Friday, November 30, 2007
authenticity - part 3 of 3
recently my church began declaring some things over our tithes and offerings before we worship the Lord with them. one of the things we declare is that we will receive estates and inheritances. to be honest, when i first read this line i kind of chuckled to myself. i thought it was kind of morbid because in order for us to receive an estate or inheritance typically someone has to die.
but then i was convicted. what things in my life need to die before i can receive what He has for me? what do i need to let go of in order me to be authentic, therefore allowing Him to shine brighter through me?
so here's the authentic me.
i don't have it all put together. i'm scared of failure. i struggle with pride and self-absorption. i don't always obey what He says. bitterness creeps back into my life from time to time. i sometimes wear my everything-is-wonderful-in-my-life mask when beneath it all i know that's a lie.
but i love Jesus. and i want to continue to introduce the world to Him. because at the end of the day, i want Him to tell me that i've done a good job. i want my life to have brought Him fame.
Jesus, please don't let how i worship be more important than who i worship. Jesus, please don't let me just pay lip service. let my words and actions be pleasing to You whether or not anybody is looking. Jesus, help me to be authentic. help me to have real religion, the kind that passes muster before You.
Monday, November 26, 2007
authenticity - part 2 of 3
the speaker who gave the meat-and-potatoes message (see below if you don't know what i'm talking about) talked for a few minutes about "non-committal lip". basically, it was is the high school rule of making out with a girl and not having any sort of commitment with her. he then related that to the church today. are we intimate with God at church only to turn our backs on Him when the pastor prays the dismissal prayer? are we intimate with God only when we have an audience?
ouch.
consistency is hard sometimes. my work schedule is a perfect example of this. i don't have a fixed schedule but can pretty much come and go as i please. you could call it flex-hours if you wanted. i can go in at 8am one day, but go in at 9:30 the next day. the problem, however, lies in the fact that my colleagues never know when i'll be there. why? because i'm not consistent.
so am i consistent spiritually? am i intimate with God in public the same way i'm intimate with God when i'm alone?
for me consistency fits together with holiness like a hand fits in a glove (unless you're OJ). the professor of my christian ethics class in college once asked me in front of the entire class, "clay, are you holy?" without blinking i responded "no". he stood there surprised by the promptness of my response and surprised because it wasn't the answer he was expecting from a religion major. i think it's a little presumptuous to say "yes, i am holy". maybe it's just me, but if you get up and boldly proclaim that [queue organ music and angels singing] you are holy [stop music and singing], i'm going to guess that you're probably not and you just want to impress me.
am i holy? not always, but i strive to be. am i consistent? not always, but i strive to be. am i intimate with God in public the same way i'm intimate with God when i'm alone? not always, but i strive to be.
Jesus, please don't let how i worship be more important than who i worship. Jesus, please don't let me just pay lip service. let my words and actions be pleasing to You whether or not anybody is looking. Jesus, help me to be authentic. help me to have real religion, the kind that passes muster before You.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
authenticity - part 1 of 3
i heard a message recently that dealt with authenticity. i was expecting a shot-of-wheatgrass-and-tofu sort of message, but i was hit in the face with a meat-and-potatoes sort of message. it is sticking with me and churning around deep inside of me.
the first church i really remember attending was in the appalachian mountains of eastern kentucky. it was country. we sang such redback classics as He abides, victory in Jesus, and joy unspeakable. men did not wear shorts and women did not wear jewelry, make-up or pants. we did not listen to secular music, watch movies or play cards. those were worldly and we were not of the world. however, despite all of the legalism (and there was plenty!) you saw people who had an authentic relationship with Jesus. their environment did not matter to them. their circumstances did not matter to them. they could praise God in the bottom of a coal mine just the same as they could while in our little country church. they were who they were. plain and simple.
fast forward twenty years.
for the most part our churches today don't have the legalism of times past. we've learned that in order to reach the lost, we have to do things differently. we are still not of the world, but we can compete with the world. we have the lights, smoke, graphics, videos and technology. we have all the things that will attract the non-believers in Christ.
but have we somehow inadvertently managed to trade the relationship for the experience? with my pentecostal-tinted glasses fixed firmly before my eyes, have i been looking for an experience or a relationship?
Jesus, please don't let how i worship be more important than who i worship. Jesus, please don't let me just pay lip service. let my words and actions be pleasing to You whether or not anybody is looking. Jesus, help me to be authentic. help me to have real religion, the kind that passes muster before You.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
ragamuffin secrets to successful blogging
Do not post about your family. Most readers do not care.
Try and target an audience and write for them. Remember your blog is for others.
Do not talk about things you are not an expert at. You end up looking like a fool.
Keep your posts short and to the point.
Do not embed videos on your blog. We have all seen them before.
Embed videos on your blog, most people have not seen them before.
Keep your posts long, with careful thought spread throughout.
Take a stab at writing about things you are not an expert at. It creates good discussion.
Write whatever you want without your readers in mind. They come to read what is in YOUR head, not theirs.
