Yikes! I haven't posted since August. How did that happen?
Have you ever noticed that time flies? I mean it seems like we were just in the middle of summer and now, we're suddenly into the fall and the rain has come. But time is still ticking away and we're not able to put a hold on it. Before we know it we'll have Thanksgiving and Christmas underfoot and be well on our way to Spring Break.
Obviously in our society today, time has become more precious than money and while I enjoy spending my money, I can easily make choices about money but when it comes to time, I know that I haven't been the best steward. It's so easy to waste time and not get things done. I'm not saying that you have to be busy all the time, everyone needs time to relax and take it easy but I think that it's also easy in this day and age to let time just slip away. From television, to the internet to cell phones and everything else out there it's easy to just sit and not get anything done. I've found hours slipping away into oblivion and when I look at the clock, I'm baffled because all I'd done was sit in front of the television.
I know that I have a busier life than most people and that time management for me is a key but I can't let my busy life take over my life. In the end, it all comes down to choices that we make. How we live our life. We have to chose what we embrace and where we set our hearts. If we don't, we allow the busy schedule to take over our lives and don't keep control. For me, I've found that I have to take control of my schedule and actually start cutting back. One of the hardest choices that I had to make was what to give up. It wasn't an easy thing to do but if we're going to organize our lives and make good choices, I had to make a decision on what was best for me.
Is your day to full? Do you get to take a moment and enjoy the sunshine or the flowers outdoors? Or are you just running from place to place and wondering when you're ever going to be able to relax? When you get to relax do you find yourself vegging because you're just too tired? If that's where you're at, I invite you to look at your schedule. Make some tough choices and re-define your life. See what out there and enjoy your daily life and be in control, instead of chasing down your schedule. I'm not an expert at it yet but I know that I'm finding more moments of peace and a fresh breath of air. New doors might be waiting out there, doors that lead to greater contentment. But are you able to open the door or are you just running past keeping your head above water and trying to get to the next appointment?
Check out your life. Where is it headed? Are you happy with where you are going? Set aside time and look at your schedule and take it in your own hands. Don't wait to see where time has disappeared.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Tryouts. Team Bonding.
Tryouts: a word that makes me cringe. It equals the worst time of the year for me because I have to make the decision on what girls continue to play the game they love and which girls are not given the opporutnity to participate any longer. The question usually isn't their talent to play the game. The question that really determines if the athletes are good enough to make the team is their attitude, team chemistry, work ethic and their ablility to follow directions. I think that athletes often believe that I like making cuts. Let's set that record straight. I wish I had 4 teams so that I wouldn't have to cut anyone and everyone could make a team. I know that athletes would still be distressed that they didn't make the team they wanted, but they'd be able to still play.
At the end, after speaking with the girls, I go out and try to enjoyed a mega scoop of ice cream at DQ. Then it's time to start dreaming about what my team will be capable of doing. The teams this year are unique. After spending a day bonding at the YWAM High Ropes course, they found out that they're really capable of doing great things. Many girls conquered fears as they worked their way through the course and when they were done their were only a few moments of disagreement throughout the day. They learned to work together and help each other out and I hope that they learned that with the help of their team that they can accomplish unimaginable goals.
What did I learn? Peer pressure can make you do things that you wouldn't normally be willing to try. I came back from lunch and it was time for the girls to scale a tree that 110 feet tall. The guides told me it would be good if I made myself do this part with the girls and so I agreed. I'll admit that half way up the tree, I was thinking that I'd have like to stop. My arms were burning and my head was saying, YIKES. But I kept climbing because the girls were cheering me on from below. When I made it to the top, I looked across the valley and could see the city from a bird's eye view. I tied my goal on the branch with the others who had made it to the top and then climbed back down to the bottom. The last 40 feet was fun to repel to the bottom but when I was done. My arms ached, my knees were scraped and I was tired but I'd made it to the top and that's what it was all about. Making it to the top and accomplishing the goal.
Adios for now.
