Busy week

This weekend will lead into my Intensive week class at LCS. An Intensive week class is one that is completed in a week's time with some pre- and post-class work. Before this semester, I didn't really like the sound of this set up, but as this is one of the only required classes offered at a time that I can take it, I didn't have much choice. It hasn't been too bad leading up to the class. Yes, I did put off quite a bit of reading until this week, but I don't have too much left to do. What will be interesting is our time "in class". This will be interesting because it's a traveling class. We're going on a week-long field trip to several Restoration Movement (associated with the Christian churches & Churches of Christ) historical sites, and having our class discussions on the road in the school's van. The first day will be rough. I'm not sure what kind of guy our prof is, whether a morning person or otherwise, but we're leaving campus at 6 am on Monday morning! Sure, that's 7 o'clock my time, but that's still a pretty nasty start to a long week on the road for most of the class. I am looking forward to our time together, though. I don't know many other students at the seminary on a first name basis, so 5 days within 15 feet of one another should be enough of a chance to get to know some folks. I'll update you next week (Monday, March 7) on how things went. Until then, since this will be my last entry for a little more than a week, see you Sunday or talk at you later.

Proverbs 25:8 (NASB) says, "Do not go out hastily to argue your case; otherwise, what will you do in the end, when your neighbor humiliates you?" No one likes a tattle-tale. I'm the oldest of four (and the only boy, mind you) and I have had plenty of experience with tattle-tales. But, I must confess, I have done it myself on occasion. What kid who has been sold out to their parents wouldn't want to give the big-mouthed younger sibling a taste of their own medicine if given the chance? Childishness aside, as adults this doesn't get any easier. If someone at work wrongs someone else, they may not go crying directly to a superior, but how many times over lunch or coffee do people rally support for their cause because they have been slighted or dumped on? We need to be carefull of this, because if we think honestly to ourselves, we know that we aren't perfect. This verse warns us to keep a level head in times of perceived wrong. I say 'perceived' specifically because the scenario that is painted for us is one in which we might end up with egg on our face. If we hear something that sounds a little bit like it might possibly have a chance of having an inkling to do with us without getting the whole story, we are likely to make fools of ourselves over something very minor. People mess up. I think many times in life, we take ourselves too seriously and get miffed over small things. Even when something does happen to us that isn't the greatest, it isn't worth losing minutes of your life stressing out over it. Keep your cool and you'll keep your dignity.

Saturday at 6 pm is People of Prayer.
Jr. High Retreat @ Camp Illiana, March 18-19, $18.
Sr. High Spring Retreat @ JBC, March 31-April 2, $30+.

Later...

Gearing up

Last night, a handful of our yoots got together after the Big Deal to script out the 2005 edition of the Spring Retreat promo video. If you missed last year's, it was a hoot! Amber and Nick starred (as the only two students who had been before) as a woman on the street reporter (Amber), and Nick picking up the roles of all the others (school bus driver, motivational speaker, hunter, skater, lunch lady, bum, and mail man). This year, our cast is a bit more diverse since we had a bigger group go than the year before. The group loves parodies so we're doing one of the most recent movie candidates running for cult-classic status. Napoleon Dynamite is basically a movie taking a snapshot of the everyday life of this kid named Napoleon. To anyone over the age of 20, it wouldn't seem to be worth the money to even rent because the movie really has no plot line. However, it connects with the craziness of youth culture, so it's here to stay. Look for it soon on the big screen in a local Berea Christian Church near you. (Fine print: JBC promotional video limited to Berea Christian Churches that have big screens. Limited to Berea Christian Churches in Brazil, IN only, and only the Brazil, IN's that appear in the 47834 zip code. Any likenesses, familiarities, and attempts to look and sound like the Napoleon Dynamite movie and characters there in are purely intentional. All rights reserved in non-smoking areas. )

Proverbs 24:8 says, "He who plots evil will be known as a schemer". I love the simplicity of the Proverbs. This basically means what Jesus says later on in Matthew 12:33 "...for a tree is known by its fruit". People will know us by our actions and words, what they see us doing and hear us saying. If you are plotting to do bad things, you will get an appropriate label. If you do good things, likewise, you'll receive a label that states who you are. The youth had to answer a question is our small group time last night at the Big Deal: If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I wish I would have thought of this Matthew verse last night, but I got it today. This verse is at the heart of this question. Can people tell that you are what you say you are? This is one of those questions that we need to ask ourselves everyday. Good or bad, we will be known by our fruit. What kind of tree are you?

