Traffic Woe

As I try to get used to the wonderful world of a traffic filled commute, I find myself stressed out, saying things I don't mean to say, say things I mean to say, and asking God to forgive me a lot.  Actually I am laughing at myself right now thinking about this interesting situation of traffic and how it can bring out the best and worst of a person.  I more and more look forward to my commute for the simple fact it is time added to my day to focus on quite time (HA!, quiet time.... oh the pun)... really!  I am looking forward to my commute tomorrow morning to be able to focus on Him and just talk about everything.  My son's devotion tonight was about praying and how you can do it anytime and anywhere.  I got to thinking about that aspect of prayer and my now yearning for my commute, and I realized how much time during the day I waste when I could be devoting it to Him.  I know there isn't anything concrete or planned out, but at the the same time there is so much I could be doing for Him, myself, and others by taking my free moments throughout the day and devoting to Him and to good   conversation. 

So from now on I am gonna take my commute and all its fine traffic and create a "Traffic Woe" in my life and remember to take some time and devote to Him for the sake of my relationship with Him and other's relationship's.

Suppose...

So much to think about...

There is no stigma attached to recognizing a bad decision in time to install a better one.

  Laurence J. Peter

School Starts tomorrow

UGH!
So we just got the kids to bed... 8:30pm.... We had to start getting them showers and ready for bed at 7pm then start devotions at 7:30pm then the last light off was 8:30pm.....

Have you ever thought that after a long day of work... say 7am to 5pm...
         -  You get up at 5am
         -  You get the kids off by 6:30am or in our case drop them off by 7am....
         -  Then you get home by hopefully 5pm
         -  You make dinner - Do homework - Get the kids showered / get ready for bed / devotions 8:30 lights                                        
             out ... then you get yourself ready for bed and then
         -  Get up and do it again........

After this day you have basically spent all your time with your Kids (whom you should be investing your life / time / love / nurturing into) getting them out of bed / ready for school / pick them up / get homework done / get them ready fed / ready for bed in all but a matter of 5 hours....  Where have our priorities gone or maybe where has the chance to rearrange our priorities gone.  We take kids away everyday in our country because of neglect and lack of focus on them... and then we look at the responsible parent and the day they are dealt (as I just showed) and realize that we are almost forced to neglect our time with our children.  I sometimes cry myself to sleep or cry thinking about how someone else get to spend more time with my kids then I do, and how someone else basically gets more of an opportunity to invest ethics and morality into my kids before or if I ever get the chance.  Sometimes I feel that the gods of this world dictate to us how much time we get to spend with our children and that our "NEW" role in our children's lives is one of "Get the kid ready for me (god of the world) let me do what is necessary and more important because I know how to do this better, then you get them and do more work with them put them to bed and let me do it again tomorrow, because remember I know better!", oh and "I can parent better than you can, and I can teach them so much more than you can ever teach them!, oh yes and "You need to work more hours to make more money because if you don't I'll just take them away from you because you are not doing near as much as I (god of the world) can do for them!".....

Ok ok the last part might be a bit over the top and dramatic but I am beginning to wonder that Satan has more of a hold on our family structure than we tend to realize.  You are the best thing for your family... Not the rules and regulations that are set before you.  But we are pulled so far away from them by the knowledge that if we don't do what these rules and regulations require of us then we will loose those most precious to us because "We don't care enough"....   My heart breaks because of this... I love my children and want to instill as much as I can into their lives, but it is so difficult in the world we live in with our FIVE hours we get with them during the day!  I pray that as we become more and more wiser / smarter / and more efficient as a country that we would realize and make every effort to make a majority of our day to instilling life into our Children, but not through other's time but OUR's.

Not sure if my rambling makes sense...   but my prayer will be prayed until we get this time............!

Again with the memories....

So tonight I was doing some reminiscencing on some of my childhood with my Kids and I must I do humor myself quite a bit while I am doing this.  I usually start with my version of "I remember when I used to have to walk to school while it was blizzarding outside and it was uphill both ways!", my version of course isn't so dramatic...  It is usually like oh man I miss "Looney Toons" or "Johnny Quest", and of course my kids will say, "What is that?"  Well tonight I was singing some old Psalty tunes that popped back in my head all of a sudden, BTW I can be a bit random if you haven't noticed.  I was like, "oh man whatever happened to Psalty".  Apparently a lot since I last heard of him.  Let's I left Psalty knowing of Kid's Praise album 7.... THERE IS LIKE 10 OF THEM!  HOLY HOLY HOLY!  I'm say HOLY HOLY HOLY!  I decided to do a little surfing on the information super highway and see if I could find me a copy of this wonderful / miraculous / stupendously / amazing Psalty.......

