tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60470619354692783682024-03-05T22:35:29.144-08:00the.andy.boydAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-6852391832830866092015-07-04T06:07:00.000-07:002015-07-04T06:11:21.246-07:00Two Words<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think
sometimes we believe altering the course of significant aspects of life is like
making a u-turn with an enormous cargo ship in the middle of the Pacific ocean.
Crews have to be readied, switches have to be clicked, levers have to be
pulled, and wheels have to be turned. Engines have to stop and be restarted in
the other direction. Then, eventually, slowly, the giant vessel begins its
change in course.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But as I
think more about it, altering the course of the truly meaningful parts of life
is nothing at all like that. At least it doesn’t need to be. It’s really more
like turning around in a canoe in a small pond. All you have to do is stop
paddling in one direction and start paddling in the other direction. And it
doesn’t take much to do that. In fact, it really only takes two words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Think about
the power of these phrases to completely transform a situation, a circumstance, or
even a relationship: “<i>I do.</i>” “<i>You’re hired.</i>” “<i>I’m sorry.</i>”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just two words can conjure up emotions of love or hate, hope or despair, purpose or lack thereof. Those small,
two-word phrases have power, healing, potential, and hope. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In recent
days, a few two-word phrases have captured the attention of our nation and
brought to light some serious problems in our nation. “<i>Gay marriage.</i>” “<i>Hate
crimes</i>.” “<i>Political correctness.</i>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are
more, I’m sure. But that’s not what I want to dive into. Here’s the real point:
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I sit
here on my patio on July 4<sup>th</sup>, thinking about all that our country has
done and been over the last 239 years, I’m in a weird state of mourning. Yes, mourning. I’m
mourning for so much of what she used to be. We once stood as the city on the
hill, a beacon of hope and light for the world. But today, I cannot confidently
say that’s true. It certainly used to be. But I don’t know if the world looks at us as the ultimate symbol
of what a nation could – and should – be. We find ourselves fighting each other, tearing each other apart. And for what? Because we have different points of view on certain topics? Isn’t
that one of the things that made us great to begin with? Our diversity used to be a source of our
strength. Now, it’s a cause for our division? It’s sad, really. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But here’s
the thing. I don’t think it’s too late. I refuse to believe that our country cannot
heal and move forward, stronger than ever. I will not cower to the idea that
what we had before, what our forefathers bled and died for, is gone forever. I am still proud to call this country my home, in
spite of our imperfections and shortcomings. There are still men and women –
heroes – who fight for and defend what we have every single day. The foundation
of our country may feel like it has been cracked, but it’s not broken. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But there’s
another two-word phrase that we need to…no…that we MUST embrace if we ever hope
to get back to what we once were. It’s a phrase that represents something that
has been lacking in our nation for far too long by far too many people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
“<i>Under God.</i>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I desperately
want this country to be great again. I think we can be. But we cannot deceive ourselves
with the idea that we can do it without God. It simply won’t happen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So this
Fourth of July, celebrate what we have. Because there truly is no nation like
ours in the world that experiences the freedom we have. But as you celebrate
and remember all we have done over the last 239 years, remember that if we’re
going to last another 239 (or even another 10), we must return to God! Pray
today for healing in our nation. Pray for our leaders to humble and submit
themselves to Him. Because without Him, nothing is possible. But with Him? With
Him, nothing is impossible! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
“<i>Blessed is
the nation whose God is the Lord.</i>” Psalm 33:12<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-72076505542196433582014-08-27T12:11:00.000-07:002014-08-27T19:15:24.581-07:00#38Years38LessonsIn three days, I'll be 38 years old. And while 38 doesn't actually constitute "old" in my book, there are some things I've learned. I only wish I'd gotten most of these when I was "younger". What are they?<br />
<br />
1. Be yourself - in every situation.<br />
<div>
2. Love wildly.</div>
<div>
3. Admit when you're wrong.</div>
<div>
4. Shut up when you're right.</div>
<div>
5. Never sell yourself short.</div>
<div>
6. Never let anyone negate your value.</div>
<div>
7. Find God - early in life.</div>
<div>
8. Turn to God - regularly in life.</div>
<div>
9. Rely on God - constantly through life.</div>
<div>
10. Find the right woman (she'll make you a better man)</div>
<div>
11. Get involved in the church. And stay involved.</div>
<div>
12. Test yourself.</div>
<div>
13. Don't give up on yourself.</div>
<div>
14. Be the kind of friend you want to have.</div>
<div>
15. Become part of something bigger than yourself.</div>
<div>
16. Never think you've arrived.</div>
<div>
17. Never look down on other people.</div>
<div>
18. Play. A lot. </div>
<div>
19. Laugh. Even more. </div>
<div>
20. Don't be afraid to cry.</div>
<div>
21. But don't cry too much. </div>
<div>
22. Learn to shoot - and learn to shoot well.</div>
<div>
23. Love your country. </div>
<div>
24. Be willing to die for it. </div>
<div>
25. Read. A lot.</div>
<div>
26. <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Don't believe everything you read. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">27. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">28. When you make mistakes, learn from them. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">29. Ask questions. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">30. Pray the right prayers (hint: they're not about you.)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">31. Teach someone something. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">32. Never stop learning. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">33. Find something to be in awe of every day. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">34. Don't be afraid to get messy.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">35. Learn to trust.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">36. Stay humble.</span><br />
37. Listen more than you talk.</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">38. Realize there's more to life than what you think.</span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-41442824829431730542014-05-26T08:14:00.000-07:002014-05-26T08:14:24.832-07:00The cost of freedom we don't consider...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today is a
day that we remember and reflect on the sacrifice of those men and women who
have laid down their lives for our freedom. It’s a time when we pause and consider
how their great loss became our great gain. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On a day
like today, we see pictures and hear stories of those valiant soldiers who
fought and died in places like Omaha Beach, the Chosin Resevoir, and Hamburger
Hill. Faces of those who died in Khe San, Al Kut, Ramadi, Fallujah, and Kandahar
scroll across newsstands and tv screens, and they echo in the hearts and minds
of people who knew them. And through it all, we thank them for the cost they
paid. What they did can never be repaid, never be earned. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But as I
reflected on those who have laid down their lives in the name of freedom, I
began to realize something. The security of our freedom in America is only
found in our willingness to continue paying for it. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjj_a2gX5pLZK1lapTRdk5Fz7QgJLZFUYtz3xzg-VOjWJ0-xpLGTQIvFCECmAvIMVkyyeRQ1LACbUITFmRl3If5tUNYvb1eX24HMqWEkIs4ZyCJHi16bwqRIlCiX3Nh6oL8BbXHI_-Ary/s1600/Arlington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjj_a2gX5pLZK1lapTRdk5Fz7QgJLZFUYtz3xzg-VOjWJ0-xpLGTQIvFCECmAvIMVkyyeRQ1LACbUITFmRl3If5tUNYvb1eX24HMqWEkIs4ZyCJHi16bwqRIlCiX3Nh6oL8BbXHI_-Ary/s1600/Arlington.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">See, the
freedom that we experience in our nation has never been secured with one
payment. Unlike our eternal freedom through the sacrifice of Jesus, our freedom
in America requires constant payment. It’s something we don’t like to think
about. But it’s nothing short of the truth.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a father,
I cannot fathom the pain of losing one of my sons on the battlefield. But I’ve
spoken with many parents who have. Their resolve and their strength are utterly
amazing. And each one that I’ve spoken with has told me essentially the same
thing. One of the reasons they can go on; one of the reasons they can press
forward is because they believe the sacrifice their child made wasn’t made in
vain. They know that the freedom of many was secured because of what their son
or daughter did. And they know there will be others who step up to carry on.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My question
is this: what are we willing to do to carry that sacrifice forward? I have to
ask myself, what sacrifices will I make in the future to secure the freedom of
others? It’s a responsibility we all have. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We cannot
and we must not simply rely on others to do for us. We must take responsibility
and ownership of what has been given to us by those who went before us. </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You want to
honor those who have gone before us? Then be willing to step up and sacrifice.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many have.