Hey,
Saturday at 6 pm is People of Prayer.
3/18-19: Jr High Winter Retreat @ Camp Illiana, $18.
3/31-4/2: Sr. High Srping Retreat @ Johnson Bible College, $30+food & extras.

Later...

What to do on a day off?

Read a blog, that's what!!! Or sleep until the sun is starting to go down over the horizon. Today is President's Day and the yoots (youths) are out of school and the mailmen get to stay home too. Unfortunately, Youth Ministers have to work. Oh, well. If I don't work, I don't get paid! So, here I am, toiling away at my desk commenting again on life as I see it. I always loved having days off of school and still get excited for my kids when they're out for a day. I took a quick poll last night in youth group (which, by the way, was one of the biggest groups we've had all year!) to see how many late sleepers and early risers we had. Wouldn't you know that the late sleepers out numbered the early risers by 17 to 2 (Randy and I were the 2!)? I then determined that our youth are normal and well on their way to becoming well-practiced college students (because college students live on sleeping in and having days off from school). Hopefully, they will learn to appreciate these days off while they have them because anyone with a highschool diploma knows that in the real world, days off are few and far between. Unless of course, you become a teacher or a mailman!

Proverbs 21:8 (NASB) says, "The way of a guilty man is crooked, but as for the pure, his conduct is upright". I'm big on body language. I always try and read beyond just what people are saying with their lips when they talk. Some folks are like stone walls and are like reading Chinese, but most people have expressions that are more telling than words. What a person feels will many times come across in how that person looks. Guilt causes a look. Usually included in guilty body language are fleeting eyes, a worried look, and a downward focus. The verse here says the way of a guilty man is crooked. Could it be that the reason for this crooked path is that his guilt is forcing him to look downward? A humorous illustration to this serious subject comes to mind here. One Sunday while getting ready for an ultimate football game, Michael came by and asked to help. I had him "cut the lines" into the field with the push mower. I had set up the cones as a guide and he started in. As he went along though, he didn't keep his focus on the cone ahead, many times staring at the ground in front of him, causing his lines to be very crooked. Staring at the ground instead of focusing on the straight line caused his path to be crooked! The pure have nothing to be guilty of. Their lives are not full of impurities and when they do sin, they don't spend long hours dwelling on what's already been done. They get on working toward the goal. Michael and this verse help us to realize that we can go through life letting our load of guilt force our eyes downward. Living a pure, God-, and goal-focused life keeps our eyes up and our path straight.

This Saturday 2/26: People of Prayer @ 6:00 pm.
Sign up for:
Jr. High Winter Retreat @ Camp Illiana, $18.
Sr. High Spring Retreat @ Johnson Bible College, $30+ food & souvies.

Later...

Falling apart

There are certain truths in life that one can only deny for so long. Sometimes, these truths are overshadowed by little axioms that are meant to keep us going, to prolong the inevitable. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". "What they don't know won't hurt them". "No pain, no gain". "I'm not old, I'm just experienced". Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these little sayings only go so far. Three examples from my life right now. All three of which have to do in some way with my favorite pasttime: the bike. First off, I've got a bit of a cold. I've had the sniffles for a while and fought off a head cold about a month ago, but something's back or something new has come in and made its home in the back of my throat and nasal passage. Yuck. Where this affects my bike riding is that you aren't supposed to train through sickness. Long term, it could hinder your progress and take you out of shape, making it harder to get back into shape. Seeing as how I'm in pretty good shape right now, this is a disappointment. Secondly, and this goes along with axioms 1 and 3 above ("If it ain't broke...", and "No pain...blah, blah, blah"), I think I have an overuse injury, but it's not in my legs or feet, but in my hand. Now, hands are important in cycling. They steer and shift the gears on the bike (duh, Joe). Ok, but here also, I run into a problem of ignoring a minor problem now and it hurting me more later. When it's time to get out and ride with the group, if I can't steer well, I lose friends in a BIG hurry. Thirdly, and this is probably the most minor gripe, but still important, is the fact that I've only bought one new pair of shorts in the last 2 years and the ones in my rotation are wearing out at a pretty fast pace. This may not seem like a big problem to most but let me introduce you to a term that should clear things right up when talking about bike shorts showing their age: SADDLE SORES! (Yeah, I thought that would do the trick!) So, I guess I'm taking a bit of a break now to see how things heal up. Hopefully within a few days, my hands, nose, and bum will be ready to get into the meat of the training season with the rest of my body.

