Finally a nite at the cabin. It is nice here with some of the poplars turning color. Should be nice tomorrow to get out on the lake for a bit. Sad the season is coming to an end and at the end of the months the plans are to pull the boat out for the winter. Looking forward to return trips already .... along with some of "MyKids".
Had a great day in school today. Carol and I went in to do working lunch while the teacher has her grade class meetings. It is a great time to bond with the kids and really get to know them. Also got to hang a little with a child from last year, miss Jasmine is such a sweet child. We are still working on getting that lunch time in at the parent table. I was all smiles today when she told me she has lunch covered for the year. That makes me happy because at the end of the year last year, there were a couple times she did not have anything for lunch, Carol and I provided lunch for her for the rest of the year.
Our friend Leigh fell this morning while at work. She is doing ok after surgery on her wrist and elbow. Brian her husband was doing good while we waited for the news. It will be a recovery for her but I have $5 she will be in Sunday School on Sunday morning :) - Love you Leigh and Brian!
Also needed are prayers for our friend Lynn. She and her family live in NJ and they are having some family things taking place. Continue to pray for them during this time. Carol and I both love this family dearly ....... and only miles are in between our life long friendship.
Looking forward to tomorrow, coffee on the porch, finishing "the shack" and getting some water time on.....
As Kenny Chesney would say - "Nowhere to go and nowhere to be" - I can hear it big time....
One love,
Lonnie~
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Its great when.....
A parent emails me and thanks me for having lunch at school with their child. "It has been a tough week and with my job being that I can't go and have lunch with my son/daughter and knowing he/she is being visited by someone who truely cares for them - is priceless".
Words cannot fully comprehend what this parent is telling me. I am honored to go to the schools and invest my time in them. I love all the smiles, hugs, waves, and even love those tough conversations where a child tells me they don't have icecream money or even lunch money. It is about making a difference. I am looking forward to working lunch tomorrow and sitting with the kids. Today I was invited to a halloween party, horse back riding show and 4-5 thumb wrestle matches.
Looking forward to tonight hanging with the Lymans. Its a family we are doing life with and are very much family to us.
Got my flu shot this morning. The lovely lady who gave me my shot was very nice and we made small talk before giving me the big needle. I thanked her and told her to have a blessed day. She said "I have been waiting for someone to tell me that this morning - thank you and you have a thankful day". She then pulled out a big bag of candy and opened it - full of snicker bars and other such goodies.... It was awesome being the only one in the place to be enjoying my candy bar! My shoulder hurts but its better than the flu...... I would have missed that candy bar today without that small talk. :)
Talk tomorrow,
Lonnie~
Words cannot fully comprehend what this parent is telling me. I am honored to go to the schools and invest my time in them. I love all the smiles, hugs, waves, and even love those tough conversations where a child tells me they don't have icecream money or even lunch money. It is about making a difference. I am looking forward to working lunch tomorrow and sitting with the kids. Today I was invited to a halloween party, horse back riding show and 4-5 thumb wrestle matches.
Looking forward to tonight hanging with the Lymans. Its a family we are doing life with and are very much family to us.
Got my flu shot this morning. The lovely lady who gave me my shot was very nice and we made small talk before giving me the big needle. I thanked her and told her to have a blessed day. She said "I have been waiting for someone to tell me that this morning - thank you and you have a thankful day". She then pulled out a big bag of candy and opened it - full of snicker bars and other such goodies.... It was awesome being the only one in the place to be enjoying my candy bar! My shoulder hurts but its better than the flu...... I would have missed that candy bar today without that small talk. :)
Talk tomorrow,
Lonnie~
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Where are you today....
It is quiet here today. Odd..... but I am enjoying it. We have had some rain showers move through the area and its cool here in NC. Perfect day to finish up "The Shack" tonight. I tried to watch the debate last night but couldn't watch the bobbleheads talk anymore. Its frustrating to hear 2 people just bash each other and not really have a clue what its like to be the average american person today. They speak in trillions of dollors and most of us are just trying to make mortgage payments, pay taxes and keep the family intact. Anyways - no matter what, it will take more than 4 years to get us out from where we are currently standing.
Question for you today ~
Where do you spend most of your time in your mind? When you think of things, like days like this when its quiet and peaceful, do you spend your time thinking in the present, the past or in the future?
Your answer will show you which direction you are going in - in life.
~If you are constantly thinking in the past, maybe you have lost a loved one and you stay there to always remember and remind yourself of days past. Maybe afraid to move forward and moving on with your life especially now alone or uncertain. You're afraid of the quiet and always have the tv on, music playing or something to keep it from being quiet. Maybe your wondering where your faith is or if you ever really had it in the first place.... maybe you are mad at God right now for where you are living in your mind and heart...
