Happy Birthday Janelle

Yesterday was Janelle's birthday, it was also a day of flexibility. The things we planned on doing we did not do and the things we did not plan on doing we did (but not in the Paul fashion). We planned on coming home for lunch and going to the Cheesecake Factory for her birthday dinner. Instead we went to lunch with our friends the Bells and went to Snappy Tomato with Chris and Micalynn Barker. While it wasn't what we had planned to do, it was better because it was time spent with friends.

We were going to take the Christmas tree down today but I could not stand the thought a wrestling boys, the trees and protecting the ornaments all at the same time....so we took down the tree last night while the boys were sleeping. There is a lot of additional space for the boys to play in now.

I was thinking of the upcoming new year knowing that it will be like every year having its share of dissappointment and sorrow, that is not what I focus on. Instead I look forward to spending time with my wife and boys. Trips to see grandmother, camp, grandparents coming back during the summer and the general promise of a new year. The new year also brings us closer to eternity with the passing of each day, so I need to make every day count.

In closing, again Happy birthday Janelle and Happy New Year to all of you.

In Him,

David

My Family

I have not posted photos before, so let's try this little experiment

Me and my LOVELY wife, yes, I know I married UP.

Grandmother and Christopher





Christopher displays his architectural abilities

Jacob, a true Joy!

And finally, my two boys being sweet!

Holidays and Observations

We traveled to my mother's home for the Christmas holiday. We had a wonderful time and the boys love spending time with their grandmother. It was a busy time with a day at Dollywood, presents to open on Christmas Eve, the visit from Santa on Christmas morning, visiting the congregation that I grew up in on Sunday morning and spending time with family and friends. We are truly blessed!

One of the inconveniences of staying with my mother is her internet connection. It is rather slow and sporadic at times. I think my in-laws in China have better service than she does. But for all that she uses the net, it is perfect for her and that is all that matters. It does make it difficult to post and read other blogs though.

I received the movie that I truly wanted from my wife as a Christmas present. The movie is titled Amazing Grace and it is truly an amazing movie. It is based on the actions of William Wilberforce and his attempts to abolish slavery in the British empire. His mentor / preacher / father figure was John Newton, a former slaveship captain. I will not go into the details, rather I would urge everyone to see this movie. It proves that 1 man can make a difference.

Early on in the movie William is having a conversation with his butler when the butler asks, excuse the paraphrasing please, "you found God sir?" To which William replies: "rather he found me, it is rather inconvenient when one finds God." It is inconvenient to find God. As humans there are things that we WANT to do that as Christians we should NOT do. But on the flip side, it is a grand adventure to walk with God and to know him. Everything good that I have in my life I have because of God. My parents, my wife and my children are all blessings from Him. Happy New Year to all.

In Him,

David

Great Expectations

I wrote in my last post that I have certain expectations when it comes to Christmas, what I did not write is that these expectations are based on my experiences in the past. The kind of Christmas that I had as a child has shaped what I expect Christmas to be as an adult. Unfortunately many of us approach religion in the same manner. Our previous experiences shape what we expect out of a church. Sadly many do not take the time to honestly look for themselves at what the Bible says of what the Church should be.

It is amazing to me in this age of high speed internet, cars, planes, satellite communications, etc.; that the most influential person in the world is a poor carpenter's son who died nearly 2000 years ago. He did not have a tv show, hardly traveled compared to what we do today and yet the world recognizes him both in this holiday season and in how we measure the passing of time.

I want to use the upcoming year to get to know this carpenter's son better. To better understand what the church should be and my role in it. To be the husband, father and role model that I should be.

Happy Holidays, In Him.........

David

Can't Wait

As a small child I always loved Christmas. I could not wait to look under the tree and see what Santa brought me and all the other gifts that I was getting. I also loved picking out gifts for others and wathching their faces as they opened their gifts. I still love Christmas and can't wait to see the boys faces this year.

I always want to pick something that is suitable to the person for which I am buying, although my method of shopping has changed. I used to be a powershopper. I would wait to the last moment and do all my shopping in one frantic day of shopping. I am now more of a bargain shopper. I will shop the doorbusters, Black Friday and anywhere else that I can get a deal. I will carefully comb through all the sales flyers (F.S.I.s in the business) looking for the best deals on what I have chosen to purchase. I always shop with this caveat, if I don't think the person will truly like or can use it, I won't buy it.

