I added a new gadget today at the bottom of my blog called Playlist.com. I have just put a few songs on there so far but hope to put a lot more of my favorites on it soon.
Apparently I was having problems with my blog loading on some browsers because of the one year Bible gadget that I had on there, so I will try a different scripture passage gadget later.
Anyway, crank up the speakers and enjoy the tunes!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
This week's lesson was titled "Show It". The verses were from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 and 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12. The basic premise this week was that we, as men and fathers, need to be modeling spiritual life and growth to our families. Just as Paul modeled being devout, upright, and blameless; and just as he was always exhorting, encouraging, and imploring the early church (and us) to walk in a manner worthy of Christ's calling, we need to do the same with our families.
So, the question I have to ask myself is, what have I been modeling for my family? Is it apathy about the things of God? Is it a love for the world? Is it a desire to know and serve the Lord? Is it a growing walk with God and a deepening relationship with Him?
I have to say that when I look closely at my life, I don't like the answer to these questions. I serve in many capacities at church, but I don't have much personal growth in the areas of prayer and Bible study.
My prayer this week is that I would have a hunger for these things and that God would use me to show my family what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel to which we have been called.
At the end of each lesson, there is a section called "Standing Strong". It is like the homework or the lesson that you will take away from that week's session. This week, the question is, "What will you do this week to model something of spiritual worth that your family can imitate?"
My answer is that I want to be encouraging to my family. I want to encourage them to serve the Lord, have a hunger for His Word, and avoid the temptations of the world. I want to turn off the TV, go to bed early, wake up early, study the Word, and pray for my family each morning. This is how I want to model spiritual growth for them and encourage them to grow as well.
Will you pray that I would make this a priority in my life? I know my family will emulate my example, and I want their imitation of me to be a further example to others of godliness and righteousness, not one of apathy, worry, discontentment, or worldliness.
Stay tuned for next week's session called "Lead Her".
Did I mention I love my wife and kids?
(Posted 3/25/09 from my BlackBerry.)
Friday, March 20, 2009
This just happened about ten minutes ago, while we were eating pizza with my parents, niece, and nephew in Clyde:
Nathan: "Do you know how you make pizza soda?"
Me: "Um...no, how do you make pizza soda?"
Nathan: "Just take some tomato sauce and put it in a can of Coke and you have pizza soda!!"
I think he got the idea from Daniel, his 8-year old cousin.
Anyone out there want to give it a try? Maybe there's a market out there for it!! Okay, probably not...
(Posted from my BlackBerry)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
We had our first "Being God's man in leading a family" meeting yesterday evening. We have an awesome group of about 15 men in there that I am looking forward to getting to know better.
I thought we had some good discussion and someone always says something that I had not thought of before. I know the Lord will use these men to speak into my life through the study and application of His word. Hopefully He will use me in the same way with them as well.
Please be in prayer for these men and their families. The enemy really doesn't like it when men of God rise up and take on their God-given roles of husband and father, leader and provider. I'm sure we will be attacked even more than usual and we will need your support to resist the devil and flee temptation.
I hope you are having a great week!
(Posted on 3/19/09 from my BlackBerry.)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
For those of you playing along at home, this week's verses for the Bible study are 1 Timothy 6:10-16. The theme this week is "Own It".
Basically, the authors (Kenny Luck, Todd Wendorff, & Stephen Arterburn) want you to realize that you have to take ownership of your own spiritual growth and personal spiritual life.
What does that mean though? What are your thoughts?
If you know me very well at all, you know that my BlackBerry is usually not far from my side. I use it all of the time and have apps loaded on it for just about anything, from e-mail, to maps, to my Bible, to reading blogs, to streaming radio, to my calendar, to games, to...well, you get the point.
Anyway, I found a site called Wirenode where you can create your own mobile webpage for free. You can go to www.wirenode.com to create one of your own. It is actually very easy and fun.
At work, I set up all of our BlackBerry devices and people are always asking me what apps are good to have, so I created the mobile site http://ffin.wirenode.mobi/ to answer their questions quickly and easily.
If you are a CrackBerry addict, I mean Blackberry user, check it out from your BlackBerry and enjoy the linkage. If you know of any really cool or useful apps that I left off of the list, let me know.
Later!
(Posted from my BlackBerry) (Yes, I know you're shocked!!!!)
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I'm joining a new Bible study tomorrow night with the men of South Side Baptist Church. It is called "Being God's man in leading a family". I'm looking forward to the sharpening that I know will happen as men of God come together, read and study God's word, and share our thoughts and experiences with one another.
I am far from being the perfect father, but I do strive to lead my family in godliness and righteousness. I know that this can happen best when I am being held accountable, encouraged, strengthened, challenged, and tested by other godly men.
I really long for a man or a couple of men to come alongside me and hold me accountable in my life. That is something that I have been missing. I have been praying for this for a long time. I feel like I have been the Lone Ranger for far too long, trying to fight all of the battles in life myself.
I know God has the man or men out there that He is preparing to step into that role, but I want it to happen on my time-table! Of course, that is not going to happen, so I am just trying to wait on the Lord now.
I would appreciate your prayers for me as I go through this study. I desire to do God's will for my family, and I know this study will be one more tool to help me do that.
I'm sure this will generate a lot of different thoughts over the next few weeks. Stay tuned...
(Posted from my BlackBerry.)
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Amanda has a Bible study on Monday nights so the boys and I have some "guy time" each week. They love having guy's night, and I do too. Tonight, we went to the park. It was a beautiful day, so I just couldn't resist! I snapped a couple of pics on my BlackBerry of the boys playing in the sand (half of which we took home in Ben's shoes) at Redbud Park and thought it would be a fitting "real" first post for my new blog. The girl playing with them was just someone playing at the park. The boys were just somehow drawn to a girl playing in the dirt. Go figure...
(Posted from my BlackBerry)
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Monday, March 16, 2009
Well, I finally did it. I finally joined the ranks of the bloggers. I'm not sure what I have to say that people will care about but you never know, I might have an amusing story, an interesting link, or just something to make you think. I KNOW that I will have pictures and stories of the family. Anyway, let's see where this goes. See you soon!
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