~If you are constantly thinking in the present, maybe you are worried about something that continues to bog you down. Maybe a relationship is not right or your son or daughter is struggling with something or making bad choices. Maybe there has been some big change in the family structure or employment. You are stuck in the present unable to move forward or go back and make a wrong a right. Your faith is dull and has little life of its own... you are wondering "God where are you?" Why are you quiet and not answering my prayers....
~If you are constantly in the future, maybe you are thinking of retirement or the next vacation or like me, just some down time to unwind. Maybe you are thinking of your 401k and how bad it has taken a hit the last year? Maybe you are in school and working hard to move to a new career..... you are struggling with some things and you are learning to give them to God. Trust is growing and your faith is moving forward.... you are wondering what God is going to teach you next, you are ready and willing to follow His next command.....
No matter where you are right now - God can handle your past, He is with you in the present, and He is your future. He can erase those painful things of your past ... he can move you forward to the present. He can walk with you in the present and help you with your struggles, your worries and calm your fears so you won't stay in the present but move you to the future. Your future is bright with Him and as you look forward, you look for opportunities to serve Him, you pray for opportunities to serve others, you become a giver instead of a taker, your fear is erased, your feet begin to move, your heart hurts for others, your love increases because He gives you the ability to love and He is the example of love, your compassion increases because God has compassion on His children, the majority of the things you speak of is making a difference, what can we do together as a family to serve, how do we include our families and friends and the people we care most about in our walk with the Lord .....
You are on the right track, my friends. So where are you today?
Question for you today ~
Where do you spend most of your time in your mind? When you think of things, like days like this when its quiet and peaceful, do you spend your time thinking in the present, the past or in the future?
Your answer will show you which direction you are going in - in life.
~If you are constantly thinking in the past, maybe you have lost a loved one and you stay there to always remember and remind yourself of days past. Maybe afraid to move forward and moving on with your life especially now alone or uncertain. You're afraid of the quiet and always have the tv on, music playing or something to keep it from being quiet. Maybe your wondering where your faith is or if you ever really had it in the first place.... maybe you are mad at God right now for where you are living in your mind and heart...
~If you are constantly thinking in the present, maybe you are worried about something that continues to bog you down. Maybe a relationship is not right or your son or daughter is struggling with something or making bad choices. Maybe there has been some big change in the family structure or employment. You are stuck in the present unable to move forward or go back and make a wrong a right. Your faith is dull and has little life of its own... you are wondering "God where are you?" Why are you quiet and not answering my prayers....
~If you are constantly in the future, maybe you are thinking of retirement or the next vacation or like me, just some down time to unwind. Maybe you are thinking of your 401k and how bad it has taken a hit the last year? Maybe you are in school and working hard to move to a new career..... you are struggling with some things and you are learning to give them to God. Trust is growing and your faith is moving forward.... you are wondering what God is going to teach you next, you are ready and willing to follow His next command.....
No matter where you are right now - God can handle your past, He is with you in the present, and He is your future. He can erase those painful things of your past ... he can move you forward to the present. He can walk with you in the present and help you with your struggles, your worries and calm your fears so you won't stay in the present but move you to the future. Your future is bright with Him and as you look forward, you look for opportunities to serve Him, you pray for opportunities to serve others, you become a giver instead of a taker, your fear is erased, your feet begin to move, your heart hurts for others, your love increases because He gives you the ability to love and He is the example of love, your compassion increases because God has compassion on His children, the majority of the things you speak of is making a difference, what can we do together as a family to serve, how do we include our families and friends and the people we care most about in our walk with the Lord .....
You are on the right track, my friends. So where are you today?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
A step back a year or so....
I am running out of space on my laptop so yesterday afternoon - I began the task of cleaning out old files, archiving what I could and deleting the stuff I just don't need anymore. BUT - by doing so, I came across some things from a few years ago - things I have written or copied to keep as a reminder of a difficult season in life.
Our current Rock Group series "Why" fits perfectly with this. God often times is waiting on us to do something. He waits for us to take the first step and does not in anyway put His will on someone who does not want it. He never asked His children to act like robots but to have a relationship with Him and to do our lives with Him. If you are struggling with something today and God seems quiet and still - Ask yourself, What am I supposed to be doing?
Hope it means something to someone today. Enjoy the quick but powerful read....