I hate buying clothes for my nieces. I don't want to be the clothes uncle, I want to be the cool uncle that gets them cool things, not clothes. I hated getting clothes when I was younger. It wasn't that I was unappreciative, it was that what certain family members picked out for me had nothing to do with style. When I would put on their outfit I would feel like Ralphy wearing the pink bunny costume in "A Christmas Story".

I have certain unwritten rules about Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. It is part of who I am. I try not to always inflict my rules on others but I do have certain expectations. Even if you don't live up to my expectations I do know that I love Christmas and as the song says, it is the most wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas.

David

Sick Little Boy part 2

In my last blog I mentioned that Jacob was sick. Well his fever finally broke on Friday night and then he was full of energy and wanting to play, so he and I stayed up till 11:30 and then I rocked him back to sleep. That was the good news.

Saturday I kept the boys while Janelle went to class. After mommy got home, Christopher and I went to McDonald's playland for him to run out some energy. We then had a errand to run to Wal-Mart. At that point Christopher said something he rarely says, "lets go home daddy." I said it would only take a minute and then we would go home. Warning sign number 2, he said his tummy hurt. Warning sign number 3, he would not ride in the cart but wanted me to carry him instead. We were shopping when all of a sudden he threw up on daddy's shoulder. I rushed out of the store, pulled off my jacket and threw it in the trunk, got some towels and cleaned him up and then put him in his carseat and drove him home. I felt terrible all the way home and apologized for keeping him out when he wanted to go home...he kept reassuring me that "its okay daddy, its okay."

We enter the house when he gets sick on me a second time. Gross! He's crying, feeling awful and scared. We keep reassuring him that its okay. I hand him off to Janelle and go get out of my gross clothing. I come back, change him into pajamas while Janelle cleans up the entry way and puts the clothes into the wash. We fold out the couch, turn on a movie to calm him down and to let him relax. He now loves "White Christmas". During the night he gets me for the third and final time. We change him, me and the bedding again and settle down for a restless night.

God gives us kids so we can start to understand him. Through it all, I love Christopher and my only desire was for him to feel better. I wonder how many times I have thrown up on God and yet all he wants is a relationship with me.

In Him,

David

Sick little boy

We have had a rough past couple of days. Jacob has been running a fever and kept us up most of the night Wednesday night. On Thursday he went to the doctor. They were concerned enough that they ordered chest x-rays. The good news is it was not pneumonia, the bad news is it was not pneumonia. If it had been pneumonia then they could treat it with antibiotics. Instead it is a virus and it pretty much has to run its course (10-12 days). We have to keep an eye on him to make sure his breathing doesn't become too labored. Keep him in your prayers please. I'm not complaining. Indeed I feel blessed that this is the worst that we have experienced up to this point with our boys. I thank God that he gave us two wonderful children who are so healthy.

Big brother got to come to work with daddy yesterday while mommy and Jacob went to the doctor. We had a good time. I pulled out a secret stash of toys for him to play with, dug out some goodies for him to eat and we had some new puzzles for him to work. It was fun for both of us.

Christmas is almost here and it is very busy in the White house. Presents to wrap, still a few to buy, cards to be mailed out, boys to play with and keep out of the tree. Happy holidays to all of you!

In Him,

David

Genealogy

We all want to know where we come from. We want a sense of being connected to others, to know about our past. I think for me part of this stems from my love for history, part from losing my grandparents at a fairly young age at part from my compulsive nature.

For the longest time I have wanted to know about my family's history but I kept running into obstacles. Then over the past few days I found one genealogy tree that listed many of my grandmother's ancestors and at the same time I was able to connect with my dad's cousin who had done the genealogy on my grandfather's side (all of this on my dad's side). Suddenly all these people that I had known all my life but with different last names fit and I now know my relationship to them. It's soooooo cool knowing this, learning some of the family history, seeing some of the skeletons, etc. I am hoping that my mom's brother can fill in the similar blanks on her side of the family. I love seeing these connections and getting a bigger picture of where I come from.

I think its like this in our regular lives as well. We all want to feel connected, all want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Some people find this belonging in drugs and alcohol at bars and parties. Some people find it in service or fraternal organizations. I know that everyone should be able to find this in church. Knowing this it makes me ask, am I as loving as I need to be? Do I treat others like they are part of my family?

At least in this family I don't need to be a historian to know my ancestory. I already know my Father and Brother!

In Him,

David

Where do they go?