Proverbs 18:7 says, "A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul". Ok, today we're back talking about the fool again. I hope that we are getting the idea that wisdom is so incredibly important for us to have and to do well in this world. Fools abound. Some hide it better than others. Some seem less foolish because other fools follow and buy in to their "advanced foolishness", such as movie stars and most pop psychology that you'll find on talk shows and magazine racks. Anyways, fools' mouths are what most often get them into trouble. It says elsewhere in Proverbs that if a fool keeps his mouth shut, even he will seem wise! In our church, we have a great deal of sportsmen of all stripes. Tom has done an aweful lot of trapping in recent years and I've gotten to see some of the traps and even some of the fruits of his labor (most recently, a beaver who was damming up some pond property). These traps are set and baited in strategic places for the desired catch. When the intended comes along and takes the bait, the snare, when touched, will catch and hold the animal in the trap. Where this applies to our fool friend is that his lips, the very mouth on his face, is his snare! When that thing comes open, he becomes trapped by his foolish words. His soul is in danger because of his foolishness. Look at this fella and learn. His life is a good example of what not to do and say! Be wise and don't set a trap for yourself by your words.

Saturday Feb. 26 People of Prayer @ 6:00 pm.
Sign up for these two events:
Jr. High Retreat @ Camp Illiana, March 18-19, $18; Sign up by March 13.
Sr. High Spring Retreat @ Johnson Bible College, March 31-April 2, $30+; Sign up by March 20.

Later...

Brrr!!!!

Looking out the window on a day like today is a little misleading. You see sun, you think "Spring is on the way", with the weather the last couple days you reach for a lighter jacket, only to go outside and to have the wind slice right through you! And not like surgical tools, mind you. This is like rusted metal pipe cutting through you! Gruesome, sure, but not far from the truth. I adapt pretty well to the climate I'm in. But during these back and forth days, I have a rough time. It's hard to plan for, you know? I didn't plan very well today. I wore a t-shirt because I knew I'd be playing around at Campus Life this morning, but I didn't take into consideration that I usually run back and forth between the office and the church, like, 100 times a day and the wind blows between those buildings like a wind tunnel. So, I've gotten in quite a bit of running so far today. I don't think there's much else to do over there today so hopefully I'll be able to stay put and stay warm for the rest of the afternoon. Hope you are able to do the same!

Proverbs 17:7 says (NLT), "Eloquent speech is not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler". We'll not pick on the poor fool much today, but the point about him is made certain. You just don't hear much worth listening to from foolish people. Although this is true, the verse here uses this poor bloke to set up the last part of the proverb. The focus here is on the ruler, or prince in some translations. Either way, someone in authority is not to be a liar. It just doesn't fit the office. Unfortunately, throughout time and in every culture, authority figures have fibbed their ways through their tenure. Abraham did it, David did it, George Washington didn't do it after cutting down the cherry tree but I'm sure he did before he learned not to, and Bill Clinton has done it. The man in charge needs to be a man of integrity and not one who cannot be trusted or who tells half truths. Lying is a serious deal. It's sin. It's part of the ninth Commandment (about bearing false witness). It's listed as one of the things that God hates (Proverbs 6:17). It is not something that anyone claiming to be a Christian, a child of God, should do. Over the last couple meetings in youth group, we've discussed that our sins don't just affect us. There's nothing that we do that has bearing limited only to us. Eventually, someone will get hurt, form a wrong thought or opinion, or get caught up in something they can't handle because of the wrongs of other people. Think of the lies told by religious leaders and politicians over the last twenty years and the damage that has caused to our society. The position loses respect and authority and truth and rightness go out the window. Lying is a dangerous practice. Don't let it be you who causes another brother or sister to stumble because of your little white lie.