At the end, after speaking with the girls, I go out and try to enjoyed a mega scoop of ice cream at DQ. Then it's time to start dreaming about what my team will be capable of doing. The teams this year are unique. After spending a day bonding at the YWAM High Ropes course, they found out that they're really capable of doing great things. Many girls conquered fears as they worked their way through the course and when they were done their were only a few moments of disagreement throughout the day. They learned to work together and help each other out and I hope that they learned that with the help of their team that they can accomplish unimaginable goals.
What did I learn? Peer pressure can make you do things that you wouldn't normally be willing to try. I came back from lunch and it was time for the girls to scale a tree that 110 feet tall. The guides told me it would be good if I made myself do this part with the girls and so I agreed. I'll admit that half way up the tree, I was thinking that I'd have like to stop. My arms were burning and my head was saying, YIKES. But I kept climbing because the girls were cheering me on from below. When I made it to the top, I looked across the valley and could see the city from a bird's eye view. I tied my goal on the branch with the others who had made it to the top and then climbed back down to the bottom. The last 40 feet was fun to repel to the bottom but when I was done. My arms ached, my knees were scraped and I was tired but I'd made it to the top and that's what it was all about. Making it to the top and accomplishing the goal.
Adios for now.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Team Camp, Friendships and a guy named Nehemiah
So, it's Tuesday and I just got home from Team Camp with 20 girls who will be trying out for the Silverton High School volleyball team. It was a great camp, hosted by Rosie Honl, 2006 & 2007 Oregon Colleyball Coach of the Year. The girls really enjoy it and they play non-stop for four days. By day four however, they are irritable, tired and ready to go home. Upon returning, I have some comments I would like to make.
I learned several things this week as I watched my girls play and live together. The first thing. Teenagers are addicted to cell phones. They seem to have to have them at all times and they don't even use them to really talk but just to text back and forth, sometimes just to the seat in front of them.
I learned that friendships are precious and very fragile. I was amazed at how close some kids have been in the past and surprised to find that they hadn't spoken in over two months. I was more amazed to find that they were angry mainly because of gossip spread through other friends and hearsay that caused severe hurt. My suggestion to anyone is that they really listen to what people have to say and be careful to know over react. The most important thing however is that you talk about it and listen, no matter how mad/upset/frustrated it makes you. The only way to get through it is to find the root.
After being with the girls I was thinking about a story in the Bible that I enjoy. It's found in Nehemiah Chapter 6: 1-16 ish.
Background:
Nehemiah gets a letter from a relative that tells him about the state of his hometown (Jerusalem). It stays in his mind and he can't get it out. He starts praying about the city, calling out to God to take care of it and feels sick about it's status. As cupbearer to the King, he's expected to be joyful in the King's presence but can't even mask the problem when he's with him. The King asks him what is wrong and Nehemiah tells him. Moved by his feelings for his city, the King allows him to make a trip to Jerusalem to repair the walls. Not only does he allow him to leave, he gives him a letter that gives him the funds, supplies and authority to take care of the city. He arrives in the city, checks out the problems in the dark, not telling anyone what he is up to and then returns to take it on. He organizes the men, gets them going and then when they are regularly attacked. He continues to build the wall with one man guarding and one man working at each station. It's an amazing feat. As they are nearing completion. The enemies start attacking Nehemiah's character and that's where the story begins.
The Story:
In chapter 6:1-16 Nehemiah is almost done with his job and he is attacked at all corners. The four attacks are simple yet normal in our daily life. First he is tempted to be distracted and kept out of focus (1-3). They continuously ask him to come do other things. Second (5-7) his motives are questioned as they spread rumors thorough an open letter. Nehemiah's response ... (v8) Nothing what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head. Basically, your crazy, that's not true and he went back to work. Attack number three, they tried to weaken his resolve (9). What does he do? He prays: God make these weak hands strong. And fourthly, they tried to compromise his integrity (10-14). They tell him to run to the temple and hide which would discredit him because only priests and criminals could take sanctuary there. He would have been totally discredited if he would had hidden in the temple but his response ... I'm not running away, I've got a job to do. Then in verse 15 we find the result. Nehemiah completed the wall in 52 days, after praying over it for months and hearing the stories of it since childhood. He finished a job that had been waiting over 140 years to be completed in record time with the help of a king and a bunch of ragmuffins at time.
