Something to ponder...

It is amazing how much you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.
–Harry Truman

Lent -- Part 24 -- RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT

HOSEA 14:2-10

MARK 12:28-34

something to ponder...

“I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money.”

- Pablo Picasso

Lent -- Part 23 -- TURN BACK TO GOD

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Luke 11:14-23

Lent -- Part 22 -- FOLLOW GOD"S PLAN

Deuteronomy 4:1-9

Matthew 5:17-19

Link Dump - BIG screen plasma Edition

A 12-Step Program to Eating Healthier Than Ever Before

11 foot long plasma screen -- can you say Super Bowl party at my house?
Which One Are You?

7 Characteristics of an Ingrown Church

Money Mistake Monday - The Affordable Monthly Payments Syndrome.

My Sources Of Alternative Income And How I Make Them Work For Me.
Crete Will-Do Lists to Manage Huge Task Inventories [Task Management]
Incrementally Tackle Your "Someday" Projects [Getting Things Done]
Go from Couch Potato to Exercise Enthusiast with Diligence and Flexibility [Health]
Eat Healthier Using Twelve "Instead Of" Steps [Food]
Getting Dinner Done with a Weekly Meal Plan [Planning]
Survey: Americans Switching Faiths, Dropping Out
Credit Card Companies Don’t Play Fair
Discount Codes - Great web site!
Think You Can Handle Isabeau Miller's 'Biggest Loser' Style Rock Hard Fitcamp?
What Would You Ask God?
Was Abe Lincon a Christian?
9-Year-Old Girl Banned From Tennis Club for Grunting Like Maria Sharapova
the differing flavors of emerging
Hashmarks' Top 10 Football Movies
Things That Give Me A Bad Feeling
The Coolest Dunk You’ll See This Week

Something to ponder...

"As you journey through life take a minute every now and then to give a thought for the other fellow. He could be plotting something."

-- Hagar the Horrible

Lent -- Part 21 -- SPEAK PLAINLY TO GOD

Daniel 3:25-43

Matthew 18:21-35

Lent -- Part 20 -- LISTEN FOR GOD"S PLAN

2 Kings 5:1-15

Luke 4:24-30

Lent -- Part 19 -- DRINK LIVING WATER

JOHN 4:4-52

JOHN 2:13-25

LUKE 13:1-9

Lent -- Part 18 -- ENJOY THE REWARDS OF FAITH

Micah 7:14-20

Luke 15

Something to Ponder...

"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose."

-- Evan Esar

Time Lapse of Wrigley Field makeover

For some time the players have complained about the playing surface at the Friendly Confines. Watch this video and see how the new field is put together...

Lent - Part 17 -- WORK THROUGH CONFUSION

Genesis 37

Matthew 21:33-46

FPU - Off and running

Haven't had much time for blogging this week. Seems like life is running at a bit higher speed for some reason.
We met for the first FPU (Financial Peace University) class last Sunday evening. There were 11 in attendance. 4 of us were at least second timers. There were 2 couples that did not make it. One returning and one younger married couple. Two things that excite me about this group:

1. There are some in this group who have never done anyting in the church outside of attending worship. This is a HUGE step for them to grow.
2. There is the biggest diversity in ages of all the classes I have hosted. This will lead to good things as we continue our accountability and discussion portions of the class.

This group seems as serious as any of the groups I have led to date about winning financially. I have already had some honest discussions about the regret that some have over their past decisions and the hope they have in doing right from here on out. God is preparing to do some awesome things in these people's lives!

I am heading right now to prep for the next session. It is about learning how to relate to money and how to start preparing a monthly zero based budget. This is vital to those who have just made the decision to stop losing with money. I'll be honest, the monthly budget is our personal weakness. We tend to deal in generalities at our house. We need to get better at this so our winning process gets accelerated. I am already excited for Sunday evening.

What steps have you taken recently to win with finances?

Something to ponder...

"In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination."

-- Mark Twain

Lent -- Part 16 -- TRUST GOD

JEREMIAH 17:5-10

LUKE 16:19-31

Link Dump -- Took a break from the blogosphere Edition

America's Most Sinful Cities

From Discipleship to Control: A Quick Vocabulary Review

what is God breaking?

Rivals.com: Top 100 NFL Draft Prospects

The Devil’s Gauntlet

Church Staff Member Turns Himself In on Murder Charge; Church is Supportive

"Being Missional": 50+ Ways to Initiate

The Return of Jim Bakker

Altars to God or Monuments to Self?

Trouble in Middle Earth-- the Tolkien family sues New Line Cinema

Questions about Music and Church

Does God Care About Exercise?

The Mighty Foam Roller

100 Questions to ask your Parents

Lent - Part 15 - STAY THE COURSE

Will you continue even when the road is hard??

