Give it up

Anyone who does not give up everything he has, cannot be my disciple.  (Luke 14:33)

I’m reading a book titled “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan.  It’s a great book.  I have loved it’s “refocusing” nature, and how I am reminded of God’s love for me.

Laura, the girls, and I stayed with my sister-in-law last night on our way to Oklahoma to see my brother and his family for a few days.  Ansley slept in our room, so if she cried, we would hear her (at least Laura would).  I was woken up at 5:30 by my beautiful bride, tossing around in hopes to stir me, so I would get a bottle (she will probably refute this–but it is true).   So now, it is very early, and I am awake.  Betsy was leaving at 6:45, so I got up to have some coffee and chat with her a bit.  While she was getting ready, I opened up my book, and read a little.  Then I picked up my Bible and read a bit in there.  The I put them both down, because I decided that it was too early to be reading this stuff.

I happened to be reading the section from Luke that I quoted above, and the chapter in the book I was reading was “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God”.  What an insane Monday morning read.  It wasn’t what I was ready for at all, but it depicts me.  I read the scripture from Luke and say, “That’s right…preach it Jesus”, but then I really think about what Jesus is saying.  If we don’t give up everything to HIM, we are not HIS.

Ummmm, hold up there Jesus.  You’re talking about the people who aren’t baptized believers right?  Surely squeezing in Bible reading and prayer a few times a week is good right?  I mean, You just came and gave yourself to suffering for me, the least I can do is try to read a chapter a day.

Our time with God is whatever we can squeeze in, or even while we’re doing something else.  God literally gets my leftovers.  If I have a friend that I want to spend time with, I will let Laura know, so I can have a bit of time to be with him, but the time I spend with God is a second thought.  I will take off work to have a “guys weekend”, but have never thought to have a “God weekend”.  God is worth more than our extra time, and I fear what God will do when He sees me NOT giving everything.  Will I not be his disciple?  Am I not His disciple now?  I know I haven’t given up everything, so I guess there’s really no question.

Time for me to change, because I know where God stands.

My Ansley

I just wanted to post this picture I took the other day. I’m finding that I love taking pictures of my girls.

Next Year

To Cubs fans, this is a VERY familiar refrain.  “Next Year”

I don’t get it.  How can people stick with a team for sooooooo long only to be bitten in the butt by the sweep of an inferior Dodger team?  It seemed like this was the year.  100 years after their last World Series, the best record in the National League, Bartman and the goat are nowhere to be seen, yet they couldn’t get it done.  Their hottest bats were squelched, their surest gloves were not so sure, and their pitchers were at their worst.  I don’t get it. ~~I know, it was that Greek Orthodox Priest that blessed the Cub’s Dugout with holy water.

I have been listening to talk radio, and people have been confessing their sins on “Cub Nation”.  People have thrown Jerseys away, and vowed not to root for the Cubs anymore.  They just can’t take the disappointment, or they can’t afford the Prozac anymore…one of the two.

I wish I could say I was joking, but I commend those Cubs fans for sticking with it.  I seriously thought about this on my way to the office this morning.  It’s a very “youth ministery” analogy, but I can’t help but think about what God thinks when I mess up.

~Come on Picker, I know you can get it this time

~I’ve set everything up perfect for you this time

~Maybe you won’t pass Me up next time.

~Are you EVER going to close your eyes and use mine?

I feel like God must be so frustrated and disappointed with me.  But He keeps giving me chances.  He doesn’t give up on me.  He keeps cheering for me, and reminding me that it’s Him that does the saving, not me.

⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

~Ephesians 2:8-10(NLT)

So Cubs fans, keep cheering for your team.  I don’t want you to ever win a world series, but keep cheering.

Quiet Time

Getting up early is not my thing.  I like the quiet time to read and pray, but it is hard for me to get out of bed.  I am kind of forced to some days though.  On Wednesdays, I have a staff meeting at 7:00 in the morning, and it takes me about 25 min. to get there.  I try to leave the house by about 6:30 and pray for no traffic.  This means getting up at 6:00 and getting a shower, getting ready, and scooting out the door just in time.

Today I tried something a little different though.  Usually my duty in the morning is to get Ansley out of bed, fed, and ready for the day.  If KJ wakes up, I take care of her too.  Then I leave at about 8:30.  Since I’m gone before anyone is out of bed on Wednesdays, I figured that I would try to maximize that time.  So today, I woke up at 5:30, and was gone by 6:00.  I went to Larson Park in Webster Groves, and spent about 25 min. just walking around, taking pictures, and sitting down and praying.  What a great way to start my day.  I needed that reminder of how important that alone time with God was.  Not just for myself, but for Laura as well.  I pray so often that I won’t forget to “take the girls” so she can have that time to be with God.

Thank you God for time to be alone with you, and thank you for a wife that desires that time as well.

One Crazy Summer

I’m sitting at my desk in my new office, and papers are everywhere.  I’m trying to get a grip on the fact that I have a new job in a new city, and living in a new house (new to me at least).  In June, Laura, the girls, and I packed up our “Pods” and moved to St. Louis to start a new life as the Youth minister for the Mid-County Church of Christ.  I officially started on July 1st, and went on a mission trip to Portland, ME on July 10th for 11 days.  It was a GREAT way to get to know the kids, maybe a little too much.

Once we got back, the summer went by in a blink.  We had a foat trip, Soul Lift, and so many other things going on that it truly seems like a blur now.

In the mean time, Laura has been at home with 2 girls, trying to hold down the fort, and not get too frustrated with me being gone so much.  (Such is the life of a youth minister in the summer)

Now that summer is over, and the youth group is back in school, my transition officially begins.  This is the first fall since I was in Pre-School that I am not getting ready for a school year.  After teaching for 6 years, I actually liked school, and looked forward to the excitement of the first day.  Now, I feel like I’m still finding my rhythm.  After 2 months of being here, I can tell you that I like office time to a degree, but I would much rather be with my youth group kids, than in here.  I have a self diagnosed case of ADHD, so I move around a lot, and try to stay away from too much coffee in the mornings.

The most difficult thing right now, is balancing my roles of husband, dad, and youth minister.

All that being said, I am so excited to be a part of the MidCounty family.  They have blessed my life so much, and have made this move much less stressful than we ever anticipated.

God is so good, and I can’t wait to see how he uses my family in St. Louis.