New Years Resolution

So it has been too long. Last year I had made 2 actual resolutions but carried out only one. My resolution to begin blogging ended with 7 total blog entries for the entire year. Of course tons has happened that I have to talk about, but gotta get this one out of the way first. The second resolution to read 12 total books, 1 book a month did very well and I ended up reading a total of 24 books. Crazy!

This next years resolution since I obiously cannot multitask. I want to commit to 1 blog a week and we'll see how it goes. I will begin the first week of January.

In general, we all miss the mark. Whether it's with goals, or direction, it's important to set the bar high because we rise and fall to meet expectations. The higher the expectations, the higher the actual performance or something like that.

Good Friday

good friday
such a strange name for such a dark day
unusual, yes
cruel, yes
good, hardly
and yet there is something so disturbingly kind.

for through his act
we see he has made his mercy his crown
not merely his justice.

very rarely has anyone truly sacrificed for us.
what he did for me
more often than not
we have bailed
as other have on us.

yet he drank deeply
the cup of suffering
for you
for me

and this is very good news
his victory we'd experience later
but for now
his atonement is more than enough.

You Are Worth It

I was laying in bed last night saying goodnight to my girl when it struck me. No, I don't think it was the audible voice of God, but sometimes a word from God comes and it's for someone. It's as if you are the post office or UPS and your "soul" purpose is to deliver the message. So in the dark, I told Rebecca that this might sound a little crazy, but that I thought she needed to hear it.

God wants you to know that you are worth it.
You are worth the nights and days he has spent dreaming about you.
You are worth the time and energy he has invested in you.
You are worth the hopes and dreams he has for you.

He is anxious to see you discover his hopes and dreams for you.

You are worth it Rebecca. God wants you to know it.

They seem like simple words, and each word is like a seed, either having an opportunity to grow or not. One thing is for sure, If I had held those little seeds of truth in, I would have done a terrible service to my God and to my wife who deserves reminders like that.

Christ has not called off the Rescue Mission

It has been 4 weeks from the day that Haiti had one of it's worst days in history. Thousands of people lost their lives and still thousands are still wondering how their lives will have been changed forever.

I'm not actually even sure when they did this, but rescue efforts were called off formally. This was at least a couple of weeks ago. Then this story shows up. Miracle Survivor. February 10th. Hard to imagine the thoughts and feelings going through this man's head right now, but 4 weeks after, he is rescued and efforts were made to ensure his survival. I don't even know his name. Yet I am drawn to hear more about a man who spent 4 weeks beneath steel and concrete and is now breathing clean air again. Someone wanted this man alive.

Here's my conviction. Millions of people live in the eternal emergency state of "LoST". I don't think anyone called off a rescue but we live as if the search and rescue has been called off. We live as if our every day sort of living is all that matters to us while the very air we breathe is the strength and life God gives. Yes, some of the people we run into have chosen to be lost. They choose to not read the signs. They breathe the same air God has given as an everyday grace while scoffing in his face.

Here's the deal. Our commander and savior is Jesus Christ. He is the one in charge of the rescue mission. You may be tired. You may have been injured. But our commander has not called off the mission. Search. Speak. Live as a Rescuer. Because as I was reminded this week, it is never too late to pull someone from the rubble of their life and allow them to see the sunlight of another day...this time in gratitude to their savior and new commander: Jesus Christ.