Energy Bus

Ok, so it has been a while since I last wrote....sorry! But, I have (as many of you have) been busy these last few weeks. I hope that you, who are reading this, had a great Christmas and are getting excited about the new year that is headed our way. I want to wish you all a great an prosperous year in 2011.

On my time off this past week I have been taking time to read a book that I was introduced to as a possible book study. I have been approached to lead a group in my church through this book. I know that God has been planning something and I have been praying that He will show me. I heard a great preacher this past Sunday speak clearly on the Will of God. I believe God has placed this book and opportunity in front of me as part of His will for my life. Please pray for me as I take this responsibility.

I have finished this book and I would recommend it to anyone! The book is entitled "The Energy Bus," and it gives 10 rules (I will not share them here because I want you to go out and get it) to provide positive energy on "your bus." The book boils down in its 120 plus pages that we have a choice EVERYDAY to be positive or to be negative. It goes on to say that basically negativity breads negativity and the opposite is true, positive breads positive. I found while reading this book that I have had MANY (TOO MANY) days where I have been around too much negativity and that it has hampered me and my life. Who is to blame for that? Not God. Not my wife. Not my family. Not my dogs. ME!! I am to blame!!! And, who can fix that? ME!! It is a conscious decision EVERYDAY to be positive or to be negative. With Christmas behind us and the new year ahead, I'm not even waiting to make a new year's resolution to be more of a positive energy! I am excited to try this out now!! It's not going to be easy and it will not happen over night. The sad thing is, we should not have to have a book that tells us to be positive. Jesus Christ was a positive influence for us and we should lovingly take that influence with us and live out our life.

I know, we all have rough times in our lives. We are busy (too busy much of the time). The economy is bad. Jobs are few. Things aren't always going our way, BUT shouldn't we try to find small positives in everything and build on that? God gave us life. He gave us choice. What will you choose? Are you going to get on the energy bus and drive towards you destination, the place where God has called you? Are you going to be positive or negative? Those are THE ONLY two choices!! Think about it!

MacGyver

     So.....
     On my day off this past week, I went about my routine of cleaning around the house (dishes, clothes, recycle, etc.) when I decided to go to Sam's Club and look around at some televisions and getting some pictures developed for our Christmas cards.
     I made it into the store, worked on the pictures, and looked at some televisions (and no, I didn't purchase one). I walked out the door feeling like I had accomplished so much and still had half the day left. I reached my car and began to feel my pocket of my pants for the keys......they weren't there! "No, this can't be," I said to myself. "I have NEVER locked my keys in this car since I've had it," I said silently but very angrily! I am now thinking to myself what am I going to do, so I looked at my watch and it WAS ONLY 12:30 PM!!! I'm thinking at this point that I am going to have to waste the rest of my day waiting on my wife to get off work to come get me. The good news...........the window was cracked!!!! I rarely have it cracked in December, but God was looking out for me!
     After a few moments of yoga type breathing and trying to relax, I called my sister-in-law who was in the process of helping our friends pack for a move back to California. I got her voice mail and this was my reply, "Hey, I know this is going to be a great story to send our friends back to California with, but I am stuck in the Sam's parking lot because I have locked my keys in the car. Can you call me back so that I can work something out?"
     As I was waiting for my sister-in-law to return my call I proceeded back into the store where I began talking to one of the mechanics in the Tire and Lube department. I informed the man that I probably had one of the toughest door locks simply because it was a manual and it was placed on the side of the door, not on top. After explaining to him my situation, the mechanic said, "All I have is a coat hanger. Good luck." I replied with a thank you and walked back out.....all the time saying to myself, "I don't know how this is going to work." As I reached my car, my sister-in-law called. To sum that conversation up she was willing to help if she could but she was tied up with helping our friends pack, but she did let me know that I was a funny guy and that this was a funny situation (I love you too, S-I-L).
     After four, yes ONLY FOUR, tries I dropped the hanger into the car and COULD NOT reach it to try again. So, I had to rethink my plan....AGAIN! I then had a MacGyver moment and decided to take one of my windshield wipers off and use it to unlock my door. I pushed and pushed until it finally clicked open!! Once I heard that click, I JOYFULLY opened the door grabbed my keys, hurriedly put my blade back on the windshield and took the hanger back to the mechanic.
     Oh, what a day!! I was happy I didn't have to face my sister-in-law or my wife! I knew I wouldn't live it down! I am proud though that I had a MacGyver moment and it worked!!!!
     I say ALL that to say this....don't limit yourself! If you have an idea, work through it. It may not work the first time and the tools may not be right, but if you keep at it, things will happen.
     I hope and pray that all that are reading this will have a great week and are enjoying this holiday season. God bless you all.

