Celebrating Marriage

 

It is a sad fact that almost one half of all marriages in the United States will end in divorce.  I am proud that my parents were married almost 50 years until my dad passed away.  Caroline and I have now been married for 40 years, and this week we are celebrating with a well-deserved vacation.  We have booked a Mediterranean cruise stopping in Barcelona, France and three stops in Italy.  I can't wait to spend extended time with Caroline and am also thankful that Michael and Janet are fully qualified to keep Spot On The Lake thriving while we are away.  I feel very blessed that God gifted us our marriage.  I want to continue to do everything I can to honor the union that He is a part of.

Control Freaks

Last night, our ConnectGroup from church finished up our study of The Cost of Control by Sharon Hodde Miller.   One of the main points Sharon left us with is that the only things we can really control are ourselves, and there are plenty of times when I do a lousy job of that.  She differentiated control from influence.   Control is about forcing our agenda on others.  Influence is attempting to understand another person's position and then offering counsel when that person is open to it.   I face this decision on which approach to take a lot in my business and with my personal relationships.  I believe I have gotten better at choosing influence over the years, but I still have a long way to go.  While our group didn't always understand Sharon's recommended approach, her writing did a good job of stimulating conversation with the group, and as the group leader, I appreciated that.  And there is one other thing we know for sure.   Our gathering, our study and our desire to know God more are pleasing to Him.  I hope you have, or can find, a group of believers to share your journey with.

Masters of what?

 

Even people who have never swung a golf club love to watch what will be unfolding in Augusta for the next four days.  The Masters Golf Tournament is steeped in tradition and that tradition is strengthened by the fact that it is the only major golf tournament played in the same location every year.  Tiger Woods is playing again this year, and there are literally millions of fans that want to see him do well.  Scottie Scheffler won the tournament 2 years ago and is currently ranked number one in the world.  His golf skills have been honed to the highest level.   But an interview I saw with him yesterday made an even bigger impression on me.  The question from the reporter went like this: "How does golf fit in defining you  as a person right now?"  Scottie responds: "Hopefully it doesn't define me too much...I am a faithful guy. I believe in Jesus.  Ultimately, that is what defines me the most."  Celebrities and athletes have a tremendous platform to push their agenda.  Regrettably, most of the time, I am not on board.  I am so grateful for people like Scottie who are not ashamed to share what Jesus has done for them.   Click here for the full interview (the comments on his faith starting around minute 11).  I also found this interview from 2 years ago after he won the Masters.  I love to watch Tiger, but you probably know who I will be cheering for.

Seeking Sabbat

 

Easter Sunday ended my lent participation for 2024.  I had 40 days with no sweets, no alcohol and no television (with a couple of exceptions mentioned in an earlier post).  While it wasn't always easy, I am glad I made the choices I made.  Jesus never told us life would be easy.  One of the things I was convicted about during Lent was not ever taking a day off.  Being in real estate is great in that I get to set my own schedule - kind of.  I definitely don't work 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday, but I do feel like I am "on call" all the time.  This doesn't leave much of an opportunity for sustained rest and worship.  God modeled for us how we should work and rest.  He created the world and everything in it in six days and then rested on the seventh.   For the last two weeks, I have taken a day off on Wednesday.  I am turning off the computer and the phone and letting people know someone else on our team can assist them, or I can help them on Thursday.  I try to spend the day resting, reading, praying and worshiping.  After a lifetime of not doing that, it is not easy.  But like I said earlier, Jesus didn't promise easy.  I am told that taking a day off will make the other six days more productive.  In all honesty, I can't say for sure that has happened, but I can say my time alone with God on Wednesdays is one of the most important things I can do.  If it's been a while since you have really had a day off, I would encourage you to give it a shot.

Miracle in the Pain

 

Katy has loved music all her life.  She was born with a rare disease called congenital scoliosis.   The disease resulted in severe back pain, and her doctor recommended surgery which involved inserting metal rods into her back.  Regrettably, the surgery did not heal the pain; it seemed to intensify it.  Just before turning 17, the pain was so bad that Katy considered killing herself.  God intervened and revealed that He had something more for her.  She was given the choice to keep the rods in her back or have them removed, and she elected to remove them.   While all of the pain was not totally removed, the cloud of despair hanging over her was, and she gave the credit for that to God.  God also revealed His purpose for her.  Katy decided to use her love for music for the glory of God, and she began leading worship at her church.  She also began writing songs with a mentor.  One of those songs, "In Jesus Name" won the worship song of the year in 2022, and Katy Nichole was named best new Christian artist at the Dove Awards in 2023.   Praise God for the gift that He has given her and for her obedience to use that gift for  His glory.  Click here for her performance of that song and click here to see an interview with her telling her story in her own words.