When God waits
There are a lot of why questions that we lift up to God. Every day people are looking to heaven and crying out in frustration, "Lord, why aren't you doing something about this? Why is this happening to me?" We saturate the airwaves with the why questions of life. I'm convinced that God has one answer for almost every one of those questions. He says, I'm just waiting on you. When Moses and the Israelites stood on the edge of the Red Sea watching the Egyptian army close in on them, they cried out to God in fear. They began praying that God would somehow rescue them. And look what God said: "Tell the people to get moving!" (Exodus 14:15). To paraphrase, "I'm just waiting for you." Too often we spend our days waiting for a miracle. When trouble comes, we cry out to God for help. When things don't move fast enough, we blame God for taking his time. And all the while God is saying to us, I haven't gone anywhere. I'm just waiting on you. And what is it that God is waiting for? Often he is waiting for us to lay aside our own agenda and trust him.…Whenever God waits, he waits for a purpose. And when we finally come to our senses and do the thing that we know he wants us to do, he moves with a vengeance. The Red Sea parts, and things start to happen.
Love you all - time to head to lunch now with "MyKids" and invest in them. Its a special part of my day.... May the Lord be with them today with good decisions, home situations ok and I find "MyKids" happy and healthy.
Peace,
Lon~
Our current Rock Group series "Why" fits perfectly with this. God often times is waiting on us to do something. He waits for us to take the first step and does not in anyway put His will on someone who does not want it. He never asked His children to act like robots but to have a relationship with Him and to do our lives with Him. If you are struggling with something today and God seems quiet and still - Ask yourself, What am I supposed to be doing?
Hope it means something to someone today. Enjoy the quick but powerful read....
When God waits
There are a lot of why questions that we lift up to God. Every day people are looking to heaven and crying out in frustration, "Lord, why aren't you doing something about this? Why is this happening to me?" We saturate the airwaves with the why questions of life. I'm convinced that God has one answer for almost every one of those questions. He says, I'm just waiting on you. When Moses and the Israelites stood on the edge of the Red Sea watching the Egyptian army close in on them, they cried out to God in fear. They began praying that God would somehow rescue them. And look what God said: "Tell the people to get moving!" (Exodus 14:15). To paraphrase, "I'm just waiting for you." Too often we spend our days waiting for a miracle. When trouble comes, we cry out to God for help. When things don't move fast enough, we blame God for taking his time. And all the while God is saying to us, I haven't gone anywhere. I'm just waiting on you. And what is it that God is waiting for? Often he is waiting for us to lay aside our own agenda and trust him.…Whenever God waits, he waits for a purpose. And when we finally come to our senses and do the thing that we know he wants us to do, he moves with a vengeance. The Red Sea parts, and things start to happen.
Love you all - time to head to lunch now with "MyKids" and invest in them. Its a special part of my day.... May the Lord be with them today with good decisions, home situations ok and I find "MyKids" happy and healthy.
Peace,
Lon~
Monday, October 6, 2008
Why do the weekends go SO fast? Saturday, Carol and I attended Brandon and Aprils wedding. Pastor Jimmy did a great job with the service. I especially will not soon forget the look on Brandons face when April first came walking down the isle. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down and his face showed the emotions and the overflow of his love for her. The sweetest moment came during one of their songs and Brandon and April were kneeling facing each other holding hands. Brandon then April - sat and prayed probably the most awesome prayers anyone has ever heard. It was an awesome moment to witness. God is very much a part of their marriage and that spoke volumes as we all witnessed them raising each other and their marriage to God. They are an awesome example of a relationship that is honoring Gods word.
Saturday night, we got to hang with one of "MyKids". It was great sitting in my chair with her and just talking and sharing things. She is such an amazing kid and I love her dearly. Sunday came with its own blessings to be thankful for. Pastor Jimmy delivered an awesome message and one that it took all I had to hold it together. As he preached on death and how death is for the living.... we all will die in our earthly bodies but only some will live in our heavenly bodies. He taught us about the judgment that we will all face, regardless if we believe in Jesus or not, and what our good deeds brings us in heaven. What we think about eternity determines how we live in today. I reflected upon my father-n-laws last words on this earth. John 3:16 -"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Walt had always thought he was good enough, always being a good person and raising a family the best he knew how.... he had questions about heaven and hell. Sometimes he would believe and other times not. In the end, he put his trust in Jesus and for that I am thankful for.