Yesterday it was cold, wet and rainy....today it is cold, wet and rainy. It was miserable being outside and I can't escape the thought, "where do the homeless go on a day like this? How do they stay dry? How do they stay warm?"

We went camping a few weeks back and I took an electric heater to help keep the boys from getting too cold at night. We slept on an air mattress inside a tent. We had pillows, extra blankets and clean clothes to change into. We knew if it got too bad that we could pack up and head home. Not so for those out on the street.

God keeps working on me to be thankful for what I have. And when I am counting my blessings, I need to remember to share them with those who don't have as much.

In Him,

David

Rescue

I'm sitting in my office listening to New Song on I Tunes and the song "Rescue" comes on. I love the song! Listen to some of the words, "I need you Jesus to come to my rescue, where else can I go? There is no other name by which I am saved, capture me with grace" Then a little later comes the line that haunts me and it is repeated over and over "this world has nothing for me." Theologically I know that this is true but my humanity desperately wants to hold on to this life, to fit in, to watch my children grow old and have children of their own, to grow old with my wife. These things are also important to me.

I get so busy with the things of this world, working for the things that are "important" to me but there is still this voice in me crying out "I need you Jesus to come to my rescue. Capture me with grace." There are times that I confidently sing this song with a smile on my face and there are times I sing it with tears streaming down my face because I know how desperately that I do need Jesus.

In Him,

David

New Testimonies

It seems to me over the past few years that there has been a new emphasis for people giving their testimony to out bad each other. They want to tell how bad their lives were, how messed up they were and how they have changed. With the telling of each story, the behavior gets more outrageous. This seems to me a perversion of Romans 6...showing how much grace was given to them.

Then there are the people who won't come to church because their lives really are messed up. They think there is no hope for them and "how could God really love them with all the things they have done?" As a member of the church, I have read Acts 2 so many times that I have lost count, but I never thought of it in this context. Lets look at a couple of verses.

23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

No matter what the person you are testifying to has done, it cannot, will not be worse than what the men in the audience had done the day Peter was speaking to them. They MURDERED the Son of God. They KILLED the Christ. They ASKED for his blood to be upon them. Did Peter tell them their sins were unpardonable? Did he tell them that they asked for it and now the judgement of God would be upon them? No, he tells them:

38 Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Man, not only was God willing to forgive them, he was sending His Spirit to them. Wow! What a God! What a Savior.

I don't need to testify about how bad I was, where I have been. I need to testify about Christ and how he changes lives, how he loves. The Gospel is not about me, it is about Him. Maybe if I remember that then I will be more eager to share with those who feel unlovable.

In Him,

David

Busy Weekend

With the holidays coming, the weekends have started filling up. This past weekend we went shopping and let the boys play at the mall on Friday night, went to breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning. I hung around afterwards to help clean up and then moved a couch from our house to Janelle's sister's place that afternoon. The evening was filled with setting up the Christmas tree, decorating the tree and putting together some shelves for the boy's toys. Sunday was early service at Church, an unexpected trip to the Titans/Texans game (my Titans boycott is off as PacMan Jones is not returning to the team this season), rush back home and help Christopher with a bath... helping get the boys dressed and back to church for a special evening service.

Apparently I really overdid it this weekend as my wife was complaining this morning about a bear being in the house last night. I of course slept the all of the bear's "growling".

With all the activity and trying to pick out the perfect gifts, it is fun to pause and watch Christopher. This is his first Christmas of being REALLY excited about Santa, Frosty the Snowman and anything Christmas related. The joy and magic of a child makes everything magical.

Enjoy the day,

David

CANS

This morning as I was sitting in my bosses office, I looked out the window and saw a homeless person crossing the street carrying two large bags of cans. I told my boss that I would be right back, ran to the office kitchen where we have a can recycling bin and took off out the door with the cans. I caught up with the guy at the next block. As I approached I hollered for him to stop. He cautiously turned around and I said, "Hey you collecting cans?" He replied that he was and I said I had a big bag here and would he like them....that is when he began to smile, as big of a smile as I have ever seen. He asked me "has anyone wished you a merry Christmas?" and I said not yet and his smile got even bigger and he said "let me be the first, Merry Christmas!" I handed him the bag, wished him a Merry Christmas and we went our separate ways.

I get emotional even thinking about it now. What two different worlds that we live in. It was not a big deal for me to give him the cans and yet he was so grateful. I'm not sure if he was grateful for the cans or for the fact that someone took the time to acknowledge his existence. I have SO MUCH and so often I fail to acknowledge it and thank God. It does not make me a better person because I gave away some cans, but I hope that my encounter with this man will make me a better person, more thankful, more patient, more tolerant.

