Happy Thanksgiving.  Before you eat yourself into a gluttonized coma and pass out during the whoever-kills-the-crap-out-of-Detroit game, watch this informative mini-documentary about the first Thanksgiving.

Psalm 136

Before you brave the roads and eat yourself into a postpandrial Thanksgiving coma, remember why we need to be thankful in the first place:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

We’re to be thankful because God keeps his promises.  He does not lie.  He does not back out.  His is faithful.  Even when we’re not.  His steadfast love does endure forever.

Happy Thanksgiving.  Let the turkey commence…

Psalm 135

Why do we spend so much time on things that don’t really matter?  Why do we get so jacked up on stuff that has no sense of permanence?  It could be anything:  sports, food, pleasure, booze, sex, stuff, entertainment, the list could go on and on.  I’m just as guilty as anyone of spending so much time and effort on stuff that isn’t really important.  If we’re not careful, those things can become our idols.

They can become our gods.  They can waste our life.

Look what Psalm 135:15-18 says:

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!

The entire Psalm is about God’s providence–how He is in control.  We spend so much time trying to be in control of our lives.  We expend so much time and effort on dead things that cannot offer any real sense of hope for today much less eternity.  If we’re not careful, we’ll end up just like them.

Cold.  Lifeless.  Without hope.  And we won’t have to wait on death for that to happen.

What idols are we allowing to waste our time, effort and life?

… since I found out was going to be a dad for the third time.

Click here to see what it is.

Have a great weekend, people.

No time to post much.  It’s been one of those your-schedule-is-set-but-nobody-cares type weeks where the day planner  gets blown to smithereens.  Will hopefully get a little time later on.  Until then, peace in the Middle East (yeah, right).

Every Monday night, I hang out with a group of guys at a local pub to watch the Monday Night Football game.  It’s a great chance for friendships to strengthen, not to mention it’s pretty fun.  Last night (during the Ravens/Browns snooze fest), a street preacher walked into the bar and started condemning every person to hell for gathering in a drinking place.  He was promptly shouted down by the table closest to him and escorted out by the manager.

My guess is he went home feeling pretty good about himself.  After all, he was “persecuted.”

Yeah, right.  He was kicked out of a bar for being a jerk.  Unfortunately, this kind of stuff happens all over the country.

The only cool thing about this episode was it started a conversation between us guys.  We talked about the guy’s approach and why it angered each of us.  One guy asked me why it got under my skin.  Plain and simple, it was a misrepresentation of the true nature of the good news of Jesus.

Did Jesus preach against sin?  Yes.  But he did so in a way where those broken by sin still wanted to hang out with him.  We are called to do the same.

After all, as the old saying goes, you can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar.

It’s nearly midnight. We’re trying to get Layla to sleep. She’s chowin’ down, and we’re listening to “Baby Go Beatles”, which is a bunch of Beatles tunes… in lullaby form. Insanely cool. A little weird. Apparently, there’s a whole series of these CDs, including some of my favorites (Nirvana, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Smashing Pumpkins).

Anyway, my brain gets revved up at night. Here are some things I’ve wondered about recently…