The Point:
Sometimes we get distracted from the jobs that God has before us. We can't allow that to happen. We must stay the course and do the job that God has for us. Sometimes our motives are questioned by people that we're close with. We can't allow our vision to be clouted by the critics. After all, nothing brings out a critic like a vision so we must counter criticism with the truth. Sometimes we get tired and our resolve is weakened. The truth of the matter is, along the way we'll be tempted to give up. But we can't, God has a purpose for us and we can't allow ourselves to get thrown off the path. We must seek God to give us strength. And finally, sometimes we have our integrity compromised. The enemy lives to trip us up in life. It gives him delight to see us struggle. But we have God on our side and need to set boundaries that will help us be successful. If you know you stuggle with something, tell someone else. Don't go places where you know you'll have to deal with a struggle. If you can keep away from these four little distractions, then you'll be able to build that magnificent wall in record time and the work of God will be done.
I learned several things this week as I watched my girls play and live together. The first thing. Teenagers are addicted to cell phones. They seem to have to have them at all times and they don't even use them to really talk but just to text back and forth, sometimes just to the seat in front of them.
I learned that friendships are precious and very fragile. I was amazed at how close some kids have been in the past and surprised to find that they hadn't spoken in over two months. I was more amazed to find that they were angry mainly because of gossip spread through other friends and hearsay that caused severe hurt. My suggestion to anyone is that they really listen to what people have to say and be careful to know over react. The most important thing however is that you talk about it and listen, no matter how mad/upset/frustrated it makes you. The only way to get through it is to find the root.
After being with the girls I was thinking about a story in the Bible that I enjoy. It's found in Nehemiah Chapter 6: 1-16 ish.
Background:
Nehemiah gets a letter from a relative that tells him about the state of his hometown (Jerusalem). It stays in his mind and he can't get it out. He starts praying about the city, calling out to God to take care of it and feels sick about it's status. As cupbearer to the King, he's expected to be joyful in the King's presence but can't even mask the problem when he's with him. The King asks him what is wrong and Nehemiah tells him. Moved by his feelings for his city, the King allows him to make a trip to Jerusalem to repair the walls. Not only does he allow him to leave, he gives him a letter that gives him the funds, supplies and authority to take care of the city. He arrives in the city, checks out the problems in the dark, not telling anyone what he is up to and then returns to take it on. He organizes the men, gets them going and then when they are regularly attacked. He continues to build the wall with one man guarding and one man working at each station. It's an amazing feat. As they are nearing completion. The enemies start attacking Nehemiah's character and that's where the story begins.
The Story:
In chapter 6:1-16 Nehemiah is almost done with his job and he is attacked at all corners. The four attacks are simple yet normal in our daily life. First he is tempted to be distracted and kept out of focus (1-3). They continuously ask him to come do other things. Second (5-7) his motives are questioned as they spread rumors thorough an open letter. Nehemiah's response ... (v8) Nothing what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head. Basically, your crazy, that's not true and he went back to work. Attack number three, they tried to weaken his resolve (9). What does he do? He prays: God make these weak hands strong. And fourthly, they tried to compromise his integrity (10-14). They tell him to run to the temple and hide which would discredit him because only priests and criminals could take sanctuary there. He would have been totally discredited if he would had hidden in the temple but his response ... I'm not running away, I've got a job to do. Then in verse 15 we find the result. Nehemiah completed the wall in 52 days, after praying over it for months and hearing the stories of it since childhood. He finished a job that had been waiting over 140 years to be completed in record time with the help of a king and a bunch of ragmuffins at time.
The Point:
Sometimes we get distracted from the jobs that God has before us. We can't allow that to happen. We must stay the course and do the job that God has for us. Sometimes our motives are questioned by people that we're close with. We can't allow our vision to be clouted by the critics. After all, nothing brings out a critic like a vision so we must counter criticism with the truth. Sometimes we get tired and our resolve is weakened. The truth of the matter is, along the way we'll be tempted to give up. But we can't, God has a purpose for us and we can't allow ourselves to get thrown off the path. We must seek God to give us strength. And finally, sometimes we have our integrity compromised. The enemy lives to trip us up in life. It gives him delight to see us struggle. But we have God on our side and need to set boundaries that will help us be successful. If you know you stuggle with something, tell someone else. Don't go places where you know you'll have to deal with a struggle. If you can keep away from these four little distractions, then you'll be able to build that magnificent wall in record time and the work of God will be done.