Feb. 26: People of Prayer @ Berea, 6:00 pm
March 18-19: Jr. High Winter Retreat @ Camp Illiana, cost $18!!! Sign up by March 13.
March 31-April 2: Sr. High Spring Retreat @ Johnson Bible College, Cost $30!!! Sign up by March 20.

Later...

Going for 7

Lance Armstrong announced today that he will ride the Tour de France this year in search of his 7th straight victory. There has been speculation since he won his sixth in July as to whether or not he would try and stretch his record, but nothing official until this morning. Lot's of folks in the cycling world (and the rest of the world, for that matter) have their opinions of whether or not he should or should not race. Arguments range from putting the record way out of sight to waiting a year to come back and challenge the '05 winner. All this aside, what really matters now is that he's committed. And when Lance is committed to something, there's nothing that will stand in his way (exept that whole marriage thing). But, as he himself would tell you, it's a long time till July and even then, it's a LOOOONNNNGGG....race! There are many things that could derail the guy. He trains on open roads and has been hit by cars in the past. He can't get into race shape by just riding a stationary trainer. He has to race! And if you've ever seen footage of a big crash in a bike race, just think NASCAR but without the flames, and ripped spandex instead of bent sheet metal. The worst crash I've ever seen was in the last stage of the TdF in the late 80s when a Russian named Abdujaparov (if you want to complain, YOU spell it!) swerved too close to a barrier in the final sprint and clipped it. He hit the ground headlong doing +/- 40mph and was ran over by at least one, maybe two, other riders. He didn't get up for like 10 minutes, but finally got himself over the line. Sick wreck! So, Lance has his work cut out for him. He has to train, race, plan, travel, train some more, and survive until then. Plus, he's a year older. But he's also the best TdF rider in the whole, stinkin' world with the best team in the whole, stinkin' world! We'll see what happens.

Proverbs 16:7 says, "When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him". O to live like the man whose ways are pleasing to the LORD! How great would that be? Not only would we have the satisfaction of knowing that you life is pleasing to the God of the Universe (really, this is the biggest thing to be considered here) but that our enemies would be civil with us. That's an interesting thought. Now, I've not lived long enough to develop a lot of what I would call enemies, but there have been a few folks over my quarter century of life who have come close on occasion. In second grade, there was this kid named Jesse. He didn't like me for some reason and made life rough for me on a consistent basis. He would chase me around the playground and one day it culminated in the closest thing to a real fight I have ever been in. I'm sure most of us can relate to this on some level. Think about what this verse is telling us: if our lives are pleasing to God, our enemies, whoever they might be, will live at peace with us. I'm not saying that life will always be easy or that kids will never get picked on or that someone in the office will never try to make us look bad. That's just not reasonable. But in trying to live the most godly and Christ-like lives we can puts us in God's good graces and he sticks up for his own. People may not like that you live a better life than them, but it will become more and more difficult for them to do or say any wrong about you or to you. "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us". I think that's the goal: not that we try and rub people's noses in it but that our good lives would honor God and show him to others. Living a God-pleasing life is up to us, we must trust him with the rest.

Hey ya'll...
Sign up on the Youth Board for these two events:
Jr. High Retreat @ Camp Illiana on March 18-19.
Spring Retreat @ Johnson Bible College for Sr. High March 31-April 2.

Later...

Double digits

Well, the day has finally come when the number of days till I get married is in the double digits instead of triple. 99 days from today is May 21 and I'm exited. I had a kid at North Clay tell me that I would regret it and had made a mistake. I couldn't disagree more. Sure, she and I have had and will have problems that need to be worked out, cold spells to overcome, and times where we annoy one another, but that's just part of life. There isn't a person in the world who can say that you have been 100% delighted by your best friend/favorite co-worker/mailman (I'm stretching for illustrations, can you tell?) at every single moment in life. No! That's silly to think and as unrealistic in other relationships as it is in a marriage. Anyways, I'm still not freaking out about anything yet. She got a phone call yesterday and her dress came in at the shop. The bridesmaids dresses are ordered and ought to be in late March. The wedding party is in place, counseling is almost done, things are getting paid for, and reservations are being and have been made. It's a joy right now, honestly. I'm so pleased with Laura as a person and as a fiancee. I'm grateful to the Lord for making her and for giving us the opportunity to meet. So, I guess I should have someone check my math, but as I calculate, I have less than 100 days till I'm no longer single. It may sound to some like I'm gloating, and to a certain extent I am. I just can't help it! But I'll shut up now so I don't lose any readers who might be finding themselves just the faintest bit queasy right now.

