Reflective Thoughts

I am often challenged by great quotes & thoughts. Here are a few to meditate on:

• I must first have the sense of God's possession of me before I can have the sense of His presence with me. -Watchman Nee
• There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. -Nelson Mandela
• Character-the sum of our abilities to deal with life as God designed us to. -Dr. John Townsend
• I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels. -John Calvin
• The proof of desire is in the pursuit. -Rod Parsley
• When values are clear, laws are unnecessary. When values are not clear, laws are unenforceable. -Goethe
• Some people claim to be normal Christians when they actually mean they are nominal Christians. -A.W. Tozer
• Be not angry that you can't make others as you wish them to be, since you can't make yourself as you wish to be. -Thomas A. Kempis
• The difference between the truth that you know and the truth that you live equals the pain that you experience. -Craig Groeschel
• Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. -God

Surfing USA

I grew up in Daytona Beach, FL and spent many hours at the beach. We were pretty poor growing up and the beach provided days of free entertainment. I never did try to surf (didn't know anyone with a surf board) but spent hours body surfing and riding boogie boards. We would paddle out and wait for the big wave to carry us all the way to the beach.

The key to getting a get ride back to the shore was being able to catch the right wave at the right time. You had to pay attention to what was coming at you, time your move just right, and have the guts to jump on the wave to take you in. It didn't always work out the way you expected and sometimes you ended up with a bathing suit full of sand and a mouth full of seawater. 

Life isn't a whole lot different from trying to catch that wave. We can get excited by the potential of an opportunity and if we aren't paying attention, act at the right time, or have the guts to take a risk, we simply miss out. Even if we take a leap of faith you aren't guaranteed to find success. You might end up with a bad taste in your mouth and a chafing sensation that rubs you the wrong way. You then have to decide whether you're going to wade back out for another chance or give up and sit on the shore. I can assure you that very little adventure happens while we sit watching other people look for the next wave of opportunity.

The Great One

I was listening to ESPN radio in my car the other morning (no shocker there) and heard a sportswriter talking about his recent, lengthy interview with Michael Jordan. The quote that got my attention was, "Greatness up close can be really ugly."

Sadly, the same characteristics that make for mesmerizing competitiors, powerful leaders, and people of influence can be difficult to stomach up close. People who are used to the limelight aren't always able to adjust to stepping aside or sharing that light as abilties wane. The greatness that brings worldly success can reflect an incredibly large ego, a lack of compassion, and a continual insistence on being right. I would wager that once the moments of grandeur are over it leaves a very unsatisfying aftertaste in a spirit that keeps searching for the greatness that once seemed so easily attainable and unending.

Begin Again

There is something about a blank whiteboard that hints of promise. It's the potential for a sermon to be fleshed out as I study. It's creative space for camp planning and the assorted details that go with it. The white space can be used to map out ideas for developing leaders, for writing task lists, for writing thoughts to meditate on for a few days or weeks. 

Metaphorically, it means even more. It's the fresh start we get with God each day when we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. It's the beginning of healing in a relationship when you are both willing to learn from the past and move forward in unity for the future. It's an unwritten end to your own story with the details left to be filled in as you decide what your next steps are. The blank space waits for our obedience, sacrifice, and risks of faith as we believe in the promises God has already given to us. 

Something will be written on that board and we active participants in deciding what it will be.

Do It Anyway

I don't feel like blogging today. I have a list of the reasons why I don't want to do it and yet I find myself sitting down to write anyway. My main motivation is that I have been blogging daily since November and don't want to let one afternoon of indifference keep me from continuing that streak of writing. Honestly, there are going to be days when you just do what you need to do even if you don't necessarily feel like it. The discipline of eating right, exercising, reading your Bible, praying, staying focused at work, and investing in your family will pay off in the long run. On the days when your motivation is low and you feel like giving up it's still important to maintain your commitment. Nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished by only being disciplined when we are highly motivated.

The Great Unknown

My family & I were blessed to attend the wedding of a special young couple today. They have been in love for quite some time and we knew long ago that this is where they would end up. As I sat holding hands with my wife of 18+ years during the ceremony, I thought about the journey this couple is beginning. There is no way to predict the specifics of what their future holds. I do know they will experience triumph, sorrows to battle through, fights and the joy of making up, and the great works of God in their lives.

I'm not envious of the start of their marriage, but am joyful for the unknown that they will face together with God's blessing. I can look at the success of my own marriage and smile in anticipation of the life they will build together.

Deep Longing

There is a deep longing in each of us for the freedom that only God can bring.We settle for filling that desire with a poor substitutes that leave us less than satisfied and frantically searching for something more. When we gain a glimpse of the purity of God's way, it stirs our soul and touches us spiritually in ways that outshine all our other efforts. It gives us a taste of something that we have been striving to find. The packaging may be in a quiet moment, the unexpected kindness of a stranger, genuine compassion in the face of tragedy, or in the power of a song.

I saw some of that in a video clip from American Idol today. There is no doubt this young lady is talented, but there is something even more engaging about the song that she has written & performed. I can see the impact of the words on the faces of the judges and know that it stirs in them the same thing it does in me--the cry of redemption and restoration as we are set free.


You Set Me Free by caseycarlsonx1