not the “new sick” that means it’s great. But last night we were just passengers. When the morning started and I checked the flight it looked like we might have a chance to get in first class. But even first class on a night rocket isn’t that great. As the day wore on, it was obvious we would ride in the back. Then it got to the point that we just hoped we got on.

But back to last night’s flight. I have always thought that a full moon brought out the weird people. I don’t know if the moon was full, but there were definitely some weirdo’s on that plane. Last night there were a number of them, but I think the one sitting by us was probably the winner. Here we were, happy we got on the plane. We were even happier that we were sitting together. I was definitely happy that I had an aisle seat. Life was going to be good. Then we went to our seat; row 33, the last row on the airplane. It was right by the aft lav’s. any happy thought I had about an aisle seat vanished with the thoughts of lines of people standing in the aisle waithng to go to the bathroom. I have been continually jostled before sitting where I was going to sit. It wasn’t looking nearly as rosy.

Then they came. Notice I said “they”. Noe there is only one window seat left. Every seat on the plane was taken, so where you had your ticket was where you sat. So here “they” come. This pretty big woman in a big thick heavy coat carrying a case with a little dog in it. Now up until a few years ago, that was totally illegal. I still think it should be. But if you pay enough money, you can pretty much do anything these days. Well, she was supposed to put the dog case, with the dog, under the seat in front of her. Sheryl and I had to get out of our seats, and wait almost 10 minutes for her to try and get situated. Then, we had to almost push the coat out of the way for Sheryl to sit. I still don’t understand how she was able to even get in the seat with the dog and the coat, but somehow she wedged herself in.

I was afraid that it was going to be a long night, especially Sheryl. She was talking to her. I just pulled my cap down over my eyes and petended to go to sleep. So here the “four” of us are on the back row in three seats. She was constantly talking to the dog almost all night. He was her best friend. I was thinking to myself that I could certainly understand that. She was supposed to keep the dog in the cage. I knew within five minutes of the flight that there was no way that dog was ging to stay in the crate all night. Sure enough about five minutes later, I saw her motioning the dog up into her lap. I almost told the flight attendent, but I asked Sheryl and she said it didn’t bother her. I figured that if we didn’t say anything, maybe she and the dog would be much quieter and happier. I was right, and the rest of the night was really a pretty good flight.

Anyway, we both did get some sleep. I got a couple of hours and Sheryl got a little over three. She cheated and took drugs, but I am glad she got was able to sleep. We have been going hard all day, and I think that this will be it for the post. I sue is fun to be home.

The Almond Bowl

2011-11-07T02:03:00.000-05:00

The Chico area produces a lot of almonds. In fact the whole upper central valley produces almonds, olives, rice and tomatoes along with many other fruits. It is a big part of our nation’s bread basket. I’m not sure, but I know that a high percentage of our nation’s almond crop come from this area. That’s why this race this weekend was the 37^th annual Almond Bowl. There were three races; a marathon, half marathon and a 5K. I was supposed to run the half marathon, but because I really didn’t train very much, I backed out and only ran the 5K. Shoot, I haven’t really been training enough for that race; at least not enough to do a good job.

My plan was to go out and run a very slow pace and just use it as a training run. Lately, my pace has been getting slower and slower. To be honest, I figured that it would tae me around 40 minutes to finish. If I did that, I would have been happy. But when the race started what I though was a slow pace turned out to be faster than I had anticipated by about 2 minutes a mile. It felt good the first mile, and I was able to keep it up for the entire race. So I finished in about 32 minutes. It was a beautiful day to run. A little on the chilly side, but no rain. We ran through Bidwell Park, amongst the oak trees and creeks. The whole run, even the marathon was in this big beautiful park. It was a great run.

I know that God was going to show me something, but I didn’t expect it to be what He actually did show me. I realized after I finished my run that I have not had motivation to run in almost two years. Sure, I ran the Peachtree Road Race in 2010, but I really wasn’t motivated. I ran it because I had always run it, and it was tradition. Last year, we were in Australia and I had to skip it. But it really didn’t bother me. Anyway, there are a couple of areas that I have been not motivated to succeed in, and running was one of them. Why, I am not sure, but we are going after them now. Today, my competitive juices got stirred up again, and that’s a good thing.