Proverbs 11:7 says, "When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing". The wicked live for the now. Their lives are really only focused on what happens from the moment they take their first breath until the moment they breathe their last, however that might come to pass. Power usually seems to be the focus of their life. In various forms, whether as a child it's terrorizing siblings or neighborhood dogs to adulthood, striking fear into the heart of a battered spouse or controling a large crime ring, power is the goal. His only hope in this world is that he finds the power he seeks and keeps the power he has. This verse tells us why. After his life comes to an end, he has no hope. All the hope there was to have he squandered on things that would not last. He misused the time he had here on earth and now has nothing to show for it, because our spirit goes on into eternity. I think that's the essense of a spirit. Of all that we can gain in this world, what we need to seek are the things that will last into the hereafter. Worldly things, like power, will not stand the test of time, in this world or that. In this world, power changes hands quickly. Ultimately, the God who created the universe, the Lord Almighty has all the power and whatever we have has come from him. The things that we can gain in this world that will make a positive difference for us in the next are righteousness, godliness, charity, virtue, love, and goodness. These things will make the passage into eternity a lot more pleasant because we will be rewarded for them. But as the old saying goes, "You can't take it with you", those things that people waste so much of life chasing after will in the end amount to nothing.

Two big events coming up soon:
Jr. High Winter Retreat at Camp Illiana: March 16-17
Sr. High Spring Retreat at Johnson Bible College: March 31-April 2
These events are consistantly good and cost very little. Sign up and put them on your calendars.

Later...

Snowman soup

I'm using one of my Christmas presents as I write this. I got done with Campus Life this morning and came back to the office knowing that I would be hungry within the next 30 minutes after playing around with Jr. Highers all morning. So I'm thinking to myself, "What am I going to eat?" because I know there's nothing in the office and nothing next door and, really, nothing much at home to eat. So, I go looking around the office to see what I can scrounge up. Across the room to the left of my desk is a little filing cabinet. On top of it was a little plastic bag with a label on it reading "Snowman Soup". Basically, it's hot cocoa mix with a candy cane, a handful of marshmallows, and a few Hershey's Kisses. Now, I'm not so sure that snowmen actually drink this stuff because, well, it's hot! The two just don't mix! Anyhoo, I whipped up the stuff and am enjoying it. Just enough sugar and substance to get me through till lunch. so to that folks who thought enough of me to give me Snowman Soup for Christmas, thanks a bunch! It came through when I needed it.

Proverbs 10:7 says, "The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot". That's a nice mental picture for ya'! Like road kill in the summer, the name of the wicked will rot away over time. It kind of makes you want to treat people a little nicer so that when we are no longer, we'll have good memories that go with our names. I think this principle has far reaching implications for us. Think back over time about people not only in your lives but in history as well. There are the good folks and the bad folks. The good folks are usually only remembered for the good things they did and, obviously, the bad folks for the bad things they did. There aren't too many people known for their fenceriding, but we aren't focusing on that really. When you think back on people who would fit into the "good" category, names like Paul, Augustine, William Wallace, Harriet Tubman, Ghandi, and Ronald Reagan come to mind. In the "bad" category, you have folks like Nero, Attila the Hun, Vlad the Impaler (Count Dracula), Jack the Ripper, Adolf Hitler, and Charles Manson. The things you do in this life will, at least in the minds of the people left behind, will follow you into the next life. No one remembers the Mother's Day card that Hitler got for his mom or the time when Charles Manson stood up for his sister on the school bus. No, they are remembered for being evil people and will continue to be throughout time. Those who are righteous will only continue to flourish because their work was not only for the time at which they existed, but for ages to come. Those who truly seek to make an impact on the world for the kingdom of God will be remembered for their lives. Not just because they were good people, but because the impact that was made was in Jesus name.

Later...

