Now that I’ve got your attention, let me explain.  Have you ever considered why we celebrate certain holidays at only certain times of the year?  It’s kind of ridiculous if you think about it.  We choose to celebrate the love we have for our ‘significant other’ in February.  We celebrate Easter in March or April.  We celebrate Halloween in October, Thanksgiving in November, and Christmas in December (PS—I realize there are other holidays but these tend to be the main ones that bring the most attention in the media).  I’m pretty sure many holidays were created with good intention but they’ve morphed into something that strays from the original intent.  While I understand the idea behind all holidays I feel like we are missing a bigger picture.  Why only celebrate these things at certain times?!?  Why not celebrate all year long?!?

With the exception of Halloween (my own personal feelings—another blog on another day), I don’t understand why we don’t celebrate all throughout the year.  Our ability to celebrate, show our love, and give thanks can’t/shouldn’t be limited to nationally recognized holidays.  I’m supposed to celebrate my love for my wife every day, NOT just in February or in July (our anniversary).  I should give thanks to God for His many blessings ALL YEAR LONG, not just in November.  I should be excited about and celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection EVERY-SINGLE-DAY!  So, this weeks blog is short and simple.  Check your thinking.  Make your proclamations of love, thanks, and whatever kind of response the holidays give you a daily habit.  I honestly believe it will genuinely change your outlook on life.  It’s fine to be thankful this week but I pray you feel the same way next week and the weeks following and will verbalize it wherever you go.  So, I think we need to cancel Thanksgiving.  On second thought, never mind.  I enjoy the time off to spend with family and overeat, ha ha!!  But you get my point.  Keep things in perspective this year J

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Colossians 3:17

A few months ago I wrote a blog titled, “You’re making Him look bad!”  My main discussion point was how the actions of Christians are making God look bad.  I spoke of the highly publicized downfalls of some of our past mega-church pastors and the reproach their actions were bringing to God’s name.  I also stated Christendom couldn’t blame the media and others for causing Christianity to be viewed in a negative light, as we were doing that all by ourselves.  Everywhere I turn lately I’ve got all these red flags popping up in my head.  I keep asking myself what is truly happening here?  Seems like all we’re (Christians) doing these days is blending in with the world around us.  I’m bothered when I look at my Facebook feed and see church-attending, self-proclaimed Christians discussing attending a viewing of an upcoming movie about strippers.  I’m bothered when I see pictures of these same people involved in things that would make the worst of sinners blush.  I don’t want to sound ‘preachy’ right now but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t say something.

I recently heard someone mention how bothered they were at the horrible things going on around us in the world, as if they expected more from mankind as a whole.  In my mind I questioned why they were really surprised.  Those who have purposefully chosen not to live a Christian life don’t really have standard to live by.  They have absolutely nothing to prove to anyone, nor any reason to “set themselves apart.”  Sure, there are laws in place, as there should be, to keep our society from going absolutely bonkers.  Beyond basic laws there are no other standards.  I was scanning the radio recently and heard some guy croon off the one-liner, “…..we’re waiting on the world to change.”  NEWS FLASH:  It’s not going to happen…..the world is not going to change.  We are absolutely living in the end times and, whether we care to admit it, things WILL get worse.  I guess the main purpose for my blog and the question I want to pose is this:  When will the church start choosing to, “come out from among them..”?  I don’t know about anyone else but everywhere I turn there are alarms going off in my head.  I see Christians blatantly involving themselves in things that bring reproach to the name of God.  Apparently this issue isn’t just a problem in modern times as we’re reminded in the word of God we should choose whether we will be hot or cold.  If we’re lukewarm we can be expected to be discarded or “spewed.”

