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You know, sometimes we get visions of how we would do some things if we were in charge... and I've had quite a few of these for church. See, for a long time I have wanted to have some part in starting a church. One of the ideas I had along the way was since the "service" was called just that, every once in a while, instead of people just coming and sitting through a message and singing a few tunes, that there would be ways they could go out and find good deeds to be done for that hour.

The church I attend (Suncrest), did something almost exactly like that this past Sunday. Following the service, there were various things that one could find to do - clean up trash, drop off gifts for people at nursing homes, etc., etc. And I walked right past all of it, got in my car, and started driving home.

Then I realized that didn't make any sense. So I turned around and went back, got some little gift bags to take to the elderly in the nursing homes and THEN turned around and left.

My wife and I and are little baby Jacob visited the nursing home that day and gave a few people some gift bags. We met one lady - I believe her name was Rose - she turned 100. I can only imagine all the things one might have seen by having lived to a ripe old age of 100!

This year, instead of a typical gift exchange where we give someone - who you don't really know anything they need or even want - something that they don't really need or want; we and the rest of one of our families plan to combine our money together for things for a nearby orphanage.

My wife had the idea - I'm a little bit jealous I didn't think of it! :)

I wonder what this world would be like if more families did this for Christmas instead of spending a bunch of money on things nobody really needs.

I think that's more of what Christmas is all about.
I think God gave us something so that we could turn around and give it away so we could then turn around and see Him again through it all.

Post of my picture

the generation

there is a danger in being "okay"
we generally use this term when we are "automatic," indifferent, or just haven't given it enough thought

"How are you?" "Okay"

"What do you think of this shirt?" "It's okay"

"How are you doing spiritually" "I'm okay"

The latter case is especially concerning. I have been feeling "okay" about the spiritual things in life for some time now. This past week at Suncrest, Greg Lee (Lead Pastor at Suncrest) stated that he can't understand how a Christ follower could "settle" with where they are at in their spiritual maturity. (Greg, I would have much rather seen grown adults struggle with putting a Dora the Explorer puzzle together in church than hear that. haha - j/k) .... WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING JUST "OKAY" ? .....

automatic

indifferent

or just haven't given it enough thought

Any of these options are less than satisfactory when we're talking a relationship with the God. Even just by quickly analyzing our "spritual maturity number," one can get a sense of where they are at - even if they can't even come up with a number. I don't even think the number is what's important here. I think what is important here is generating a desire to grow passionate about what the God is passionate about, seeing things as the God sees things, cultivating a relationship with others who know the God, and the God himself.

This is the 'generation' of something great. Spiritual senses are stimulated. "God is for me." (Psalm 56.9) Future is uncertain. Things unseen are out there - you can feel them.

Faith is not a question at this point. This is generating results based on what the God has already given the opportunity for. God is asking me to go places that I do not even know yet. God is asking me to act on my faith. No more questioning. No more analyzing. No more "settling." No more "okays." Action.

the start

So this is the year my son is born, so this is the year I start a blog. I mean it's obvious why.





Isn't it?

Well, I'm in school for database, web design, etc. and I haven't even started my own blog yet - that just doesn't seem right.

And one day, when blogs are as regular for us as listening to CDs, reading the newspaper, watching TV, etc., my son will be old enough and I want him to be able to come up to me and say "That was an awesome post on your blog, Dad!"

It's funny, I used to want my dad to be proud of me... but now it's my son who I want to be proud of me. There is enough useless information out there (like blogs), I don't want to be yet something else useless for my son (or any of my family).

Will a blog make my son proud of me? No. But it's not about the blog, is it?

It's not about the steps - it's about the walk.

So it's not really about the blog - it's about the blogger.