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Heading Home

For some reason when I posted this this morning, it posted as May 1, instead of June 1.  Weird Stuff…..  So here is June 1st post at the end of the day!

I  witnessed the second longest soccer game of my life on Friday night! ( for those who don’t know, the game was delayed 2.5 hours because of lightning before it even started this time and then went all the way down to PKs again before the Buccaneers pulled off the great victory), Anyway, after that game we loaded up the family truckster and meander our  way through Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky and eventually spent 2 days explore the coal fields of  West Virginia on our way back to “grandma’s house”.  We witnessed historic sights, interesting architecture, backwoods that make banjos play in your mind, beautiful aspects of nature that show God’s handiwork, excellent tourists traps, and strange oddities.  We even took a mental trip trough family history as we traveled to Butchersville, WV, just outside of Weston and toured the grave of heroes where so many of my historical grandparents lie, and then spent a great day with family.  But even after all of that goodness, there is still something about going home.  So today, we will embark of quite a straight shot(as straight as you can in West Virginia) south to our home.

That sort of reminds me of the Christians life. Its not a perfect comparison, but I need to provide you some encouragement today to get your going after an awesome holiday weekend.  As much as we love the things that we put our hands to here, we are always looking to someplace else.  Our focus in life is not the roadside attractions, nor other great things of this world, but our focus in is our Savior who helps shape and direct our lives.

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3 (New International Version)

Enjoy the day, and keep your focus

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Happy Memorial Day

Its Memorial Day, so enjoy your day of work, enjoy your bbq’s and your time on the water.  Summer is officially here!

But also, take a few moments to remember those you fought and died to give you the wonderful freedom you have!

13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13 (New International Version)

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BUCS WIN

Hey the Bucs Won the state Soccer Tournament!  How Awesome is that!  Have a great day!  Be Strong!

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The Prodigal Kitty

Almost every morning when I awake I look at on my back porch I find one of our cats sitting in the corner of the porch sleeping.  It’s usually Todd, the cat that likes us.  But today it was Bruce, the traitor.  We call him that because he spends more time at the neighbor’s house, in the neighbor’s garage and eating the neighbor’s food then doing the same on our side of the street.  The “crazy cat lady” across the street has him under her spell.  So it brought me great joy to see him willingly sleeping on our porch this morning.  The prodigal had come home.

So I sat on the edge of the bed willing myself to get up, looking at Bruce and thinking about our own lives.  I wonder if the joy I felt this morning is similar to the joy that God feels when we willingly give ourselves to him.  And I wonder if the jealously and anger I feel when I see Bruce partaking of the temptation that the crazy cat lady has to offer doesn’t some how parallel to the jealously and anger the God must feel when we decide to strike out on our own and indulge ourselves in our own ways.

For me this had been a bright spot in a morning filled with anxiety as I try to figure out how to accomplish 48 hours worth of activities in 8 hours.  Maybe I should learn something from Bruce, and stretch out on God’s back porch, let him handle the stress and bask in the light of his joy.

8Come near to God and he will come near to you.  James 4:8

Have a great Holiday weekend.  Stay close to our God and Savior.

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A Chance to Renew

Last night I think I witnessed the longest soccer game in the history of the world.  That’s unofficial, but check this out.  After my team, the Bucs, were completed dominated, at least possession wise, for the first 58 minutes of the game, the traditional summer weather pattern produced its traditional afternoon thunderstorms and whamo, we were in a one hour lightning delay.   ( On a side note, I thought that maybe I had missed the supposed ‘rapture’ during this part of the game.  While the players where pulled from the field, and the rain still a few miles away, I decided to run to the restroom, while everyone just milled around waiting for something to happen.  After a rather long line in the restroom, I exited, to see the wind whipping around in circles, the rain starting to fall and to my surprise everyone and everything off of the soccer field.  For a moment I thought I was left behind.  – oh TMI I know, back to the game)

Before this break, the Bucs were beat.  Their faces said it, their body language said it. They were struggling to keep up, but at least they had kept their opponent out of the goal. After the lightning break, they were completely different.  They were renewed, focused, determined, and just barely missed several chances to get the ball into the goal. The game continued scoreless for the remaining 22 minutes and the 30 minutes of extra time- which lead to the famed shootout.  Fortunately, the Bucs put in 3 while keeping the opponent to only 2, to earn quite an impressive hard earned victory almost 5 hours after the kickoff, that really was the product of a renewing of their focus.

Whats interesting to me is how our days are like this some times, and for me yesterday was.  Yesterday, I was being mastered by my insane schedule and the pressure of the world and work.  I felt similar to the Bucs  – running around, chasing a ball, and having to take a highly defensive posture to survive.  However, this is not where we want to be.  We want to be living for our master, not being mastered by the world. It times like this that it may be best to declare a lightning break and regroup and refocus.  With a renewed mind,  you can continue to transform yourself into a champion of life.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:30-31 (New International Version)