Let me put this into perspective for a minute.  Anyone who has been a part of our society in the past 50 years knows who Billy Graham is.  In my thirty-six years on this earth I have NEVER heard anyone say a negative thing about this great man of God.  How do you think it would affect society as a whole and bring reproach to the name of God should we find out he cheated on his wife and had a ‘love child.’  Oh, and he has an alcohol, pornography, and drug issue he’s never been able to shake.  Thankfully, none of us are expected to be perfect and God will forgive us of our sins.  But here’s the thing, can you imagine the ripple effect it would have on the Christian AND non-Christian world if this were to happen.  I dare say this instance may drive some further away from the Christian faith as the life he lived would have reflected perceived hypocrisy.  Every good thing he had ever done for Christ would now stand in the shadow of this revelation.  Now, turn the corner with me.  What if the God in YOU is the ONLY God someone around you ever experiences?  Why would you involve yourself in questionable practices that could cause someone else to stumble?  We as Christians can’t help usher in positive change in our society and truly be ‘salt and light’ until the word of God changes US!  “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  [2 Chron. 7:14]  It’s time for God’s people to WAKE UP!!!!  The alarm is sounding!!!!!  Stop putting the pillow over your head and slapping the snooze button!!  “The harvest is plentiful…….”  Get to work, man/woman of God!!!!

The Holy Spirit recently reminded me of a story I heard my childhood pastor use in a sermon years ago.  The story goes like this….There was a minister who began working at a new church. The first week the pastor went in and conducted the service as normal. He came back to find the only money that had been given in the offering that Sunday was the money he had placed from his own pocket. He foraged ahead and prepared for the next week.  Again came up with the same result. After about 3 weeks of this same response from his congregants his frustration got the best of him. On the way home from church he began venting to his wife as his two small children sat in the back seat and played games. At one point the minister raised his voice a little in frustration and said, “I just don’t understand! Every week it’s the same thing. I put in a $10 bill and when I check the offering plates later the ONLY thing I find is the money I put in the plate!! It just frustrates me!!!”  Not realizing his children were listening, his five year old interjected and said, “Dad, maybe next time, if you want more in the offering, maybe you should give more.”

You can peruse Facebook at any given time throughout your day and find so many people complaining about a myriad of issues. While I realize there are certain things in life we can not control I also realize there are MANY instances we reap the consequences of our own bad decisions. We like to blame our problems and issues on everyone else when it’s really our fault. We complain because we haven’t gotten that raise or job promotion we felt we deserved. We get frustrated that our relationship with our mate/family members isn’t what it needs to be. We grumble when our children act a certain way in public. We whine when we can’t feel the presence of God. Is it possible you didn’t get that job promotion/raise is because you didn’t deserve it? Could you have worked harder and proven yourself more worthy?  Is it possible that it’s our fault there is an impenetrable wall between us and our family members/mates? Do we focus on other things rather than working on our relationships? Is it possible that it’s our fault our children are disrespectful to others and in public? Could it be they learned those bad habits from—dare I say it—me/you?!? Is it possible that you feel distant from God because you chose to do everything else instead of praying/reading your Bible for the past few weeks?

As stated above there ARE some things we have absolutely NO control over. But how much can we REALLY change that will bring a more positive result? When was the last time you looked in the mirror and really paid attention to how you were living your life? When was the last time you took an inventory of your personal relationships with those around you? What can YOU do to make things better?!?  I encourage you to choose NOT to complain today.  Rather, do something to change those negative things in your life. Luke 6:37-38 states, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV) Do your best to live life in a way that would be pleasing unto God.  Then allow God to work out the details of all that other stuff.  It’s simple.  Don’t like being overweight?  Stop eating so much.  Don’t like being in so much debt?  Stop spending money.  Want a better relationship with God?  DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!  [I’ve got to close this thing…I’m preaching to myself a little too much, LOL!!]  Change what you can change and let God take care of the rest.  What are you putting in?  Because, most likely, that’s what you’re going to get back.

