Tag: West Virginia

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Heading Home

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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Short and Sweet

Well, I am out of time this morning.  I spend a lot of my writing time reading about the mine disaster in West Virginia, and then I got caught up in the Governor’s press conference.  So today I don’t have many deep thoughts, but a little encouragement and a Psalm:

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD “—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart! Psalm 32 (NIV)

Enjoy the day, live like you are forgiven and treat others better then you would ever want to be treated yourself!

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Taxes – Yuck

I finally did my taxes last night – which by the way is an interesting way to account for your year.  I entered all the data provided for me by my financial institutions and employers in the nice little boxes.  I scowered my online checkbook looking for deductions.  Alas, I could not get the red number to turn to green and gave up the fight with a dreadful result:

Federal Tax Due - Yikes!
Federal Tax Due - Yikes!

Yes, I owe.  It’s times like this that real challenges can sit in front of you.  Paying is of course one of those, but not really the challenge that crossed my mind today.  The challenge is how you look at this bill.   I am not a big fan of taxes, but I do understand the “give to Caesar what is Caesar” thing.  The real question is do I understand the give to the Lord what’s the Lord?  I am going to be resentful and frustrated?  I am going to be filled with anxiety over this money?  Or alternatively, am I going to trust that there is a reason that I will be separated from so many portraits of dead presidents?

Last night, I started out thinking, man, all the things I could do with this money.  I could have bought a chaise lounge for my back porch, or I could have padded my bank account, or I could have taken a trip back to West Virginia to see the championship trophy ( oh, that’s right, scratch that one!)  But you get my idea and my lament  – oh,  all the things I could do with that money.  But then this morning I stumbled across an underlined verse in my old college Bible – which I have been using quite often lately – from 2 Peter.

19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Peter 2:19

Hm, Money can be a dangerous master.  Maybe, its becoming my master?  So, that’s the way I am trying to think about this little dent in my check book.  Am I a slave to money? Or am I going store up my treasures on spiritual things – like relationships, and contentment and joy.

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 16:19-20

Can we look at things like this that happen to us in life as a gift from God as well?  Maybe sometimes, we need to have gentle reminders of what we are slaves to?  What has mastered you?  What should you give away?

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Rocks Will Cry Out

I am especially stoked today!  Enough that I am posting a special Sunday edition of the DailyBuffet.  Yes, The Mountaineers did make it to the Final Four last night, and that is part of my jubilation today.  But today is special for another reason, and even if the ‘Eers had suffered defeat last night, I would still be excited today.  Today is the week before the Passover, and the day that is traditionally called “Palm Sunday“.  Whats the big deal you may ask?  Well this is the day that Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey, while the people of Jerusalem covered the road with Palm leaves and clothing – which signified the coming of a king.  This started the week which will end with the death and resurrection of the Christ – the Messiah – the Savior.

And right in the middle of all of this Jesus is told to have the people stop, and he says

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The rocks will cry out that he is Lord! Wow, that’s one of my favorite verses and a big motivator to me.  So I post this today in an attempt to cry out louder then the stones – the Messiah has come. And on a day similar to this one many years ago, he entered the city of Jerusalem declaring his Kingship.

Enjoy the day and think about that “Triumphant Entry”!

Luke 19:28-44 (New International Version)

The Triumphal Entry

28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

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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!