Post about your family. People love to share in your personal life.
and what's better than that? i bought it for less than 1/3 of the retail price.
selah.
chillaxin'
remember when i went to queensbridge (the largest housing project in america) a few weeks ago? here's a video that sunburned took of some of the kids teens that i met.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
things i'm thankful for
1. friends and family who love me enough to be honest with me. 2. the opportunity to be connected with a church for people like me. 3. the immeasurable amount of grace bestowed upon me every day. 4. people who serve The Big Man Upstairs in foreign lands on days like today.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
oh yeah
Monday, November 19, 2007
my niece is only FOUR
"emma catherine, will you go upstairs and get my cell phone please?"
"yes, i will even though it's not my responsibility."
oh. my. goodness. she's going to be A MESS when she gets older.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
sunday recap
i'm having writers block. i've tried all day long to write about church this morning, but i just can't seem to do it justice. if you weren't there today, then you missed Him.
we were swept over. seriously swept over.
Friday, November 16, 2007
sad but true
why are louisville fans always so bitter? such poor sports? you don't see kentucky fans advocating child abuse like this schmuck.
yet another example of the poor sportsmanship of the dirty birds. so sad, so sad.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
i've been chastised
have you ever tried to explain and suggest things to God? i tried that recently and it didn't go over so well.
i've been in a bad mood for a few days, so i thought i would be kind enough to explain and to suggest some things to God so He'd know how to make things go more smoothly for me. i explained that i needed for some things to happen right away and He didn't need to delay. i needed them now. chop, chop God. i told Him that if He'd only do what i was asking that things would be so much better and that all would be well with the world. i wouldn't be so grumpy and people would enjoy being around me again. because, really, it's God's fault when we're grumpy, right?
about then was when He slapped me up-side the head. fo' real. i read this verse: you know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. so don't try to get out of anything prematurely. let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
ouch. that hurt.
i apologized, acknowledged His Lordship, tucked my tail between my legs and vowed to do better next time.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
roger that
i prayed to jesus on the flight back to louisville tonight.
the landing gear had gone down. the flight attendants were seated. we were close to the earth, despite the fact that you couldn't see it, when we suddenly shot back up into the sky.
a few minutes later, the pilot told us all "sorry about that folks. we were on final approach when the plane in front of us slowed down considerably. we got too close to it, so we had to go up quick."
ummm... yeah... we almost rear-ended another plane while in the air. not so fun.
Monday, November 12, 2007
maintenance
as you can see, i've done some remodeling around here. give me some time to put the finishing touches on everything. i've run into some bumps on the road that i'm trying to fix.
gracias.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
i know it's a sunday
and i'm supposed to be on cloud nine because church was da bomb today. but i'm not on cloud nine. i'm not even on cloud two. i'm in a pissy mood today for a plethora of reasons.
just the truth my friend, just the truth.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
need. shoes.
today i watched a video of myself skydiving in south africa. the sneakers i had on then (in 2001) are the only sneakers that i own. that was 7 years ago.
i really should invest in another pair of shoes.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
divali
i wished a hindu friend of mine a "happy divali" today and my non-hindu friends looked at me like i was crazy. they had no idea what divali was.
so... here's my version of divali-in-a-nutshell: divali is a major holiday that hindu's all over the world celebrate. it's known as the festival of lights and presents are given to one another. the holiday celebrates lakshmi, the hindu goddess of fortune and beauty. it's generally believed that every house that has a lit lamp during the night of divali will be visited by lakshmi and blessed with fortune and beauty.
does the story sound familiar? a festival where presents are given to one another to celebrate the light? hmmmmm...
by the way, yes, there are hindu gods (little "g" not big "G") in the picture above. you will not go to hell for looking at the picture, nor will i go to hell for displaying it on my weblog.
habanero mango wings please
louisville and west virginia on one screen playing ncaa football. chicago and new england on the other screen playing major league soccer. surround sound going crazy.
just give me some wings and i'd have my own bw3's.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
election day
i hope you exercised your right to participate in a free democracy today. i did.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
sunday recap
i set my alarm on my phone for 7:30 this morning, so i could leave for church by 8. i assumed that my phone would automatically turn itself back one hour. only when i got out of the shower did i realize it wasn't even 7 yet. i wasn't a happy camper.
pastor don tore. it. up. this morning. fo' real. best i've ever heard from him.
several people accepted Christ at the end of the second service and that's always awesome.
our chef at ichiban was a buddhist from laos. just another example of the international community in louisville that needs to hear about Christ.
the patriots beat the colts and i'm pretty bummed about that.
the only reality show that in which i would participate premiers tonight. two of the racers are goth's from here in louisville. woo-hoo!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
a conversation with a seven-year-old boy
"what's that on your shirt?"
:: he thoroughly sniffs the stain on his shirt ::
"smells like a soft taco with meat and cheese only."
Friday, November 02, 2007
almost reality
it's pretty clear cut. the mission: to impact the heart of the city. the vision: 12,000 people.
watch this video. then show up at 7:30 tonight at nvmc. although you should come early to get a seat. it'll be packed!!!