I wanted to share what happened this evening around our dinner table.  It’s a Sunday evening and I think I speak for my entire family when I say we are ‘slap tired’ (yeah, that’s a good ole’ southern statement).  This entire weekend has been busy and tiring but spiritually rewarding.  Back to my story.  Mom had gone to change clothes so it was Dad, Berta, and Bub (nicknames I have for my daughter and son).  As we were sitting at the table eating we prayed over our food and ended with the usual, “Amen.”  I immediately followed it with a sigh of “Thank you, Jesus!”  And I meant it.  My daughter repeated in the same tone and looked at me smiling.  I smiled back and returned my attention to dividing the food.  A few seconds later my two year old son repeated the same, “Thank you, Jesus!”  This exchange between my kids continued on for 2 or 3 more minutes.  They continued to repeat the same line over and over again and increased in volume and changed in tone.  It was actually quite cute.  And coming from a couple of kids that attend an evangelical holiness church……let’s just say they were gettin’ down with their praise!!  It was one of those moments I wish I could have recorded and watched over and over.  They didn’t realize it but THEIR praise was getting me a little stirred up spiritually.  There’s something about seeing/hearing children exclaim praises to God.  Whether they realize the power of what they were speaking you have to admit there’s something extraordinary about children exclaiming their love and affection for their Heavenly Father.  It’s so pure and innocent.  I had infected them with MY praise.  What had started as a simple praise unto God snowballed into something much larger.  Though my body was screaming for sleep my spirit man said, “I’m ready for another round….lets go!”

I realized something in those few little minutes. I have two options in which to choose from…..and so do you.  In most any situation we can choose to be the ‘infector’ or the ‘infected.’  They both come with their own list of negatives and positives simply based on the heart, mind, and spirit of the persons involved.  Let me explain.  In the situation I shared above, I was the infector.  I infected my children with my praise.  They were affected and infected by my praise.  My praise had rubbed off.  Though it may have seemed simple there was power in what those babies were stating.  Let’s flip the coin.  Ever known somebody that just down-right drove you crazy with their negativity?!?  Yeah, you know the group I’m talking about…..they complain about 85-90% of the time.  I’m being serious here.  Whether it’s a Facebook post, a phone call, email, message…the majority of the time they leave you wanting to say, “I love you but please just stop talking!”  The sad thing is I’ve seen these persons begin complaining and within minutes they have someone else complaining with them.  Before long, someone else has joined and it turns into a pity party.  We all know misery loves company.  Now, in those moments that person has become the infector and those who have joined the pity party have become infected.  That negativity has rubbed off.

You have a choice to make everywhere you go. You have a choice to make no matter what the task is at hand.  Are you going to be the infector or the infected?  Praise is contagious.  Sadly, so is negativity.  You can choose to be salt and light or the opposite.  It’s my prayer that wherever you go the environment around you will be affected……in a POSITIVE way.  And not because of anything YOU have done rather the God IN you SHOULD bring change to your environment.  Right now we are dealing with this worldwide fear of a sickness named Ebola.  Though I’m not sure how it started it has now made its way to the U.S. and most seem to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  Everyone is worried they’ll catch it.  What would the world look like if Christians ACTUALLY began stepping up in such a way that every time they enter into a room the environment changed for the better?!?  What if we chose to praise God so much and so often that OUR praise caused God to get a little stirred up.  He has already told us, “..if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  2 [Chron. 7:14]  It’s a promise to us all.  But it comes with some stipulations.  Are you willing to do what it takes to convince God to step in and move in mighty and powerful ways???  It’s time to start infecting people……with the right stuff!!!  Praise is contagious.  Spread it around!!!!

Back in December of last year we decided to get our children a couple of fish for Christmas.  The first few months were rough as 6 of them went to see Jesus a little too early leaving my children in mourning.  FINALLY, with the help of a friend, I found a few fish that will live for longer periods of time.  From the beginning I set out to train these fish.  Every time I was ready to feed them I would tap the top of the tank 5 or 6 times.  After a few days the fish began catching the hint.  They would immediately swim to the top after I tapped the tank realizing it was time to eat.  If you can get your hands on most any animal in its infancy state and beginning putting in the work you have the ability to train or tame that animal.  I find this amazing as I’ve seen it done with even the most dangerous of animals like lions and tigers and bears (OH MY!  Sorry couldn’t resist).  Have you ever given any thought to the one creature that can NOT be tamed.  Any guesses?!?  You might be a little surprised (or maybe not) to know this creature is a little closer to home.  It’s only a few inches from your eyes and directly below your nose.  Give up?!?  It’s your tongue!!!  I know it sounds a little weird but it’s true.