Many are. Many will. And that cost is one we need to remember today as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-82326997279380484972014-03-03T03:35:00.000-08:002014-03-03T05:28:14.644-08:00God Is Too BigWhat do you think of when you think of God?<br />
<br />
Some people think that God is too big; that he’s impersonal, detached, removed. They say he spun the world into existence and left us on our own to figure it all out. <br />
<br />
Some people think that God is too small. <i>If he does exist</i>, they argue, <i>then why is there evil in the world</i>? <i>What’s with all the disease, abuse, corruption, anger and hate</i>? To them, if God is real, then he’s too small to handle what we deal with every day.<br />
<br />
Some people think it doesn’t matter. They don’t really care either way. This existence, this reality is all there is. We live. We die. That’s it. No more.<br />
<br />
Some people think he is the Savior of the world; that even in our depravity he provided a way back to him. They say that way is Jesus Christ. And what we do with him is up to us.<br />
<br />
What do I think of when I think of God?<br />
<br />
<b>I do believe he’s the Savior</b>. I owe him everything for the saving grace he has given to me through Jesus. I was lost; now I’m found. In other words…I was headed to hell; now I’m headed to heaven. I was wandering through life alone; now I have a relationship with him. I was lacking purpose; now my life has true meaning!<br />
<br />
<b>I do think he’s too small</b>. Too many times in my life, I don’t make a relationship with him a big enough deal. I need to place more urgency in pursuing him.<br />
<br />
And ultimately, <b>I do think God is too big</b>. He's too big to fit in any box I try to put him in. Simply put: He is God. I am not. <br />
<br />
C.S. Lewis once said (in my paraphrased words) that if the Christian faith is all for nothing, then nothing has been lost. But if our faith is for everything, then everything matters. <br />
<br />
Is God too big? Big doesn’t even begin to cover it!Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-64327048489152524752014-03-01T05:55:00.002-08:002014-03-01T09:47:27.431-08:00What Is Right?<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m 37 years old. I’m white. I’m a man. I have a wife, three
sons, and a Golden Retriever. I grew up in Texas and I served in the Marine
Corps. I own a gun. I am a Christian. I believe fully in the Bible and I am a
member of an evangelical church. And I’m tired of being told by the world that I am
wrong.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By now you’ve heard the cases of the wedding service
companies who are being told by the government who they can, and really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> provide services for. You can <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/arizona-governor-vetoes-bill-on-denying-services-to-gays/2014/02/26/df93ee02-9f03-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html" target="_blank">read more about it</a> if you want; but basically, these are companies that are taking a
stand on what has been the hot topic for discussion in today’s world for the
past decade or so – gay marriage. They’ve basically said, “We believe
homosexuality is wrong, and we won’t support it.” The government (and seemingly
society) has said, “Too bad. You have to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m on the companies' side of this issue. But there’s a much bigger
issue at play here. And it isn’t about gay marriage at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In today’s culture, there’s an undercurrent that is eroding
our core. It’s all about ‘acceptance.’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
told that I must accept everyone, no matter what they believe, or how they act.
I’m told that if I stand up for what I believe, then I am the one that’s wrong.
The problem with that? It’s wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">THERE IS A
STANDARD WE TOO OFTEN IGNORE<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, that begs the question, “What is right and what is
wrong?” How can any person define those? The answer? No person can. Sure, we
know what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feels </i>rights or what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feels </i>wrong. But without a standard on
which to measure right and wrong, it’s all relative. If that’s what we go on,
then what’s right for you is right for you and what’s right for me is right for
me. Again…that’s wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In order to measure right and wrong, there has to be a standard.
That standard cannot change. It can’t be one thing today and another thing
tomorrow. It must remain constant, unchanging…eternal. That standard is the Word
of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, if you read that and you think, “But the Bible also
says …” Please don’t. Don’t rip passages of Scripture out of context and use them
as weapons in your arsenal to tell me I’m wrong. That’s one of the things I’m
most fed up with from the world. Study what you’re getting ready to quote
first. Read the context. Then we can talk. But the fact is, God’s word sets a
standard for us that is unchanging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>THERE’S NOTHING
WRONG WITH STANDING UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The problem in today’s world? What’s truly right is seen as
wrong. I’m told by the world that my right is wrong. I’m told that I can’t
stand up and say something like, “Gay marriage is wrong,” or, “Abortion is
wrong.” I’m told that if I do stand up for what I believe, I somehow now hate
everyone who is different to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m told that if I say those things, I’m all of a sudden
judging. And I’m even shown passages from my own Bible. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thou shalt not judge</i>.” But pointing out wrong is not judging.
