Tag: obsessed

Categories
Daily Post

10 Types of People

This weekend, Amy, Alex and I went out to test drive some VW vans!  No, although it apparently it is Alex’s dream vehicle, it was not the classic hippie vans.  It was the newer Chryslerish model – the Routan.  Let’s say a new vehicle seems to be in the cards soon, but at this time we were just looking.    Anyway, the van was great and all, but there was something that I found particular peculiar and interesting.  It may be this way with all European cars, and since all of my vehicles have come out of Detroit or Spring Hill, I was drawn to this one aspect – the fuel gauge.

It did not have an E for Empty and an F for Full, but instead had a 0(zero) for empty and a 1(one) for full.  Like I said, other cars may have been doing it this way for years, but for me it was a first, or at least the first time it hit me.  It reminded me of two things.  First the good old geek joke that there are only 10 kinds of people in the world, those you understand binary and those who don’t.  ( for those of you in the second category, 10 is 2 in binary.  Like this 00 = 0, 01= 1, 10 = 2, 11 = 3, yeah ok whatever).

Secondly it reminded me once again of this idea of being lukewarm, as there was a ½ in the middle.  But really, I want to be a 0 or a 1.  Off or on?.  And really I want to be obsessed, I want to be on, I want to be 1.  And maybe that’s why I noticed it so much, as the zero and one concept made it so black and white, so binary.  It was not empty and full, it was on or off.  It was just another stark reminder of how we should be living our lives.

Take a look at this video, and think about Romans 12:1-2

1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2, The Message)

God wants you to place your life ALL before him, and let him fill you up.  If you are on for him, he will make you full.  Lets live a binary life in the on position!

Categories
Daily Post

Here’s My Bracket

For the last several years, I have filled out a March Madness bracket, I usually go with my “mind picks” and not my “heart picks”.  I usually try to spend a little time thinking about who really has a chance and how things might work out.  Last year, I was second, if I remember right, in my bracket – maybe third.  Not so this year.  This year, I am casting caution to the wind and am going with my heart and soul!

As you know I am a huge West Virginia Mountaineer Fan, so this year I am going in all the way and picking them:

click on this pic to see my entire bracket

That’s right.  All in – I am going all in.  I am stepping out on faith in my Mountaineers, and placing my hope in them that they will not disappoint.  The bracket has several heart picks, even though I was torn on a few teams and picked then to win a game against my better judgment ( PITT).  However, I figured it made the conference look better if your opponents win a few as well.

Buts that’s been my theme for 2010 – being obsessed, going all in, and I felt this was a good way to demonstrate that in a tangible way, a way to express and consider this idea of  not being ‘lukewarm‘.  But really if the Mountaineers win, I will be extra excited, but I still have my life to live, my own job, my own responsibilities that will not really be impacted.  Same way if they actually lose a game in this tournament.  I will be disappointed, but I will still be a fan, and my life will go on(after a night of mourning!).   I am not actually casting my entire hope in them.  However, I do want to cast my entire hope in Christ, I want to be obsessed and go past just being a fan.  I  am stepping out on faith in my Christ, and placing my hope in Him. And this is a place where it actually can make a difference.  You see, I may get made fun of (especially by my SEC loving friends) for my Mountaineer pick, and I may be pitied, but really not to much extent.  But if I am wrong about putting my hope in Christ, 1 Corinthians 15 says I am “to be  pitied more than all men.”

But, I know that He will not disappoint.  Later in the same chapter it says this:

57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

So, lets not be cold nor hot, lets not sit on the fence.  Get in!  All the way in.

Oh, and one last thing:

Lets Go Mountaineers!

Categories
Daily Post

Don’t Settle

Last weekend in the box office, Avatar grossed another 25 M. However, there is a movie that only brought in 1.5M that I wanted share with you to .  Last weekend a movie called To Save a Life debuted across the country.  I was able to preview this film last fall with my good friend Ray.  Both of us were very impressed with what we saw.  This is a very well put together film that touches on all angles of a teenagers life.  It really heads straight into many of the difficult subjects.  If you work with teenagers in any capacity, or if you are a parent of teenagers, you should encourage them to see this movie.  Plus you should see this movie yourself.  You can check out trailers here and here.

I especially like the second one.  Is it worth it?  Is a commitment to Christ worth it?  I love the line “I’m not going to just become some Christian” and the response “Good, I wouldn’t want you to.”  These “teen” topics like this one are ones “grown ups” struggle with as well.  Is it worth it?  Are you just “some Christian”?

God calls us to be more then that.  He doesn’t want us to settle in to be “some christian”.  He calls us to be different.  To impact people and change lives.
Wow, I am really preaching today!. Anyway, go see this movie, I think it will provide you with plenty to discuss and think about.  And then don’t settle.  Be Obsessed and Change your world!

37Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. Matt 22 (NIV)

Categories
Daily Post

State of the (You)nion

Today, President Obama will stand in from of Congress and present his view of the State of the Union.  There will be lots of agreeing and disagreeing, as Mr Obama lays outs problems, goals, solutions and challenges for our country.

This makes we wonder, whats the state of my union?  Whats the state of ME?  And makes we want to ask you whats the State of You?  Have you ever stopped and considered how things are really going with you, or what it would be like if you had to stand up tonight and review you personal state? I wonder if that is what is being referred to in Philippians where it states “continue to work out your salvation”.  ( I never have really understood what that actually is saying.)

Anyway, I’m trying to do that.  I am trying to examine the state of me and see whats good, whats bad, whats needs to be different.  Its a tough thing – transformation, and one that takes time. But I thought I would share two verses that address “concerns” I am trying to focus on this year, as I try the address some of the humility and “frustration” issues that I deal with on a daily basis.  These are the ‘political promises’ I am trying to make to myself.  Maybe seeing these will help you as well:

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

and

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 4 9-11

I know I will not be perfect in these things, but its is one of my goals for this year to allow these verses to transform me.  (its part of the whole obsessed thing I mentioned at New Years) Not by my own actions, but by giving in to the Spirit that live in me.  I’ll let you know right in these posts how it goes.

Whats the State of You?