When I think of dangerous and deadly I think of guns, knives, or dental tools (just a joke-no offense to those in the dental profession)  James 3:7-8 tells us, “People can tame all types of animals and birds reptiles and fish but no one can tame the tongue.  It is an uncontrollable evil full of deadly poison.”  Who needs a snake bite to kill someone when we can do it ourselves?!?  Honestly, have you ever considered the actual power of the tongue?  I believe I’ve mentioned it before but it bears repeating.  The word reminds us there’s life and death in our tongues.  Think about it for a minute.  You know it to be fact.  Draw from your own experience for a minute.  You can be having a perfectly good day and all it takes is one idiot……pardon me…….it only takes one person who chooses not to use their words wisely and your day is shot!  And we Christians have no excuse as the Bible warns us constantly to think before we speak.  Sadly, Christians tend to be the worse and then use the Bible to justify their ignorance–but that’s another blog.  In a matter of minutes we can leave church after having just sang Amazing Grace and hop in the car only to lash out at our kids and spouse for something that really isn’t a big deal.  In a matter of seconds we can damage someone’s self esteem, wreak havoc on the happiest of those around us, bring division in one of our relationships, or cause irreversible damage to someone.  We tend to forget but some of life’s greatest lessons come from children’s songs.  As I was working on this blog I was reminded of a song we use to sing in Sunday School, “Oh be careful little feet where you go/Oh be careful little eyes what you see/Oh be careful little mouth what you say…for the Father up above is looking down in love….”

How do we fix it?  I think the first course of action is to find what genuinely lies behind that biting tongue.  What is it that is genuinely causing you to WANT to be so hateful to others?  Could it be bitterness, jealousy, unresolved issues, pride, selfishness, frustration?  The list could go on for days.  I think it becomes necessary at some point to take inventory of WHY you do what you do.  Once you’ve figured out where the root lies it then becomes possible for you to address and/or fix the issue.  Admitting your shortcomings and weaknesses don’t make you incapable of inefficient rather STRONGER!  If you call yourself a Christian do your best to speak life and blessings wherever you go.  If you carry His name stop tarnishing it!!!!  Clean up those spaces that are causing the issues and fill them with more of HIM!  Momma always said, “If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all.”  In simpler terms, sometimes you just need to put the SHUT-to-the-UP!  Side note:  If you’re constantly biting your tongue maybe you should REALLY do some praying that God would give you discernment on why you continue to have the same problem with the same person over and over.  It’s simple…..give and show love.  Seems easy, right?!?  I sure hope so!!  Blessings to you all as you attempt to tame the untamable!!!

Years ago as I was traveling with a weekend ministry singing group.  This one particular weekend we stepped on the tour bus and seated ourselves.  A few minutes later the manager of the group walked on with a huge smile carrying what looked like a briefcase holding it high for all to see.  My first thoughts were, if there’s a million bucks in that box somebody is getting tackled, LOL!!!  Someone piped up asking, “Why are you smiling so big and what is that?!?”  His response, as if he had won the lottery was, “It’s a cellular phone!!!”  What?!?  A cellular phone?!?  I had only heard about them and was now about to see one for the first time.  As he unzipped the case he stated, “Now it’s just for emergencies and we only get 3 hours a month through our plan.”  It was HUGE in comparison to house phones but, who really cared, it could be used ANYWHERE!!  Thinking back to that moment it was almost comical.  Fast forward quite a few years (none of your business how long because I would be telling my age, LOL!) and I have now owned my fair share of cell phones that continue to decrease in size each passing year.

(I realize this may seem trivial and kind of weird but stick with me I’m going somewhere) To think about size and limited capability in comparisons to today’s cell phone, again, it’s almost comical.  The abilities of those old devices were limited to…….you guessed it…….phone calls.  Modern day phones are AMAZING in comparison as they can video, take pictures, send and receive texts, access the internet, allow you to check your bank balances and make adjustments, allow you to deposit checks without ever going by the bank (my bank started this months ago), it can be used as a level when hanging a picture, you can play games, you can check and send emails, it’s a clock, it’s an alarm, you can set your DVR at home to record a movie, you can reserve a movie at your local redbox, it’s a calendar, it can be used as a compass, you can download books and music for your own enjoyment, check your stocks, video conference with someone, reserve a spot at your favorite local restaurant, check out what movies are playing and purchase tickets, access coupons, play instruments……and that’s just to name a FEW things.  Oh yeah, and lets not forget, you can place a phone call, wirelessly.  Technology has had its fair share of positives and negatives.  Though some things change…..many will remain the same.