In Him,

David

Something about the Holidays

There is something about the holidays that makes you feel special. You look forward to time with the family. You think about home. There are the smells, the traditions the time together that make the holidays special. We spent Thanksgiving with Janelle's sister and her family in Florida and stopped in Georgia for a brief visit with one of her uncles and her grandmother. Family. We will go to East Tennessee for Christmas where my mother and my brother and his family live. Again family. I look forward to going home, spending time with family, spending time with people who love me.

I also have a similar feeling when I "attend Church". I have a feeling of being home, being with people who love me, being with family. It may be a bit of a stretch but every Sunday should be a holiday...because we share in a special time with family. What about you, do you feel at home when you are with your brothers and sisters? Is the Church a place where you feel loved? Do you worship with family? I hope so! I don't want to seem preachy or like I have it all together; I don't always get that feeling and that makes me sad...but I try. Won't it be cool when we get to heaven and have a big family reunion and every day will be a holiday?

In Him,

David

Tough Getting Back

This Thanksgiving was full of firsts, we went to Jacksonville where Janelle's oldest sister lives to spend Thanksgiving with her family. So this was the first Thanksgiving at Tammy's, the first spent in Florida, Jacob's first trip to the beach and my first trip to St. Augustine.

We spent Friday combing the mall and lifestyle centers for Christmas bargains. Since I met Janelle I have done black Friday shopping in Delaware, Gulfport, Maryville, Knoxville, and now Jacksonville, FL.; for a guy who hates shopping, that's a lot of different places to shop. I do enjoy getting a good bargain, so I cannot complain to loudly.

It is kind of hard to get back in the swing of things today. On Saturday is was in shirt sleeves, dining on a patio in St. Augustine, enjoying near 80 degree weather; today it is cold and wet and yucky. Isn't that true about life? One moment everything is sunny and fun then in the blink of an eye everything can seem yucky. The yucky of today though makes me appreciate the beauty of Saturday even more. Sun, sand and time with my family. Enjoy the day.

In Him,

David

Seasons

Spring is my favorite season of all. I love when the flowers bloom, the red bud trees and the dogwoods splash us with color. I love fall with all the colors. Even driving to work today with a gray sky I could look at the trees and see oranges, yellows, browns and reds in all different hues. Even in death there is a beauty. There is a promise of life again in the spring. A promise of hope and renewal after a long winter of rest.

I was privileged to be at the church building yesterday at 5:00 to see Jian be baptized. A person of science who did not believe in God now confessing that Jesus is his Son. Walt's sermon reminded me that while I live in a microwave society, there is still a need for sowing, growing, watering and then a harvest. Praise God and Happy Thanksgiving.

In Him,

David

Birthday Balloons

Yesterday the boys went to a birthday party for a friend who was turning 1. When they left, Christopher was given two balloons filled with helium. They were pretty and fun to play with. When he got up from his nap the first thing he asked was "where the balloons daddy?" Of course, when we got up this morning the balloons would no longer float and weren't fun to play with nor were they as pretty since they started to shrink so we threw them away.

Satan puts party balloons in our lives all the time. He says "look at this, see how pretty they are, think how much fun they would be, who would it hurt if nobody found out about it." And just like those balloons, those temptations soon become not so pretty, not so fun and we wish we had just thrown them away. What started out with so much promise in pleasure ends with hurt and disappointment.

I have to remember that what I have is so much better than a few party balloons.

In Him,

David

In-law update

It is unique having in-laws living halfway around the world and behind the ??? rice curtain??? We tried to set up a blog site for them but their access there has now been blocked to that site. We have to be careful what we say on the phone. But their work there is bearing fruit. They have had 50 new members join the team. I have not had 50 people that I have taught in my lifetime and the work there has seen 50 since the end of August. It proves that God is still in charge and he can move in the lives of men no matter what geographical borders are set up.

They said it is cold and rainy there now and most of the public buildings, including all of their classrooms, do not have heat. Here we get upset if the thermostat at the office or in the auditorium are set too high or too low....not a problem there. If its cold outside you bundle up inside. Another difference, they are getting custom draperies made for each window at less than $20 per window. A package was sent to them in mid-October and still has not arrived. The more updates that we hear from them, the more I know that I need to pause and thank God on how he has truly blessed us.