Rock Group was special last night. We tackled some hard questions concerning "Why?" Why God answers us at times and at other times He seems quiet. Why we feel Him walking with us and at other times He feels distant. If we seek our Heavenly Father, we will find Him. So many times we are looking for the WOW ME affect. God still does those things but many times He is in the smaller things we often over look. As we pass on opportunities to serve someone or doing what He is asking us to do ... we miss out on the sweetness and softness of God. What in your life are you not doing that God is asking you to do? Is he asking you give someone some money for gas, making a meal to help a family through a tough time or maybe just asking them - WHAT is it that I can pray for you for? When we pass on those little whispers that God is wanting us to do ... what are we missing out on? Maybe your life is so full of sin that there is wall between you and God. A wall can be a hard barrier to break through but if we give those sins one at a time to God He will help us get over them thus breaking down our wall. Our sins cut us off from God. Maybe you have been through a tough and trying time. You asked God for something, maybe for a loved one to be healed and that person passed away. You turned your back on God and don't trust Him anymore. Maybe you are still hurt and not sure how to get back. Maybe time has passed and your heart is little harder now. Once you are a child of God, He pursues you and is seeking you. The air is filled with radio waves. They are all around us.... different stations on different frequencies. Even with the radio off, they are still there. Maybe you have tuned God out in your life. He is there but you just can't hear Him. We often times need to adjust our thinking and the way we do things in life so that we can tune into Gods frequency.
~What changes could you make in your life to keep you better in tune to Gods presence?
~Are you honestly seeking out God in your day to day life?
My message to the kids last night comes from Mark 4. We spoke about what a parable means and explained to the kids that Jesus used parables to help us understand what it was He was teaching us. If He spoke over our heads we would miss the point entirely. I asked for examples at school when the teacher speaks over their heads and they don't have a clue to what it is the teacher is teaching. A parable puts the story at our level so we may understand. Here is the story of
Mark 4
Parable of the Sower 1(A)He began to teach again (B)by the sea And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that (C)He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.
2And He was teaching them many things in (D)parables, and was saying to them in His teaching,
3"Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
5"Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.
6"And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7"Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8"Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
We then handed out seeds to all the kids. Lettuce and Spinach mixed together in their hands. I asked them about how we plant them. If they fall on the side those seeds may grow or may not. If the seeds are planted to shallow they may grow but soon wither in the heat and the things that life throws at us. The seeds that are planted in the weeds may grow but will soon be choked out by the weed. God has planted in us seeds and we must take our time to learn about Him and walk with Him so that when life does take a hard turn - we are like those seeds planted in good soil and that have been cared for and watered - Jesus is that perfect seed - we must share and plant other seeds as we reach out to their friends, classmates and neighbors. I asked if anyone wanted to pray as we all grabbed hands and little Wesley began to pray. His eyes shut and in a whisper - he prayed to our heavenly father. Nobody knows what he prayed for as he spoke his heart to Jesus - it was a moment that was filled with sweetness and the softness of Jesus. Blessed that we did not miss it.
Love you all~
Lonnie
Saturday night, we got to hang with one of "MyKids". It was great sitting in my chair with her and just talking and sharing things. She is such an amazing kid and I love her dearly. Sunday came with its own blessings to be thankful for. Pastor Jimmy delivered an awesome message and one that it took all I had to hold it together. As he preached on death and how death is for the living.... we all will die in our earthly bodies but only some will live in our heavenly bodies. He taught us about the judgment that we will all face, regardless if we believe in Jesus or not, and what our good deeds brings us in heaven. What we think about eternity determines how we live in today. I reflected upon my father-n-laws last words on this earth. John 3:16 -"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Walt had always thought he was good enough, always being a good person and raising a family the best he knew how.... he had questions about heaven and hell. Sometimes he would believe and other times not. In the end, he put his trust in Jesus and for that I am thankful for.
Rock Group was special last night. We tackled some hard questions concerning "Why?" Why God answers us at times and at other times He seems quiet. Why we feel Him walking with us and at other times He feels distant. If we seek our Heavenly Father, we will find Him. So many times we are looking for the WOW ME affect. God still does those things but many times He is in the smaller things we often over look. As we pass on opportunities to serve someone or doing what He is asking us to do ... we miss out on the sweetness and softness of God. What in your life are you not doing that God is asking you to do? Is he asking you give someone some money for gas, making a meal to help a family through a tough time or maybe just asking them - WHAT is it that I can pray for you for? When we pass on those little whispers that God is wanting us to do ... what are we missing out on? Maybe your life is so full of sin that there is wall between you and God. A wall can be a hard barrier to break through but if we give those sins one at a time to God He will help us get over them thus breaking down our wall. Our sins cut us off from God. Maybe you have been through a tough and trying time. You asked God for something, maybe for a loved one to be healed and that person passed away. You turned your back on God and don't trust Him anymore. Maybe you are still hurt and not sure how to get back. Maybe time has passed and your heart is little harder now. Once you are a child of God, He pursues you and is seeking you. The air is filled with radio waves. They are all around us.... different stations on different frequencies. Even with the radio off, they are still there. Maybe you have tuned God out in your life. He is there but you just can't hear Him. We often times need to adjust our thinking and the way we do things in life so that we can tune into Gods frequency.
