Worry...........you WILL tap out

I was doing a mini self spiritual exam last night. Yeah.....dumb idea huh :)? And while I readily admit that there are MANY areas in which I fall short, I am confident my biggest weakness is WORRY. I come from a long line of worriers actually. As far back as I can remember, I have worried. Now I fully understand that a LITTLE worry is normal and possibly even healthy. But I tend to take normal worry and multiply to ridiculous BROCK LESNAR sized proportions. EX: A common cold in a child can easily become a serious case of deadly Ebola in my mind….no kidding. I am trying REALLY hard to figure out why I act this way and I am trying really hard to correct it.
I KNOW these things that you are about to read. But I am writing them to try and make them stick in this slippery brain of mine:

1. Worrying is Not Good for You.
Worrying is destructive to us in many ways. It has often made me physically sick even! It becomes a mental burden that can eventually cause bodies to break down like a Josh McDaniel’s offense.
PROV 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

2. Worrying Accomplishes Absolutely Nothing.
Time is at a premium in my simple life. And worrying is a waste of very precious time. I know worrying won't help me solve a problem or bring about a solution:
Matthew 6:27-29 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

3.Worrying is the Opposite of Trusting God.
Confession time: I worry WAY more than I pray most of the time.
Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

4.Worrying Puts Your Focus in the Wrong Direction.
When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember his love for us and we realize we truly have nothing to worry about. I am fully aware of this. I believe God has a wonderful plan for my life, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. I know God will take care of our every need.
Matthew 6:25 That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?
Matthew 6:31-33 So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
I am fully aware, as a follower of Christ, that worry is NOT to be something in my “arsenal of garbage”.

I truly believe in God's divine providence and that He will never fail me…..but when my buddy Mr. Worry decides to visit, I struggle to remember such things. Over the span of my lifetime, worrying accounts for hours and hours of invaluable time that I'll never get back. And I am literally tired of it…weary in fact. Today I am making as public stance against this jerk called worry. I am done with it! So I am asking my few blog readers for advice…..what, besides drugs helps you? :)

"She's Out Back Counting Stars..."

In the car this morning I heard a commercial I hadn’t since I was a kid. The Star Registry was advertising that you could “buy a star” for someone you loved. Apparently they send you a map of some type, you pick a yet “unnamed star” and for a small fee you get to name that star for someone special. That’s right, then from here to eternity that star “belongs” to them.

I remember as a child thinking how cool this sounded! I also remember as a teen thinking how goofy this sounded. Today I had a new thought: How arrogant this sounded! Who is man that we think we have the right to claim a star? Who are we to stake ownership in the infinite creation of God? How arrogant to think we can map the stars, yet alone name them.

Only God can make such a claim. Psalm 147:4 says “He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.” DO you know how big that is? In 1993 scientists said that there were 70 sextillion stars in the visible universe, or some 70 thousand million million million. That's a 7 followed by 22 zeros! And those are just the ones within range of our telescopes.

Can you grasp that? We serve a HUGE God. SO big in fact that he actually knows the number of stars and has each named! That puts everything in perspective for me. There are days when I feel so small. There are times I feel alone. There are times that we all feel helpless. But we should not! The God and creator of the stars also knows OUR name and stand behind us, holding us up and pressing us forward.

Next time you look into the heavens on a clear Oregon night. As you gaze upon the North Star, the Big Dipper or even Orion, remember who put them there. Remember who named them. Remember how big your God is. And then, remember that he is right there beside you, in your life, and in your heart.

Stars lookin at our planet watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how the chaos in our lives could pass as sane
I've been thinking bout the meaning of resistance, of a hope beyond my own
And suddenly the infinite and penitent begin to look like home
But when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars I see someone else
When I look at the stars,
the stars, I feel like myself- Switchfoot

History in the making...

There was quite a lot going on this calendar week. Monday we celebrated the work of a man who gave his life in pursuit of the promise that we were all equal. He worked and sacrificed for the belief that “God created all mankind in His image…”(Gen 1:27). And Tuesday we witnessed history as some of the fruits of that work saw America swear in our first black president. Regardless of your political leanings, it was most definitely a stirring moment and monumental in American history. It was incredible.

The event brought to mind the scripture that says “Praise be to God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them…”(Daniel 2:20-21a). Yes, we have free will on earth to do as we choose, but I like to believe that my God still holds the reigns of everything in the universe! It is my prayer that we remember God in this time of political buzz and changes. One of my least favorite things about election seasons is how quickly we seem to forget that God is still in control of this world! Man will be man, and evil will be done, but I know God hears the cries of His people!

I urge us today to pray for our nation. Pray that we will be people who return to striving for righteousness and goodness. Pray we will be a holy nation that calls on His name. Pray that we will seek peace. Pray we will make decisions in love. Pray we will hold high God’s standards. Pray we will love others. Pray we will be a light of honor and holiness.

I also urge us to pray for our new leader. Pray that he will look to God for wisdom. Pray that he will truly serve the “least of these”. Pray that he will lead with morals and honesty. Pray he will value life. Pray that He will truly be a man of God above all else.

Most of us reading this are Americans. But let us not forget that our first citizenship belongs to the kingdom of God! We serve the “King of Kings”. May our hope, faith and trust be not in man, but in Him alone.

From this...





to this...

