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Cold Iron

Today I engaged that in that old battle.  One that I have engaged in many times over the last several years.  The battle with the hotel iron.  Yes, thats right, the battle with the iron to get your clothes presentable after squooshing them in the luggage!

This morning I thought I had it whipped.  I put in some water, turned in on high and when to town on my shirt, only to see wrinkles that would not go away.  Argh!  I really hate to iron anyway, its a neccassity of life, that I find so mundane.  So, back to the story, I then reallized, that is was not producing enough steam.  I puledl it into the sink, filled it to overflowing with water, and then though the cloud of mist and steam, I could see a nice flat pressed shirt appearing on the iron board.

Aren’t we like that some times.  Just not full enough to be effective?  There’s nothing more irrating then ironing with a cold iron – ironing with an iron that is not operational.  Whats the purpose?  Its a waste of time.  There is no impact on the clothes.  You can press harder, move it faster or yell at it, and it doesn’t matter, a cold iron is just that – a cold iron.

In the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, Jesus mentions something like this:

 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

He tells us that we are to be effective, useful and impact others.  Today, don’t be unsalty salt, don’t be an unlit candle, don’t be a cold iron.  Fill yourself up, turn the steam on high, and impact what you touch.

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Pending Setup

Well, that’s the state of my March Fourth Project!   In order to get my little project complete from yesterday I needed to set up a database.  Usually the GoDaddy application installation happens in like twenty minutes.  But I guess they were out last night making another Go Daddy girl commercial, because my database install did not go anywhere, and my project was once again cast back to the procrastination pile!

The funny thing is that is how my day started as well.  I just could not get started this am.  Hitting the snooze alarm, waiting as long as I could to do anything I needed to this morning – its like my brain was Pending Setup.  So after asking Andrew his spelling words for his test today ( its Friday you know – that means Spelling Tests),  I ask him to recite his memory verse one more time.  (He also has to memorize a verse of the bible each week that he recites on Friday. )  He spat it out:

33Whatyou should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. (Matt 6:33 ERV)

And then it hit me.  That was what I need to complete the setup and get this day going.  Forget about the mundane stuff that is sure to happen today, just focus on God’s Kingdom and what he wants you to do.  That’s motivating me today – I hope it helps you as well.  Enjoy the Day!  It is Friday, and Spring is in the air!

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Always Something

As you know I have teenager.  Its always something.  Help with Algebra, help with his computer, where are my shoes, I need money.  Its always something! This morning it was “Where is my wallet?”.

ARGH.

Man, I wanted to react like this:

Matthew 17:17 (New American Standard Bible)

17And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”

But knowing that what I am doing as a father is showing him his heavenly father, I had to look past that.  Yes, there are times to overturn tables with a teenager.  And Jesus took the approach with those who held him in complete contempt.  But most of the time his approach is more like this:

Matthew 7:7-11 (New International Version)

7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Yes, God is patient with us.  He is OK with us asking.  He is ok with us bringing it again and again and again and again and again and again and again etc etc.  Just ask he says.

Man, if I could just be that kind of father, and friend.

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Follow Friday

On Twitter there is this thing that happens on Friday called Follow Friday, where you make suggestions on other twitterers (is that the right word) that people should follow.   So today I am passing on a few things that you can follow.

First, the Daily Buffet can now be followed on Twitter here.

Second, by the end of the day today you should be able to follow Twitter on Facebook.  I am having a small technological glich over there, plus there is this thing call my job that requires my attention.  I will post an update as soon as that is all fixed up.

And finally the best Follow Friday suggestion today, does not come from me, but is a “tweet” from 2000 years ago.

Matthew 4:18-20 (New International Version)

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

How about it?  will you leave and follow.

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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)