Oh by the way who is Psalty?, You might ask?  According to one of the children who sang with the guy, "He's a great big blue singing songbook!"  Who'd of thought?  A Great Big Blue Singing Songbook!  Ha, fantastic I tell you, fantastic!  Barney wasn't even a thought.... Purple dinosaur... LOOSER...  A Great Big Blue Singing Songbook... NOW that's what I'm talking about... Fantastic...!

Oh so, I surfed to a quick Google search and blam, Psalty is the man... He even has a wiki page dedicated to him!  I found the complete works of Psalty for only around 99$.  Not to shabby considering he teaches kids the holiest of all songs, HYMNS, and the funnest of all songs, PRAISE... Oh and did I mention he and the kids helped write songs with Fanny Crosby and Charles Wesley (Kids Praise 7)..  How can you go wrong?  Oh and he sang with some church mice... His wife was a Great Big Yellow singing Songbook (Psaltina) , and of course his kids, not a big but big singing songbooks (Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm).  
He gave me more of an appreciation for music, such as hymns, than my college course of Hymnody (the study and appreciation of hymns, HA!)... Seriously, I know that when we think of Psalty we think pretty cheezy, but seriously what happened to good entertainment for our kids today.  I played a few songs for my kids and they were clearly entertained and were soaking up the message quicker than any modern Sunday School program or modern HD programing could ever do.  I wonder sometimes if we would consider the effectiveness of simple and goofy and the application of Psalty, The Great Big Blue Singing Songbook, if we would change our tone or delivery to share the good news of Jesus Christ!  Hmmm I wonder?

A Trip down Memory Lane....

Boy Meets World....  What a show!   My wife bought me ever episode for my birthday last year and since we are cable-less right now we started watching them.  I remember watching some of the episodes and yet they still are so very entertaining.  I feel like I am reliving a part of my childhood through teens years again.  I remember when me and the guys used to sit around telling people that Tapanga was the hottest girl alive.  Of course now I am totally saying that about my wife, CAUSE SHE IS THE HOTTEST WOMAN ALIVE....  Oh yes Boy Meets World...  I remember feeling like Cory lived part of my life and I could watch it unfold in front of me and I could take some notes and see how I needed to take care of things that I would go through or going through.  I miss good TV... I mean LOST was fantastic, but a good ole show like Boy Meets World WOW!  Each show had a hidden message of "This is my life!".  Anyways I am having a blast going down memory lane....!

If you had a memory or two about this amazing show please comment and let me know!

So Cats...

So I got this cat for my daughter, Rebekkah, and well I thought at the time I got this cat it was a great compromise for not being able to get a dog.  Let me explain, so I was doing an installation for Dish Network and I saw this cat wrestling a pretty good sized dog, and thought to myself, "Self, I want a dog, I can't have a dog, but this cat sure is acting like a dog....  hmmmm Should I?"....   So I got the cat thinking I could make the story up I got the cat for Rebekkah and all will be great, what a wonderful excuse for getting a cat, RIGHT?  Well at least I thought so at the time.  It isn't that I hate cats.  I just don't see a need or a good use for them.  The are selfish, pathetic creatures who want only one thing, WHAT EVER THEY WANT AT THE TIME THEY WANT IT AND WHEN THEY DON'T WANT IT THEY DON'T WANT IT or something like that.  So anyways Dexter is his name and I'll get back to the story.......
I got this cat and well I kinda started liking him.  He never did really act like a dog after that few minutes I observed him, before I was tricked I mean felt sorry for, ok ok I thought he was cool.  But back to the story.  So Rebekkah loves this cat and this cat allows her to drag him around by the neck and takes more abuse than anything on God's green earth and it is truly amazing.  But I watch him and I get irritated beyond I'll get out because when he looks at me there is a certain plot in his mind that screams at me, "I will make your life as miserable as I can!"  Now my wife says I am paranoid and need help, but I am sure there is something in that story that is true.  Well lately I am feeling like this cat is out to get me.  He walks around the house and whines like crazy and if you walk by his food bowl he does it louder (btw he is fed and fed good too, I might add).  He stands by the bathroom door and cries when my wife is getting ready in the morning and I feel like getting my pellet gun and giving him a "WHAT FOR" ummm ok a swift kick in the rear is what I meant.  But seriously is this normal and I'm just paranoid, or am I right and CATs are the spawn of Satan!  Seriously look at his picture isn't he a cute ball of fur with a mind to make everything in his path a living Heck....  
Oh the stories I could tell you... like he has the little play mice, which he throws under the dressers and stove and behind the fridge and sits and cries cause I won't get them for him, and if I do he goes right back over to the same spot and throws them back........ AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!

