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Earthquakes

You may be aware of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday.  A friend of mine who is trying to adopt some Haitian children and travels there several times a year sent me a few pictures last night that I thought were worth sharing.

Before

Presidential Palace Before
Presidential Palace Before

After

Presidential Palace - After
Presidential Palace - After

Wow!.  Can you imagine?  This is just an example of the damage and despair that has occurred on that troubled island.  Likewise some of you may be experiencing earthquakes in your lives.  Its not something we can take a picture of, but the devastation, and despair are equal.  You may feel like your life is like this palace – destroyed.  It may be your job, your relationships, your children, your financial position and many other things that rock our foundation.  What do we do?

We could look at James 1

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (NIV)

or
Romans 5

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. (NIV)

Both of these are good things to know.  These lifequakes will build up our faith, and create, and in our weakness create a leaning on God.  However, I usually take strength in these two passages.  from Job

9 His wife said, “Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!”

10 He told her, “You’re talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?”

Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God. (Job 2:9-10, The Message)

and from Romans 8

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose.(NIV)

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.(NIV)

The last one, brings the most hope. A message that even when the world falls in around you, we still have a promise of life eternal with our Lord and Savior. So if today, you world is shaking, remember this. If you are blessed with peace, pray for those in Haiti and find way to build up the people right around who maybe in the middle of the devastation of a lifequake.

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Donuts and Debate

Many years ago – many years ago, when I was in college in the great town of Nashville, TN, several of my roommates and team mates worked at the best donut shop in the world, The Donut Den. When we were tired of studying or needed a break we would ride over to the Donut Den and hang out in the kitchen talking with the guys making the donuts – and learning how to ourselves. (Eventually, I  had a job there making the muffins several nights a week – Yes, I am the Muffin Man) There was another classmate of ours that worked there on some of the same nights. His name was Aaron, or ‘Aaron the Liberal’ as we called him. Aaron was always up for some good political debate – which I found fascinating as Aaron had vastly different views then the rest of us. However, those donut debates were fun, and free and although sometimes full of frustration, they were never full of hate. Just people discussing topics of importance to them. I think Aaron influenced several of us, and I am sure that we had a small impact of him. Last week, I mentioned that I have been turned off from politics, but posted on entry that teetered on the edge of political a little. The next day, another one of my college classmates tweeted about an article in Relevant Magazine entitled “Can’t We All Just Get Along?”

This article really hit the nail on the head as to why I am frustrated with the political machine. Its not as much Clintons’ sins, or Bush’s decisions, or Obama’s agenda.  I have become tired of the right screaming and yelling, and the left name-calling and using condescending tones etc.  Its all the way around.  And that just doesn’t jive with the words I read in the collection of 66 books.  This op-ed is a ringing indictment on followers of Christ and how we engage in political debate.  I think its worth a read by all of us.  Just to stop and make sure we are treating each other, even in disagreement, with the love and respect demanded of us by Christ.

Anyway, consider it, and as you approach others today, no matter what the conversation is, remember to do so with love. ( Not the sissy kind) But the real, I care about you, love that Jesus showed us and that he begs us to show to each other.  Also, don’t be afraid to talk about ideas – you may grow yourself, and you don’t know the impact you will have on others.

1 John 3:11-24 (New International Version)
Love one another

11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

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Colt’s Standing on the Rock

Well, much to my chagrin, Alabama has won the National Championship, and promptly took the trophy to Walmart for all the citizens of the state to see.  That is good stuff, but not near as good as what went down on the other side of the field. Most of you know Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game in the first quarter.   What you may not have heard after the game, were his post game comments.

I always give God the glory, I’d never question why things happen the way they do.  God is in control of my life and if nothing else I know I’m standing on The Rock.

Thats incredible.

This young man is a great example for us.  It takes a lot of guts to talk like that just being in college, and here he make that statement for all to here.  Also, you should check out his video, along with the others at iamsecond.com.  I noticed Sunday night while watching the Mountaineers lose one to the Irish, that this video was also on ESPNU.  Hopefully, today you can draw some encouragement from Colt’s statement, and you can proclaim that you are standing on the Rock as well.

Matthew 7:24-25 (New International Version)
The Wise and Foolish Builders

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

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Crazy Cats

Usually our cats are outside cats.  They may come in for the occasional walk through the house with the special treat being a drink from the toilet, but for the most part they start outside exercising their dominion over the yard, the grass, and the small rodents and rabbits.  However, during these extremely cold nights the past few weeks they have been coming in side more often.

One of these guys – “Bruce” as we call him, seems to not be very appreciative of this.  He comes in, eats, drinks, runs to the basement door, meows and runs down stairs.  If you pet him, or pick him up, he is noticeable tense and always ready to be placed back down on the ground.    We had another kitty, “Dennis”, a few years ago that was exactly like that.  When we brought him home as a kitten, he immediately started hissing at us.  I think in the time we “owned” Dennis, I can count all the times I held him on both hands.  And most of those were carefully crafted sneak up attacks while he was asleep, so that I could check him over for ticks, scratches, etc.  Dennis, always come around for food and shelter, but immediately high tailed it when it came to social activities – until he was sick, well, even then he tried to run, but he was so sick he could not.  Despite Dennis’ apparent usage of us, it was still a sad day when we had to put him down.  Little Bruce is not as extreme as Dennis, but he is still not one who really cares for much time with his owner.

The shame about this is that in contrast to our other cats over time – esp “Stanley” and our other current cat “Todd”.  Both of these cats would meet me at the end of the driveway when I returned from a run.  They beg for attention, they jump up in your lap, they sneak around and although they are outside kitties, they still find ways to end up in your bed at night.  The contrast is really amazing.

So, with these cold nights, and watching the interacts of Todd and Dennis around the house, I can’t help but make a comparative analysis to how we our with God.    We find ourselves like Dennis, always around for food and shelter, sometimes begrudgingly around in times of trouble, but for the most part independent.  However, when we are that way, we miss out of the best parts.  We miss out on sleeping in the bed with the Master.  We miss out on the closeness and comfort and peace that He provides.

Don’t do it all alone, reach out for God.  Meet him at the driveway, find ways to draw close to him, and then watch what happens…

8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8 (New International Version)

 7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:8, The Message)

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Making Preparations

I was preparing to write about an entirely different topic, when I was checking to see if schools were closing hours before the first snow flake even was forming and I saw this classic poll on the front of my local news station:

You can't have snow with a cupboard full of bread and milk
You can't have snow with a cupboard full of bread and milk

Preparations and plans. Sometimes it’s important to make them.  Apparently, when winter weather strikes its even more important.   It’s always the running joke about hitting the grocery when winter weather approaches, and it always makes good news stories.  That and a story about the road crews loading up the salt and sand.  Winter in the South is fun stuff.  However I noticed yesterday on weather.com, more evidence of my government weather conspiracy plot.  Notice the green circle around Chattanooga!!!

Weather Channel Forcast
Anyway, since snow is once again the talk of the town, and yesterday’s post dealt remotely with the creation, I almost think this is an incredible image to try to conjure up in your mind.  The storehouses of snow.  I think it shows the mightiness and the greatness of the Lord.

20 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
for the downpours of rain, and charts
the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
the mother of ice and frost?
You don’t for a minute imagine
these marvels of weather just happen, do you? (Job 38:21-23, The Message)

and since we started with a little bit of planning, how about this verse to consider today:

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Enjoy the snow – if we get it!

( oh, by the way, the conspiracy theory is a joke -just a joke)