~What changes could you make in your life to keep you better in tune to Gods presence?
~Are you honestly seeking out God in your day to day life?
My message to the kids last night comes from Mark 4. We spoke about what a parable means and explained to the kids that Jesus used parables to help us understand what it was He was teaching us. If He spoke over our heads we would miss the point entirely. I asked for examples at school when the teacher speaks over their heads and they don't have a clue to what it is the teacher is teaching. A parable puts the story at our level so we may understand. Here is the story of
Mark 4
Parable of the Sower 1(A)He began to teach again (B)by the sea And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that (C)He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.
2And He was teaching them many things in (D)parables, and was saying to them in His teaching,
3"Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
5"Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.
6"And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7"Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8"Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
We then handed out seeds to all the kids. Lettuce and Spinach mixed together in their hands. I asked them about how we plant them. If they fall on the side those seeds may grow or may not. If the seeds are planted to shallow they may grow but soon wither in the heat and the things that life throws at us. The seeds that are planted in the weeds may grow but will soon be choked out by the weed. God has planted in us seeds and we must take our time to learn about Him and walk with Him so that when life does take a hard turn - we are like those seeds planted in good soil and that have been cared for and watered - Jesus is that perfect seed - we must share and plant other seeds as we reach out to their friends, classmates and neighbors. I asked if anyone wanted to pray as we all grabbed hands and little Wesley began to pray. His eyes shut and in a whisper - he prayed to our heavenly father. Nobody knows what he prayed for as he spoke his heart to Jesus - it was a moment that was filled with sweetness and the softness of Jesus. Blessed that we did not miss it.
Love you all~
Lonnie
Friday, October 3, 2008
A couple of thoughts for a Friday~
Friday morning..... what a week it has been. Had a great lunch yesterday with Kyle @school - got to sit with a bunch of his peeps, Marissa and Carol M. I just love them! Got to see lots of my 3rd grade kids from last year which is way cool~ Things seem to be a little more relaxed at school this year compared to last year - I am big time thankful for that. Keep up that copying Carol for 5th grade!~
I love this time of year with the cool evenings and mornings, sleeping with the windows open and no humidity! Leaves will be turning soon and I am SO looking forward to some down time at the cabin. The best outdoor days are spent up there on that mountain. At Lake Adger there have been a few reports of our bobcat in the area. It is always cool to hear the CAT doing its call... it has been a few years since we have heard one and one that you would never forget once you hear it. We have some good friends who have the cabin this weekend and hope they are enjoying our little piece of heaven.
I love it when there is a rumble amongst my peeps. The book - "Have a new kid by Friday" is sweeping through our rock group. It is awesome hearing the stories of change that is taking place in our families and especially in our kids! It just shows us even more that we are all on the same team, we are in this parenting thing together and yes ---- it takes a ROCK GROUP (village) to raise kids these days! Keep up the learning rock group peeps...... proud of us!
Last night was the VP debate. Nobody really wins with those things and I just couldn't be a debate person. I would just fly off the handle and have to just have the smack down right there. I just don't do well with it all - especially with 2 different views on looking at the same thing and both folks thinking their way is best. Here on campus this place is full of political views and they go to the extreme with things in the office, stuff hanging on doors, you would just not believe it! I have had to ask people to leave my office because they get all red faced and harsh just because I have a Bush picture on my book shelf. Hey, its a cool picture and the President signed it and it has my name on it! Hey thats cool!!!! Well no matter what people say, everyone has their right to an opinion and we have to be respectful no matter what - even if folks don't agree with each other. I walked in this morning to the office and the first thing I see missing in our department window is our McCain/Palin sticker we had. That really ticked me off..... how can someone take something that doesn't belong to them? - especially with all the political stuff around here. It is just rude for someone to come into our office for IT help, look around and then sneak it off the window and throw it in the trash ...yes its caught on video....... yes I know who it is...... that is really upsetting. Suggestions on how to handle it from here?
I am currently in the middle of the next book I am reading. The Shack - it is blowing me away and can't wait till tonight to get back in it. Carol was making fun of me the other night because I am reading, writing and taking down notes...... she said - "Look at you, you can't even read a book without taking notes to pass along to others". Yup - thats me........ so here it is.... some of the things I am learning as I read this book - open my bible and read more on the subject and then reading some more.....
~ God wants us to keep from falling back to our religious conditioning
~ Life takes a bit of time and a LOT of relationship
~ Freedom is a process that happens inside of a relationship with Jesus
~ LOVE ALWAYS LEAVES A SIGNIFICANT MARK - I really love that one.....!