I told you so

Well, another football season is officially over. Last evening the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21. It was a good game for the duration. Probably not as good at when the Rams won a few years ago but better than others. The first half seemed very defense oriented while the second half seemed to be dominated by offense. Both teams looked very even down the stretch by it seemed like the Eagles started losing a bit of ground later in the 3rd quarter and let NE get a little too far out of reach. However, McNabb and his team looked set to go down the field and tie in the last minute, but they failed as he threw an interception. It was a good year for both teams. The Eagle's trip to the Super Bowl was probably more exciting than the Pats, but Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's team were consistent and underrated all season. It's hard around here to hear much else besides a certain local pro team with a record-setting QB and a high scoring offense, but there are other stories in the NFL. I'm a big underdog fan. I love to see the new guy beat the seasoned pro, the farm kid beat the big city kid. Be that as it may, because there was plenty of chances for a Cinderella story this year, I just had a feeling that the Patriots couldn't be beat. Sorry, Indy fans. Sorry Peyton and Ben. Maybe next year. But pending on how the Patriots' home office treats their guys in the offseason, maybe not. But what do I know about football. I'm a cyclist.

Proverbs 7:7 says, "I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgement". I have commented on this passage before but have, until now, taken this basically as a whole. This time I'm going to look at this characteristic of our poor, unfortunate youth. The verse says he "lacked judgement". This leads us to believe a number of things. First of all, this kid's hanging with the wrong crowd. The author finds him among the "simple" (birds of a feather, right?). Unfortunately, he's off to a bad start and is getting helped along by others on the same bad start. Second, he's in the wrong place. If you'll read on, you will find that he is near the corner of the adulterous woman. Some might argue, probably more out of defending this guy's position because they themselves know they're guilty, that he might not have known that this is where she hung out. Come on! Women like this have reputations that preceed them. He's walking into a trap and is doing so willingly. He has no judgement. He's not used to weighing out possibilities, comparing right and wrong, and even then putting that knowledge to work. The bulk of this book is written as a father (or grandfather even) writing to son or grandson, so most of the issues, especially these having to do with temptation and adultery, are guy focused. So fellas and parents of fellas, listen up. You have a responsibility to exercise and teach (you know your role) good judgement. Judgement in what is good and what is not. What kind of people to hang out with. What kinds of girls to date. What to do and not to do with said girl. It's a rough world out there for guys and girls alike. While guys are busy sorting out all the visual and auditory stimuli, girls are being strung along too being told that "this is what boys like and what you need to do to get them to like you". Parents, you have your job cut out for you. I dread to think that parenting is only going to get harder as time goes on because it's hard enough now. The Lord has set out for us a way. Using good judgement will keep us on that way. It's a valuable commodity that is all too often checked at the door (on the way out) or left at church. Use it. It will save you in the long run.

Later...

Proverbs 4:7 says, "Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding". When you know what the best is, you want the best. Nothing else will do. Immitations and bargains will present themselves as options but they do not compare to the real thing. Wisdom is that way. Understand, knowledge is not the same thing as wisdom. Just knowing facts does not make a person wise. There is an application element involved in wisdom. It involves, yes, knowing the right thing to do, then having the presence of mind to do it. Wisdom also involves a little bit of vision. The wise will be able to see and discern or have insight into a situation and know what to do or not to do. These other poser options to wisdom just don't offer that. The info that the world offers as wisdom is limited at best and definitely flawed and misdirected in its aim. The insight offered is cloudy and blurry, like looking through a glass Coke bottle. You are at the mercy of the experience of the person giving the info, and that's a scary thought. Godly wisdom, the kind offered here is different. It is the original, real deal. You need it. Go get it! There is no price tag on this jewel. It will take all you have, great or little. But it is that important and that good. It may leave you poor and scraping for crumbs in this world but it will equip you for the here after which is a longer and incomparably better time span than we can know. It's a high price but it is worth the cost.

Sunday is the Super Bowl! Read my other posts for info (shameless plug!!! But it's MY blog!)

Later...