In Him,

David

Could we have saved them?

Man, with the passing today of Mike Matheny, Joey Jones back in August, a few years back of Mary Morris and even further back with my dad the question comes to mind "what more could we have done to save them?" In my selfish, human mind I want to keep friends and loved ones around as long as possible. I want people to pour millions of dollars into cancer research so others don't have to go through what they went through, so that other lives can be saved. In reality, all 4 were saved and it had nothing to do with cancer research or dollars spent... it had everything to do with the lives that they lived and the one life sacrificed so that we all might truly live. Instead of dwelling on this loss, which the apostle Paul would call gain... I need to focus on those that truly need saving. Those without Christ. Those in the daily battle to maintain their faith. On me, my family and my faith. We are all the ones that need more done...for we have not finished our race. Let the angels stand up and rejoice for Mike, Mary, dad and countless others and we can all say "well done, well done."

What do you know?

Let me start by saying I am not a doctor, I have never studied medicine and I did not sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Most of my adult life I have been told not to eat eggs as they are not good for you. If you are going to eat eggs then eat either Egg Beaters or just egg whites. Now according to Liz Applegate Ph.D., author of The Encyclopedia of Sports and Fitness Nutrition those claims are being debunked. Much of the best stuff is in the yolk- the part missing when you eat Egg Beaters or just egg whites. Eggs supply micronutrients such as choline, which is essential for healthy brain and central nervous system functioning and zeaxanthin and lutein, coratenoids that protect your eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration. They also boost vitamin K, which helps build str0ng bones, guards against cell damage and encourages healthy blood clotting.

So while people were telling me to engage in a behavior that they said was "good for me" and would "help me live longer" they were actually unknowingly keeping things from me that were good for me. Hmmmm. They weren't doing this to be malicious or mean, they were doing it in good consciousness for my benefit. Turns out though that they may have been wrong.

I wonder if I have ever "corrected" someone or asked them to cease an activity that was "harmful to them" when in fact my opinion of that activity was in error? I wonder how many things I have avoided because of "danger" when in fact they could have promoted my growth? I'm not advocating change of any type, instead I am advocating studying what we "know" and make certain that what we "know" is in fact TRUTH. Guess that puts the responsibility squarely on me to study... as soon as I finish my eggs.

In Him,

David

Observations from Shenandoah

One of my favorite movies is the 1965 version of Shenandoah starring Jimmy Stewart. There are several memorable scenes in this movie but one I recollect best is when Lt. Sam (Doug McClure) is talking to Mr. Anderson (Jimmy Stewart) about marrying his daughter. Anderson asks Sam if he likes Jennie and is answered with "Yes sir, I love her." which leads us to this discussion:

Charlie Anderson: Do you like her?
Lt. Sam: Well, I just said I...
Charlie Anderson: No, no. You just said you loved her. There's some difference between lovin' and likin'. When I married Jennie's mother, I-I didn't love her - I liked her... I liked her a lot. I liked Martha for at least three years after we were married and then one day it just dawned on me I loved her. I still do... still do. You see, Sam, when you love a woman without likin' her, the night can be long and cold, and contempt comes up with the sun.

I am so thankful that I have people in my life who like me and love me. I know how flawed I am and am grateful that these people choose to look past my flaws. I am even more grateful that I have a Savior who loves me even when I was unloveable, covered in my sin.

I'll leave you with a little more Shenandoah wisdom:

Charlie Anderson: It's no easy job, Sam, to take care of a woman.
Lt. Sam: No, sir.
Charlie Anderson: They expect things they never ask for. And when they don't get them, they ask you why. Sometimes they don't ask... and just go ahead and punish you for not doing something you didn't know you were supposed to do in the first place.
----------------------------

Charlie Anderson: If we don't try we don't do. And if we don't do, what are we on this Earth for?

In Him,

David

Everyone that Labors

In Matthew 11 Jesus says: 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." We are given this promise and still it seems hard at times to be a Christian. We talk about "working hard for Jesus" and "bearing our cross" and yet we want an easy Christianity. We want a loving savior who allows no harm, no pain, no suffering. We hear people say "if God is a loving God, why would he allow this to happen?"

I think many "churches" are guilty of teaching what I call the true Voodoo Economics. They say if you contribute regularly, pray regularly, do as you should that God is going to reward you economically far more than you can imagine. Logic would dictate that the counter to that would be that if you suffer you must be doing something wrong.....hmmmm isn't that exactly what Job's friends told him? I believe the apostles gave far more than I ever have in service and probably of their economic blessings and still they were persecuted and executed.

