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Cha Cha Cha

There is only one of these reality shows that I get sucked into.  No, its not American Idol, or Biggest Loser, or Jersey Shore ( surprising I know) – Its Dancing With The Stars.  Yes, I can’t explain it.  I don’t even really want to watch.  I just keep getting sucked into the room where it is playing like the TV like I have some sort of fatal attraction.  If may also help that two of my most favorite people in the world are usually lying in the bed watching it- and sometimes a third one joins them.

Buzz Aldrin and Ashly Costa dance the Cha-cha-cha. (ABC)

Anyway, last night it kicked off for the tenth season, and it was a good and welcome relief from the events and the seriousness of the day.  With all the twisting and turning going on, the thing that impressed me the most was the one dude who could barely dance.  It was 80 year old Buzz Aldrin.  Yes the dude who walked on the moon in the sixties. Its amazing that his body can actually still get out on the dance floor at his age and that he actually had a few moves.  Now, its obvious that he probably will not last many weeks on the show this year with his dancing skills – but what an inspiration.

When his dancing partner asked him if he had any dancing experience he replied – sure, we had hops back at West Point.  Think about how long ago he was in West Point!  Essentially he had no dancing experience, and yet there he is out on National TV taking a major risk and stepping out. What an example of transformation and continual change!   This is the stuff that I spend a lot of time thinking about.  How to continually take risks and step out in our spiritual lives.  Continue to find ways to get out of your comfort zone and transform yourself.

What can you do today?  Whats holding you back.? If Buzz Lightyear can fly, and Buzz Aldrin can dance, what is it again that you are saying you can’t do?

Transform yourself, take a risk – one day at a time and watch what happens.

15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 (New International Version)

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An Anxious Weekend

Wow, what a weekend.  I am not sure what caused more anxiety for folks – watching some of these last minute bracket busting March Madness games or watching the house work until late at night passing this Health Insurance Reform Bill.  I had some other things in mind today, but on my morning run, I decided I  should probably touch on this rather historic bill, especially since after checking Facebook, it seems to be on everyone’s mind.

No matter how you look at this, America as a country will never be the same.  I have really not spent much time reading the details of the bill, and really who knows since it was passed in such an seemingly unconventional way last night.  I really don’t know whats in or out, and so its hard for me to judge the impact at this point.  I am sure some will be helped, and other will be harmed with the passing of this bill.  Time will tell us the real impact to America.  Some will offer praise today, some will ask for guidance and express concern.  Personally,  I am not overly excited about the deal.

If you are expressing joy today for this change in America – do so with a kind spirit.  If this bill was not to your liking, educate yourself, protest peacefully and lovingly and work for change.  But either way, the thing we can point to today, is something that is bigger than this bill.  Something that I hope will keep you striving today to impact the world immediately around you and to make a impact in peoples lives.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[a] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 (New International Version)

17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17 (New International Version))

Whether your team lost this weekend, or you think the country is going down the tubes, keep striving to impact your neighbor, and keeping doing the will of God – which is to love your neighbor!

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Keep Bubbling On

Hey! This is Jason, I am continuing to take time away this week, but I invited another guest blogger to keep you going.  Today’s guest is another great friend of mine, who hails from the State of Dade, Jeff Poston.  By the way Jeff will be performing in “Hey Haw” at the New Salem Community Center Tonight and Saturday night this weekend at 8pm.  Get up there if you can!  And, I will be back to it on Monday. Enjoy….

Top of the morning to you,
I hope you read that in an English accent. Winston Churchill, what comes to mind when you see that name? What words would you use to describe him? Leadership, steadiness, stubbornness, bravery, strength? I would bet these words are among some of the words you thought of. Shortly after the United States entered the war in 1941, Churchill went to see Roosevelt, he promised him that Singapore was strong enough to stand without the help of the Americans. When Singapore fell to the enemy Churchill was devastated, he was ridiculed by parliament and his ability to lead England was questioned. Churchill began to doubt himself, he went to see the King of England with the intention of resigning. The King told him that his resignation ” simply would not do” ( you should have read that last part in an English accent too). Churchill had a saying he used to inspire the people around him, “keep bubbling on”, the King reminded him of this and told him to buckle down, suck it up, and keep going.
I say all this because we think of people like Churchill, J.F.K., Roosevelt, Lincoln, and we think of unwavering leadership. This is simply not the case, these men suffered with self doubt, they experienced failure, they wanted to quit at times, but they “kept bubbling on”. These men fought battles and wars that in the grand scheme of things, do not matter.We fight a more important battle everyday, we fight for our souls, we fight for eternal life. Sometimes we doubt ourselves, sometimes we break our promises, sometimes we are weak, and some times we want to quit. Well that simply will not do!! Quitting is not an option!! Our King is wiser than the King of England, our King does more for us than the King of England. Christ is our King and he has already won the battle. He gave himself for us, so who are we to give up on him? When the doubts come, when weakness shows up, when we feel unworthy, buckle down, suck it up, and “keep bubbling on”.

therefore we do not lose heart. even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal2 corinthians 4 vs 16-18

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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!

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Cothrom An Lae Shona Duit

Well Jason is sleeping in this morning enjoying his much deserved and needed vacation, yesterday afternoon when I spoke with him he was forcing his eldest son to push mow part of the yard, oh the joys of parenthood!

Well Happy Anniversary! Wait you thought I would say Happy St. Patrick’s day but no this day is not known as that in my household. On this day 9 years ago I married my beautiful bride. It has been 9 years…. 4 years of the Army, 3 children, and here we still stand. Many of you may be saying 9 years, that is nothing! Well, I believe in this day and time, every day is an accomplishment. There are so many people who give up so easily and call it quits. Marriage isn’t easy, it takes work, many days you can’t stand the person on the other side of the bed but you keep going (I of course have never felt that way, my wife is wonderfully perfect 😉 ). So on this day every year when everyone else says Happy St. Patrick’s Day, I will always say Happy Anniversary because of the beautiful wonderful woman who 9 years ago today, agreed to be my wife. But in the spirit of the day Cothrom An Lae Shona Duit (Happy Anniversary in Gaelic)!

Mark 10:7 (New International Version)
7’For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[a]

Ephesians 5
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself