Though I Am Weak

Its a sad statement, but sometimes God has to overwhlem me to get my attention and He did that in a subtle way two days ago.
I was blessed with the opportunity to speak in the main sanctuary of my church this past Wednesday night. I wasn't as nervous as I usually am, but when I walked into the sanctuary I was hit by the awesome responsibility someone has when he stands up to preach God's Word. I asked Joe if I could stand back in the media room before the service started and he let me in. Standing back there in dark obscurity I watched as people walked by and I felt completely incapable of giving those people what they needed.
In that moment, before I had the chance to panic, the Lord spoke into my spirit that He is able to work through me only when I realize that my own skills and talents are useless without Him. His power is made perfect in my weakness. Though I am weak, He is strong. As I spoke that night, I felt Him giving me words that I hadn't planned, and taking me in directions that I had not mapped out.
I probably studied for about 3 weeks for that message, reading scriptures and commentaries and histories and expository dictionaries and that message was the best message I have ever given. What no one else knows is that my 15 pages of typed notes and outlines that I took to the front with me and opened up at the beginning, remained virtually unread...

Snow in Lynchburg

It snowed yesterday in Lynchburg. I woke up to a white yard and I called Jacob over to the window to watch the snow fall. He loved it.
Around lunchtime Jasilyn, Noah and I went out to do some sledding. They preferred riding together, and Noah negotiated my towing services in order to get back up the hill.
Misty made grilled cheese sandwiches for us when we came back inside.
Yesterday was a great day.

Debating

I used to love to debate with people. My friend Joe calls it "battling". He loves to battle mormons. When I need a good laugh I picture Joe "battling" Donny Osmond.
I've grown tired of debating. I'm not talking about defending my faith. I have no problem doing that and I welcome the chance. I'm talking about the type of debating where two people waste their time going back and forth on some obscure issue like "can a pop-tart sin?"
Its kind of like taking your dog for a walk and using a bungee cord for the leash. It starts out well but ends badly for all involved parties.

Clowns

I'm feeling very good about a Reuters article I read on Yahoo! this morning. It seems that a study has revealed that children don't like clowns. This article justifies feelings that I have suppressed and repressed for decades. No longer must I question my masculinity due to my inner shakings and quakings whenever one of those painted face menaces comes near me.
Here's a great quote from the article:
"We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable." (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)
My son Noah disliked clowns until his big sister Jasilyn showed him how to get cool balloon hats from them. Jasilyn asked a question that sheds great light onto this subject. "Daddy?" Jasilyn asked, "Why would someone paint a smile on their face when all they have to do is really smile?"
Great question, Jasilyn. Great question.

Snow in Iraq

My Yahoo! home page informed me that it snowed in Baghdad this morning.
At first it meant nothing to me but seeing the video of those Iraqi kids running around catching snowflakes on their tongues moved me. I realize that I have a bit of a hardened heart when it comes to thinking about foreign countries, especially ones where our soldiers have so recently faced death, but seeing those kids laughing and running around made me feel good about the fact that our country has played a role in bringing freedom to their country.
Cindy Sheehan may feel otherwise, but I feel quite confident that had we not removed Hussein from power, those same little girls that were catching snowflakes would have been looking at that snow as something that fell from the sky and instantly created mud that they had to fearfully avoid tracking into their homes. Freedom allows you to view blessings as blessings. Freedom puts a spring in your step and brings brightness to your eyes. Freedom lets you lift your face to the sky and make your tongue a landing strip for beautiful flakes of snow

73

Today is Elvis' birthday. He would have been seventy three years old. I can't picture him being that old and singing "Burning Love".
Well, I was just able to picture it and I regret it.

Tools

As I sit at my computer and listen out for the fax machine, and answer the work phone and await the vibration of my cell phone, a line I once read from Thoreau drifts back into my memory.
"Men have become the tools of their tools."

One For The Books

Saturday was one for the books. I met David and Joe and their daughters at CiCi's for pizza before heading over to the Carmike to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was a great time. Jasilyn was livin large with her posse and popcorn.
I sat behind her with the dads. I smiled and laughed at the movie but a part of me yearned for the days when Jasilyn always wanted to sit on my lap. She's growing up now, so its good for her to learn to be independent. It took a while, but I resigned myself to the fact that she will need her space to grow.
About halfway through the movie, Jasilyn turned around and waved me forward and asked if she could sit with me. "You sure can," I said. "You sure can."

Alllllvinnnnn!!!!!

Last night my church's worship pastor, David, called me and invited me to a movie on Saturday. David and my friend Joe (our church's marketing director, television director, ministry intern, etc) are taking their daughters to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks" on Saturday. David asked if I wanted to bring Jasilyn and I said yes. Jasilyn gets along great with the other girls and these two guys are Godly men that I enjoy spending time with, so I anticipate a great day. I don't anticipate liking the movie, but who knows? I like the Chipmunk Christmas albums and I have fond memories of coming home from school and watching the Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoons on channel 5. Alllllvinnnnn!!!!!

Bearded Letterman

Last night I watched a few minutes of Letterman. He has a beard now to show solidarity with the striking writers. The thing I like most about David Letterman is his ability to laugh at himself. If you can laugh at yourself it not only beats other people to the punch but it takes power away from anyone that wants to be negative about you.

I like Letterman and I like his beard. Its a manly beard.

We Got A Dog

We adopted a dog from the Humane Society yesterday. Misty has wanted a dog for quite a while and we had looked in the paper and asked around and visited the Humane Society and finally we decided to just go back to the Humane Society and trust the Lord to bless us with the right dog for our family. And He did.
We brought home a five month old beagle named "Peanut". We renamed him "Cooper".
Jacob tries to ride him around the house.