Running, health and diet are all tied up together in my life, and I am looking forward to pressing in on my running because that will also impact my health and my diet. In order to run good, I have to lose weight and that will help me with my diet. I had a good day hanging out with Levi and his family. I have enjoyed getting to know them. We will be here most of the day tomorrow, but have to leave tomorrow night. It’s been a good time connecting with all of them. They are a neat family and I look forward to them coming back to Atlanta. It’s been a good trip to the west coast, but it will be good to get back to Atlanta on Tuesday morning. I will probably write my blog on the plane, however I might not be able to post until Tuesday morning. Until then, have a great time!

Chico Ca

2011-11-06T01:12:00.000-05:00

Today we drove down to Chico to see Levi, Amber and the kids. We went through Cottonwood and I saw where Sheryl taught school for 13 years. Then we drove to Pine Bluff to see where she lived for over 20 years. The drive gave me insights on Sheryl that might have taken years otherwise. It was a good morning. We finally got to Levi’s house in Chico around 10:30. We had just enough time to get in and say our hellos when we had to go to the Chico Farmers market in downtown. They have it every Thursday night and Saturday morning. This time of year it is not nearly as full and plentiful as it is in the spring and summer, but it had plenty of stuff.

The market was incredible. It is certified local and organic. They had every green you could imagine there. They also had fresh raw nuts and mushrooms. There were some different Indian foods as well as other oriental dishes. As I looked around the market I couldn’t help but think of Lisa and how much she would like it here. It was a pretty cold and blustery morning and it was cold when we were walking around. After the market we walked through downtown and it was very nice and sort of eclectic. Then we went and walked around the campus of Chico State. It’s a beautiful campus . There are about 19000 students, so it isn’t that small. However it does have the small time feel that the school needs to really thrive. We then toured the Bidwell Mansion. It was really great too. I knew that I was in the wrong place when I found saw a picture of General Sherman in his office. It seems that Bidwill and Sherman were really close friends. I guess you could say that I am not in the south anymore.

We had lunch downtown and it was great too. Then we came home and we played this game on X – Box. It’s really Xbox Konnect and has sports games. It’s a lot of fun and the boys and I did it for a long time. Then we were able have a great time tonight with the movie. I really do like Chico, and I can see why Sheryl would like it more than Redding. I’ll know more tomorrow. I’m running the 5K race and Amber is running the half marathon. It will be fun except for the cold in the morning, Anyway it should be fun. Yes, I could definitely see myself living here if that is what we were called to do. It looks like a great day tomorrow and I am sure that Papa is going to show me something during the race.

Rekindled and Refired

2011-11-05T02:54:00.000-04:00

So, the Sozo Summit is over, at least for us. Tomorrow morning we leave for Chico and Sheryl’s kids. The Summit actually wraps up tomorrow afternoon, but I’m glad we are leaving, but I think we got everything that we needed to get. So, what was that really? We didn’t get any “teaching” on Sozo. But we got a lot of Kingdom principals and the main thing we needed: Encouragement.

I didn’t really know that we needed any encouragement, but being here and hearing other people’s testimonies mad us realize how much we did need it. When you think about it, we have both been through a lot this year, and running a ministry is hard. I don’t care how much you love it and how committed you are, it is hard to keep something running, let alone rebuild it. It’s amazing that so many people feel just like we feel sometimes. We know that we are valued,, but so many times we feel so alone and like no one really cares what we are doing. Of course that is not true.

It’s easier to see that when you are looking at someone else. But it’s true about us also. By hearing others, we can idietify the lie that we are believing about ourselves. Tonight at dinner, we were talking with people from Switzerland, England, Australia and many more nations. They are all involved with Sozo and were talking about similar problems. It’s amazing to see that we are all on the same page. It’s totally amazing to be involved with these guys and realize that we are involved with a ministry that stretches all over the world. Sozo is so much bigger than our little world. So, yes we were encouraged. We go back with renewed vigor to go after the things of the Kingdom. It’s going to be a fun ride.

Loving California

2011-11-04T02:20:00.000-04:00

I could really enjoy living here in Redding. No, I’m not about to up and move tomorrow, but it’s always tempting when I am here to at least think about what it would be like to live here. Today we spent listening to many from the Bethel Senior Leadership team. We heard Banning Leibsher; Eric and Candice Johnson; Danny Silk and Steve Da Silva. It was a great time, and the wisdom and anointing that flowed from these speakers was overwhelming. So, spiritually, it would be fun living here.

