Remember to Remember

How many times do we forget the very good things in our lives? the answered the prayers? loving family? sacrificial friends? I just thought I'd make a quick list of a few thigns I'm thankful for this morning, no particular order

wendy
passing the pe
toasted bread with chicken salad made especially for me
dom
steve
tickets to france
a job
the football locker room
nlcf staff
the condon girls
homegroup
my mom
dad
lisa
all my brothers
safe and successful surgery in april
my home
walking to work
our income
my warm clothes
Jesus

wow...he's pretty far down on my list this morning, huh? Well, I said no particular order!

my other dad
momma
cher and the boys
hot italian sausage on a toasted bun with grilled peppers and onions
ribs
work...

and its that time....to work....and to remember all that is good... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qXkcPQUfJM



Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.

What is your "It"?

Proverbs 15

Well, I'm a little behind after a weekend in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area for a staff retreat, but I'm back...and will try to get caught back up.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
This is a fun experiment. Try being upset with someone and whispering at the same time. It is nearly impossible. Okay, so whispering isn't realistic, but really next time you're upset, frustrated or disappointed, try to communicate in a gentle tongue and I bet it doesn't stir up lady anger... I think we are such prideful people that when anyone challenges us, our natural response is to get defensive and immediately defend ourselves. If you respond to the inquisitive question with a little more gentleness I bet the response wouldn't be near as combative...

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.
The perfect example of this is Jeanette Staats. This weekend at the staff retreat which I was largely responsible for planning and enacting was stressful at times. I often found myself looking for a little more peace and solitude out on the deck, where it was cooler and beautiful outside, but quieter and relaxing...or back in my cabin just relaxing on the couch watching Christmas Vacation or in the Hot Tub...Back to staats...we went to eat and we had to wait and people were running late (including myself) and we finally got to sit down and i was concerned that people weren't having a good time, had to wait to eat, our waitress was a little grumpy, but for a few seconds staats was smiling and had that contagious outburts of laughs which can't help but make everyone smile and bring joy to your face. Next time you're crossing the drillfield, walking to work, riding the metro, why not put a smile on your face? Why not spread some joy around the world. Pay it forward. Bring healing to others.

A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.
How many generations need to pass before we learn from the previous? Don't you think you're parents dealt with the same issues of love? death? forgiveness? disappointment? rejection? I practically begged my dad to write down the history of his parents as well highlights and stories of his life. He never got around to it. I miss him and the stories of his life that he took with him to the grave. Talk to your parents. Listen to their stories. And don't stop there. Seek out your grandparents, who have lived through some pretty awesome events. Yeah, they are old and seemingly harder to relate to and may take more effort and patience, but the wisdom is there, even if only gained from experience, its there. Listen.


Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.
With thanksgiving coming up, isn't this the point? Spend it with family. Spend it with friends. Spend it with love. Forget the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce and the pie. It's all about the love.

Two movies to watch soon...a lot like love and love actually.

Proverbs 14

and on we go....

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Does this ever ring truer than the present? No matter when you read this, at least to me, we, whoever we are, Americans, Men, Husbands, Christians, we always have to be on the lookout to make sure we aren't doing what just seems right...It will surely end in death.

23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
That's good to know...and easier said than done.... but the second half is much easier to believe. Surely mere talk leads to no action, nothing,...only poverty. Be doers go and work hard. It all will bring a profit.

26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
I fear the Lord more when I read his word than throughout the day. I think the older I get the more I will start to fear the Lord, as I am daily shown how much I need him and how imperfect I am. I pray today, that the Lord enable me to continue to grow in healthy fear of him, so that I may have a secure fortress and that I may be a fountain of life, for I want my children to have refuge and need Him to save me from the snares of death.

30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Oh Envy. Why do I envy? Why do I want a salary like him, and a yard like that guy, and house like them, and a car like her,... I need to read proverbs 13:12 more often, likely daily if not hourly. hope deferred. How can I hope for those things but not envy them? Work towards them, but with healthy desire.

31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Maybe I'm not oppressing the poor because I am not a tyrant or king of some foreign country starting some revolution or war against certain party or race....but am I helping the poor that are oppressed or am I lukewarm, not helping them by not doing anything. Wendy reminded me the other day in the gospels where the Jesus is teaching, "For I was hungry, and you offered me food. I was thirsty, and you brought me cold water to drink. I was without home, and you invited me in. I was without clothes, and you clothed me. I was ill, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."
The King will reply: "Truly, inasmuch as you have done such things for the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done the same for me."

Proverbs 13

So what is the point of this blog? I don't know. But it is getting me back in the word again, which is I guess the main point. I wish I had a computer at my finger tips all day, every day, so that I could put so many more thoughts down in this blog than I currently do...but honestly, I don't wnat a computer next to me, not even an IPhone/Blackberry all the time. Mark Darling always called them a leash...I have to agree. I see the fun and the exciting access to information..but also the leash. Yesterday as I walked home, I walked on part of the huckleberry trail. It was dark, really dark, and quiet and the wind was sweeping through the trees and the fallen leaves. i half expected Icabob Crane to pass me by or the headless horseman chase me out of there...but it was silent... and scary...because there were no sounds of people talking on their cell phones. it was awesome.

I wonder, will driver's ed teachers start teaching drivers to drive with one hand? Will that become the norm? Who drives with two hands on the wheel anymore? It's one on the wheel and one to the ear...


1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
Well, my dad is dead, but I can still heed some of his instruction. If nothing else, my dad taught me to love. He loved his kids like nothing else....and he loved his white sox, too...and his food, too...he especially loved his food hot, really hot, and his plate hot, too...and his milk, ice ice cold... Yup. i'm pretty much turning into him. I hope when I have kids I pass along the instruction of 'love'...love everyone.