Judging is condemning someone for what they do. Pointing out something that is
wrong is an act of love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">WHAT IS LOVE?</span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But again, our world has a whack view of love. We confuse
love with acceptance, and we confuse acceptance with approval. So we’re told
that if we truly love someone, we must approve of every action, belief, and
stance they have. Unless that person is 37, is a man, is white, owns a gun, and
is a Christian. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m tired of being told I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> feel bad for who I am and for what I believe and that I
should approve of everyone else’s behavior. You know what? I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t</i> feel bad. I don’t feel bad for pointing
out wrong, because it means I’m trying to show people what’s right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, I know that the Christian community has done itself no
favors in this area. I know that are idiot Christians who do nothing but rant
and rave and point fingers of judgment at the world around them. And trust me,
nothing makes me angrier than those people who shout words of hate towards
people they don’t see eye-to-eye with. That’s not what love really is. Love is
having guts enough to show someone the right way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But that doesn’t change the fact that there is a right and
there is a wrong; and it’s my responsibility as a follower of Jesus to love
people enough to point them to the truth. Does that mean I’m right all the
time? Of course not! But then, no one is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But that doesn’t make me wrong. It makes me desperate to help
people understand a relationship with God – who is really the only one who is
right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-36271914568504330342013-12-24T05:55:00.001-08:002013-12-24T09:23:57.189-08:00It's not just a story.It's not just a story. <br />
<br />
I think too often we (Christians) read the stories found in the Bible and, while we don't do it consciously, we forget the reality of what we are reading. Yes, we acknowledge the reality of a God story in our hearts. But in our minds, we too often forget that the words in that amazing book are written about real people, in a real place, at a real time; people who dealt with real situations in a very real world and who were loved by a very real God. <br />
<br />
It's not just a story.<br />
<br />
I have too easily fallen into the trap of forgetting that I could have talked with these people if I had been there. They are just like my neighbors, my coworkers, my family and friends. They lived and breathed and played. They had jobs and laughed and cried. They got angry with one another, questioned their faith in God, and sought out salvation. They mourned the loss of those who died. And they celebrated the birth of a new child.<br />
<br />
It's not just a story.<br />
<br />
It's easy to look back at their story and wonder where our place would have been. But you don't need to take away the technology and the fast-paced reality of our world today. You don't need to change cultures. There's no requirement to speak a different language. Stripping away the layers of time and distance are not necessary. The reality is, right here and now, we all find ourselves living in the words of their story, dealing with the same situations, being loved by the very same God. Because the truth of it is, it's not just a story. <br />
<br />
It's our story.<br />
<br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-34387030837220776192013-07-26T02:09:00.001-07:002013-07-26T02:17:43.575-07:00They're More Than Just a Team...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_X5KzT977nnAMB_7Hn7Gtw7FEii2Le0nDZPTM2bGYcRFE-32cNHjOgOAly8QnPix8Fx1FO3AFxhZ4u2rNZBtuIV2z24FjkPoMRN_eoqqhyWWtfMn5alhyphenhyphenDkvzb7hUyvEuMSHgthjinvw/s1600/Yankees+-+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_X5KzT977nnAMB_7Hn7Gtw7FEii2Le0nDZPTM2bGYcRFE-32cNHjOgOAly8QnPix8Fx1FO3AFxhZ4u2rNZBtuIV2z24FjkPoMRN_eoqqhyWWtfMn5alhyphenhyphenDkvzb7hUyvEuMSHgthjinvw/s1600/Yankees+-+logo.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">People who know me know I’m a New York Yankees fan. And I know
what that brings with it, especially living in Texas. And I’ve heard it all. “They
buy their championships.” (As if every other major league baseball team has a
roster full of guys who play for free.) “It’s the evil empire.” (As if Darth
Vader himself came down from the Death Star to rule the MLB galaxy with a Louisville
Slugger and a Rawlings glove.) “Yankees suck!” (As if 27 championships in their
history is a case to argue sucking.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What most people don’t know is what the Yankees truly
represent to me. See, I don’t like the Yankees because they’re the greatest
team in the history of the MLB. I’m not going to lie, though; it’s a nice
feature of the team. But I could just as easily be a Cubs fan…or a Cardinals
fan…or a Tigers fan…or an Angels fan. Okay, maybe not the Angels. I mean, I
have to draw the line somewhere! But I’m not a fan of those teams. I’m a
Yankees fan. And here’s why…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve written about <a href="http://theandyboyd.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-hit-homeruns.html" target="_blank">the greatest gift I’ve ever received</a> ...
it was from my grandfather when I was 11 years old. That gift lit a spark that
began a passion for more than the Yankees. It lit a love for baseball itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Yankees are a team, to me, that represent so much of why
I love this country. Steeped in tradition, the Bronx Bombers have been around
since 1903 (1901 if you want to go back to their origins in Baltimore). But it’s
more than the history. The Yankees, to me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are
</i>baseball. And baseball is more than a sport to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Baseball is something that brings families together. I was
reminded of this yesterday when my oldest son sat with me during the Yankees/Rangers
game and cheered with me, and he’s a Rangers fan! Why did he do it? Because it’s
not just 9 guys on a field. And he came to understand that (after some
explaining, of course).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Baseball has given our nation reason to celebrate in times when
there wasn’t much to celebrate. It’s been there to reunite us and solidify our
resolve. Just look at the first games played after the 9/11 attacks. Stadiums
were packed, the national anthem was belted out, and people had reason to cheer
once again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">See…the Yankees aren’t just a team to me. And baseball is
not just a sport. They are a picture of our country. I had the opportunity
yesterday to step onto the field and meet a few of the Yankees. I stood there
with my family, literally feet away from Derek Jeter as he took batting
practice (alone) and was in awe of how a ball and a stick can mean so much to
me. I’m 36, and I was watching him hit as if I were a 10 year old kid standing
there. And I was reminded of the passion I have not only for the great game,
but for this great nation (yes, even still I have hope in our country). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t idolize the Yankees. My idol is Jesus Christ. But I
do honor them. I appreciate what they do. I respect the fact that they
represent so much of what I love about America. And sure, I know they have
their detractors. That’s ok. That’s part of it. America has its detractors too.