Lets turn the corner and talk about something that is UNchanging. God.  The word tells us He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  How do I know this?!?  I’ve experienced it for myself time after time.  No matter how hard the world has tried, every myth thrown out there has been debunked.  Every portion of the Bible that others have attempted to disprove ended in ultimate FAILURE.  You never have to charge him up so you can use Him.  You never have to upgrade Him because He can’t get any better than He already is!  He’s ALWAYS there, especially in your greatest time of need.  You don’t have to worry about leaving him at home because we know that HE will never leave nor forsake US.  He’s with us wherever we go!  Not sure about how to handle a specific situation that has come along?  Go to God’s playbook…the Bible.  There’s ALWAYS a lesson to be learn and wisdom to be received.  I’ve read the Bible through quite a few times and I can tell you I learn something new every time I turn the page.  “All other ground is sinking sand….” but He is a solid rock you can stand on when everything around you seems to be chaotic and crazy.  Life changes at a rapid pace and there’s nothing we can really do about it.  People are going to break promises, lie to your face, and hurt you worse than you thought possible.  Rather than allow worry and frustration to overcome you and control your thoughts make a choice to turn to the One who is unchanging.  Rather than live in uncertainty place your faith in the unchanging One.  There are lots of fakes our there but ‘ain’t nothin’ like the real thang baby!’  Spread the word!!!!

So let me paint a picture for you of my current view. It is a beautiful sunny Saturday with the perfect 77° temperature. The sky is blue and filled with big fluffy clouds and the breezes bring about the perfect amount of coolness to counteract the little bit of heat threatening to cause me to begin sweating. It is a gorgeous day, to say the least. I am staring at two caramel complexioned children that are the most gorgeous things I have ever seen (no, I’m not partial, ha ha).  Mom has been out of town since Wednesday night so it has been Dad and the kids for quite a few days.  We have played inside and have now decided to come outside since the sun decided to make an appearance after a cloudy morning.  There were a couple of things that I felt needed to be done like washing the car and cleaning the yard but now I’m just spending time watching my children playing.  I found myself at one point feeling a little jealous of my children as it seemed like they didn’t have a care in this world.  Truth be told…..they don’t.  They don’t have to worry about a roof over their head or food for their stomachs because mom and dad have got that covered.  There has always been a meal whenever they wanted it.  They don’t have to worry about clothes because, of course, mom and dad have that taken care of too. They can simply be children and enjoy life. Their biggest worry today has been attacks from the water monster (a.k.a. the hose pipe) during and after washing Daddy’s car.  I wouldn’t take any amount of money for the joy I see on their faces today.  They are simply carefree…….and that’s the way it should be.

As I mentioned earlier I found myself at one point experiencing a mild amount of jealousy. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy adulthood.  I can make my own decisions.  I can choose to purchase anything I want, within reason-of course.  But I remember moments from my childhood where I too didn’t have a care in the world.  I could simply throw caution to the wind and just live in the moment.  I’ll be the first to admit adulthood comes with MORE than its fair share of stresses.  Sometimes it seems like life is a juggling act and I’m dropping balls left and right.  It can be downright frustrating at times.  But I will say this, I intend on allowing my children to BE children as long as they can.  I intend to shelter them from the stresses of life as long as they’ll let me.  I intend on shouldering any burden I can so that they won’t have to.  Here’s the interesting part of this whole dialogue I’ve got going on in my head.  No sooner do I think these thoughts and I feel my own heavenly Father saying…. “This is what I desire for you too!”  Talk about a slap to the forehead!!!!!!  All this time I’ve been worrying about the things I’ll have to do next week and I haven’t truly been able to enjoy THIS moment.  Ps. 84:11 reminds us, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” [my emphasis]  EVERY – SINGLE – FEELING I have expressed about my own children is the EXACT same way my own Heavenly Father desires to take care of me.  WHAT AM I THINKING?!?!?!?  Why am I carrying burdens I don’t have the strength nor capacity to tow around?!?!?  I know His word tells me, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” [Isa 26:3]

