computer illiteracy

Lets just say bill gates and steve jobs are not going to be hiring me to test out their newest product line. Yesterday one of my co-workers (kristin shall remain nameless) chuckled at the fact that I did not know how to adjust the "sleep" mode on my computer in order to enable it not to shut down so quickly when unused. She then tried to "butter my ego" by saying that she would never have guessed me to be "one of those people" who don't know their way around a computer. As if there is a whole disgusting segment of society I'm now a part of that just happens to NOT be tech savvy. Maybe that's not what she meant, but due to the tears I was choking on, I didn't get to ask her to clarify.

"Did u just not use one growing up?" was her follow up question. I explained to her that not everyone was born with a silver macbook in their mouths and that some of us had to scour the couch cushions for enough change to buy a family notebook. (I think that may actually be a computer, I'm talking about college ruled legal pads that you write in) That wasn't necessarily true, but it in my hurt and pride stricken state, it was all I could come up with. I ended up laughing it off with my "I can take a joke at my expense" mask on, but the dull pain it left has yet to subside. Perhaps with time and intense therapy, I shall eventually be at least a shell of my former self.

Here are the facts. I use a total of five of the however many hundreds of features available on my computer. They are........safari, itunes, word docs, email, iphoto, and logos bible software. Ok that's six, but I didn't want to brag. I still prefer writing things down in my franklin planner over using "ical", and yes I have a beta vcr instead of blue ray. They're making a comeback you know.

While I may not be cracking into googles super encrypted data base in china any time soon, (oh wait, someone already did that) I am at peace with the relationship me and my mac have. Despite this serenity, I did order the product shown in the video below to assist me in navigating the confusing waters of the high tech internet world. Gabe and Max have been a real asset to my computer development and I highly recommend you at least take the time to see what they offer. The dream life of your dreams could hang in the balance.

I know you didn't mean to hurt me Kristin and I'm praying even now about how and when to let this go and move on. I really hope it doesn't rain twelve inches every day if you happen to plan a vacation anytime, wink wink.

disclaimer.......All of this is a joke and Kristin is one of, if not the, sweetest person not only in our office, but in the world!!! I totally embellished this story as anyone who knows Kristin is aware she does not have a mean or condescending bone in her entire body!!!!!!!!!!

The power of dad 3

Without a doubt the thing that will have the most impact on a child's life, is presents..........except that it is spelled "presence." As a dad, spending time with your kids is the ultimate determiner of how your child will develop. Statistics say that the average father spends less than five minutes each day with his children. This statistic, as staggering as it sounds, is probably accurate if you consider not just being home, but quality time spent.

Statistics say there are two major reasons men are distracted and disconnected from their children.

1. Men usually work in an ordered environment with deadlines and schedules. Home life can be just the opposite, chaotic and disjointed. Especially if children remain undisciplined, loud, demanding, and out of control. This leads to a father detaching himself emotionally from his children when they are young, and it often remains that way through each stage of development.

2. The demand placed on them by their schedules. It is difficult to balance work, family, friends, and the busyness of life. After a day of meeting all these demands, it is easy to want to justify a selfish focus on your needs, and reward yourself with activities that offer personal gratification and excitement. Children tend to be the most demanding and least gratifying of the choices presented, consequently, men find themselves out with friends, or watching the game every night. I certainly don't want to imply that watching sports or spending time with friends is wrong, but you have to guard the time you have with your kids.

Investing time in your children isn't always easy, but if you don't, you risk losing the moments that you can never get back. Don't think that the "big moments," I.E vacations, or trips can substitute for time spent each day. I remember my sister asking her kids what they remembered most about my dad when he died five years ago. Not that my dad took them to paris every year or anything, but all of us smiled when they talked about waking up after spending the night at Grandpa's and hearing him shout "HEY NUMBER 1" when he saw them in the morning. Also my dad would ask them crazy questions like......."are you a chicken or an egg?" and they thought that was soooo funny.

here is an awesome poem called "Lessons of a father" by Todd Lane

To learn how to fly with a gently nudge,
to learn to forgive and not hold a grudge.

To know how to talk with a bridled tongue,
To know how to walk and lead the young.

To follow the advice and counsel of peers,
To follow God's word will enhance your years.

To give with a heart that feels better when done,
To give with the love of God for His son.

To know it's all right for a man to cry,
To know it will hurt when we say good-bye.

To love and live an enjoyable life,
To love my family and honor my wife.

To see the good in a ridiculous mess,
To see that my children have a place to rest.

To never give reason to question your word,
To never let anger from your mouth be heard.

To learn to encourage with a simple smile,
To learn that the best go the extra mile.

I pattern my life after the lessons I've learned,
The teaching goes on, but now it's my turn.