So I got this cat for my daughter, Rebekkah, and well I thought at the time I got this cat it was a great compromise for not being able to get a dog.   What was I thinking???!!!!  

Adam Sandler Night...

So I was on my home tonight and call my wife to let her know I was on my way to which her reply was a most outstanding, "YIPPEE!" and she added a, "Oh I'll wait for you to get here before I start watching Happy Gilmore!"  Oh that sweet sweet wife of mine how I love her so much!  Well we are about off to bed to which we will fall asleep to BIG DADDY!  I know I know that Adam Sandler isn't the most wholesome actor nor director/ writer, but I must admit he sure makes me laugh.
I recently watched the movie Funny People, and I must tell you I had a deep place in my heart for the characters in that movie.  Yes, I know there was some not so family values or family viewing in the movie, but what a complete eye opener to the mind of someone without Christ.  I was watching this movie and realized that I wasn't watching a movie for the complete entertainment of the movie, but I was watching a movie and being taught an important lesson on the sanctity of life in Christ.  Her is a story of a man who makes a living making people laugh and basically living at the expense of other faults and finds out he is dying of cancer.  Now of course the movie progresses and he is taking an experimental drug that possible can cure him, and eventually it does.  When he is cured he has no one to share this joy with.  I find it parallels the Church in more ways than I can count...  We get a person into the church by sheer entertainment value.... Offer a great time and show them how much we appreciate them showing up and participating....  We make home visits and extend all the love we can muster with words like, "You blessed us with your presence", or "We would love to have you back again", or "You sure have a lot to offer", and "We care!"...  We show them Jesus!  The accept Him as their Savior!  PRAISE GOD!!!!!  Then we head off to find e our next project and leave them behind because we did our job and show them the way and they accepted.  We get that Funny People mentality and get our kicks off the who whole I am holier than thou let me show you Jesus and once you accept them see ya sucker attitude.
I wonder how many people we introduced to Jesus that we left hangin.?  I think of Paul and his relationship with Timothy and how we was more or less with him until his death from... Hanging out... Talking to him.... Writing him letters...  Imparting as much of himself into him...  

 I wonder how different the church would be if did these things.....

Thanks Adam Sandler for your inspiration....!

Great day...!

Today my family and I had the privileged to check out a church plant.   We saw a posting for a church in need of a Youth Pastor, and decided to check out the church and see what it was all about.  After arriving at the YMCA where the church meets, we were immediately greeted by people and there was an excitement in the air that was super contagious.  We then were escorted to the areas where they had children's ministry and were walked through registration and there was a definitely love and interest in my children.  From there we went into a gymnasium where they held worship services and were again greeted by people who were excited to see us and excite we were there.
First impressions make a massive difference when visiting a church and when you are greeted with love and there is a sincere interest in you and your family there is more than a visiting feeling you feel part of something special.  Before the service we had already met the Pastor, the Worship Pastor, the Associate Pastor and over half the congregation.  The service was wonderful and the sermon was fitting (I'll touch on in a min), and we felt part of a community and we saw Acts 2:42...  come to life.  After the service we were invited by pastor to go to lunch and with our 8 year old daughters setting up everything we decided on Red Robin (oh the fries and campfire sauce)... We had a great time of fellowship and enjoying each other's company and what a blessing it was.  We talked about family, ministry, commute times, places we've lived, places we've seen, and so on and so on.  Did I mention with did all this with glad and sincere hearts.  I said I would mention the sermon from this morning's service and it was on Acts 2:42...  It was really amazing and miraculous  how God took a message thru a messenger then allow us to act on it following...
I am constantly amazed at how we can practice on the lessons from His word and the chance to do His will at anytime, and when we do this we can see His promises come alive...!
What a great day in the community, a part of the Kingdom of God!

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.

C. S. Lewis

MMMM Tacos.....