But the fact is, what they represent in my life means more than any amount of
championship trophies. They take me back to a time of innocence, and remind me that
it’s okay (and even necessary) to have unbridled passion for something bigger
than myself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-71927630529258701082013-04-22T18:07:00.001-07:002013-04-22T18:07:39.067-07:00It's Simple...<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you
ever looked at a word so many times that it becomes like a foreign language? Ever
said a word so many times that it eventually sounds like gibberish? Ever heard
a word so often that over time it became nonsense? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> "</span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Simple” is
one of those words to me. Typing it just now, I had to double check the
spelling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems to
me that the simple things in life should be, well, simple. But I’ve discovered that
some of the simplest things in life are the most difficult to grasp, and to
apply. At least, we try to make them that way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We like to take the most simple concepts and make them
nearly impossible to understand and grasp. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiPmUDexyByqtvFR0OR1j5zKPLPAmW7mDzELmJ7lCnKCFsIed4J3T5JIq2xjdLQM9x_dorNFvrpKKoTuzUZZBm8u2NjXXm2gB-ZQIlFqpCfrB63pSbEufWFc3hmUhouMoViF0U8D1YEyJ/s1600/Its-simple-to-make-things-complex--300x300.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiPmUDexyByqtvFR0OR1j5zKPLPAmW7mDzELmJ7lCnKCFsIed4J3T5JIq2xjdLQM9x_dorNFvrpKKoTuzUZZBm8u2NjXXm2gB-ZQIlFqpCfrB63pSbEufWFc3hmUhouMoViF0U8D1YEyJ/s1600/Its-simple-to-make-things-complex--300x300.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the greatest reality of all – the Gospel – is perhaps the one we confuse the most. At its heart, it is one of the simplest things to explain. But we’ve confounded and confused it with so much misinformation, misunderstanding, perversion or flat out falsehoods that too many people have no concept of what it really is. So I want to take the rest of this post to lay it out, simply...</span> </div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God has an amazing plan for all of our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because of our sin, we’re separated from God and thus unable to live out that plan on our own.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God loves us so much that He bridged the gap, the chasm between us and Him by sending <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His son, Jesus Christ, to live righteously, die sacrificially, and rise bodily.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s our choice to accept that reality or not.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s it.
Of course, the repercussions are towering, because they are eternal. And we don’t
want things that are that important to be so simple. But the truth is that the
Gospel is simple. And it’s simply up to us what we do with it. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, what are
you going to do with the simplest, yet most profound concept in the universe?
The choice is yours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-88347167489429964662013-04-21T18:53:00.001-07:002013-04-21T18:53:08.065-07:00R-E-S-P-E-C-T
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Find out what it means to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To me? It
means honoring someone. And it’s something that is earned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Too often, people
today demand respect. But if you have to demand respect, I have to wonder if
you really deserve it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Respect is a
commodity that increases the more it is given away. It’s a funny thing that
way. By respecting others, you are earning respect for yourself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Respect is
something that also takes time. I could demand that you respect me the moment
we meet. But even if you say you do, do you really? No. Respect is like a
reputation. It takes time to build up. It takes work. It takes consistency. It
takes patience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So if you
want people to respect you, start first by asking yourself, “What am I doing to
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">earn </i>respect? Am I giving respect
away to others? Am I being patient in wanting to be respected?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
You found out what it means to me. What does it mean to you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-82875331192164829552013-04-19T07:03:00.000-07:002013-04-20T07:07:42.498-07:00Quote me on that...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you
ever quoted someone? Of course you have. We all have. We love to recall what someone
said. There are entire websites created that simply list quotes from people. Some
famous. Some unknown. Some completely random.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your
country</i></b>.” – JFK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Success is not final; failure is not fatal</i></b>.” – Winston Churchill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body</i></b>.” – C.S.
Lewis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When you’re wrong, admit it. When you’re right, shut up</i></b>.” – my bride<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Quotes are
the SportsCenter highlights of someone’s life. They give us a quick peek into
the mindset and mentality of what that person believes. Some of the most powerful
and poignant moments of history are encapsulated in a single quote from the
time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you
ever considered this: When people remember you, what will they remember you
saying? What quotes will they attribute to you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not
talking about having some deep, meaningful, life-altering ten word phrase or sentence.
You may have some of those; you may not. But what will people remember you
saying? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">See, I think
our most quotable moments reveal the reality of our priorities. What we say the
most, what we refer to the most, what we talk about the most – that’s what
tells us and others what we truly hold as important. So think about that.
Because as the Bible says (and I’m paraphrasing here), “What a man talks about
is what his heart truly values.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think about
that when you are talking to someone again. If they never hear you again, what will
they remember you saying?</span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-57405929767667636052013-04-18T18:31:00.001-07:002013-04-18T18:31:54.756-07:00The Pursuit of Perfection<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perfection.
The impossible pursuit; the most improbable accomplishment. It’s something the
best aspire to achieve and the worst don't even try, knowing it’s never
going to be in their reach.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perfection is
a gift. It causes us to try harder, to work more, to push the limits of what
we thought we could do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perfection
is also a curse. It convinces us that everything and everyone is there for our use,
pawns in our pursuit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perfection
is something that, as children, we believe in. And as adults, we scoff at. But
there’s something about perfection that keeps it on the forefront of my own
mind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s not the
quest for my own perfection - that's where the curse comes in. If it's about my perfection, then I will never experience it. See, perfection
is impossible for me, but not impossible for Christ.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's right. Jesus Christ. Because
of Jesus, I have the possibility of experiencing the benefits of perfection
without ever actually achieving it on my own. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Does that
mean I stop trying? Do I stop pursuing the elusive goal? No. I strive every day
to become <i>more </i>to do <i>better </i>and to get <i>closer</i>. But I know, without him, that pursuit is in vain…because
without him that’s all it is – vanity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So the question
is: are you pursuing perfection away from Christ? Or are you pursuing
perfection through Christ. One is vanity. The other leads to eternity. The
choice is yours.<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-55894469432025286482013-04-16T18:44:00.000-07:002013-04-16T18:44:36.665-07:00Simply, "No"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Few English words
are shorter than “no”. Sure, there’s “I” and “a” and … well, I think that about
covers the “words shorter than ‘no’" list. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But there
are also few words that carry the weight of “no”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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No has such
a finality to it. It’s as if whatever topic or subject is behind it has met its
untimely (or timely, depending on your perspective I guess) end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No also has
such limitation to it. “No parking” limits your ability to store your car. “No
pets” limits your companionship in that area to humans (which is something I
think we all dread from time to time). “No entry” lets you know that you aren’t
wanted…not in that door anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But there’s
something about no that we don’t often consider. No has huge potential behind
it! Think about it. When “no” is the answer on one end, then “yes” is on the
other end, somewhere. My pastor has a great line: <i>“Say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s all
about where you place your priorities. What are you saying “no” to in your life
so that you can say a bigger “yes”? I’ll leave the areas of yes/no up to you.