3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
If I haven't come to ruin, yet, I'm sure on track to. Had anyone ever gotten in trouble for saying something while guarding their lips and being slow to speak and quick to listen? doubtful...we're still waiting for them to say somethign foolish.

8 A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.
For all those who want to win the lottery (I think I do at times) there are more stories about winners becoming broke. There once filled pockets are now filled with stories of hurting and harm that came their way after winning.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Little by little... I wonder if the Fed knows that? I know Fannie and Freddie don't. I wonder how this affects my spending and saving and desire for more money... it plays in perfectly into verse :
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Isn't that the truth? how much more do you enjoy 'stuff' when you have had to wait to get it. you've kept your eye on, sat in anticipation staring at it in the eye, figuring out how you can obtain it no matter how many hoops you have to jump through while juggling multiples odd shaped balls....but then when you get it, it yields renewed life.

13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.
How often do I like being told what to do? As often as it snows in June...

20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Oh how I miss my days of quadad/triad/dudad...now its just hope to be a dad. Find those who are wise surround yourself with them....It's just like if you want to change your eating or exercising habit, hang around with those who run 5 times a week or who don't eat pizza and fast food...if anyone knows of people who like to run and eat pizza...a lot, let me know.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
I guess a good man could also be compared to someone who isn't greedy with their money. hmm... not only money, there is so much more to leave your children than just an inheritance of monies... okay, time to start preparing to leave an inheritance for my children...then onto their children!

24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
They know this, but there is no better example that I've seen of this than the Swanns. They discipline their son and love him all the same, if not more. He is one of the most respectful kids his age I have ever known. Scratch that, he is the most respectful even though he doesn't even know the meaning of that word, but his parents have taught him how to respect mom and dad and others. I look forward to having children like benjamin...i hope.

Proverbs 12

Well, hear I am, day 2, of re-re-re-re-restarting my blog? I guess its not really re times 5, I mean, I guess I'm just a very sporadic blogger. Today's assignment, proverbs 12: Here are some thoughts:

1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

How often do I dislike to be corrected and take it personally?

4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Wendy is my crown. She is full of love and a servant. She brings very little disgrace to herself and our marriage.

9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Interesting verse. Even this morning while I was meeting for coffee and talked about about what we were reading, I was reinspired to read more, specifically famous literary works and autobiographies...even Tom Brokaw's, 'the greatest generation'....somehow my mind wandered and I thought about the 'Harvard' scholar (we watched good will hunting the other day) and how educated they are and just out right smart and how they can chat about the world economic system during the revolutionary war and how it affected the south or something crazy like that, and I thought for a moment, how cool would it be to be able to sit in one of those lounges with my pipe and discuss 'higher learning' topics in between puffs and sips of my favorite gin and tonic....then I snapped out of it, and thought, well for one, I'll never be allowed into a place like that, i have never smoked, so that rules out the prerequisite of the pipe and i've never had a gin and tonic, although i did once have the nickname, chinn and tonic...but moreover, why do I find desire for that atmosphere. I feel as though its mostly phony and impractical, which eventually leads me back to this verse. Why pretend to be someone I'm not? As the genie said, 'Beeeeeeeee yourself!'

15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

Wow, have I seen this in others....how often do they see it in me?

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

This one is speaking directly to me. I thought 15 was speaking to the lives of those around me, this one I can't escape. I need to get over myself. When I get annoyed, I show. I inherited 'the face' from my dad. Yup. It's genetic, what can I say? The rolling of the eyes, the look of 'you're crazy'... I need to get over the comment (myself) and be the prudent man that overlooks an insult.

18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

I desire to heal others, especially with my tongue. I used to have a respected tongue, one that was encouraging and uplifting. I think it brought some healing to others. I need to find that tongue and bring it back. I wonder which is mightier, the tongue/words or the pen?

19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

You say you want to leave a legacy? Well...truthful lips endure forever. Who has ever been to Roosevelt Island on the Potomac (I don't kn0w, is that DC or is that still Arlington? maybe Arlington, it's closer to that shore). Reading those words of Teddy

"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user. "

"A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues. "

"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorius triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. "

and none of those are my favorites...How long ago did you leave us, 89 years ago? oh where have you gone Teddy? no where. you live on in your words, today.

Proverbs 11

Well...its about time that I start blogging again. I'm hoping that this gets me reading more, which I enjoy, but seem to seldom take time for. Where better to start, than with assigned reading? This week, and for the past few weeks we've been going through a Proverbs series. Today's homework? Proverbs 11... Let's take a look at a few verses that caught my eye:

The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.

I'm pretty sure I don't ever want the Lord to abhor me but my hope is that hey may always find delight in me. Unfortunately for me, my scale at home is accurate...if only pizza was abhored instead of hoarded in my stomach.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

Well, the election is over...i think finally, right? Are there any states that are still counting? It's good to know with all of today's technologies and instant gratification that the one process that we've been doing since the beginning of time (well, the United States time) is now taking longer than it ever has. Well, I don't know how long it used to take, but this is pretty silly. Well, the presidential election is over. Now I hope to hear how great President-elect Obama is and the positive changes he will make, rather than the negativity that seams to engulf all levels of elections. Let's hope that Obama has many great advisors around him, and let's install many great advisors around us.

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Aren't these verses always convicting? They are to me. Who can say, that they give 'enough'? Who can't give a little more? Aren't it these last few pennis that we give, the same last few pennies that the old woman gave? I'm convicted by these verses. In a world of overly busy people crying out to be refreshed at dayspas and vacations, maybe we should invest those efforts in others and truly be refreshed?


The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

He who wins souls is wise. If that isn't the meaning of life, I don't know what is.