I love how the Apostle Paul states the obvious in Galatians 6:3“For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Isn’t that how you and I would talk? “Thinking we’re something when we’re not.” Vincent de Paul cut to the chase when he said, “Humility is nothing but the truth,…
There are certain things we all do that we regret. Working so much at the expense of your family. Not standing up to a bully at school. Staying in touch with a good friend. Worry about what others think about me. I don’t know what your list is, but you have one. We all do.…
My stepdad was a big game guide and bear expert in Alaska for the greater part of his adult life. Being a guide is a fascinating life. It has many rewards but requires a great deal of responsibility and preparation. It’s not as simple as having the ability to work a compass and read a…
COMMUNITY Community is not just a “buzz word” of our day, it’s how God designed us to live, “in community.” Now there are different spheres of community. Your family and neighborhood make up two important spheres. There are more. Your workplace and school add two more. God did not design us to go through life…
COMFORT CAN STUNT YOUR GROWTH Very little growth will happen in your life if you chose the path of comfort. Comfort is the enemy of faith. The more our goals in life target our personal comfort, the less you will concern yourself with fulfilling your purpose and calling in this life. Now I’m all about…
Ever see the movie, “Liar, Liar”? Sure you did. This guy, by a twist of fate, is compelled to tell the truth, no matter what. No white lies, nothing. Sounds laughable. Why’d we laugh? Because we’ve all been there at one time or another. A time when a lie just slips out. Some people couldn’t…
We tend to ignore things when it’s convenient. To turn a blind eye. Martin Luther King, Jr.said, “To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.” He was right. The Bible puts it this way in Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light…
There is yet another great principle I’ve learned from the story of Noah’s Ark. It’s pretty simple but a hard one to keep in perspective. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals. This is a principle that is quickly becoming lost in the “professionalism” of America. It’s…
If you have kids, you might remember the nursery rhyme that goes something like this: “The animals went in two by two, Hurrah! Hurrah! The elephant and the kangaroo, Hurrah! Hurrah! The animals went in two by two, the elephant and the kangaroo.” Pretty catchy lyrics, huh?! The two by two part reminded me of…
The Secret Life When I was in college, I was in a fraternity. For the most part, it was an amazing experience. Lots of fun. Great friends. A brotherhood with a common bond. We even accomplished several community and campus projects. One of the bonds holding the fraternity together was the initiation into membership. I’m…
Sickness brings out the best and the worst in all of us. We live in the real world and the reality of illness is a given. We have to deal with it. Most of the time, sickness is recoverable. You know… coughs, colds and the occasional projectile vomit. It’s part of growing up. It’s a…
Okay. It’s time for some gut wrenching transparency. I’m afraid and I’ve spent the greater part of my adult life living with fear and anxiety. Does that surprise you… especially when you realize that I’m a pastor of a great church. Where’s the faith baby? Why don’t you apply what you teach? Don’t you believe…
Some people are “people magnets.” The people who are always surrounded by a plethora of people. Don’t you love that word, “plethora?” It means an overabundance. In high school I envied people magnets. They were the life of the party, the center of conversations, the talk of campus. Most often, not always, they were the…
Personal Responsibility According to the 21st century bastion of knowledge, Wikipedia, the expression “passing the buck” is said to have originated from poker, in which a marker was used to indicate the person whose turn it was to deal. If the player did not wish to deal he could pass the responsibility by passing the…
My kids are grown. They have their own families. We are enjoying a great season of life now… a richness of conversation, time and activity together that is incredibly significant. I heard a quote years ago from former president George H.W. Bush. In an interview with his wife, he was asked what was his most…
If the opposite of up is down, and the opposite of right is left, then the opposite of love is hate, right? Not so fast. The opposite of love is NOT hate. Why? Because with the word Love, people have feelings and think about another person. And with hate, it is same with different intentions. So the opposite…
There is a name that brings an image to mind. It’s the image of sweaty palms, butterflies in your stomach, a quick trip to the bathroom, an internal conversation that goes something like, “Why would someone do that?” or “you must be out of your mind.” The name is Nik Wallenda. He was born into…
Have you ever spent time with an attention grabber? You know what an attention grabber is, don’t you? It’s the person who has to be first, has to be the center of attention, or has to be the dominant voice in a conversation. I’m sure as an adult you been to a party or function…
Reading to kids or telling pretend stories to your kids or grandkids is becoming a lost art. It’s not that we don’t think it’s important. There isn’t a parent on the planet who doesn’t see the importance and relevance of reading stories or telling bedtime stories to their kids. It’s just that we’re on the…
Everybody likes a deal. Who doesn’t? In fact, we love to tell our friends and neighbors our “deal stories.” You know what I mean? “You’re not going to believe what happened to us! We got a discount to the concert and saved sooooo much money!!” In fact, we will play “top my story” when we…
I heard someone say that libraries are going away. People just don’t read paper books anymore. Bookstores themselves don’t have the foot traffic they once had. There are a few exceptions, but those exceptions usually have a Starbucks in the lobby. Seems there’s no time to sit and read when there are so many other…
People watching. It’s a national pastime. I was hanging out in Atlanta’s airport, killing the four hour delay I was experiencing. I’ve learned to deal with it. It’s a part of traveling and people watching fills the gap. Now it’s interesting to see the variety of people for sure, but what really captivates me is…
I’m not sure where it was originally said, but people generally don’t disagree with the following statement: “Errors, miscalculations, and blunders are the “unforgivable sin” in today’s society.” You’ve grown up with it and your kids live it in our world today. Failure is not an option. I think it was Vince Lombardi who said…
Have you ever run into a movie aficionado who has practically memorized every line from their favorite movie? Not just the familiar ones…but all of the lines, like they were an understudy? I’m not quite that bad, but when it comes to “The Princess Bride,” I’m pretty close. One great exchange between Inigo Montoya and the Man…
Allow me continue the lessons of Noah’s Ark with the theme “All I really need to know I learned from Noah’s Ark.” Today’s lesson is simply this… Don’t listen to Critics. Do what has to be done. The story of Noah includes a hundred years of daily criticism from people who didn’t know what they…
Mean people are the WORST! They just are. Sorry for being so direct, but it fits. I don’t know what the percentages are, but I’m sure there are more nice people than mean people in the world. Now, it depends on the circles you operate in, but we all rub shoulders with this demographic of…
There is another great principle I’ve learned from the story of Noah’s Ark. It sort of states the obvious, are you ready: Build on High Ground. While this might seem pretty obvious, there is great truth in this principle. In looking more closely, I believe this is actually two smaller truths: 1) When you have a…
One of the most popular books in bookstores over the past 20 years is “All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Kindergarten”. About 10 years ago, someone wrote an article called “All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Noah’s Ark.” They were funny, but they definitely had a sense of practical wisdom. After…
Teaching is a noble profession. I think you’d have a hard time finding someone who doesn’t believe that. However, if most people are high on teachers, I can’t figure out why they are paid so poorly… but I digress. A good friend of mine was teaching a gathering of teachers hoping to hone their skills.…
Pursuing Love As Americans, we are told that we have the right to pursue happiness. The Declaration of Independence states that man has three unalienable rights: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It is a fact that Americans are constantly in the pursuit of happiness. As a nation, we think that money, good looks, things, a secure…