But it could translate in any realm of life – emotionally, relationally, financially,
occupationally, spiritually, or to any other “-ally” you may have. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Are your “yeses”
causing you to say a bunch of “no’s” that you really want to say “yes” to?
Maybe you should start saying “no” to the things you’re saying “yes” to so that
you can say “yes” to the things you are saying “no” to…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just
something to consider!<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-8773217904624640442013-04-13T12:12:00.000-07:002013-04-15T17:12:39.655-07:00L-O-V-EThere's no greater topic, subject, or word to cover with "L" than "LOVE". And while there are a millions upon millions of words that can be written about LOVE, I thought back immediately to a song my church's creative team, <a href="http://www.fellowshipcreative.com/" target="_blank">Fellowship Creative</a>, wrote and performed. It's a powerful reminder of what LOVE really is...and what it's really all about! Check it out...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/21155411?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/21155411">L-O-V-E - LIVE</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/fccreative">Fellowship Creative</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-46637372995154519352013-04-12T17:09:00.000-07:002013-04-14T19:06:17.735-07:00The KillersDo you have one of the bands that you never really got until someone you really cared for got you into them? I mean the kind that, now, you'd like to say you always liked, but in reality it took someone special to get you to actually give them a shot?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well that's The Killers for me. So, thanks babe...they're probably one of my favorite now!<br />
<br />
(and to be honest, this post kind of feels like a cop out... But hey, it's a "K"!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyW5pNveVEc0nCZilqGJk01bg7-rkEKirCTRm-8j-xF8r3GELsTVCVni5ma5LDPLANElZq72Sr8kxAnfhcYWmhJ-vjUMncpEIyP35UUhqnJEQ5s1NSIOgTEB0qLevCBczMgSpuTCbLDU5/s1600/The+Killers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyW5pNveVEc0nCZilqGJk01bg7-rkEKirCTRm-8j-xF8r3GELsTVCVni5ma5LDPLANElZq72Sr8kxAnfhcYWmhJ-vjUMncpEIyP35UUhqnJEQ5s1NSIOgTEB0qLevCBczMgSpuTCbLDU5/s320/The+Killers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
Oh, and I just realized this is the second music-type post in the last few days. So...I'm gonna try to stay away from the music for a while. At least until "P" - because then we'll hit the greatest band in the history of music...</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-24757618017264939122013-04-11T18:58:00.000-07:002013-04-14T18:59:12.663-07:00Jackson<br />
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I have three
sons – Jackson, Parker, and Matthew – ages 12, 10, and 8 respectively (*insert cliché
“My Three Sons” joke here*). You’d think, after 12+ years of being a father, I’d
start to have things down. You would, of course, be wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Parenting is
like a brand new adventure every single day. You could say that for any of my
boys, but since today is “J” and I only have one son that starts with “J” and
that son happens to also be the oldest, just roll with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKiMLpU-dWgaQdE5WCbaEz6XOCoEhi6xv2KgLUTVZsWQJhjECaQky_4lHSSrid_72hjophygwdb0oEyFa81GF0JV8AP_fGn75vfY4v85maWWg_Tc9eguJ76h1rPN3CqTrYAM3piiiyh-w/s1600/Jackson+now.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKiMLpU-dWgaQdE5WCbaEz6XOCoEhi6xv2KgLUTVZsWQJhjECaQky_4lHSSrid_72hjophygwdb0oEyFa81GF0JV8AP_fGn75vfY4v85maWWg_Tc9eguJ76h1rPN3CqTrYAM3piiiyh-w/s320/Jackson+now.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jackson is
just like me, which makes him the most difficult kid for me to parent. It also,
I think, allows for the greatest lessons in parenting. I think that’s why God
gave him to me first…so I could at least get the lessons down that would help with
the other two. Here are just a few of the lessons I’ve learned while being
Jackson’s dad…</div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>I don’t
really know what I’m doing.</u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u> </u>If you had kids, think back to the first day
you came home with your child. I remember ours. We walked in, set him down in
his car seat, and thought, “What are we supposed to do now?!” We’re still
trying to figure that one out…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>My dad is
way smarter than I ever gave him credit for.</u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u> </u>Dad, all I can say is, “You
were right.” And “I’m learning it more and more each day.” </span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Time goes
way too fast.</u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u> </u>I can remember that day we brought Jackson home. I can
remember almost every day since. But what I can’t remember is agreeing to let
those days slip by so fast. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>God has
more patience with me than I’ll ever know.</u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><u> </u>There is no greater lesson in
God than that of being a parent. And I’m amazed that he continues to give me
fresh chances to make up for my mistakes. I cannot fathom that kind of
patience. But I am grateful for it!</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course,
there are a squillion more lessons I’ve learned…and a squillion more to learn
ahead. I only hope and pray that each lesson I learn is a lesson learned out of
love for … Jackson.<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-73743824795389406542013-04-10T20:14:00.000-07:002013-04-10T20:14:28.672-07:00Ice, Ice, Baby... <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ding ding
ding da da ding ding! Ding ding ding da da ding ding!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Alright stop...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now that the
song is stuck in your head, we can move forward. (And if it isn’t stuck in your
head, you are either too young to appreciate the greatness of Vanilla Ice or
you and I don’t have near the same affinity for early 90s music.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3WsoFuxeLLVDKpTCrw-59RoqAoG5ixQueDD5BqTFt0_wKMix2j2o-R8yj3U4GtmiVhKTAlNvvQOmxvKWNqm8tJSiDH7jc8Vczk8KWyscov8K-R3HfRZwmcTnbOimTILjtY-S9dI-vWdL/s1600/Ice,+Ice,+Baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3WsoFuxeLLVDKpTCrw-59RoqAoG5ixQueDD5BqTFt0_wKMix2j2o-R8yj3U4GtmiVhKTAlNvvQOmxvKWNqm8tJSiDH7jc8Vczk8KWyscov8K-R3HfRZwmcTnbOimTILjtY-S9dI-vWdL/s1600/Ice,+Ice,+Baby.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We all have
those songs from our past that stick out in our minds. At the drop of a beat,
you can sing every word, recall every note, and remember every step of the music
video (when they actually made music videos).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whether it’s
“Ice, Ice, Baby” or some other “classic,” there are songs that will forever transport
us back to the days of our childhood or teenage years… when the future held
every possibility and the days flew by too quickly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But thinking
of it that way makes me wonder. What is today’s “Ice, Ice, Baby” for me?