Aaron 

Holiday Spirit

      After hearing now for a few weeks, Christmas songs on the radio and having all our decorations on the Tree and around the house I still really didn't feel in the holiday spirit. I know, it's December and it's time! I just had the hardest time getting there until this past weekend and Monday. First, I rang the Salvation Army bell with three youth, one college kid and my wife for five hours on Saturday! This time was an enjoyable time because we saw so many people who were smiling, who were excited about it snowing, who were happily buying gifts for their family and friends. It was a moment in time that I will not forget because I saw for five hours people truly being Jesus. I didn't ask if the money they were giving was ALL they could give....it was the simple fact that they were giving!!! Jesus gave to help others and to see so many people at this point in the economy do just that brought me in to an excited spirit. Second, Monday I was in the back of a truck bed looking at lights that had been put up for a festival of lights. You may be asking why I was in the back of a truck, well......it was a friend thing. See, my wife and I went with a number of friends an hour away to see these lights. We could not all fit into one truck so we made our way to the festival and parked all the vehicles and jumped into the truck. All bundled up where you could only see our eyes, we rode through the festival in the back of the truck, hugging each other, singing carols and just joking around. It was a blast!! I am very thankful for the opportunity because you see, two of those friends will be moving back to California at the end of this week and I'm not sure when we will get to see them again face to face. Yes, riding in the back of a truck in 25 degree weather sounds crazy (and honestly, it is), but it's the fact that we spent time with some of the most amazing friends. I love all those that went Monday. That night, I found the holiday spirit. That's what Christmas is all about, spending time with those you love and care about. I love and care about those youth, college kids, my friends and ESPECIALLY my wife. I loved spending time with them all. I caught the holiday spirit this past weekend! I hope and pray that if you haven't already caught it that you do because Jesus Christ has something special in store for you. Hope, Peace, Love, Joy.....all the things that culminate into Jesus, the reason we celebrate this time of year. Thanks be to God for ALL the blessings he has GIVEN me!!

Aaron

Be Still

     It's been a rough couple of days. I have been feeling bad and not thinking very highly of myself lately. I have gone to God a few times in prayer. As I have done this I have also tried to prepare myself for the next sermon I am to do. You may ask what these two things have to do with each other and on the surface they may not have anything to do with each other, BUT God is at work and through these prayer times HE has guided me to some scriptures that are defining me and my life at this moment. I believe that is what God wants those pastors/preachers/ministers to preach from because THAT is real life! When the minister is going through something, more than likely there is at least one other in the crowd that is going through it as well. Actually, I'm sure the ratio is much higher, but you get my point. God wants us to speak from the heart....His heart, about His people.
     As I write this, the sermon seems to be coming together in my head. I love how God works! I am just in constant prayer right now that I stay open to His working and get closer to Him so that I know what direction I am suppose to go in.
      These past couple of days have been rough, but were/are not as rough as they could have been without my God and my wife. God has blessed me so much. He is with me! I just have to let go and let God. My father-in-law recently quoted this verse to me: "Be still and know that I am God." Ps 46:10. How often do we do this? In this BUSIER time of year, do we stop, get still and listen to God? In these last couple of rough days, I really haven't and I am ashamed of that. The good news....God forgives! He is STILL there waiting for me! Thanks be to God!
     "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD."

What am I thankful for?

I have a few friends that have posted a Thanksgiving Challenge of naming something you are thankful for each day, totaling to 30 things in the month of November. I like this idea, but I am horrible about making it a scheduled thing so I decided I would try and do that challenge here right now. I cannot promise that there will be 30....it may be more. I am going to write the things (people) I am thankful for and then describe a little about why.

