Winter Pics

Week of Dec. 15

Its sunny and pretty mild. The weekend, however, is supposed to be snowing with a temp of around 15. Reminds me of Michigan! Cailey's done with school for the next 9 months...YEAH!!!
Tuesday I'm undergoing a sleep study because of my snoring. That should be fun....um, not really. I also ran across this hilarious JCPenney commercial on how guys can be pretty dumb when it comes to getting gifts for our wives. Check it out here. Friday and Saturday we are decorating the Christmas tree and dusting off the Christmas music. And that's pretty much it this week. I should have next month's newsletter article posted by the end of the week.






First attempt at a podcast...the next one
should be better !

The Ultimate Sacrifice

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.” John 1:10, 11

God created our world…and us. His initial intent was one of perfection, love, peace, and worship. That all changed when sin came into the picture and we could not stand against it. What would you do if you were the creator of something precious to you? Something you loved and cherished. When all other attempts at communicating with those you have created have failed…when they simply cannot or will not hear you…would you step down from a place of glory and safety to become one of them? Jesus did! In doing so, He established a direct line between himself and us. Read the first chapter of the gospel of John. Then pray. See what the Word might be speaking to you personally out of this chapter.

Are You Happy?

On November 10, Yahoo posted a report from a recent study conducted by the University of Chicago. The report suggests that occupation is ‘one of the major components of overall happiness.’[1] It was very interesting to find that among the top 5 most enjoyable jobs were firefighters, architects, special education teachers, and travel agents…with pastors coming in at number one! All of these involve working directly with people and helping others in some way.
This article got me thinking about my own level of happiness. I came to realize that I am truly happy with my life because I am happy as a pastor, a husband, and a father. Then came the big question; am I happy with myself? In Matthew 22, Jesus instructs us to love God with everything we have. He then says to love your neighbor as yourself. The Message puts it this way: “'Love others as well as you love yourself.” Another analogy is that if we are not happy with who we are and who God has created us to be, we are going to have a difficult time truly loving others.
My challenge for you is this: recognize your true position as one of God’s cherished kids. Next, approach your daily job and/or responsibilities with this identity in mind. When we strive to please God at work, inadvertently the boss will be delighted with us. Please God first in our marriage and we honor our spouse. Lastly, respect Christ as head of our home and we become a solid foundation for our children.

[1] http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker

Nov. Newsletter Article

Humor therapy; do you use it? This is the intentional application of laughing when it doesn’t seem quite natural. It’s snickering at those life circumstances that would rather that we wallow in depression and fear. In fact, learning to do this on a regular basis can help you to live longer! It’s true.

Proverbs 14:30 says, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” (TLB)

Laughing at the enemy when he sends illness, unemployment, depression, or busyness at us takes the sting out of the attack. In doing so, I would argue that it also takes away his enjoyment. Now, I am not saying that laughing at all the negative in our life will somehow cause these attacks to end. It does, however, provide us with a healthy response and state of mind. It takes control of our lives out of the enemy’s grasp.

Love…Laugh…Live!