You down with OPP?

Identifying other peoples problems (OPP) is pretty easy. I mentioned the story of Sampson in a message a while back and if you read judges 16 it's hard to imagine how he kept falling for Delilah's tricks. After all, the very thing he told her would cause him to lose his strength kept happening every morning when he woke up!!! HELLO!!! EARTH TO SAMPSON!!! How can you not see this???? Maybe you and Delilah should take a little time off????? See other people????

I think as Christians we can be real good at identifying specks in other peoples eyes when we have planks in our own. It's not our job to judge people, nor can we be everyones Holy Spirit. Phil.2:13 says that God is at work........IN YOU!!! Instead of pointing out what everyone else is doing, let's be people that humbly allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and change into our own lives first......

I always get a little leery when I hear people say things like....."I wish so and so had been here to hear this message, they could really use it." "I wish Sampson had heard this sermon on relationships, he's really messed up........" Identifying others issues is always easier than dealing with our own.

swimming lessons

No I don't think we have the next Michael Phelps in our midst, but I figured our girls should at least learn to put their heads underwater without me having to dunk them and have a major freakout on our hands=) Friday mornings have been designated and they are already LOVING IT!!!

As I explained what was going to happen and how they needed to listen, Addy asked what would happen if she drowned..............I told her that I'd at least hopefully get a discount? =)

You won't drown Addy, (she gets that drama queenness from her mother=) Jk Kendra

Here's to future olympic endeavors!!!!!!!!

7 yrs

I can hardly bring myself to say or admit it, but my firstborn beautiful daughter Ava turned 7 last wednesday. Where did the time go? We watched some home videos of her trying to sound out words and singing along to the doodlebops, oh how things have changed (although change is not always bad=)

We had her friends come over for cake and ice cream and then burned off all our energy at jungle joes for the afternoon!! thanks to all the parents who brought their kids out to join us=)

I love you soooooo much Ava and I look forward to many more years of your sweet heart for life being on display in our family. I love being your dad more than you could ever know.

right away

The other day I made an amazing discovery. I was baking a delicious pizza for dinner, and I used the handy little pizza cutter thing to transform it into eight or so delectable slices. (none of this is amazing yet I know, just wait, it gets amazinger) Of course the pizza cutter was covered in sauce, cheese and my tongue print as I attempted to lick it, but instead of just leaving it on the pizza tray to take care of after the inhalation of Digiorno goodness, (with cookies).......... I decided to run it under the sink.............right away.

It was incredible. The hot culligan-purified well water cascading over this brilliant invention brought back its silver shine with no scrubbing or soaking. I stood there in amazement, recalling the former times where I would leave the gadget for at least a day and have to scrub with steel wool and paint thinner to remove the caked on elements.

Here is the lesson I learned........ Things end up being easier to deal with, when you take care of them right away. I recently experienced how true this is with pizza cutters, but believe it or not, there are more important situations where this principle is applicable.

You notice a particular sin in your life that maybe you've struggled with before rearing it's ugly head, don't ignore it, don't wait, address it before it gets caked on and tries to set in to your life permanently.

Your relationship with your spouse is strained or something has happened to cause your heart to withdraw or become detached.............begin to take steps right away.

Stress at work or busyness is taking you away from your family and causing worry and financial fear to dominate your heart.........Don't just wait hoping things will get better, address it right away.

Disappointment with God or complacency in your faith has caused you to lose your passion and zeal for life and the Lord. Acknowledge it, and bring these things to God right away.

I don't know your situation, but I do know God desires for you to walk in His freedom and nothing gets easier when you avoid, deny or ignore it.............including the dishes

halfway there

WOW!!! World's shadiest and laziest blogger award goes toooooooooooo. Me.

I can't believe it's been over a month. I'm not gonna dwell on all the things that have happened that I've not updated, instead I'll just move forward and try to be more consistent for the dozens of people who used to read this =)

July 1st is today and one of my favorite days. It is the exact halfway point of the year............I know it's hard to believe, but 2011 is now 182 and a half days old with only 182 and a half or so to go.

Time to revamp, refocus and rethink some of the goals and vision you had for this year way back in january. Forget about things that you wish you had done already and get back to living each day to the fullest. We serve an incredible God who wants every day of our lives to unfold for His glory.

Hope you had an amazing first half of the year and I'll see you guys in January=)