Because the reality is that the music we hear today will be the music of our
memories tomorrow… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just
something to think about.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Will it ever stop, yo, I don't know…
(now you finish the song!)<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-81585718206422526432013-04-09T18:53:00.003-07:002013-04-09T18:56:14.927-07:00A Haiku<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
She’s
remarkable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
Some call
her ‘friend.’ I see ‘home.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
You see, she’s
my bride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-33791631686422942562013-04-08T18:30:00.002-07:002013-04-08T19:18:16.801-07:00God Is...and God Isn't<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is love.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t apathy.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
present.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t missing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is alive.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t a figment.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
generous.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t stingy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is purposed.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t wandering.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
understanding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t close-minded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is hope.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t fear.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
trustworthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t a liar.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is all-knowing.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t surprised.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
powerful.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t weak.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is dangerous.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t timid.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t neutral.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is safe.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t scary.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
indescribable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t unknowable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is mighty.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t mild.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is near.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t distant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is true.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t relative.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is firm.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
forgiving. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t bitter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is patient.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> God
isn’t <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is
eternal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
God
isn’t temporal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most of all…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>God is Jesus Chirst.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> God isn’t someone we can never
know</span></b>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-11678611712208972162013-04-06T18:56:00.000-07:002013-04-06T18:56:05.105-07:00Funerals, Flags, and Faith<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have
attended two funerals in the last several weeks. The first one was on February
7, and I would be surprised if you hadn’t heard about it. The other was today, and
I would be surprised if you <i>had</i> heard
about it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris Kyle’s
funeral was a national event. There were thousands in attendance, including political
dignitaries and news organizations, military heroes and famous musicians. It
was the greatest, most moving display of unified patriotism I have personally seen
in my life. (One of these A to Z posts will likely be about that experience.) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ralph Sims’
funeral, on the other hand, was anything but a national event. There <i>might</i> have been a hundred and fifty people
there. There were no news cameras. No dignitaries. No famous musicians. Just
family, friends, and a few others who had the privilege of meeting him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But I will
tell you that both funerals, both events, both men had two things in common –
two things that bond them together in a way that will continue to shape and
mold my life as a man. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I watched
both caskets being carried out of each ceremony, each draped in an American
flag, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming pride. Both of these men, while
not in the same time, fashion, or stage, sacrificed part of their existence to
secure the freedom of someone else. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQXhyphenhyphenyA6WFT2VQjFwnFa97rRUFM50XZYn04bgnah6lao9qnFXVpJOH7uhhSRrnxICnjHyiuBglYRYVvRnu918TFeVV4Yx_H2puL1pnGHUxGBYLEyxXXWWVbrMnOwj9KcwkiTlyTMv8k2N/s1600/Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQXhyphenhyphenyA6WFT2VQjFwnFa97rRUFM50XZYn04bgnah6lao9qnFXVpJOH7uhhSRrnxICnjHyiuBglYRYVvRnu918TFeVV4Yx_H2puL1pnGHUxGBYLEyxXXWWVbrMnOwj9KcwkiTlyTMv8k2N/s1600/Flag.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There were both military heroes. Chris was
a hero of national acclaim. And although he never asked for the spotlight, he handled
it with absolute humility and a deep sense of honor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ralph was a
hero on a much quieter stage. But he was no less a hero (Even Chris would have
said the same thing…) But hearing the words spoken about Ralph today by his
friends and family revealed the same honor and humility that were displayed in
Chris Kyle. But it wasn’t the humility,
honor, or sacrifice that made the greatest impression. That service to our
nation wasn’t the strongest bond these two great men share. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The greatest
aspect of both men was their unquestionable faith in Jesus Christ. Plain and
simple, the faith that Chris and Ralph had in God’s Son is the ONLY reason each
funeral was more celebration than it was mourning. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was that
faith, that trust, that ultimate surrender to Christ that allowed each of these
men to be great. They would tell you the same thing. It was only through their
faith that they were able to stand in the face of fear, to have peace in the
face of chaos, and to have trust in the face of uncertainty in our world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While I only
had the honor of spending a very short time with Ralph, and an even shorter
amount of time with Chris, the faith they each displayed stands as an example and
a challenge for me. I hope it will for you…<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-39827382759369768782013-04-05T21:25:00.003-07:002013-04-05T21:26:18.263-07:00Evening with Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Well, it's almost midnight. I barely made the deadline today. And I really am exhausted. So for this post I'm simply posting this image of an 'evening with friends'. It was a great night full of laughs, stories, good food and great conversation. Not to mention glow-in-the-dark croquet... </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yQv3cW2UdzACHiUTaKDhHuPng4Xa5F4d-11t7-GDp95BnHDXELYGWn0ce0HhePtyt2BJbwbmgrEG6tK6nglNxrLUgyUC64TQFOMzPmLHMJJxQr7Y-wm-yJgtnL_-svP95u8hMExCvLPP/s1600/Glow.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yQv3cW2UdzACHiUTaKDhHuPng4Xa5F4d-11t7-GDp95BnHDXELYGWn0ce0HhePtyt2BJbwbmgrEG6tK6nglNxrLUgyUC64TQFOMzPmLHMJJxQr7Y-wm-yJgtnL_-svP95u8hMExCvLPP/s320/Glow.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">(Which, by the way, we decided was a million dollar idea for anyone who wants to trademark, produce, and market it... You're welcome!)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-31377887655836197792013-04-04T18:21:00.000-07:002013-04-04T18:56:56.993-07:00I Don't Doubt It. Or Do I? <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you
ever had so much faith in something that to even <i>think </i>about doubting it made you feel queasy? It’s funny how that
works. We grow to have faith in something – anything – and we tell ourselves
that if doubt ever entered the picture, then we must not have had faith to
begin with. Because if doubt is there, we reason, then our faith isn’t really
that strong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Right about
now, you may be thinking of something you have faith in. It could be anything
from Santa Claus to Jesus Christ. I don’t care what it is. We all have faith in
something. And I would argue that the very thing we have faith in is the very
thing we doubt from time to time. (Let that mess with your mind for a while!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here’s something
else that will mess with you. This is a statement that my pastor preached years
ago: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b>Doubt and faith run
on parallel tracks.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpVlAHUS2wCEHvajtRPTIuEpb0HvW3tyuRyfrrltdS8y2WbyrjH3L286rCw_DDhm9dzGpHMMNLK8xMgfcX_uMs2xX_hHYobkK5mLMR1sd65PN9wOnGSVncJwK8DxWRXOoR6csiCQkDK2T/s1600/Parallel+tracks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpVlAHUS2wCEHvajtRPTIuEpb0HvW3tyuRyfrrltdS8y2WbyrjH3L286rCw_DDhm9dzGpHMMNLK8xMgfcX_uMs2xX_hHYobkK5mLMR1sd65PN9wOnGSVncJwK8DxWRXOoR6csiCQkDK2T/s1600/Parallel+tracks.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In other
words, doubt plays an irreplaceable and inevitable role in your faith. It seems like a contradictory
statement, I know. But if you have faith in something, no matter what that
thing is, there is an element of the unknown. That’s what faith is! It’s
trusting in something that's bound to merge with doubt. Because the reality
is that if there was no unknown, there would be no faith. There would only be
certainty. And certainty requires no faith. It simply requires observation of
facts. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But how
boring would life be if it was all about certainty and not about faith? Faith
is the thing that invokes excitement. Faith is driven by desire. Faith requires
more than knowledge; it requires trust and an understanding that can withstand
any logical argument. And trust, even in the face of doubt, is where life
becomes more than simply survival. That’s when it becomes truly living. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here’s the question.