I'm not discounting the pain that we feel in this life. I know, I questioned God as to why my father died when so many faithful people were praying for him. I questioned why our congregation had to experience so much loss this summer. I constantly worry about the health and safety of my family. When the pain starts to subside and I wipe the tears from my eyes, there is God with his arms outstretched, loving me.

At times its hard for me to see now but the promise that I have, the reward that I will be given is far superior to any labor that I might have to endure in this life. I believe the promise of Mt. 11. I believe that viewed from the other side, what I went through here will be seen as very easy.

In Him,

David

Monday's Storm

Monday night we had a series of storms blow through Nashville. Our house is located in the center of the path where the weather service was noting upper air rotation and calling for tornado warnings. The storm woke Christopher up from a late nap and he asked me "Daddy, what's wrong with the house?" I told him the house was okay, that there was a big storm outside. We ended up spending about 15 minutes huddled in the bathroom as a family and about 2 and 1/2 hours without electricity. That's the thing about storms, they can cause damage. They can reveal unseen flaws and disease. A tree that is weak or dying can be toppled or broken in a storm. We had a tree that came down last year in a storm, it looked perfectly healthy with lots of green leaves but once it was down you could see the decay and rot in the center. We hear lots of news reports about the damage created by the storms and may fail to recognize how much went undamaged. More trees survived than were toppled. All those leaves that I was going to have to rake in the upcoming days.....many of them are a 1/2 mile or more away by now. :-) The point is, we all encounter storms in life, how we respond to the storms can be very revealing. Do we break like the tree with decay in the middle, are we a healthy tree that gets toppled over or do we stand strong?

In Him,

David

Orientation

I like Google Maps especially when you toggle between the map and the satellite image. You can find the general area that you are looking for in map mode and then see all the buildings from a satellite image. I was playing around with Google Maps today looking at my old house in Gulfport and noticed blue tarps on many of the roofs. Obviously this satellite photo is post-Katrina so I decided to look at some friends homes in the area as well. One of these homes that I know very well and have visited often looked much different from above. Actually my perception of what part of the house faced north was off by 90%. When you are looking at a pond that you thought was on the east side and find that it is actually south of the house, it can be somewhat confusing while trying to orient yourself to the satellite image. I wonder how many other things there are in my life that I think I "know" the answer to when in fact if I looked at it from a different angle I could see how wrong my assumptions are.

In Him,

David

a cup of water

I was sitting in the office when from out of the blue came the words "just a cup of water". What a weird thing to think about. For me, giving someone a cup of water is as easy as turning on the tap but to think that to do so could get me a reward, that's amazing. Look at Mark 9:41 (I know, I'm taking it out of context) but go along with me please, "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." So often I look for the BIG things to do and Christ keeps reminding me that the small, simple things that we think are not significant ARE important. It's not the size of the service, its the fact that I am willing to serve. Water anyone?

In Him,

David

Home

Where is home? You ask me and it is in Maryville, TN. I moved away from Maryville in 1994 but I still consider that home. When I lived on the Gulf Coast, home was East Tennessee. I have a wife and family here in Nashville but home is still East Tennessee. I know, I know, my home is where my family is; which is Nashville but I get a feeling of home back in East Tennessee.

I am a person who loves to travel but Janelle can tell you, I need to get back to the mountains every so often to renew myself. In East Tennessee I feel myself, I feel my roots, I feel the hand of God as he sculpted this beautiful landscape that I so enjoy and it gives me peace.

So my home is in Nashville but my "home" is in Maryville. It's weird being a person torn between two homes. I love my life here in Nashville, my family, my friends, my Church family and I don't want to give any of it up but I also long to be back at home in the mountains of East Tennessee. Isn't that the reality for all of us? We are all a people torn between to homes. We love our life here and don't want to give any of it up but we also anticipate and long for our home in heaven. For now I will be happy at home here but I can't wait to go "home".

In Him,

David

Am I judgemental

In my last post I wrote that I am not my job but how often do we judge the person by what they do? When we first meet someone usually within the first 30 seconds of the conversation we will ask them "so, what do you do?" We form an opinion of that person based on that answer. We think we know something about their intellect, financial status, etc based on their occupation. "You're a doctor? Wow!""You dig graves for a living? I need to go call the sitter and check on the kids." How can I be so hypocritical to say that I am not my job and yet base my opinion of someone on what they do?