JEREMIAH 18:18-20

MATTHEW 20:17-28

Something to ponder...

“A bargain is something you can’t use at a price you can’t resist.”

- Franklin Jones

Lent - Part 14 - WALK THE TALK

Isaiah 1:10-20

Matthew 23:1-12

Lent - Part 13 - TAKE AN HONEST LOOK INSIDE

DANIEL 9:4-10



LUKE 6:36-38

Lent - Part 12 - OPEN YOURSELF TO TRANSFORMATION

Matthew 17:1-9

Mark 9:2-10

Luke 9:28-36

We must see Jesus as He truly is so that we can become like Him.

Something to ponder...

“It’s true: Winning breeds winning. What people forget to mention is that winning also breeds complacency. My observation is that complacency is the more common offspring of winning.”

--John Wooden

Lent - Part 11 - REACH OUT

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Matthew 5:43-48

Link Dump - Kelvin Sampson's phone bill must be ridiculous Edition

10 Tips for Life’s Greatest Challenge: Love Thy Enemy
middle school bans intentional farting
Return Dates for Television Shows
Five Inexpensive Things You Can Buy Today That Will Help The Environment.
Why I Started Lending Money With Prosper And Lending Club. -- interesting concept
A Leader’s Most Critical Task: Creating Culture
Calculate Your Net Worth
Cruising to Serve -- I love this idea
Resources for Serious Study of the New Testament
Numero Uno: First beagle wins at Westminster
NYT: You Are What You Spend
10 EXCUSES FOR MISSING WORK
Does the Bible Mandate Home Schooling
Old Wisdom

Lent - Part 10 - CHOOSE WELL

Ekekiel 18:21-28

Matthew 5:20-26

Something to ponder...

In a country that puts an absolute premium on labor-saving measures, short workdays, and retirement, why should there by any surprise at permanence of unemployment and welfare dependency? Those are only different names for our national ambitions.

--Wendell Berry

Book #4 - I Was Broke Now I'm Not by Joseph Sangl

I believe that I have been reading Joe's blog for about a year. There are 2 reasons that I enjoy what he has to say so much. 1 - He is passionate! 2 - He is practical. These are two powerful attributes to succeeding with money. As a FPU coordinator, I have enjoyed his perspectives and have found insipirations for my personal finainces and to pass along to those on the journey with me. When I heard that he was writing a book, I was excited to get a copy.

Folks, this is just the type of book that everyone needs to read about their finances. The two attributes I mentioned above are in this text in extreme doses. It is the inspirational story of how he and his wife have succeeded with money. Therein lies another key to winning wuth money. LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED. Everyone has an opinion. Joe has gone through and is living what he teaches.

This is not an in-depth scientific or technical text on money managment. It is clear, basic steps that every person can, and should put to use. Anytime you read a book and it motivates you to action, it is a good thing. This is one of those books. You can get a copy HERE. Honoring God by handling your finances well is as liberating a feeling as there is. This is a book that will be in my personal "toolbox" as I encourage others to be good stewards and win with their finances.

Something to ponder...

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."

--Sir Winston Churchill

Lent - Part 9 - PRAY BOLDLY

Is there anything that you are afraid to take to the Father?

MATTHEW 7:7-12

How Many Germs on Your Keyboard??

2,606,520How Many Germs Live On Your Keyboard?

Meet Ohio Singles

Lent -- Part 8 -- ONCE MORE, TURN AWAY FROM SIN

Resolve is vital to winning!

Jonah 3:1-10

Luke 11:29-32

Financial Peace University - Week 1

We were scheduled to have our first class this past Sunday evening. Unfortunately, the temperatures dropped to around 0 degrees with blowing snow and awind at 50 MPH. This obviously caused some unsafe conditions and forced us to postpone the first lesson. This was adissapointment because I am pumped about this class. When I look at the group who are going through, I cannot wait to get together and begin, and continue in the case of the returnees, working the plan to financial life change. I am VERY anxious to get at it this Sunday.