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Great Awakening
Have you ever wondered about the Great Awakening? I've been curious about it over recent years and am amazed that it is just skipped over on a regular basis in history classes in the public sectors. Is it skipped because it's not interesting or is it skipped because the teacher is afraid to talk about religion and the interesting things that happened during that time.
Over time in American history, we find four cases of religious revivals that changed the way that America was functioning. The Great Awakenings are marked by a rising interest in religion and came with new converts, new denominations and new innovations. While most of these awakenings occurred across the globe, the uniqueness to America makes the Awakenings stand out. This might because America, the melting pot of the world, is home to many different religions, denominations and expressions. Because the United States hasn't had a state religion, citizens are more open and aware of the religions around them.
The First Great Awakening took place during the 1730s - 1740s and was found mainly in England and the Americas. The roots of this revival can be found in the Enlightenment Era but it was individuals such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield that brought powerful preaching to America. Their messages aimed at convincing listeners of their personal guilt and neefor salvation and was carried to all of the American Colonies via letters, revival meetings and personal experience.
The Second Great Awakening took place from 1800-1830 and encouraged action. Listeners were encouraged to take to the streets and get involved in social activism (prison reform, asylum reform, slave trade, temperance, etc). Many young women saw that their lives did not have to be revolve around marriage and family and chose not to pursue that avenue instead serving others. Women like Dorothea Dix, Harriett Beecher Stowe and Sojourner Truth came onto the scene with the fervor of the Awakening pushing them forward.
The Third Great Awakening started shortly before the American Civil War and was interrupted by the war. The interruption most likely caused the elongation until the early 1900s. Dwight Moody stands out in the third Awakening and the movement helped to bring in the Progressive Movement and the social gospel movement. Jane Addams and the Salvation Army are key players who came to the forefront.
The Fourth Great Awakening is controversial because it's only about religion. It didn't change the way that Americans did things but the traditions of the church. Often times it is referred to as the Jesus Movement and reflects back to the Charasmatic movement with healings, speaking in tongues and prophesy. These manifestations were also found in the first Awakening.
Most historians have debated what impact the Great Awakening had on America. I find that peculiar when you look at the amount of primary sources available from founding fathers that reflect back to the era of the Awakening and the changes in America. In comparing the four Awakenings, I believe that the First Great Awakening changed the course of the Americas. Instead of being a subservient child to the parent country of England, they became teenagers and rebelled against the rules, allowing peopel to see that they had a self worth and were capable of making their own decisions.
I believe that the Great Awakening is the first American event and put the American Colonies on the road to Revolution.
Over time in American history, we find four cases of religious revivals that changed the way that America was functioning. The Great Awakenings are marked by a rising interest in religion and came with new converts, new denominations and new innovations. While most of these awakenings occurred across the globe, the uniqueness to America makes the Awakenings stand out. This might because America, the melting pot of the world, is home to many different religions, denominations and expressions. Because the United States hasn't had a state religion, citizens are more open and aware of the religions around them.
The First Great Awakening took place during the 1730s - 1740s and was found mainly in England and the Americas. The roots of this revival can be found in the Enlightenment Era but it was individuals such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield that brought powerful preaching to America. Their messages aimed at convincing listeners of their personal guilt and neefor salvation and was carried to all of the American Colonies via letters, revival meetings and personal experience.
The Second Great Awakening took place from 1800-1830 and encouraged action. Listeners were encouraged to take to the streets and get involved in social activism (prison reform, asylum reform, slave trade, temperance, etc). Many young women saw that their lives did not have to be revolve around marriage and family and chose not to pursue that avenue instead serving others. Women like Dorothea Dix, Harriett Beecher Stowe and Sojourner Truth came onto the scene with the fervor of the Awakening pushing them forward.