Sam Walton used to go to town in a beat-up old pick-up truck and wearing overalls. Here was one of the richest men in America dressing like a common man. How often do I judge a person by what they wear? How often do I judge them by how they look? If you are overweight people think you are lazy. If you are taller than most, they are inclined to think you possess leadership qualities.

We are judged by the size of our house, how neat the house is, what car we drive, where our kids go to school.......... No wonder we have depression in this country! Who can keep up? Maybe its time I got out of the business of judging and got to the business of loving. If I begin to show unconditional love to everyone I meet then people will begin to see not me, but Christ. I've got a lot of internal house cleaning to do!

Maybe I should begin to answer the question "what do you do?" with something like "I love God, I try to follow his commands. I love my wife and kids and am attempting to be a better example every day." If I start with that then it won't really matter what the occupation of the other person is.

"Father, give me the eyes to see people, not as I have always looked at them but the way that you see them. Help me to value them as you value them."

In Him,

David

Cool Jobs

I used to have a cool job working at the television station. In reality, people thought it was a cool job when they asked me about it but to me for most of 51 weeks a year it was just a job. There was that 1 week every year when I did have a cool job, that was the week of the PROMAX convention. PROMAX is where the television promotion managers and creative artists get together for a week each year, share ideas, go to workshops, eat and play. FOX would have a off-site session for 3 days prior to the main convention and then the main events would go on for 4 days. There would be all kinds of stars there pitching their shows and networks. After going to the FOX event a few times, you begin building friendships with some of your peers. Now the really cool part was that FOX would have different stars at their event every night and they would mingle around and talk to people, have photos taken, etc. Not bragging, just sharing events, every year without fail, I had one or two of the stars sit at my table with me and my friends and talk, sometimes for hours on end. The difference was (I think) that I never treated them as stars, I treated them as people. They were people with a cooler job than I had, but they were still just people.

Friends and family will come in to visit and often when they go attend services with us someone will comment, "was that Sonny James?" I reply yes that was Sonny and Doris James. Then I get "THE Sonny James?" See, I don't see him as THE Sonny James, I see him as my brother, Sonny James. I know his legacy in music and respect that, but I tend to view it that he had a REALLY COOL job, but that is not what makes him who he is. The fact that he is a brother in Christ is what makes him special to me.

Being from East Tennessee I am a VOL fan. Most of my friends are VOL fans. Many of them participate in the sports chatrooms. Sometimes when they are talking about this great post they read or wrote on RIVALS.com I will mention that I know several of the big dogs behind that site. They will often say something like "they must be rich" or "it would be cool to be them." They may be rich, but it really doesn't matter about their economic status, what matters is how they love the Church, their families and treat others. I am glad for them because of their accomplishments but I am more proud that they are my brothers.

I have friends who are so passionate about sports that they will go on rants about how this coach must go and how that one is no good. I used to be one of those people. Then one day I was sitting in the stands in Columbia, SC watching UT vs. South Carolina and a man 3 rows in front of me suffered a heart attack. Perfect strangers began comforting his wife, a few with medical knowledge started attending to him while the rest of us began to holler for the Emergency Services people to come help. During that time, the game didn't matter. What mattered was that man battling for life, his wife and those helping them. The EMTs that showed up, they have a cool job, they get to help people.

The second reason I don't rant about coaches anymore, some of them are my brothers. How can I claim to love them and say things that in essence wishes they would lose their jobs? Steve Caldwell attends the congregation that I grew up in, John Chavis is a member at Karns. They have high profile jobs, not sure how cool they are at times.

No, the people to me who have REALLY COOL jobs are the people like Joe Dudney and Joe Smith. They get to help people who cannot help themselves or offer anything in return. People like the church staff have cool jobs, they make everything that happens in the congregation run smoother.

I have a job but it does not make me who I am. I have a Savior who makes me better than who I am and that makes all the difference.

In Him,

David

Getting Started

I never thought that I would be a blogger, never wanted to be a blogger and didn't have much use for blogging. Obviously I am a late adapter. I enjoyed reading my friends' blogs and commenting to them, still I didn't feel I had time for writing my own blog. What would I write? Who would want to read it? I finally came to the conclusion that it doesn't matter who reads it, this is a good outlet for me to formulate some of my ideas and observations. I may write family stuff, I may write church observations....who knows where this will lead?