It also would be great because it is so simple to get around. You are never more than twenty minutes from almost anywhere in Redding. It’s easy to get around and they have my three favorite stores: Costco, Trader Joes and Kholes. What more do you need in life to shop? They have numerous Starbucks along with In and Out Burger. But the best thing that they have is the Sacramento River. It is awesome, with it’s bike paths and running trails. The winter’s are mild and the springs and falls are very nice.

The only negative is the summer weather. The temperature can reach 110 easily, even though it’s dry heat, it still would be very necessary. The fresh produce is amazing here in Northern California. The people up here are pretty down to earth, much like in the south and it would be easy to fit in. However it’s not really going to happen. We are just getting settled into Peachtree City, and it looks like we are going to enjoy it there. Goo would really have to speak to get us to move. I’m not saying that it will never happen, because we don’t know all that He has in store for us. But right now, things are going pretty well.

But it’s fun to dream, and if He were to ever release to move somewhere out west, Redding would be at the top of the list. Another great thing is the view of Mt Shasta. You can’t get a view like that in Atlanta. Oh well, back to reality. The conference is going well. We will be going to Chico early Sat morning. Seeing the grandkids is going to be great. Sheryl says that Chico is nicer than Redding. If so, I can’t wait to see that town too. I know that we will have a great time. It’s good to be back out here.

Off to Redding

2011-11-01T23:59:00.002-04:00

It’s hard to believe that it is November already. It’s even harder to believe that we will be leaving for Redding CA in the morning. Today was a great day. I was off, and I spent the morning studying and preparing for my talk at school tonight. I was teaching a prophetic manual tonight. I covered chapter’s one thru three. It’s pretty dry stuff, but I was able to interject some life and testimonies into it that helped keep it lively and the students awake. I taught for 45 minutes and then we had 45 minutes of prophetic activation. I had asked Heidi to help me, and she was awesome on the activation.

It was a good night and during the boiler room, I could sense that Holy Spirit was really moving strong. A lot of the staff was absent tonight because they are already in Redding for the Leadership conference. We will be there tomorrow afternoon for the Sozo Conference. It really will be a great time and I am looking forward to seeing Sheryl’s son’s family in Chico after the conference. The drive from Sacramento to Redding is a little over two hours and is very easy. We should make it in plenty of time for the conference.

What we really need to understand is that we are under Bethel Redding, and that their pastors really in many ways direct us. Tonight we will have to understand what it is that Jesus really wants to do in our lives. That’s not a hard to do, especially when we sense that we didn’t know. I didn’t know it’s going to be brighter that it has ever been before,

Hopefully I will be able to blog in Redding. I plan on it, but the only reason that we won’t will be if we are too busy seeing friends and family. It’s late, and I really don’t feel that I have a lot to give, so hopefully we will be able to test everything tomorrow night as we stand and say goodbye.

Religion VS Relationship

2011-11-01T00:52:00.000-04:00

What do you do with someone when they mess up? I mean do you punish them when they are so down on themselves that it’s like putting bricks onto a drwoning man. No, of course not. The Kingdom is about relationship, not following the rules. Sure, when you break certain rules, you have to suffer the consequences. But it’s not my job as pastor to condemn. No, it’s my job to encourage them to do a better job.

Sometimes it’s easier to do this than at other times. Tonight it was pretty easy, but last week it was hard. Why is it that I feel that I can’t trust one person while I can trust another. Both of them violated the rules. Both deserved to be punished. But I chose not to punish either one of them. How does that work out? I don’t know, but I think the person that you are ministering to has to have a good attitude. That is the key, and hopefully it will allow us to really understand how we mess up and help keep it from happening again. But how we respond to criticism is the key to mobbing forward in the Kingdom.

As I analyze both situations I do realize that their attitudes were totally different. They both were wrong, but one of the guys could not admit that he had done anything wrong, while the other had admitted his mistakes and was ready to be healed. That’s a huge difference. One of them we can work with, the other you can’t. So I am willing to work with anyone that is willing to work. Otherwise, we will have to go it alone. It will be fun, but definitely different.

As you can probably tell, school has had it’s problems. Nothing that is affecting everyone, but definitely something that has to be dealt with for one of her students. Well, it’s late, and tomorrow is another day. That’s all for us tonight.

2011-10-31T00:04:00.000-04:00

Well, tonight I am sitting in my rocking chair by the fire writing. As much as things change, some things stay the same. It’s the same rocker in a different house by a different fire. But it is home. This is the first night I have had to enjoy the furniture and TV in the living room at our new place. Most things are the same, but with a few additions. We are in the process of unpacking and consolidating our things. I know that this will be an interesting time as we decide how everything will fit. The kitchen is going to be especially hard because we have so much stuff and it is such a small kitchen.