I am thankful for.....
  My Lord and Savior - He saved me!! He gave me life that I didn't deserve and more abundantly!!
  The Bible - I can read what God has for me at a particular moment in my life.
  Prayer - I can go to God at ANY TIME!
  My wife - She has been a sounding board, a CONSTANT ENCOURAGER! She helps balance me.
  My parents - They have raised and trained me up to be a good, godly man and husband.
  My grandmother - She is my steady rock, letting me know things will be okay.
  My sister - She has challenged me in so many ways; she has made me grow.
  My in-laws - They have given me love that only a child of their own should get. They have been great role models.
  A place to worship - I am blessed to have that freedom; to show my love for God in public.
  Ability to read - I want to learn and understand so much more than what I have stored in my mind.
  Ability to write - I want to share what's on my mind and get thoughts out, whether people respond or not.
  My job - I get to impact others through OUR LORD!
  Food - I need to eat!! I have had a great cook all my life and now I have two!
  My youth minister friends - They have been a great support in good times and bad.
  Our Danville friends - They took me in as one of their own.
  My hometown church family - They "grew me up" in the ways of God.
  Phone - I can talk (or text) my family and friends and any time.
  Our dogs, Olive and Gibbs - They give me so playtime.
  Our home - It protects me and my family.
  Our car - It gets me from place to place.
  Our neighbors - They have welcomed us in so quickly.
  Our computer - I can communicate so much more easily and keep up with news.
  Our indoor plumbing - I don't have to go out in the cold to answer nature's call
  My "man cave" - Gives me a place to study and prepare messages.
  Our washer/dryer - We can have clean clothes whenever.
  Our dishwasher - I don't have to stand and wash!
  Sports - Takes my mind of the stresses of life and puts them on the stresses of "Monday morning quarterbacking."
  Yard work (within reason) - Makes it welcoming to visitors.
  Roofers and Plumbers - They keep the house from flooding.
  Radio - Makes trips fun and love hearing people share their thoughts and ideas.
  Smiles - They let me know everything's gonna be alright.

God bless you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving

Well.....
     Today starts the week of Thanksgiving. The week of Thanksgiving? The "week" of Thanksgiving? I am posing this question and emphasizing the word week for two reasons; 1) Do we give a week to being thankful? and 2) Why would we give a week?
     Thanksgiving is so important, yet it seems we have diminished it to a one day event full of food, football, parades and the unofficial kickoff to Christmas.
     Why can we not be thankful, truly thankful beyond the week of Thanksgiving? Is it because the more we say thanks, the less meaning it has? Is it because we are too busy to stop and say "Thank you." God has blessed me in so many ways. I have forgotten that! I am trying to focus on THANKSgiving this week, but I am already in prayer that I will continue to give thanks beyond this week. I challenged the congregation of my church at the end of the service to begin counting their blessings yesterday and do it everyday for 365 days so that we will get even a better picture of Thanksgiving next year. So, I challenge you, whoever you are to do the same thing. As the hymn goes, "Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings and SEE what God has done."
     Enjoy this week and be thankful! Tell of your blessings! God bless.

Leaking Roof

Some of you know that I just recently had to get a new roof on our house. It looks beautiful and it works!!! I just couldn't help but step into our kitchen (as it was raining) and marveled at what a little bit of work could prevent. The guys that put our roof on worked three days and not only shingled the entire house but also replaced boards and weatherstripped the valleys. Now, I should have a roof that will protect from leaking for 25 or so years.....done by 3 guys in 3 days!!! What if we parallel that to our lives. WHAT IF we work on our lives, spiritually speaking, for more than 3 days (say everyday!)....what will we prevent? The next time you are outside your home, look at the roof and when you go in, look at your ceilings....can you prevent leaking in your "home" (in your soul/heart)?

Poker Chips

Have you ever taken a poker chip and just looked at it? I mean just look at it and think what it's purpose. I'm not suggesting that you go out and begin betting or playing poker. I'm just asking if you have ever looked at it? What does that chip stand for? To me, I see money. In order to get a chip you have to give the banker (I guess that's what you call them) whatever that chip is "worth." It is a symbol of money, something you got in return so that you can join in a game.

I had the privilege of meeting a church staff from N.C. about a month ago that talked about putting in your chips....you built up your chip count and now it was time to spend them. Now, they weren't at a poker table playing the card game, BUT they had the concept of "buying in" to the program(s) that they needed to be a part of that would turn their church around so that it might serve God in a way that it never had. They "bought in" to God's plan. They "bought in" to each other. They "bought in" to their church. They were invested in there God-given ministries.

I've seen and felt poker chips before, but I have never thought of them in that light. So, are you "buying in" to you church?