NBA Live and God

My son has re-taken to a basketball video game lately. When he was younger, I would play with him, and would actually turn his team to “computer controlled” letting him think he was playing. When he got older I’d let him play, but he couldn’t quite master the controls. So, I’d intentionally pull defensive players away from him letting him score, making sure I let him win. So you can imagine my surprise when I played him recently.

The boy is good! I have now played him 3 times. And, each game, he beat me. This is nothing new for us, except for the fact that I was trying. I was trying hard! Suddenly he gets it. The buttons and combinations all make sense. He is driving past my defense, making reverse shots and throwing alley-oops. Despite my best efforts, I cannot beat him. He’s taken the little bit of control I slowly gave him and turned it into incredible talent. He was learning when I wasn’t aware of it!

Kids are amazing like that. They learn so quickly, even when we think they aren’t. As Christian parents, we should take this to heart. Often, when we don’t think we are teaching, even when we think their “controls are turned off”, kids are actually in the game, soaking everything in.

We’re always to be teaching our kids. Because, they are ALWAYS learning. So, we must be on guard. They are going to learn whatever they see. Just because you may not be sitting over a Bible, every second with our kids is a chance to teach them God’s ways. Every word and decision is a chance to show them Jesus.

And here’s the deal: they will be “playing on their own” before we know it. These kids are sharp! Go sit in any Sunday school class or youth group lesson and see if you aren’t amazed with the knowledge you will experience! Our children will grow in faith in accordance to what “game” we constantly put them in. They will be “controlling their own team” before we know it. Which team they play on largely depends on which team we showed them when we thought they were not looking! We are called to bring our kids up “in the training and instruction of the Lord”, in all that we do. It’s a big task. I pray we are up to it!

Oh and Jude......no more alley oops from Parker to Duncan!

Songs, Bombs, and Fire dances

January 3, 2008

Man last night was amazing. The night ended with the kids from the church in Kyenjojo bringing down the house! One girl was singing her heart out! The praises are still ringing in my ears this morning as I awaken. My body feels weak, but my soul is full of joy.

This morning I had 2 “firsts”. One was sitting on the scary, dark, ant covered concrete slab called a toilet (in all actuality, I have seen MUCH worse). And then, I took my 1st real African “shower”. Basically you fill a plastic tub with boiled green lake water and take it into the “shower hut”. Then, you get down to the ol’ birthday suit, squat over your bucket and commence to splashin’! J I am not sure how clean I got, but I felt like a new man……it is amazing what a little shampoo can do!

So, I entered the morning worship feeling like a new, clean man! This morning, the kids just seemed on fire! It was almost TOO much to take in. Matt again had us partner with a stranger and learn about their faith. I was with Tinah form Jinja. Hearing the story of her family and faith was amazing. Her parents are in Kenya, and are both from the two different tribes that at that very second were waging a bloody war in the usually tranquil Kenya! She was worried. Here is my friend Tinah:

Matt then asked the crowd “How do you know God loves you?” One girl said- “All 8 of my siblings have died, or been killed. But, I am still alive. God loves me.”………………….HEAVY!

During the sermon, I sat next to a beautiful young village girl from Rwebisengo. She was tiny. I must have looked like Goliath to her. She would stare at me when she thought I was not looking. She then became fascinated with the bottom of my boot and absent mindedly began playing with it, for several minutes. When she looked up, I was looking at her. She blushed SO big like I had just caught her in something she should not be….then she broke into a HUGE smile I will never forget! I only know her right now as “SHOE GIRL”, but I love her. When it was over, she got my attention, and very shyly waved goodbye. (more stories of “SHOE GIRL” will come later!)

Later in the day, Jeff and Cheryl split the guys and gals up and gave purity classes. This is unheard of in Africa. Things like sex are publicly ignored. You DO NOT talk about such things! Hence, HIV is killing the entire country! It was great though…several young men were touched, and afterwards, they prayed about it at the foot of the cross.


After lunch, I preached my 2nd time. It was ok, but the crowd was hot, full and tired. Still, they were attentive as I talked about the armor of God and even dressed a young man up in a costume. It was fun.

Next, (busy day huh) we had a game. They played a flour bomb war. You ever done that? You take a tissue, fill the center with flour, and then twist and tie it off. You then play capture the flag. To eliminate another player, you must hit them with your thrown bomb. They explode and get all over you……trust me, GREAT fun! Well, guess what……they LOVED it. I mean LOVED it! It was nuts.

They were fast! And when the red team finally won (on some pretty shaky terms I might add) they went crazy! For a brief second, we thought we may have started the Uganda riots! They were yelling, jumping, cheering…it was so cool.

After this, we passed out their camp T-shirts. They were SO excited to get a new shirt. It meant the world to them. It was humbling to see such gratefulness.

So….after dinner, we were excited. We were going to walk into the village of Buhara (known in the not so far off past for its’ witchcraft) to have a worship in the town center around a bonfire. The plan was to let the African kids take control and make it 100% native! So we walked down a DARK road (I am convinced the Ugandans have been blessed with an internal night vision), until we reached the village center. The kids then just let it out! They danced, sang, jumped, celebrated…….man they loved the Lord is what they did! At one point they began this fast manic run around the fire in a huge group. Matt, John and I jumped in to the action…it was GREAT!

Afterwards, we wearily walked back to camp. The BUSY and wonderful day ended with a few of us around the tents laughing our heads off to jokes of the “SMUT and GANDHI SLAP”…trust me, you HAD to be there! J

It was a great day. I feel very full of God tonight…and with that feeling, I shall sleep.