The Third Great Awakening started shortly before the American Civil War and was interrupted by the war. The interruption most likely caused the elongation until the early 1900s. Dwight Moody stands out in the third Awakening and the movement helped to bring in the Progressive Movement and the social gospel movement. Jane Addams and the Salvation Army are key players who came to the forefront.
The Fourth Great Awakening is controversial because it's only about religion. It didn't change the way that Americans did things but the traditions of the church. Often times it is referred to as the Jesus Movement and reflects back to the Charasmatic movement with healings, speaking in tongues and prophesy. These manifestations were also found in the first Awakening.
Most historians have debated what impact the Great Awakening had on America. I find that peculiar when you look at the amount of primary sources available from founding fathers that reflect back to the era of the Awakening and the changes in America. In comparing the four Awakenings, I believe that the First Great Awakening changed the course of the Americas. Instead of being a subservient child to the parent country of England, they became teenagers and rebelled against the rules, allowing peopel to see that they had a self worth and were capable of making their own decisions.
I believe that the Great Awakening is the first American event and put the American Colonies on the road to Revolution.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Home again (England 2008)
Have you ever returned home from a trip and found that you're wide awake in what should be the middle of the night? Well, that's where I'm at right now. I've been awake for over two hours and need to go back to sleep but there are too many things running through my mind and my body clock still seems to be stuck in England. You've see, I've just returned from a wonderful two week holiday (vacation).
The purpose of my trip was to attend the Newfrontiers: Together on a Mission Conference in Brighton, England. Since it's a long ways away, I went early with the group to get adjusted to the time. We stayed in London for three days and enjoyed the sights (changing of the guard, Westminster Abbey, Cabinet War Rooms, Tower of London, Portrait Museum, Imperial War Museum and the sights and sounds of London). Then we went on to Brighton via the bus and attended the conference. It was outstanding and challenging. It's amazing how a few speakers can cut staight to the heart of things and reminded me directly of the calling and work that God has to do in my life. Some of the things seem awfully big but God is bigger than the obstacles ahead. When the conference was finished we went out to Arundel on the train and toured this amazing castle. It's my favorite castle in England at this point at least.
Then we went North to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's hometown, and a quaint little tourist town in the Heart of England. While we were there we toured Warwick Castle, the best Medival Castle in Europe (at least it's billed that way) and then did the Shakespeare Tour where we went through his birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage (where his wife was born) and Mary Arden's Farm (Shakespeare's mom's house). We concluded the day attending A Midsummer's Night Dream produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company which was a magnificent conclusion of the day. The theater crammed 1000 people into a very intimate theater. We had great seats just six rows away from the side of the main stage.
Two weeks is a long time to be away from home but it was awfully nice not to have to cook or do laundry for that long. Now it's time to go back to bed and then get up in the morning energized to get to work (do the laundry, clean up the luggage and make meals).
The purpose of my trip was to attend the Newfrontiers: Together on a Mission Conference in Brighton, England. Since it's a long ways away, I went early with the group to get adjusted to the time. We stayed in London for three days and enjoyed the sights (changing of the guard, Westminster Abbey, Cabinet War Rooms, Tower of London, Portrait Museum, Imperial War Museum and the sights and sounds of London). Then we went on to Brighton via the bus and attended the conference. It was outstanding and challenging. It's amazing how a few speakers can cut staight to the heart of things and reminded me directly of the calling and work that God has to do in my life. Some of the things seem awfully big but God is bigger than the obstacles ahead. When the conference was finished we went out to Arundel on the train and toured this amazing castle. It's my favorite castle in England at this point at least.
Then we went North to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's hometown, and a quaint little tourist town in the Heart of England. While we were there we toured Warwick Castle, the best Medival Castle in Europe (at least it's billed that way) and then did the Shakespeare Tour where we went through his birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage (where his wife was born) and Mary Arden's Farm (Shakespeare's mom's house). We concluded the day attending A Midsummer's Night Dream produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company which was a magnificent conclusion of the day. The theater crammed 1000 people into a very intimate theater. We had great seats just six rows away from the side of the main stage.
Two weeks is a long time to be away from home but it was awfully nice not to have to cook or do laundry for that long. Now it's time to go back to bed and then get up in the morning energized to get to work (do the laundry, clean up the luggage and make meals).
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