~ When all we can see is our pain, we lose sight of God
~ We often are looking for the WOW affect when looking for God but he often shows himself in the small things and we miss the sweetness and softness of Him
~ Jesus would have died on the cross just for YOU - but he didn't - it was for everyone
~ Life is not about winning and losing, its about loving and respecting
~ Relationships are never about power, they are about choosing to limit oneself to serving
~ Sin is its own punishment, devouring us from the inside
Looking forward to a great wedding tomorrow with Brandon and April and church on Sunday! I am in Sunday school at 11:00 and hoping for lots of "MyKids" being there - which means their parents are hearing about Jesus in the service! I am also pumped about our new Rock Group series "WHY" starting Sunday night - its DVD base and its a new style for me leading and for us learning ..... so hope it really takes hold in a big way! I feel cheated not having to dig in and go deep to put something together!
Have a great Friday everyone......
Peace out~
Lon~
I love this time of year with the cool evenings and mornings, sleeping with the windows open and no humidity! Leaves will be turning soon and I am SO looking forward to some down time at the cabin. The best outdoor days are spent up there on that mountain. At Lake Adger there have been a few reports of our bobcat in the area. It is always cool to hear the CAT doing its call... it has been a few years since we have heard one and one that you would never forget once you hear it. We have some good friends who have the cabin this weekend and hope they are enjoying our little piece of heaven.
I love it when there is a rumble amongst my peeps. The book - "Have a new kid by Friday" is sweeping through our rock group. It is awesome hearing the stories of change that is taking place in our families and especially in our kids! It just shows us even more that we are all on the same team, we are in this parenting thing together and yes ---- it takes a ROCK GROUP (village) to raise kids these days! Keep up the learning rock group peeps...... proud of us!
Last night was the VP debate. Nobody really wins with those things and I just couldn't be a debate person. I would just fly off the handle and have to just have the smack down right there. I just don't do well with it all - especially with 2 different views on looking at the same thing and both folks thinking their way is best. Here on campus this place is full of political views and they go to the extreme with things in the office, stuff hanging on doors, you would just not believe it! I have had to ask people to leave my office because they get all red faced and harsh just because I have a Bush picture on my book shelf. Hey, its a cool picture and the President signed it and it has my name on it! Hey thats cool!!!! Well no matter what people say, everyone has their right to an opinion and we have to be respectful no matter what - even if folks don't agree with each other. I walked in this morning to the office and the first thing I see missing in our department window is our McCain/Palin sticker we had. That really ticked me off..... how can someone take something that doesn't belong to them? - especially with all the political stuff around here. It is just rude for someone to come into our office for IT help, look around and then sneak it off the window and throw it in the trash ...yes its caught on video....... yes I know who it is...... that is really upsetting. Suggestions on how to handle it from here?
I am currently in the middle of the next book I am reading. The Shack - it is blowing me away and can't wait till tonight to get back in it. Carol was making fun of me the other night because I am reading, writing and taking down notes...... she said - "Look at you, you can't even read a book without taking notes to pass along to others". Yup - thats me........ so here it is.... some of the things I am learning as I read this book - open my bible and read more on the subject and then reading some more.....
~ God wants us to keep from falling back to our religious conditioning
~ Life takes a bit of time and a LOT of relationship
~ Freedom is a process that happens inside of a relationship with Jesus
~ LOVE ALWAYS LEAVES A SIGNIFICANT MARK - I really love that one.....!
~ When all we can see is our pain, we lose sight of God
~ We often are looking for the WOW affect when looking for God but he often shows himself in the small things and we miss the sweetness and softness of Him
~ Jesus would have died on the cross just for YOU - but he didn't - it was for everyone
~ Life is not about winning and losing, its about loving and respecting
~ Relationships are never about power, they are about choosing to limit oneself to serving
~ Sin is its own punishment, devouring us from the inside
Looking forward to a great wedding tomorrow with Brandon and April and church on Sunday! I am in Sunday school at 11:00 and hoping for lots of "MyKids" being there - which means their parents are hearing about Jesus in the service! I am also pumped about our new Rock Group series "WHY" starting Sunday night - its DVD base and its a new style for me leading and for us learning ..... so hope it really takes hold in a big way! I feel cheated not having to dig in and go deep to put something together!
Have a great Friday everyone......
Peace out~
Lon~
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Entourage......