• I don’t think a person can truly appreciate the incarnation of Jesus until they’re holding their infant child. That God would submit Himself to frail human flesh…
• Homemade peanut butter fudge milkshakes are da bomb.
• My wife is frickin’ amazing!
• Hospice is the ultimate career paradox: how can someone’s impending death be both so incredibly heartbreaking and rewarding–often at the same time?
• I heart Christmas. A lot. We’ve already watched Christmas Vacation several times. We’re finally breaking out the decorations tomorrow!
• Our new friends, the Browns, could be the coolest people this side of planet earth.
• My 7 year old is brilliant. My 3 year old is, too.
• My 2 week old is greedy (our Administrative Assisstant’s way of saying she eats a lot) and likes to party late at night. She’s also very gassy. Like father, like daughter.
• Raking pine needles will be reserved for hell’s most notorious residents.
• I miss MNF at O’Cool’s. I’m set to come off the DL on Monday.
• Speaking of football, the Cutler trade isn’t working out so well for my Bears. 13 of his league leading 17 INTs have come in three losses that should have been wins. Chicago should be 7-2. The reality: 4-5 with no confidence, a very suspect yet deteriorated by injuries defense, and a whiney QB who literally throws away games.
• Cultivating relationships takes time. It’s well worth the effort.
• Several years ago, I drove past an adult bookstore once a week on the way to a friend’s house. I started praying for the owner, employees, and customers, and that God would close its doors each time I drove past it. It only took a year of praying, and the place closed down. Now here in NC, I noticed one on my way to work. Time to start praying again–and I pass this one one the way to and from work, 5 days a week.
• A weekly event changes few lives. Close friendships lived out in real life under the influence of the Holy Spirit can change people, neighborhoods, and the world.

That’s enough for tonite. Layla’s almost asleep. Hope she’ll let us do the same!

Psalm 134

For years, especially since the rise of the “worship bands,” many Christians have confused music for worship.  The confusion is voiced by church staff everywhere, especially “worship ministers.”  Apparently, worship doesn’t begin until the band strikes the first chord.

Just a skimming of the Bible shows that worship isn’t regulated to the realm of music.  Worship of God takes place all the time through everything we do.  Is music included?  Sure.  But worship isn’t synonymous with music.

Psalm 134 shows this.  Look what it says:

Behold, bless the Lord, all the servants of the Lord.
Who serve by night in the house of the Lord.
Life up your hands to the sanctuary
And bless the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth.

The writer of this psalm shows that worship in the ancient temple took place around the clock.  So it should be with those of us who follow Jesus.  Worship isn’t limited to an hour on Sunday.  It happens around the clock.  That should cause us to stop and think:

• Am I intentional about my life, since all of life is worship?
• What kinds of “bad” or “unacceptable” worship have I given to God?
• Have I been  deceived into thinking that worship only takes place “at church”?
• How can I change my mind and thus change my worship (that sounds like repentance)?

… with my new baby girl. Every night. For the first two weeks, we’d get to bed pretty late (2 AM) because Layla’s party time was around 11:00 – 2:00. But we’d get at least 4 uninterrupted hours of sleep. The last two nights, however, she’s been up every hour or so, wanting to “hit the sauce.”

Ah, the joys of the early stages of fatherhood. For the third time. For the first time in my thirties. How the crap did my grandfather do this–for the fifth time–when he was 50?

Oh well. We’ll get enough sleep when we’re dead.

There’s a lot of time between those things…

Recently, Laura and I have felt somewhat frustrated (that might not even be the right word) about the progress of things here in G-Vegas.  I’ve never been a patient guy.  I’ve always wanted things to happen now.  More like yesterday.  I spent yesterday brewing in my own pity stew, praying off and on all day, asking God to start a disciple multiplying movement here in G-Vegas, and to let us play our part (and, by the way, show us what that part is).  I went to bed late last night a little worried.

And woke up completely at peace.

I have to always keep in mind the organic nature of the kingdom.  Seeds take time to plant, and harvest time is always the goal… but there’s usually a lot of time in between.  Often, it is weeks before you see the first seeds sprout, and even then it is a long time before harvest.  What we must do in between seed time and harvest is cultivate those seeds and sproutlings.

That thought hit me this morning.  And it’s completely comforting.  We’ve spent a lot of time planting seeds.  We’re developing some cool relationships with people who either don’t know Jesus or who want to talk about him.  Now we’re being intentional about cultivating them, knowing full well that God is the one who brings the spiritual harvest.

Patience isn’t easy for me, but God is developing it in me.  So don’t get so discouraged when something doesn’t produce immediately.  Instead, be intentional about cultivation.  After all, we’re not the One who brings about the harvest anyway.