Lent -- Part 7 -- JOIN GOD"S PLAN

Isaiah 55:10-11

Matthew 6:7-15

Link Dump - Lots O links Edition

5 Inspiration Hacks for Creative People
She Lies About Her Weight (and other online activities of women)
Scholars Find Treasure Trove of Early New Testament Manuscripts
Hardcore Baptist Pick-up Lines
Credit Card Companies Are Like Drug Dealers
Preaching Sites - great list of study resources
Average American Christian: 9 Bibles, Always Looking for a New One, and Hardly Reads the one He Has
Dobson: If McCain is the Nominee, I Won’t Vote
Essential Reading: In the Name of Jesus
Good Coaching Questions
Never Forget an Item at the Supermarket [Grocery List]
Get Over the Flu Quickly [Health]
Why You Should Read Ebooks [Ebooks]
Save Money While Spending Freely with Reverse Budgeting [Personal Finance]
Verify Campaign Claims at FactCheck.org [Politics]
Markee Dry Erase Paint [Stuff We Like]
Are you STUCK? - Part One
The Most Beneficial Health Supplement You've Probably Never Heard Of--CoQ10!
The Church: Flawed and Finished (1)
Another Osteen Rant
Dr. BBQ’s Top 10 Tailgating Tips
Scary Newspaper Headline: 'Super Bowl Massacre Averted at Last Minute'
Tim Keller in Newsweek
Sometimes Only God Can Feel Hope
WHAT BOOK HAVE YOU READ MORE THAN ONCE?
Big Green Egg -- Im really considering one of these...
Firing A Volunteer
Pastoral Leadership during Potential Conflict 101
Our Faith Inside and Outside the Church
Yep, Evangelicals Prefer Clinton to Obama
The Blind Hypocrisy of Just Doing Church
Fetal Twins Save Mom's Life
Questions about Music and Church
Union University Tornado - video footage and testimony
N.T. Wright on Heaven
Mohler: Top 10 Books Every Preacher Should Read in 2008
Ice from airplane potty crashes through Calgary roof
2008 Persecutor Of Christians Rankings
10 Ways to Improve the NFL
Irish Blarney: Peering into a football future
Attack of the Marijuana Ministers Part 3

Lent -- Part 6 -- BE HOLY, IT REALLY COUNTS

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

Matthew 25:31-46

Lent -- Part 5 -- Fight Temptation

Matthew 4:1-11

Mark 1:12-15

Luke 4:1-13

Game of the Week -- Ant Buster

Place cannons to protect that picinic cake!

ANT BUSTER

Lent -- Part 4 -- GET RESULTS

When we put personal action in motion joined with God's direction, we Get Results...

Isaiah 58:9-14

Luke 5:27-32

Book #4 -- Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel

When I orginally added this book to my reading pile I thought that it was an inside look into ministry life based on the title. I had paid no attention to the sub-title, "Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God". While there is a great deal of sharing about ministry life, that is not the focus of the book.

Craig uses his transparent and honest style to mark a path through many of the big hangups that Christians face. With chapters like "I can't stand a lot of Christians", "I hate prayer meetings", and "Sometimes I doubt God" the reader is led places that most are at the very least wary of going in today's culture.

At the end of the book I personally felt hope. Hope because I can see some areas of my life that need addressing and it can be done. Also hope because I realize that many of the doubts, fears, and concerns I have and have had in the past are actually shared experiences rather than something weird.

When we recognize that it is a lie that we are odd and no one is like us we can step to freedom. The key is having the guts to stand up, speak up, and unite with other believers (who have their own issues) and walk toward personal victory in Jesus. No more going it alone, no more trying to do it on your own without God. Being honest with yourself, God, and others around you is the way to pull your head from the sand.

This book may not be for everyone; it takes a willingness to face the man in the mirror to get the most from the book. Thankfully Craig has written in an honest, open style that intives rather than bashes the reader into those personal journeys.

Something to ponder...

"Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff."

-- Frank Zappa

Lent -- Part 3 -- TAKE ACTION

Isaiah 58:1-9

Matthew 9:14-15

A great Michael Barrett photo

Thanks to the FAIL Blog...

An Athlete to root and pray for...

In THIS article we see that young up and coming star Josh Fields is willing to quit if it does not put him where God wants him. This is refreshing and someone I can point my sons to who is living the right way in the midst of great success. Here is a quote from the article:

"When I got my first taste of the big leagues in 2006, it was everything that I had dreamed about," Fields said. "But the further I got into my professional career, the more I had to deal with everything else that goes along with being a professional athlete. There were so many things going on in the clubhouse that I really questioned if professional baseball was for me. However, I prayed about it and realized there is nowhere I could have more influence
right now than in that clubhouse."

Lent -- Part 2 -- MAKE CHOICES

You must pick a side...

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Luke 9:22-25

Link Dump -- The White House is up for Grabs Edition

Disney - Star Wars Mashups
John McCain’s Citizenship Status & Eligibility for the Presidency Called into Question - lets see if this story grows any legs...
The Politics of a Short Memory - Discussion of what a true conservative is
Union University Launches Emergency Blog - it is a miracle no one was killed here
Updating the Evangelical Exit Poll Chart - how did they vote in each state
Four Leadership Lessons from the Super Bowl
Dr. BBQ’s Top 10 Tailgating Tips
Hardee's Still Committed To Their Low-Carb Customer Base In 2008
PaperBackSwap
17 Fitness Truths To Get You In Great Shape
The Top Seven Best Nicknames for Shaq in Phoenix
Airports You Want To Aviod
Top 10 Worst Places To Live For A Christian

Lent -- Part 1 -- Adjust Your Attitude

Our church has provided a booklet this year for Lent. As part of my personal processing each day I will be posting the Scriptures that we have been provided along with each day's theme.