Carol and I have the most awesome child - awesome in SO many ways! Early on Carol and I have spoken in great detail to him about the people he hangs out with - His Peeps. I have to say he has some great friends. Friends that bring him up a few notches and friends who walk with him and are GOOD kids. I do believe Kyle has good decision making skills and he chooses his peeps wisely! It is so easy to get into trouble and when you have some friends who take you down the bad decision paths - its always easier to go with a crew than to go alone.
Kyle will be heading to middle school next year and I pray that Carol and I have instilled in him to be a good kid, has good decision making capabilities, to be kind and caring, to help a friend in need, to be the friend the new kid in class needs, to work hard and really care for his close peeps. With so many problems in the family today it is amazing even some of our kids turn out ok. I come in contact with many kids each week and my heart breaks for so many of them. So many reach out and have been asking to have lunch with me at school - just once! I hate that I can't do that..... I love being able to get down at their level and just let them talk, let them be heard, ask how they are doing and if things are ok at home. I love being able to share my life and my family with SO many of them! It is amazing the stories and things that kids have to endure, overcome and survive. Life is hard for so many of them :(
I have someone close to me that seems to always be in trouble these days. Maybe mom and dad never came down on her or kept the punishment that was dished out and let her off easy or maybe always came to the rescue and got her OUT of trouble instead of her tasting the punishment. Maybe it is the fact that disappointment is confused with punishment and to her they mean the same thing - thus when she messes up and makes a bad choice - its disappointing someone instead of just learning right from wrong and PAYING the consequences of her actions. In many cases, these are kids just wanting to fit it... they are not leaders and just going along with the crowd. Hey thats easy to do.... but Maybe its the limelight of sticking out and being different because so many other kids look up to them, they think they are pretty or just plain cool. So this brings the opportunities to make bad decisions at every turn. They want to please people and not let ANYONE down. They want to be all to everyone - including the people they really dont care about. Why have 1678 friends on myspace? Nobody can honestly say they have or even KNOW that many people. Everyone is their friend..... BFF - BGFF whatever.......
As adults we all know that there are only a handful of people in our lives that we let speak truth to us - some of us don't even have anyone! We screen calls, look at caller ID, let the answering machine answer the phone for us....so many of us hide from people and keep people at arms length. We all need people, a close handful of people (friends and families) that can speak truth to us. Tell us when we are messing up, love on us even when we do, and walk with us no matter what. Never letting us get down that road that leads to destruction. They are willing to go to those hard places in life with us. I think this is where many young people make their mistakes, (adults too) they dont have a good handful of peeps that are grounded in Gods word. God's word sets it all apart. He wants us to aim higher and be part of something so much bigger than we are. He wants us to look beyond what we see and see what He sees. He wants us to focus on others and not on ourselves. I love watching the Project 252 kids at church - you can see right away which of these young folks HAVE IT ...and those who don't. There is such a difference between them.......
I started Judo when I was 7 years old. I studied martial arts for MANY years but the thing that has always stuck in my mind was when I started participating with the adults, I was still just a kid, is it brings a new game... we have to work that much harder. It raises your bar when the bar is WAY over your head. Our lives need to have people that we look up to. People who we think are better parents, better Christians, better leaders ... better....... get the point?
If we aim low....we will hit low. If we aim high, we will hit high. I am not doing life with people who are below me - they all have something that makes me aim higher! My Rock Group families are a perfect example and each one of them brings something extra out of me. They challenge me and in turn I hope I am doing that for them in some way.
Its the same with our kids. I am lucky that they are only smoking.... I don't buy it! Status quo is just going with the flow... doing what everyone else is doing.... you want to being authentic, to being different .... if that is what you are wanting to do ... then follow Jesus and watch your life change. Watch the others take notice that you are different - that everything about you has changed. Let your hair be the color God gave you ... plug up that low top that draws the boys off your eyes.... which is the way to a mans heart and not your well.. you know.... no need to stand out anymore because by following Jesus - you will!!!! The friends that are dragging you down who right now you think you can't do without - they can either go with you or get out of the way. ~~~This has taken place in my life not too long ago........ It even happens when your old! LOL
I am telling you this - Gods bar is way higher than our own........ aim high loved ones. AIM HIGH.
God has so much more to give you, show you and teach you than we are at currently. Open His book, think on His thoughts, capture and throw away those bad and discouraging thoughts, read His word, surround yourself with Godly people and let them bring you up a few notches. Only let a handful of peeps to speak truth and by all means - Let God be your standard....
The ditch for some of us is only a few decisions away.... who would be willing to walk with you there? Not many...... so take a look around you and really look at your ENTOURAGE -
Which direction are you headed?????? I asked my Rock Group families this time last year.... to delete someone in their cell phone because all they do is drag you down - you can't please them no matter what you do... they seem to take all your energy, even with little things.....They bring you trouble and thus keeping you from all God wants you to be.