Things seem hard sometimes. Unexpected and tragic things happen on every side. So much happens that is beyond our control but here’s the one thing I CAN control – today I will be as carefree as my children. I’ve got someone looking out for my best interest.  As long as I’m being faithful and doing my best He’s going to provide the answers I need before I ever need them.  I can go take a couple of passes on the sliding board with my kids because I shouldn’t be stressing.  I can go create a work of art with sidewalk chalk because God’s got my back.  I can go blow bubbles without worrying about next week because I too don’t have a care in this world.  My ‘Daddy’ is watching out for me.  It is my true desire that today you can find peace.  I hope you can find the joy that He wants to give you.  I pray you will allow Him to lift EVERY burden.  We know from reading the Bible that God has a soft spot for children.  Go be a kid again and let my ‘Daddy’ worry about the big stuff.  That being said, If you’ll excuse me I think it is time for the ‘water monster’ to make another surprise appearance and attack a couple of little monkeys.  Life is too short to stress or to worry so……don’t!

P.S.—I may need a reminder of these facts when I forget so I hope SOMEBODY is reading this 🙂

An excerpt from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43….. “How do I love me……let me count the ways..”  Okay, maybe that’s not EXACTLY what Shakespeare wrote but, well, I meant what I wrote.  That must have been from Rhodes Sonnet 43.  In my 35 (soon to be 36…insert eye roll here) years of life I don’t think I’ve found anyone I love much more than I love me, aside from my wife and kids.  [I realize some of you think I’ve flipped my lid right now—stick with me]  If given a choice to bless myself with a million dollars or someone else…..well…..let’s just say I’d have to pray about that one…and fast…..and pray a little more.  Just a warning, it might not be my finest moment, LOL!  Let’s be honest here!!  Whether you want to admit it or not, you like yourself, some more than others.  We may not like to voice it but sometimes we just want to be selfish and choose doing something for ‘numero uno’ rather than others.  It’s natural.  We were all born with that instinct and most of us fight the rest of our lives NOT to allow that monster to take center stage in our decision making process.  Suffice it to say, you can look around and surmise who fights the monster and who doesn’t.

Hundreds of years ago we were given the Ten Commandments. For Christians, it is this list of commandments we must endeavor to abide by…..and even some of the stuff that’s written ‘in between the lines,’ I might add (that’s for another blog).  When the commandments were given, God’s people finally had a concrete list of ways to pattern and live their lives.  Then, Jesus came along and things got a lot more interesting.  Jesus had been teaching and preaching for some time when many religious teachers began approaching him at different times to discredit his ministry.  In one such interaction a teacher of the law approached Jesus and asked him which commandment was the most important.  ***Wait!  They’re ALL important!  Don’t do it, Jesus, it’s a trick!!!  Nope.**  Jesus responds, “^29 … “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” [Mark 12:29-31 ESV]

Wait a minute……there’s a list of importance?!? Yep.  But Moses never mentioned that part!!  It may seem crazy but if we can master these two commandments it would change the way we live.  Think about it.  Loving the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is HUGE!  If I love my wife like I should I’m not going to want to run around on her.  I won’t choose to take care of myself while she has need of something.  If I genuinely love my wife like I should I am going to WANT what’s best for her too.  I won’t desire to bring shame, hurt, or pain to her life.  If I GENUINELY love God like I should I’m not going to want to steal, kill, covet, be an adulterer, etc.  When my priority becomes loving Him, I’ll abstain from the rest of those things that would bring Him shame out of love and respect for Him.  If I genuinely love God I’m going to learn how to love myself better too because, hopefully, I’ll begin seeing myself as He sees me….and he must love me a whole lot because He refers to me as His “beloved.”  I’m not going to let a number on a scale, past hurts, etc. rule my heart and mind and determine how much I will love me.