What do you have faith in? What do you believe so strongly that you are willing
to doubt it, just to prove to yourself that your faith is real? Me? There’s a
lot I have faith in. The biggest is that Jesus Christ is my savior. Does that
mean I have no doubt? Of course not! But I don’t let that doubt stop me from
trusting. Instead, I use that doubt to drive me forward into experiencing what
it means to truly live!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
N<i>ow faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hebrews 11:1</div>
</div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-24696904904558818112013-04-03T20:29:00.001-07:002013-04-03T20:29:18.938-07:00Cliché? Touché!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Writers are
all the same, aren’t we? Oh, sure, we don’t write about the same things. We don’t
act the same way. We don’t even think along the same lines. But we all struggle
with avoiding the most dangerous of all traps: cliché.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But this is
something that transcends writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my
wife’s most powerful ideas (and what she bases much her life on) is that she
never wants to be cliché. And she isn’t. She doesn’t even have to try to avoid
it. She’s original in everything she says, does, and thinks. And that’s one of
the things I love most about her. But me? I have to fight it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Too many
times, I’ll find myself falling into one cliché or another. I’m the middle aged
white guy with 3 kids, a mortgage, and a golden retriever. Pretty cliché. Maybe
that’s one reason I like tattoos, and want even more. But even that can become cliché.
So I shave my head. But again…cliché. I (now) own a gun. But still… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I could go
on and on. But I won’t. I don’t want to focus on what makes me cliché. I want
to focus on what makes me unique.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So what
makes me unique? What makes any of us unique? Maybe it’s as simple as the way
we fight becoming cliché. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’ll leave
my own fight against cliché for another post (maybe under “f”). But for now, let's go interactive. I’d
love to hear from you. What do you do to avoid becoming cliché?<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-8224078112872084562013-04-02T18:07:00.002-07:002014-03-02T04:30:09.799-08:00I'm BORED<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When’s the
last time you were bored? I mean really bored. Think about it. I’m not talking
about 'wasting time on your smart phone' bored. I mean really, really bored. I
mean bored to the point of almost restless energy. I mean so bored that you
began to talk to yourself about how bored you were!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you’re
like most people (and chances are, you are; that’s why it’s ‘like most people’)
the answer is, “I can’t remember.” We’re so plugged in, wired in, and tuned in
that we have forgotten what it’s like to be really bored.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMqEaGlVbwqLqXB_3DX_GTL-btm_ZHI7zGoNJ4cR6DH3Ntc-GFcEmfOJN1sBt5XEKAacW50ikBrzY6vr5g0HPdCNKXXAAsaoIXLIs4MsJcjKVT3aNXSJYjMcTT58xDnBK-iSrbIGbALUh/s1600/nirvanaweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMqEaGlVbwqLqXB_3DX_GTL-btm_ZHI7zGoNJ4cR6DH3Ntc-GFcEmfOJN1sBt5XEKAacW50ikBrzY6vr5g0HPdCNKXXAAsaoIXLIs4MsJcjKVT3aNXSJYjMcTT58xDnBK-iSrbIGbALUh/s320/nirvanaweb.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When my boys
(I have three) say to me, “Dad, I’m bored!” my response is always the same. “Great!