For the most part, I think that I am going to like the house. Sure it’s older and bigger, but it feels good. I love the sun room, and the living room is workable. The main issue is going up and down stairs to the bedrooms. I try to work it so that I limit my trips upstairs and don’t go until I absolutely have to. Tonight I have been able to stay downstairs. I should be able to make it until bed time tonight, which isn’t very far away.

The retreat was awesome, and makes me realize how much I really enjoy being a small group leader. But as much as I enjoy it, it’s not the right season for that right now. Maybe it will be in the future, but not right now. But it is the right season for us to step into all that He wants us to do. We will be closer rather than father to all that He is doing. Sheryl’s and my destiny is down here, so it’s good to go ahead and make the move. This week in Redding, I am looking for more of His word and grace to show us how to move into this next season. It’s going to be exciting. I’v been looking since before we started dating, and now it is here.

Victory

2011-10-30T00:20:00.001-04:00

Ga Tech 31 – Clemson 17! Wow! That just topped of a super weekend. It’s been a long but restful day of eating and talking with other home group leaders and watching football. We also spent some time down by the river around the fire pit. Tonight I spoke and then I was able to watch the second half of the football game.

God is so good, and it is always fun when Holy Spirit shows up when I speak. Tonight He was there and once again He directed what I said. When He leads me, I can’t go wrong, and tonight He was leading and all I had to do is follow. There was a great time of prayer and impartation afterward . It was really a fun night. Then we got to watch Tech beat the number 5 team in the nation.

Tomorrow we will have a morning service and drive back home. It’s been a great weekend. It would have been perfect if Sheryl could have been here. Maybe next time. I definitely want to come back to this place. It would be a great place to bring the family and I know that everyone would love it.. This is a place where new life springs up in the spring, but where the autum brings beautiful color. The leaves are beautiful as you look out across the river during the day.

Speaking of new life, this year is definitely a year for new life for me. New live and new beginnings. These flow out of a time of transition. The period of transition that I was in has given way to new beginnings and new life. Just as it has been in my life, I feel that this is right where Bethel Atlanta is as a church. We have just left a period of transition and are now entering this new life and new beginnings. It’s going to bw an awesome ride, and I am glad to be a part of it. God is putting all the pieces into place on His divine chess board. Let the game begin; there is victory in Him. All we have to do is show up to play.

Mountain Retreat

2011-10-29T00:23:00.001-04:00

I’m sitting here in a beautiful mountain on the banks of a river near Elijay GA. We are at a home group leaders retreat. Tonight our Senior Leader, Steve Hale, spoke on the importance of these Home Group leaders. Tomorrow night I get to speak to them, and I will probably address some of the same areas that Steve addressed tonight. In Acts 2:42 – 48, Luke talks about the early church meeting for dinner continually. It seems that there was more to their fellowship than Sunday morning service. In 1985, we met a pastor freom Bedford Texas. He had come to our church and talked about what they were doing with small groups that met during the week. I still remember it today because it was one of the first times that I ever felt that God spoke to me about others. He told me that small groups would revelotionalize the church in my lifetime. He said that church as we knew it was on it’s way out. Small groups were the key to the future.

I believed Him, and today I see all over the world where it has come to pass. It is slower to take hold here in America, but it is taking hold. We started our first home group in 1985 and up ontil this year, I have been leading a group ever since. Sometimes it was leading leaders of small groups, sometimes the group was focused on prayer. But we were leading a group. So I have been involved with small groups of one kind or another for over 26 years. That’s a long time, and many of those nights, I didn’t want to be involved. But when I was faithful to allow myself to work in them, He was always faithful to show up. His love is always capable to reach even the hardest person, if you allow Him to move.

I have learned over the years that it is not about me, or anything I do. It’s all about inviting His presence into the room. The supernatural presence of Holy Spirit, that is what brings life. It was in 1987 when I began to bring the supernatural into the home group. I have been doing it every meeting since. I learned it form the Vineyard and their Kinship groups, and it has grown more and more through out the years. I couldn’t have home group without the presence of God. So, here I am, praying that Holy Spirit will open up the deep wells that have stored all that has been poured into me over the years, I’m confident that He will do it. Tomorrow will be a fun day, and I know that He will show up.