It all started with me sending an e-mail to our family life minister and he encouraged me to continue writing. So for the remainder of this opening post, I will copy some of my e-mails to him.

October 22, 2007-
I was listening to Walt's lesson last night and the following thoughts kept running through my mind. I thought I would share them with you.

We start with these words, "You see the trouble we are in: the city lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of the city, and we will no longer be in disgrace." Nehemiah 2:17? No, this could be a conversation between the devil and his angels.

Too often I forget the promise of Matthew 16:18 "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" and think that Christianity is on the defensive. From the wording of that passage, we are to be on the offensive, we are to be storming the gates of hell and rescuing those held captive by the enemy. I often find myself safe and comfortable within the walls that I have built and forget that every day I am to be on the battlefield. The battle is not defending my faith but attacking the strongholds of Satan. If I am out on the field, then I don't have to worry about being on the defensive because the battle belongs to the Lord.

I get distracted by work, family, the things that I enjoy and build walls to protect them and my time. All these are good but I have to be careful that the walls I build don't become a prison holding me in and keeping me from participating in the war. If I get too busy building my own walls, I give Satan time to fortify his.

Enjoy the Journey,

David

October 23, 2007-
"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." - George Santayana

I continue to think about the walls and I thought back to the children of Israel. When they entered the promised land they were a people without walls, living in tents. They were the ones that attacked the walled cities and brought them down, not by the power of their army but the power of God. We read that the Israel did not fully obey God and they did not take all that God had promised them.

I go back to the analogy of yesterday where Peter is promised "that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it". Like Israel, we are an army that fights by the power of God. I wonder though how many times I have quit the battle and not taken all that God has promised? I look at the land and the neighboring territory and begin building my walls. I look at the people inhabiting the land and think, "they're not that bad" and forget that I am in a battle.

Look at the casualties of this war, broken marriages, people young and old losing their faith, addictions, depression, complacency. If I want to keep my family safe, to keep myself safe then I must constantly remind myself that the promise has not been fulfilled and I must keep engaged in the battle.

In Him,

David

October 25, 2007-
I love watching sunsets and seeing the beauty of the sky. I love the evenings when we put the boys to bed (the part before they go crazy and don't want to go to sleep). They snuggle and hug you and I tell both of them that I love them. With Christopher, we say his prayers together then I tuck him in and give him a final hug and tell him that I love him. Part of this routine I got from my father, he was great at telling us he loved us and showing it.

I have difficulty reading the Folks for Mike website, it hits too close to home. Many of the things that Mike is experiencing, my father went through. It has been over 15 years and still reading about Mike's experience stirs up feelings of loss in me. In his final months my father lost about 70-80% of function on the right side of his body. He had a great difficulty in speaking and could rarely find the words that he wanted to use. It was difficult for him to do simple things like telling me whether he wanted scrambled eggs or fried eggs for breakfast. Through all those struggles he was always able to put his arms around me and say as clearly as the first time I can remember hearing it "I love you son, very much."

I think that is one reason I love sunsets. While I don't understand everything that I should about the nature of God, I can look up at the sunset and hear him whisper "I love you son, very much."

In Him,

David

October 29, 2007-
Janelle spoke to her parents Sunday morning (night there) and they had more good news to share. As you may know, they are working there with some good friends who have been teaching there for 5 years and the work is really showing growth. Over the past 8 days they have had 14 baptisms including 5 on Sunday. I know we all rejoice in how God has opened doors there.

The problem with being human is I try to understand eternal matters in earthly context. How long is eternity? Where was God before time began? How can God be everywhere? This weekend I was thinking about praying to heaven and I don't know if I had an epiphany or a "duh" moment but these thoughts occurred to me.

We know that Jesus rose up to heaven, that Stephen looked up into heaven, that I pray up to heaven and that Christians half-way around the world do the same thing. If the world is round and traveling in an orbit around the sun and we all pray up to heaven no matter where we are, then that must mean that heaven is all around us. I never thought of it like that before.

If heaven is all around us then I am truly surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. If heaven is all around us then I am always around the Father. If heaven is all around us then how I act really does matter. I have "known" and
believed all the "omnis" of God but by thinking that heaven is all around me makes it easier to think of God being omni-present. Wow!

Like I said, it was eye opening for me but some might think "duh" you only coming up with that now?

In Him,

David

Nothing earth shattering or revolutionary in thought, just things that I want to write.