Second worst place

I hate zits. I hate them on me and my softer, empathetic side hates them on you, too. They just get in the way and they look bad and some are even painful. There are bad places to get zits. Aside from just getting on on your forehead before the biggest date of you life, there are some places where zits pop up that are simply worse than others . I think that the worst place to get a zit is on the inside of your nose. You know, just on the inside of your nostril where no two fingers can possibly reach in order to pop the little sucker! Those are the most painful and annoying to have because you just have to wait them out. The second worst place to have one, in my opinion, is on your lip. Painful, unsightly, annoying, in the way...all the bad things that zits are, all in one place. This matters because I have one right now...and I hate it! Yeah, it's a little gross but it's a part of life. I've really been trying be good about keeping my face clean and clear of blemmishes lately, but I'm not winning the battle yet. But I suppose like anything else, I have to continue or the work that has already gone in will be for nothing. So for all you out there who are stuggling to keep from looking like Rudolph or a young devil just sprouting horns, I feel you. I don't think I'll be starting a support group for the complexionally impaired or get on the info-mercial bandwaggon and talk up some cure-all facial system, but just keep up with what I'm doing and giving a little more attention to my diet. Somehow it helps. Enjoy your day and keep your nose clean. You don't want to get anything growing up in there!

Proverbs 3:7 says, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil". Have you every known anyone who is wise in their own eyes? Yeah, that didn't take too long to figure out, did it? I hate to admit it, but there is a little, devilish part of me that likes to see these folks get proved wrong. It's gotten smaller over the years but it still shows up from time to time. But this verse isn't talking about other people. No, this is instructional to us. However much I dislike a know-it-alls, I myself can be one as well. We all must guard against this type of attitude. It's an easy one to get trapped by. Pride is so easy to grasp but it is so difficult to let go. If we are wise in our own eyes, we really don't practice wisdom. In the Big Deal last night, we talked about wisdom and how it relates to service, that serving others is a wise act. But having this bad attitude, we are not able to "serve" in a way that is helpful to others. Also, we wll not be able to have a proper relationship with God. If I think that I know everything there is to know about a subject, there is no reason for me to seek help or to consult another person. If we do that with God, our relationship with him will halt because there is no communication between the two parties. The verse says we are to "fear God": acknowledge him in reverence, and to "shun evil": keep yourself from it! If we live by those two things alone, we fulfill much of the words of wisdom given to us in the Proverbs! Put God first, stay away from evil. By putting God first, we'll have a better understanding of just who we are. We are so small in comparison to his greatness and wisdom. Being wise only to ourselves is really a foolish thing to do. We'll end up impressing only ourselves and depressing those around us as well as the One who is ultimately wise.

Remember: Sunday 6:00 pm is the Super Bowl Party for Jr & Sr High. The Wilsons live in the Haywood Farms subdivision, just off of "Burnsville" road. Girls: drinks, Fellas: snacks, Everybody: $2.

Later.

Groundhog Day

Anybody know yet? I've not heard whether or not ole' Punxatonny (sp?) Phil has seen his shaddow yet. Cathy and I were just talking and couldn't remember if, when he sees his shaddow, there is 6 more weeks of winter or an early Spring. Technically, the guy has an out because, according to the calendar there ARE only 6 more weeks of winter! Funny, that? I'm not sure how, and am not interested enough to look, how a little town in Pennsylvania with a funny name could start such a hubbub involving an oversized rodent (I think its a rodent) and an obvious happening on a calendar. O well. I wonder if Brazil could get its name on the national scene and the calendar with something? I wonder what it would be? What could our claim to fame be and how on earth would we get the day named after us? I just took a quick poll of the office, all people who have been in Brazil longer than I, and came up with a few. How about Popcorn or Orville Redenbacher Day, since he's from Clay County and EVERYBODY (except me) likes popcorn? Or how about Funky Fountain in the Park day and make it an internationally recognized day celebrating it with our sister city in the real Brazil? These are just a couple but somehow I don't think they will have the staying power of the Groundhog. Again, o well. So go out and enjoy the last 6 weeks of winter and have a bag of popcorn on me.

Proverbs 2:7 says, "He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless...". I think it's comforting to know that the Lord will be there to help us on our way through life. If we are willing to fight the battles in life on the Lord's side, he will protect us. Victory is assured because the ulimate battle is already over. Yes, life is still hard and yes, we will have many trials and opportunities to fail, but if we are earnestly striving to be upright and blameless, he will be there to make sure we make it. We win! He has already won! Victory is in store for us if we side with him.

Super Bowl party @ the Wilsons' on Sunday pm. 6 pm start time, 6:30 kick-off. Girl drinks, guys snacks, everybody $2 for real food.

Later...