Let me introduce you to the Asselin family. These folks are some great friends of mine and they graciously allowed me to interview them and share their story during a recent sermon. Their baby boy Lucas played Baby Jesus at our Christmas Eve Service and four days later, he was diagnosed with cancer. The faith of this family has been in inspiration to me and to countless others.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
People Pleasing
The worst job I ever had was refereeing flag football for pre-schoolers. I learned something very early on in my very first game...no matter what call you make, somebody is going to hate you! Any job that pays 5 bucks an hour and brings death threats is a lousy job. Those parents were brutal. For survival's sake, I had to make the decision to ignore the sidelines and just make the decision that I felt was the right decision regardless of who loved me or hated me for it.
This simple life lesson from flag football has been one of my greatest treasures. The most liberating discovery in the world is realizing that you don't have to live my life to please people (and it would be impossible even if you tried). All you have to do is live your life for an audience of one...God. And one day, the crowds will all be silent and you will stand before Him and hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant"!
This simple life lesson from flag football has been one of my greatest treasures. The most liberating discovery in the world is realizing that you don't have to live my life to please people (and it would be impossible even if you tried). All you have to do is live your life for an audience of one...God. And one day, the crowds will all be silent and you will stand before Him and hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant"!
Friday, March 27, 2009
How to be Wise
The Bible has a great deal to say about the importance of wisdom. The Book of Proverbs, in particular, is a treasure rich with insights into the attainment of Wisdom. I want to have as much wisdom as I can to do life and ministry the right way, so I try to read a chapter everyday out of Proverbs. There are 31 chapters, so I can do one a day and finish the book each month.
As the information has finally begun to penetrate my thick skull, a very simple path to Biblical Wisdom has emerged. Proverbs talks quite a bit about the importance of listening and holding your tongue. It seems that wisdom is attained through the ears and lost through the mouth, so if you want to become wiser, all you have to do is listen more and talk less! For more insights, I challenge you to read from Proverbs regularly. You'll get a little wiser every day!
As the information has finally begun to penetrate my thick skull, a very simple path to Biblical Wisdom has emerged. Proverbs talks quite a bit about the importance of listening and holding your tongue. It seems that wisdom is attained through the ears and lost through the mouth, so if you want to become wiser, all you have to do is listen more and talk less! For more insights, I challenge you to read from Proverbs regularly. You'll get a little wiser every day!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Pain
One of my sons has a painful wound that requires cleaning and applying ointment to bring about healing (ah, the joys of parenthood). The entire process is very painful for him (and much more painful for me), and the process is complicated by the fact that he is too young to understand what is happening. In his limited persepective, all he knows is that his daddy is hurting him. I know that the painful process of cleaning the wound and applying medicine is the only way to bring healing, but he can't see past the pain.
I think that we often look at God with the same, misguided persective that my son has. We blame Him for our pain, since He's the one who's in control. What we don't see is the pain that He endures as we suffer and how our pain is often the only way to bring spiritual healing and the development of wisdom and Christ-like character which is His ultimate goal for our life, but still, all we see is that our comfort has been taken away and replaced with pain. Next time life brings you pain, instead of blaming God, ask Him to use the experience to draw you closer to Jesus. That is a prayer that He will always answer!
I think that we often look at God with the same, misguided persective that my son has. We blame Him for our pain, since He's the one who's in control. What we don't see is the pain that He endures as we suffer and how our pain is often the only way to bring spiritual healing and the development of wisdom and Christ-like character which is His ultimate goal for our life, but still, all we see is that our comfort has been taken away and replaced with pain. Next time life brings you pain, instead of blaming God, ask Him to use the experience to draw you closer to Jesus. That is a prayer that He will always answer!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
That's my boy!
I guess "silliness" is an inherited trait, because my oldest boy, Cooper, recently woke up from a nap and decided to entertain himself by invading his underwear drawer and making a hat from his underwear. He said, "Look, I'm silly like Daddy!" Ah, what a legacy I'm creating! I could keep writing the details, but "a picture is worth a thousand words," so enjoy this picture of Coop and his underwear hat.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Creek TIthe Rap
Check out my first (and probably last) public rap performance. Todd, Kevin and "D-Money" (that's me) performed this at church on Sunday. Oh...the stuff I do for Jesus!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
When Opportunity Knocks
More than a series of events, life is really a series of opportunities. They come in various forms and present themselves in unexpected ways and how we respond to opportunities is a defining factor that sets the trajectory for our lives. Remember, Opportunity is a guest who arrives unannounced and never stays long. In other words, "opportunity knocks", but it rarely knocks twice! When a good one comes your way, seize it, because it might not come your way again.
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