HOMEMADE

So last night we had tacos for supper.....   Oh man I love homemade tacos, ya know the where you have take the taco shells out of the box that you paid a whole buck for and arrange them on a cookie sheet and heat them up...   Cook your hamburger till nice and brown.....   Add seasons to the hamburger until the most wonderful aromas are passing through the whole house and you can almost taste the Mexican goodness coming from that skillet...  Then you chop up some tomatoes, lettuce and whatever else you enjoy for veggies on your taco, then you grate some cheese....   Oh and well I had to make some rice and beans to add to the heavenly pleasure of a meal that we were about to take part in (sorry lets focus on the Tacos)...  so we are polishing off the meal and the question arises, "How come when you eat a taco from ANY restaurant they never seems to taste like a good Ole homemade taco?"

TACO BELL

Now I am not saying that tacos don't taste good from a restaurant, cause we all know that Taco Bell is about one the greatest places to grab a bite or two to eat.  But I do find it interesting that a taco from home has it own taste and what a taste that is......  
I am beginning to believe that the taco is basically the food that will make the "Custer's Last Stand" for the family...  It is going to stand tall and proud and serve its family for years and years and then one day some restaurateur will realize that it is really that easy to make such a simple wonderful meal that will bring the families in and spend mucho denero.  I must admit I will be one of those persons from time to time, but I will allow the taco to remain a strong hold in my family for the years to come....   OH man do those homemade tacos taste good..... MMMMM MMMMM GOOD!

Back Again....

I have taken a 2 year hiatus from posting to take some time and do some serious soul searching and allow God to do His thing with me. I can say that now after these two years that I am back and feeling pretty darn good.

To give you an update....

1. Moved from San Antonio, TX to Rapid City, SD

2. Did a lot of cool stuff up there... Yes Mt. Rushmore can be scene more than 18 million times

3. Got Married to my now "Smokin Hot Wife" (thank you baby Jesus)

4. Move back to San Antonio, TX

I must say it was a whirlwind experience but at the same time completely worth every second. I am truly amazed at the mercy and grace of God. He has proved to me more and more that He is in control, He is watching out for me, He is smarter than me, and His love for me exceeds anything I could ever fathom.

After being out of full-time ministry for the last 3 years has been tough, but at the same time truly rewarding. I need to explain this amazing experience....

I have had the opportunity to Manage a Burger King, work for a security company, work for a cable company, work for Dish Network, and work for Directv. I also had a stint in a polka band but that is another store for another time, oh yeah and I also was a mercenary for the US government and brought down many cues across the globe (non you'll ever hear about, talk about secret and sly, I know I know....), ok ok I daydream a lot. I also had the amazing opportunity to be a mission staff person for Younglife in Kadoka, SD. Yes there is a Kadoka, SD and there is 3, count them 3, gas stations in the town.

During this period of 3 years God showed me there is more to this life than being the TEACHER or PREACHER, or to put it ever so nicely too "Spiritual" to sit in the pew. I learned that there are REAL hurts and REAL people hurting with those hurts, and there is a God who loves them and who wants to love them. I though I understood all of this while I was too "Spiritual", but I was dead wrong. I was given the opportunity to be a person in the pew, and my eyes are open wider than ever. I, with my degrees / ordination /title, am no different than the ones I was so frustrated with for not listening or volunteering or being too "Spiritual". I decided to pursue God like I had never pursued Him before. I decided to simply seek a relationship and look past my sermons, newsletter articles, counseling sessions, and on and on and on. I thought of the Counsel of Nicaea and the politics that had to dealt with in order to "pursue a relationship with Jesus", and realized that all it took was what's written is Ps 34, "Seek His face, He will hear me, and deliver me", and it says that the poor man cried out and God saved him from all his troubles. I can only picture in my mind this poor man who cried out seeking God, and then He was saved from his troubles and the relationship that was then formed at this moment in time. Then the thought of David, knowing all the junk that man went through and all the Joy in the Lord that was in His heart and the relationship he had with God, even despite the mistakes he made. I realized that in order to have a successful ministry or to be successful while hear on earth, I need to take the time and cultivate my relationship with Him. While I have been developing this relationship with Jesus, everything has been falling into place. From outside eyes it might not look like it is all "silky and smooth", but as I see the hand of God at work, I see miracles happening on a daily basis and I am reassured even in the darkest hour He is guiding / protecting / loving me through it all.

So as we journey together may we develop a relationship with Jesus... Not just go to church, bible study, preach a sermon, do our morning devotions, sing songs of Praise, listen to Christian radio, read Mac Lucado books.... and earnestly seek Him........!

Blessing to you all!