Here’s the kicker–How I love myself is how I’m SUPPOSED to love OTHERS.  “…love your neighbor as yourself.”  Let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard to love my neighbor, and I’m not talking about the folks living next door.  Our neighbor = our fellow man.  Sometimes my neighbor cuts me off in traffic while giving me a not-so-nice hand gesture.  Sometimes my neighbor steals from me.  Sometimes my neighbor does things I don’t agree with.  You don’t have to condone their actions but loving and not loving them isn’t a choice if you’re a child of God.  Nobody said loving our neighbor would be easy. BUT if we love God as we should the rest of those things will fall into place.  You can choose not to kill, steal, covet, etc but those choices should be a byproduct of our relationship with God.  You have a choice today.  Will you follow and fulfill ALL of His commandments, especially the two most important ones, or will you making the fleshly choice of loving self in an unhealthy manner?  To fulfill or not to fulfill…….that’s the question.  What’s YOUR answer?

The light has been on for days. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the one next to the speedometer that tells you when something is wrong with your car. Maybe it’s time for an oil change, engine issues, computer problems or, in this case, an issue with the tire pressure. As I type this blog I am actually sitting at the mechanics. I’ve seen this light off and on through the years. A while back it stayed on but I never knew why until someone encouraged me to check the pressure in my spare tire. Sure enough, that was the problem. I didn’t even realize these newer vehicles (mine is actually 6 yrs old) had a sensor/indicator for spare tires. This time when it came on I immediately chalked it up to my spare tire as I had looked around at all my other tires and they looked fine so SURELY that couldn’t be the issue. Well, six days passed and I have been busy (driving the highway a little more than normal) so I never took the time to check on and/or fix the issue. We come in last night from my daughter’s soccer practice and my wife comes around the car and says, “Babe, your tire back here looks slack.” I’m thinking–Nah, I’ve been watching them…surely not. As a courtesy I walk to the back and sure enough, the tire is pretty slack. I take a few minutes and begin to inspect the tire and, you guessed it, a nail is stuck in my tire. I have no idea how long it had been there or how long I’d driven with it like that but something that may have seemed insignificant in the beginning had turned into an issue that could cause me some problems in the long run.

My mind immediately began reeling and I heard the Holy Spirit speaking to me. It always starts that way, doesn’t it? We see, sense, or feel something around us that raises a red flag. Rather than address and take care of the issue we decide to overlook it assuming it will go away. Ignorant mistake—I’m guilty!!! By the time we’ve looked over it for the hundredth time, the hundred-and-first becomes the “straw that broke the camels back.” Maybe it was that piece of birthday cake. It seemed harmless in the beginning but after eating 20 harmless pieces of cake, well, they aren’t so harmless anymore as we work feverishly to button our pants. Maybe you had been feeling sick for a while but you let it go…..its just a little breathing problem….before you know it pneumonia has set in and you end up in the hospital. Or, the story we’ve heard many times, someone decides to use drugs or drink alcohol once or twice recreationally and it becomes an addiction. Song of Solomon reminds us that it’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. You didn’t plan for things to get out of hand. You didn’t plan on those non-issues to become full fledged problems that now control you and threaten to leave you stranded on the side of the road, overweight, sick, or addicted (yeah, I crammed them all into one!).

I said all of that to say this—I know for a fact those ‘red flags’ are warnings from the Holy Spirit. Trust the God IN you and deal with those issues early on as the Holy Spirit reveals them to you. It’s not a comfortable thing but you’ll be glad you did later. 1 Corinthians states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  And last but certainly not least, be reminded what 1 Peter 5:8 warns us about, “Be sober, be VIGILANT [my emphasis], because your adversary the devil SNEAKETH about as a lion, seeking who he may devour.” The devil isn’t going to fight you when you’re strong.  Why?!?  Because he’s a coward.  Lion’s are beautiful and regal looking animals but they’re lazy cowards.  When they attack they don’t just jump in and take what they want.  They sneak around as they follow a pack of animals.  They wait for the moment one of the animals wanders away from the pack and is by itself or has been weakened for one reason or another THEN it attacks.  They may have a loud roar but that’s all it is….a lot of noise.  The devil isn’t going to fight you when you’ve been praying, fasting,  and/or reading your word…..because you’re armed and ready to fight.  That lazy coward waits until you’re weak and THEN he pounces.  BE SOBER AND VIGILANT…..stay on guard!!  Pay attention those red flags….the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you something!!!  When the warning light comes on PAY ATTENTION TO IT!!!  It’s possible you could be driving around with a slow leak that will eventually leave you broken down on the side of life’s highway.