I go with strength from the training I've had,
These are the things, I've learned from my dad

The power of a dad part 2

I remember being about ten years old and playing with a kid who lived up the street. His name was Kevin and we were in my back yard pretending to be army soldiers. Suddenly, and without warning, one of us (I'll blame Kevin) came up with the idea that no soldier worth his salt goes into battle without grenades. Since we had a giant walnut tree in our backyard, there were no shortage of hand bombs to be thrown. Through the process of war, the grenades morphed into smoke bombs that we threw into the garage to confuse the enemy. Unfortunately for me, we decided that could only be accomplished by throwing the walnuts through the windows into the garage. Problem was, the windows weren't open, so each one was systematically shattered in order to engage this unseen enemy. After a heated battle, the imaginary adversary surrendered, and every single garage window was busted out. I'm not sure when it dawned on me that this private war would ultimately end up in defeat for me, but I remember staring at the broken glass and walnut shards and wondering how my dad the military police of the home would respond. Kevin conveniently went a.w.o.l and retreated back to the safety of his house, leaving me alone to face the prospect of being dishonorably discharged into next week by my dad. That may have been the first time prayer became real to me=)

Here's the moral of the story.........Kids do foolish things. The bible even tells us that foolishness is bound in the heart of a child (prov. 22:15) and we can expect them to act in ways that is not always logical. I don't remember exactly what my dad said when he came home that night, but I'm sure it included the phrase......"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!!!" My response.... " I DON'T KNOW!!!! THE ENEMY ENGAGED US FIRST? or something along those lines=) I know that my dad was far from happy, but he never made me feel stupid. We swept out the garage and I knew my allowance would be permanently frozen, but it wasn't as bad as I thought......(or as bad as my loving sisters assured me it would be=)

I believe a successful father is one who can correct his children's foolishness without inflicting emotional damage. The purpose of discipline should always be redemptive in nature and never punitive. Everything must be looked at as an opportunity to have a teachable moment. How you respond to the foolish behavior of your children will determine whether or not you get the desired result. Here is the first key..........

1. Make sure you reject your child's behavior, without rejecting the child.

Too many men respond to foolishness with physical and verbal abuse that causes the child to feel like they're stupid or a failure. This can leave scars on children for life that affect them long into adulthood. It is impossible to yell or scare away foolishness with a knee jerk outburst, in fact, it will actually imbed the foolish nature even deeper and leave lasting scars of rejection. I'm certainly not saying that I never get frustrated and loose my cool, or that children shouldn't be held accountable, but to be successful you must give loving acceptance to the child while correcting the foolishness of the behavior. Remember that along with foolishness, every child also has tremendous God given potential unique only to them. We have to look for ways, especially in the area of discipline, to cultivate the character of God and His virtues into our children. Through that process, as they grow, they can now begin to walk in the wisdom of God.

the power of a dad

After the reign of king David, Israel and Judah had a combined 39 kings rule over them before being sieged by Babylon and Assyria. The reign of these kings are documented in the books of first and second kings. Of the 19 kings of Israel, the bible calls all of them evil with the exception of Solomon(who didn't end up exactly stellar) and Jehu. Of the 20 kings over Judah, 12 were called evil and eight were either good, or at least not completely evil.

As I read through the accounts of these wicked kings, here is a phrase that was often repeated in some shape or form that really stuck with me.........I kings 15:3--"And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God" In almost every instance, how the Father of the current king lived and ruled, directly affected the leadership style, character, and relationship with God his son had.

Here's the point........what you model and transfer to your children through your behavior, is what they will become. As christians, we must attempt to connect our children to an incredible God who loves them, created them, and has a specific call and plan for their lives. Accomplishments, recognition at work, and material things are temporary. Your real success in life is measured by the legacy you leave thru your children.

I will take the next few posts to reflect on what I believe are the primary roles of a father. After being on a "retreat" with 29 other men, the prevailing issue for almost all of them were "wounds" that they endured in some form from their fathers. My dad wasn't perfect by any means, but I felt so blessed to have had a dad who loved me, spent time with me, and modeled the importance of church and spiritual things. Especially considering his dad passed away when he was only nineteen.

I am convinced that many of the social issues facing our generation are a result of fatherlessness. The statistics of children with no dad's in the home are staggering. Boys need a father to train them in godly character and responsibilities. Also to prepare him for his future role as father and husband. In the same way girls need guidance to know what to expect from a future husband. It must be modeled in her father first.

