Happy Birthday to Me!

Ok, today isn't my birthday, but it was 3 days ago.



On Monday, I had one of the best birthday celebrations I've ever had. My three ladies (Shami, Baylee and Savanah) took my out for lunch at AppleBees, then took me to Steve and Barry's and got me a shirt and pants as a gift and finally when we got home they made me a great cake that we all are still enjoying!



That day was so fantastic!



I don't know about you, but I still get that internal butterfly excitement every time I get a card or a present. I can't wait to see what it says, or what might be inside. As I think of that feeling, I can't help thinking about how God feels as He watches us receive His big "Card" or his incredible "Gifts."



I always wonder what people think the Bible is. To some its just a bunch of old, mystical writings that have symbolic meaning. Others, it's an Almighty Creators' Rules and Regulations. Some it's an instruction manual while others it's a love letter from a Father to his kids or loved ones.

I simply think that the Bible is for us to Reflect on who God is and Delight in what He has done and be Refreshed by the words that are inside.

I'll share more sometime soon. Gotta get the groceries!!!

Nothing

Is it ok to do nothing? Today, my girls and I are just relaxing, watching 102 Dalmations and playing Barbies, and yet there's this feeling like I'm supposed to be doing something and not nothing.

I had to get these thoughts out otherwise they'd bug the snot out of me!

When you think about it, doing nothing is actually doing something. My nothing is simply being with my family and enjoying their company!

Make sure you take time to do "nothing" with Jesus soon and simply enjoy his company!

Gotta get back to doing nothing!

The Human Hole

What a Sunday! I felt like we were able to make some great connections with others yesterday as we sat around the tables in the Sanctuary this past Sunday. What a great meal and a great response to the new and ongoing small groups that are happening at New Life.

As I reflect on why it excites me so much, I realize that it's because of my own need to see my craving for deep personal connection met. Don't get me wrong. I had connection at my church in Las Vegas, and growing up in my church in Seattle, but I have never felt as deep a connection with people as I do with the people that are a part of my Small Group.

If we were honest, we'd recognize that we all have that craving. We all need to have those two holes filled. First, the God Hole which we all tend to work on in some fashion through worship or study. But we don't necessaryily put effort into filling the Human Hole in all of us. Jesus knew we needed both filled. That's why he gave us to equally important calls of Loving God (with all we have) and Loving People (no matter what) in the 22nd chapter of the first book in the New Testament, Matthew.

We need to understand this importance! "Church" is more than attending. It's about connecting and connecting in that deep way that all human's crave. If you are not apart of a small group, let me encourage you to jump right in, share your story, listen to other's stories and that hole in your heart for human connection, in a deep way, will begin to be filled!

As that hole gets filled, you will notice others that have that same craving. When you see them just do three simple things - INVEST into their lives (no agendas please - other than love) - sharing your story and hearing theirs. When the time seems right, INVITE them to your small group where they can connect with other people, and finally, always INCLUDE them into this greater story that we all are privledged to live in!

As we do this, we will see the vision Jesus gave us of Loving God and Loving People become a daily reality where ever we are!!

Perfection?

Why do we strive for perfection?

The New England Patriots were on the brink of doing what only one other team in NFL history has ever done - have a undefeated, perfect season.

As we all know there were a few Giants in the way to stop them and those Giants from New York did just that, winning 17-14 in the SuperBowl and giving the Patriots their only loss of the season.

Many Patriots said that it left their season incomplete, but why?

I am one of those that strives for perfection. A very bad and nasty habit if taken to the extreme. Failure is OK. Imperfection is OK. It has to be - just look at you and me!

When you fail it is what you do with that failure that matters most. David got caught with another man's wife, murdering her husband and getting her pregnant. Peter got caught denying and lying his way through the night that Jesus was taken to his destiny on the cross. Phillip got caught saying there was no way Jesus could feed the 5,000 men on the hillside one evening. Moses got caught trying to deliver the people of Israel his way by murdering an Egyptian. Judah got caught selling his brother Joseph off. Samson got caught...you get the idea I'm sure!

All these men failed and lost their "perfect season" but take a look in the Bible and see their outcomes and you'll see that despite the failures they got back up to win again!

You can win again too! You will win again too!

By the way Colts fans and the rest of the NFL, I think that the Patriots will be out to win again!

Let the Blogging Begin!

There'll be longer posts to come but just to get this rolling - Here's my first one!

Things can seem so easy at times and so hard at other times but regardless of the level of work it takes, can't things just be SIMPLE? Do we complicate life too much?

I feel Jesus seemed to do that when he was asked to pick which ONE commandent of all the 600+ laws and decrees was the greatest. It wasn't even a question from someone who was really seeking an answer from Jesus. He was wanting to somehow trap him!

But Jesus answered anyway and gave us TWO and only TWO that summed all 611 other laws up into one SIMPLE phrase - LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE!

That is SIMPLE but not always easy is it? Let's talk more about it later!