Everyone who knows me is aware I can be a little O.C.D. sometimes…..well, maybe more than a ‘little’, LOL!! [keep your comments to yourself, ha!]  Before my kids were born life was easy.  I came and went as I pleased, my wife and I went out on dates all the time, we could go to bed late and get up late (when we weren’t working), we went on vacation getaways, we only deep cleaned our house one time per week because nothing ever got moved……life was just simpler and quite a bit easier.  Fast forward 7 years later and…….BAM!!!  Everything changed.  I still remember when my daughter was born.  She was the most BEAUTIFUL new born child I had EVER seen.  I know you think YOUR child was but….really, she was gorgeous.  Who could have known that little bundle of joy would turn my world UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!  She was whiny, messy, hard-headed, wanted things her way……let’s face it……she took MY job.  Those were the things I specialized in before her birth.  Three and a half years later throw in another little person, who was equally as beautiful, who decides to do the exact same thing.  What in the world?!?!?  What was I thinking?!?!?  Now it’s 2 vs 2.  It’s us (my wife and I) against them…..and normally they win.

I tell you what I was thinking….there was this void in my heart. Not many guys will admit it but personally, I longed to be a Dad.  But why didn’t someone warn me I’d be so bad at this job?!?  I make mistakes CONSTANTLY!!!  Sometimes I rush to judgment without thinking, fuss when it’s not a big deal, and…well, that list is just too long so I’ll spare you the details.  When I look at my kids it’s like looking in a mirror.  Normally, any negative actions I see in their character, many times, I see it as a learned behavior…..from me.  Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had.  I find it odd how parenting can feel successful one minute and then……five minutes later–I’m back in ‘failure’ land.  These days I’ve become a circus juggler.  It’s basically controlled chaos in my house.  I’ll be honest, sometimes I get so frustrated.  I want a clean house but it doesn’t seem to be possible.  I like order….not happening.  I like predictability…..not happening.  And, is it asking too much to want to use the bathroom in peace or sleep late one day out of the week?!?

I came across a story very early in my parenting days and it literally changed the way I looked at things. This lady was basically expressing some of the same frustrations.  She mentioned, specifically, trying to keep her refrigerator clean on the outside and every time she turned around there were hand prints and food stains on it.  After cleaning it for the millionth time she realized those hand prints were getting bigger.  Time was beginning to escape her as her children were growing faster than she had been able to comprehend.  It was in that moment she decided to allow her refrigerator to become a museum.  The next time she saw a handprint she placed a frame around it.  The next time the kids made a mess of a certain piece of paper by coloring and scribbling on it, she used a magnet to stick it to that same refrigerator.  Here’s today’s lesson…..Parents:  We’re only given these moments once and can never get them back.  I pray I don’t look back on my children’s childhood and remember how strict I was and how miserable I made them….and I hope my kids don’t either.  Don’t get me wrong—order, cleanliness, and predictability are necessary for children.  They thrive on it.  But one day those same kids will be raising my grandchildren.  The better I parent now the better my children will parent my grandchildren later, and so forth.  I have to remind myself daily to pay attention to the big picture and let the rest of ‘it’ fall by the wayside.  Those dirty clothes and dishes will always mount up……….but those hands are only little for so long.  “³ Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” [Ps. 127:3 NLT] I became aware of a fellow ministers family who lost their 6 year old son to a bicycle accident this past Sunday night.  My heart broke for this family.  I’m sure they’ve had a million thoughts go through their heads in the past few days…and none of them had anything to do with chores, the cleanliness of their home, etc.  Try to find your joy in the midst of the craziness and remember, your kids aren’t looking for perfection, just a little love and attention.  Hold those monkeys a little tighter tonight……..who knows what tomorrow holds?!?