Joel 2:12-18

2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Something to ponder...

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

--Thomas A. Edison

Baseball & Life -- Part 2 -- PLAY WITH HONOR

There are only 8 days left until the pitchers and catchers of 6 teams report to training camp. In part 2 of the Baseball & Life series we look at the principle:

PLAY WITH HONOR

Always hustle, run out every ground ball and pop up, encourage your teammates, especially after an error, bad pitch or strikeout. Carry yourself with pride and dignity. Do not in frustration throw equipment. Do not ridicule another team or opposing player's name, physical appearance, or skill. Do not taunt. Do not distract an opposing player with low-level antics. Be positive with teammates. Never ridicule or criticize them. They need your rencouragment the most right after they make a mistake. Show your teammates, opponents, and the entire world the values you hold dear by how you play.

This is one that the most competitive of us love to give good lip service to. Especially when we see someone else exhibt poor behavior. When we engage in the poor action, there is always an excuse. We love to point out when the coach or player on the team we love to hate does something that is considered poor sportsmanship. If one "our guys" does something, we are quick to justify that behavior. And don't think for a minute that the ones we are leading and teaching do not pick up on it. A child who knows that they will be backed and supported no matter their behavior is a disaster in waiting. There is a huge difference in providing an expalination and giving an excuse for an action.

Especially in the eyes of God, how we win and lose is more important than whether we win or lose. How we carry ourselves both on and off the field of play determines how we are viewed by the world. Look at the lives of any handful of great baseball players you can think of. Is your personal reaction to them based solely on their on-field abilities and contributions? Doubtful.

To play with honor seems like a lost art in our culture. It is definately there if you look for it. It is often unfortunately not the normal behavior. I am hard pressed to think of the last time I watched a game and there was no yelling at an official, equipment thrown, taunting of the opposition, or some other ridiculous behavior. It has become accepted on the field and in the stands. Parents and fans are a whole other long discussion. Just because something has become widely accepted does not mean that it is the right thing to do. Those who choose to play with honor not only represent themselves, their teams, families, communities, and in some cases country well; they represent their God as a Christ follower well.

We let outside influence change our behavior and resposes too easily. Remind yourself often that the next bad throw, missed swing, or mental error could be your own. That should be enough in itself to give us more grace with our teammates. In this I am referring to real life situations. When co-workers and ministry partners fail to meet our expectations would the future outcome be better if we came alongside in support rather than making an assault on the problem?

This is where the principle of letting the coaches do the coaching comes to play. Contructive criticism (coaching) should come from the proper source. Just because I have an opinion on an issue does not mean that I have a duty or a right to share it with a teammate. That is for the coach to do. I have watched a number of baseball teams approach this from both directions. The most successful ones have all of the players pulling for one another and anything corrective or instructional comes from the coaching staff. Even the most talented teams fall short when this is not the case.

Two verses come to mind that apply:

7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Ephesians 6:7-8

28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen

Ephesians 4:28-29

NEXT UP: Be Relentless.

Tim Hawkins -- Corporations and Worship Songs

Link Dump - The Commercials Stunk but the game delivered Edition

17 Unbeatable Ways to Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday
Thoughts on Super Bowl XLII
10 Tips to Retain More of What You Read Online
Robert Capon on the “Baseball Game” Image of Scripture
New Mississippi Motto: We Hate Fat People!
YouTube of David Tyree's Amazing Catch -- this play will be a classic
Poll: Most Americans Want a Biblical Leader as President
Remember Chris Sligh?
The Case Against Romney
Ann Coulter Will Campaign for Hillary if McCain is the GOP Nominee

Manning Wins the Super Bowl

Ok. The above statement doesn't seem too out of place; until you realize that it wasn't Peyton. Anyone who says that they saw this coming even a month ago is probably being a little less than truthful. A few things came to my mind...

• It was cool to watch a brother root for another in such an authentic way
• Could the dynasty over the next few years be how many Manning SB wins there will be?
• How unfulfilled must the Patriots feel?
• that play where Eli escaped the sack, and then heaved the ball to Tyree (who made and incredible catch) could be a career defining play
• was Belicheck leaving the field before the game was officially over an act of emotion or of poor sportsmaship?
• The Pats offensive line had the worst game of theor careers I think
• Congrats to the Giants.
• I'll probably watch the Pro Bowl; because thats it for football until August!

Something to ponder...

"Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."

-- Will Rogers

Happy Groundhog Day.

Just wanted to wish everyone a great day. Make it a good one in case it repeats. Any predictions on the shadow sighting?





Remember most of all, DONT DRIVE ANGRY.