Guess what? Its YOUR move........
Lonnie~
Kyle will be heading to middle school next year and I pray that Carol and I have instilled in him to be a good kid, has good decision making capabilities, to be kind and caring, to help a friend in need, to be the friend the new kid in class needs, to work hard and really care for his close peeps. With so many problems in the family today it is amazing even some of our kids turn out ok. I come in contact with many kids each week and my heart breaks for so many of them. So many reach out and have been asking to have lunch with me at school - just once! I hate that I can't do that..... I love being able to get down at their level and just let them talk, let them be heard, ask how they are doing and if things are ok at home. I love being able to share my life and my family with SO many of them! It is amazing the stories and things that kids have to endure, overcome and survive. Life is hard for so many of them :(
I have someone close to me that seems to always be in trouble these days. Maybe mom and dad never came down on her or kept the punishment that was dished out and let her off easy or maybe always came to the rescue and got her OUT of trouble instead of her tasting the punishment. Maybe it is the fact that disappointment is confused with punishment and to her they mean the same thing - thus when she messes up and makes a bad choice - its disappointing someone instead of just learning right from wrong and PAYING the consequences of her actions. In many cases, these are kids just wanting to fit it... they are not leaders and just going along with the crowd. Hey thats easy to do.... but Maybe its the limelight of sticking out and being different because so many other kids look up to them, they think they are pretty or just plain cool. So this brings the opportunities to make bad decisions at every turn. They want to please people and not let ANYONE down. They want to be all to everyone - including the people they really dont care about. Why have 1678 friends on myspace? Nobody can honestly say they have or even KNOW that many people. Everyone is their friend..... BFF - BGFF whatever.......
As adults we all know that there are only a handful of people in our lives that we let speak truth to us - some of us don't even have anyone! We screen calls, look at caller ID, let the answering machine answer the phone for us....so many of us hide from people and keep people at arms length. We all need people, a close handful of people (friends and families) that can speak truth to us. Tell us when we are messing up, love on us even when we do, and walk with us no matter what. Never letting us get down that road that leads to destruction. They are willing to go to those hard places in life with us. I think this is where many young people make their mistakes, (adults too) they dont have a good handful of peeps that are grounded in Gods word. God's word sets it all apart. He wants us to aim higher and be part of something so much bigger than we are. He wants us to look beyond what we see and see what He sees. He wants us to focus on others and not on ourselves. I love watching the Project 252 kids at church - you can see right away which of these young folks HAVE IT ...and those who don't. There is such a difference between them.......
I started Judo when I was 7 years old. I studied martial arts for MANY years but the thing that has always stuck in my mind was when I started participating with the adults, I was still just a kid, is it brings a new game... we have to work that much harder. It raises your bar when the bar is WAY over your head. Our lives need to have people that we look up to. People who we think are better parents, better Christians, better leaders ... better....... get the point?
If we aim low....we will hit low. If we aim high, we will hit high. I am not doing life with people who are below me - they all have something that makes me aim higher! My Rock Group families are a perfect example and each one of them brings something extra out of me. They challenge me and in turn I hope I am doing that for them in some way.
Its the same with our kids. I am lucky that they are only smoking.... I don't buy it! Status quo is just going with the flow... doing what everyone else is doing.... you want to being authentic, to being different .... if that is what you are wanting to do ... then follow Jesus and watch your life change. Watch the others take notice that you are different - that everything about you has changed. Let your hair be the color God gave you ... plug up that low top that draws the boys off your eyes.... which is the way to a mans heart and not your well.. you know.... no need to stand out anymore because by following Jesus - you will!!!! The friends that are dragging you down who right now you think you can't do without - they can either go with you or get out of the way. ~~~This has taken place in my life not too long ago........ It even happens when your old! LOL
I am telling you this - Gods bar is way higher than our own........ aim high loved ones. AIM HIGH.
God has so much more to give you, show you and teach you than we are at currently. Open His book, think on His thoughts, capture and throw away those bad and discouraging thoughts, read His word, surround yourself with Godly people and let them bring you up a few notches. Only let a handful of peeps to speak truth and by all means - Let God be your standard....
The ditch for some of us is only a few decisions away.... who would be willing to walk with you there? Not many...... so take a look around you and really look at your ENTOURAGE -
Which direction are you headed?????? I asked my Rock Group families this time last year.... to delete someone in their cell phone because all they do is drag you down - you can't please them no matter what you do... they seem to take all your energy, even with little things.....They bring you trouble and thus keeping you from all God wants you to be.
Guess what? Its YOUR move........
Lonnie~
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