Here is a link to a heartbreaking story that backs up much of what I'm saying. It is a short article but powerful. A four year old boy is found wandering the streets with stolen christmas gifts and under the influence of alcohol. When authorities questioned his mother, she made this statement, "he wants to go to jail, because thats where his daddy is"

inked

I can't believe I did this=) I came back from a spiritual journey in texas and felt like I may want to do this, but I didn't right away. I've never been a big tattoo "fan", so I wanted to make sure this was something that I was sure about. I really felt like it was supposed to be a part of my 2010 (and beyond) as a constant reminder of the things God spoke to me on that retreat. With that in mind, I endured the pain and "inked" myself permanently on dec. 30th.

The word "chazaq" is a hebrew word that is a uniquely strong and powerful descriptor of courage. It is used over 300 times in the bible and according to strongs hebrew dictionary..........It is a primitive root that means: to fasten upon; hence to seize, to be strong, courageous, play the man, mend, become mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, strengthen (self), be (make, shew, wax) strong (-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.

Here is some examples of it in scripture......

1 Chronicles 19:13...... Be of good courage,(chazaq) and let us behave ourselves valiantly (chazaq) for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

Psalms 27:14........ Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,(chazaq) and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Joshua 1:9----Have I not commanded you? be strong, and very courageous, (chazaq) do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go




Chazaq is a bold word describing the believer's confident courage that is perfected while waiting on God. In the mighty power of God, be brave. Be strong. Take courage. Do not give up, God is with you thru every storm and circumstance and will give you the strength (chazaq) you need to get through.

The sword of course is a symbol and reminder that I (and all christians) are in a war. I am called to fight for my faith, family, and generation.

Song of Solomon 8:6
"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame."---This is now the seal upon my arm, forever I guess=)


Funny story, I showed the tattoo to Ava and told her it was real (not like the ones they have put on before), so she asks me "is that going to stay there forever?" I said yes. "even when you die?" I said uh Huh. "even when I die?" I said yup. Then she looks at me as serious as can be and says......"even when everything turns to darkness?"=) Where the heck did that come from?!!!!!!
Had to write that one down so I wouldn't forget!

praise prepares the way for blessing

This morning I had the incredible privilege of praying with Kendra and re-inviting God to be first in our lives as we begin this new year. As I spent time being still before God, I felt a phrase that God spoke to me a few weeks ago be re-deposited in my heart. "the ultimate purpose of worship is exaltation, not an encounter. You may not always "feel" God, but He is always worthy to be praised". Worshipping God isn't about goosebumps, (although its great when you get them) its a decision to praise no matter the circumstance.

As I believe God for blessing, favor, increase, and more of His presence in my life this year, I am determining to worship God with renewed passion. To meditate on who He is, and how gracious He is to me. Not just thanking Him when something "great" happens in my life or some monumental event takes place, but recognizing that his presence alone is worth all my praise and more. As you begin to dream about 2010 and your future, refuse to dwell on negatives, complain, or be driven by fear. Instead, determine to ascribe "worth" to your King like never before, and let that be the launch pad for blessing!!

David was a worshiper, and even when his sin led him to an adulterous affair resulting in the murder of an innocent husband, God still called him a man after his own heart. Don't let your sin, wrong mindsets, or short comings keep you from pressing into God. Praise prepares the way for blessing.

Psalm 67:5-7 (New King James Version)




5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
6 THEN the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

When God's people worship Him, He cant help but pour out blessing!!!

I've included a video of what in my opinion is one of the most powerful worship songs ever put to music. The theme is simple........I Exalt Thee. That's it. No fluff, no secret formula. I encourage you to take the nine minutes that this video runs, crank the volume, and have your own time of worship right now. Make the very first thing you do in 2010 exalting and lifting high the name of your Lord. This arrangement by Jesus Culture (who ive posted on before) is amazing and you will be glad you did it=) Go ahead and sing along LOUD!!!!

new years eve!

new years eve is always a momentous time of celebration, especially when it marks the close of a decade as this one did. However, unbeknownst to most people, this day held even more meaning to me. December 31st 2009 was also the 30th birthday of my beautiful wife Kendra. I can't believe how fast the time as gone. It seems like yesterday I was picking you up from middle school on our first date. KIDDING!!!!!!!! She's not that much younger than me!!!!

We hung out with friends for some hibachi japanese cuisine, and had our first kiss of 2010 at bistro bella vita in G.R. where my buddy is the manager.

I love you so much Kendra and I thank God for the incredible gift he gave me when you came into my life. Thanks for walking by my side these nine years of marriage and partnering with me in the ministry and the raising of our precious girls. You are truly an amazing wife, mother, and friend and I look so forward not only to 2010, not only to you being in your thirties, but decades of falling in love with you over and over again.

I ended up going the sentimental route with Kendra's gift. I put all of the video tapes I've recorded since Ava was born almost six years ago, and finally had them burned on to dvd. I included a certificate for a dinner prepared by me, a foot and back massage, and plenty of Kleenex as we watch how God has blessed us over the years=)