It’s good to be bored sometimes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
See, when we’re
bored, that’s when our imagination kicks in. I’m not talking about tapping into
someone else’s imagination. I mean our own. When we’re bored, we allow our creativity to work its way out
from the recesses of our minds. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Think about it. It’s from
boredom that our greatest games as children were created. I’m not talking about
video games. I’m talking about those games where it was you and some friends,
and you were lucky if there was a stick or a can around to help with the
creation of the game. But either way (with or without props), it was all up to
your imagination. And the more ‘bored’ you were, the faster you likely created
your way out of that boredom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I realize it
makes me sound like some old fashioned curmudgeon, but kids these days need to
be bored (You kids get off my lawn!) I would even argue that <i>adults
</i>these days need to be bored! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So go be
bored. Sometime today, put everything aside. Turn off the phone (and don’t just
put it on silent, because you’re still going to check it.) Get away from your
desk or your classroom or your office. Find some place where you can sit. And
then…do nothing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s not going to be easy. At first, you’re going to think
about all the things you “should” be doing. But eventually, you’ll get to the
point of boredom. And you never know what you’ll think of next…<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-79864434967138058422013-04-01T18:51:00.000-07:002013-04-01T19:15:27.544-07:00A...<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are
6549 words that start with the letter “a” in the English dictionary. All I have
to do is pick one to start this <a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html" target="_blank">A to Z Writing Challenge</a>. But I’m
struggling. And like always, when I’m struggling, I ask my wife for a little
help, a little inspiration. So right now she is literally spouting words that
start with “A”. Some of the ones she’s suggested: aardvarks,
addictions, ascension, a la mode (ok, that’s not English, but she really likes
ice cream…) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, like
anything that has to do with writing, the first is always the hardest. It’s
true with the first line. It’s true with getting your first book or article
published. This is just another first that is difficult.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’ve waffled
between going with a theme or picking random topics each day. A <a href="http://erickfarish.com/a-is-for-asking-hard-questions/" target="_blank">friend of mine is writing the entire A to Z Challenge on marriage</a>. I love that idea, but I can’t
do that. To steal a line from another blogger, “for the sake of my sanity, I’m
not sticking to a particular theme.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So I figured
today I’d write about a… No, not a topic. Not a subject. Just a…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
dictionary defines “a” as an indefinite article; not any particular or certain
one of a class. Have you ever felt like a…? I think we all have. We’ve said
things like, “I’m just <i>a </i>father. I’m
just <i>a </i>businessman. I’m just <i>a </i>person.” But the reality is so much
greater; so much grander.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The truth is
that you aren’t <i>a…</i> you are <i>the. </i>There has never been, nor will
there ever be, another you. Sure, some of the roles you fill may overlap with
the roles other people fill. But the fact is, you are the only one who will
ever fulfill every role that you fill right now, right where you are. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s the
greatness of life. It’s the originality of it all. God created you to be
one-of-a-kind. Think about how amazing that is. With 7 billion people on earth
(and that’s just the living ones…it doesn’t count those who have gone before
us), there are no duplicates. No one fills in the gaps exactly as someone else
has, does, or ever will.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, no, you
are not just a… Remember, every moment of every day, you are filling the role
of <i>the </i>one and only…<o:p></o:p></div>
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047061935469278368.post-66218669021858700932013-02-11T18:55:00.000-08:002020-04-08T07:41:11.075-07:0020 Minutes with a Hero<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the guide for his memorial service, it says that there are
those who know <strong><em>about </em></strong>Chris Kyle, those who know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong>of</strong></i> Chris Kyle and
there are those who really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strong>know</strong></i> Chris
Kyle. While I’m certain I don’t fit in that latter category (I didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know</i> him), I don’t think I just knew <em>about </em>or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of</i> him either. I find myself somewhere
in the middle.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Before I go any further, let me admit
that the essence of a man can never be fully understood or grasped by anyone other than
those who are closest to him. That is sacred ground for his wife and children,
and those select few he chooses to let in. It should never be purported to be
understood by someone who doesn’t truly know him. But one thing was clear from
today’s memorial service for Chris. The essence of who he was as a man was evident
to anyone who ever met him, even if it was just for a moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One day last year, I had the
honor and privilege of seeing that essence up close. I had the chance to spend 20
minutes with Chris Kyle. No cameras were around (besides my phone). No press
was recording the conversation. No one else even knew about it. But during that
brief conversation, it was clear that Chris had vitality, humility, and
security in his spirit. When you live the kind of life Chris did (and I’m not
talking about what he did for a living); when you are the kind of man that
Chris was, it permeates every aspect of your life, every conversation you have.
It’s clear to anyone and everyone just what kind of man you are. Even if he
only spends 20 minutes with you. That’s what I had. 20 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm-MmWdfdhw3V-zWa8W8Pvs-u1CLEbRHQK5ADmVQRgTIrwJVhv0v9FOT94Nsfe17K_xAqBcXncbCLCbv7sJjovn7rjZjh-Y5nmrSc79DeGzgHuk2JuB58uFgHNNq4SOJ4Z3pCAV7qf2qP/s1600/Chris+Kyle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcm-MmWdfdhw3V-zWa8W8Pvs-u1CLEbRHQK5ADmVQRgTIrwJVhv0v9FOT94Nsfe17K_xAqBcXncbCLCbv7sJjovn7rjZjh-Y5nmrSc79DeGzgHuk2JuB58uFgHNNq4SOJ4Z3pCAV7qf2qP/s320/Chris+Kyle.png" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After he had spoken at our church one weekend, I was asked to walk with him out to his truck. And when I
shook his hand, something happened that completely caught me off guard. Chris found
out that I had served in the Marine Corps. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Immediately, that contagious, mischievous
smile so many talked about today worked its way across his face. There was a
squint of his eyes. He winked. And then he said four words I never dreamed of
hearing from a hero of Chris’ caliber (pun intended). He shook my hand (again)
and said, “Thank you for serving.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now, at this point, let me make something
very clear. Yes, I served in the Marine Corps. But I was in the Corps during
peacetime. I trained. I prepared. I trained some more. I spent time on the
range and perfected my craft. But I never went to war. It’s one of the biggest
regrets of my life (not that I wish we were at war, but any Marine will tell
you that’s what they are there for…to go to war.) I would in no way say my time
in the Marine Corps came anywhere close to what the men and women of our Armed
Forces today are facing. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">certainly</i>
wouldn’t begin to put my service on the level of Chris Kyle’s. But he did. In
his mind, serving is serving. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When he thanked me, my response was
something to the effect of, “Are you &^$%# kidding me?!” Another smile.
Then he put his arm on my shoulder and said, “Look, I’m serious. You and I are
no different. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just in a different
place at a different time with different opportunities.” Like I said. Unexpected.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Chris
Kyle was a lot of things to a lot of people. There’s no way anyone can put into
words all that he meant to them. Me? I think I can boil it down to one word. <strong>Hero</strong>.
Not in the sense of a man who rushed into a hail of bullets to rescue someone
(though Chris did that). Not in the sense that his family understands it (no one else will ever know that depth of Chris). Not in the sense that this
nation sees his heroism. Though all of that is true about Chris. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Chris
Kyle is a hero to me because during that 20 minute conversation, it was clear
that he allowed Jesus to shine through him to other people. He truly cared for and
valued everyone he ever met. Even if it was just for 20 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There was no pretense to Chris Kyle. There was no ‘personality’
to Chris Kyle. There was only the person of Chris Kyle…the kind of person who
is genuine, real, dedicated. The kind of person that has the sense of security
and self-assuredness that are only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And for that, I can truly say "Thank you, Chris Kyle…"</span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13192301492100590547noreply@blogger.com5