Church Hunters

 

I post a lot about the small group from church that meets at our house on Wednesday nights.  This is one of my favorite times of the week because we get to have a meal and discuss things that are important with like-minded people.  It's kind of like a church within a church.  But our big church, The Vine, is also important to us.  The Bible encourages us to join together with fellow believers to worship and learn.  The Vine gives us this opportunity, and we try to be there every Sunday.  If you don't have a church home, I would encourage you to seek out a church that offers both corporate worship with the whole body and smaller groups that allow for deeper relationships to be formed.   But if you are looking for a strategy to find a new church, DO NOT follow the lead of this young couple.  One of my goals for this year is to have more fun.  I hope you have fun with this one.  I know I did. 

Faith Proclaimed

 

John Crawford is one of my closest friends, my financial representative and my wife's boss.  He has four sons which are each amazing in their own way.  One of his sons, Josh, works at Passion Church.   Three years ago he was leading the students there and his message was recorded and posted at YouTube.   Last year, I was blessed to hear Josh speak at his nephew, Nathaniel's funeral.  Nathaniel was able to meet his family, but only lived a few hours after birth due to a developmental condition.  Josh showed an unbelievable amount of empathy and love for his nephew and his family.   But he also expressed complete confidence in God's plan for him and the impact that he had on the world in the short time he was here.  I know Josh is having a huge impact on the students in his church, and I can't wait to see his impact on the world.  Join me in praying for Josh and his ministry.

Well Done

 

Women have been fighting for fair treatment since the beginning of time.  Some would say that we have made some progress and others would say the problem is worse than ever.  Christians should be the ones leading the charge, but regrettably, there are plenty of us who have either offended women or not taken a strong enough stand for them.  Shining a light on our shortcomings cannot dim what Jesus did.  On a hot day, Jesus sat by a well as a woman approached and asked her for a drink.  She was surprised because she was a Samaritan - and she was a woman.  Jewish men would not typically start conversations with either.  Also, Jesus knew that she had been married 5 times and was currently living with a man she was not married to.  None of this would keep Jesus from talking to her with the goal of helping her, not condemning her.  Dear God, please help me to be more like Jesus today.

Click here for a short video illustrating the story.

Choose Wisely

Two weeks ago I posted that I was turning off the TV for 40 days with one exception.  Caroline and I had been talking about watching The Chosen for a while, but never started it, so we decided that could be our one cheat.  We are now near the end of Season 1, and I have enjoyed it.  The Chosen is about the life of Jesus, but one of the things I was surprised by is how the writers have blended in supporting stories from the Old Testament.  I have seen this done in books before, but this is the first time I have seen it on the screen, and it is very effective.  Also, this is the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus, so the writers have more time to develop the characters and the storyline than in a 2 hour movie.  Season 1 is on Netflix, and we are moving over to Prime for Season 2.  I believe that all three seasons are on Peacock or can be steamed through The Chosen app which was free the last time I checked.  If you have watched it, I would love to hear from you.  If not, please join us!

Babeling Nimrod

 

After the great flood, one of Noah's grandsons, Nimrod, became a mighty hunter and then a king.  He had everything a king could want, but whatever that was, it wasn't enough.  He ordered his people to build a tower from bricks and tar that would reach the heavens, not as a monument to God's power, but as a monument to themselves.  Everyone could gather there in one place so they could each tell one another how great they were.  Sound familiar?  4500 years later we have our own Tower of Babel.  

Social media has a lot of different faces, but one of the most common is that it provides a place where we can all gather and tell one another how great we are - getting the perfect photo, on the perfect vacation, in the perfect location with the perfect family.  I recognize that many times these posts are innocent, but when a person becomes obsessed in building their image to be as good as, or better than someone else, that image building has become an idol for them - just like the Tower of Babel.  

Now when God saw the Babylonians gathering to build the tower and worship themselves, he confused their language so that they couldn't understand each other, forcing them to separate and populate new regions.  God could have a similar plan for social media, but in the meantime, I want to do my best not to be a babeling nimrod.  I hope you will join me.

Good Morning Jesus

 

I was 19 years old when Joan Lunden joined Dave Hartman as the host of Good Morning America.  It was 4 years later when I married Caroline that I started watching GMA regularly.  GMA became a part of my morning routine.  Joan and Dave are now long gone.  I like some of the current hosts more than others, but I continue to watch.  It's a habit - a 40-year habit.  I am going to try something new for the next 40 days.  No television with two exceptions.  I can watch while I exercise.  I don't need any new excuses not to exercise.  Also, Caroline and I have been wanting to watch The Chosen.  So, we are allowing that as the one other exception.  I am two days deep into this, and I can't tell you how many times I have reached for the remote control.  I hope to replace the TV habit, with the habit of thinking of Jesus.  So far, it is working.  Who knows, maybe 40 days will turn into 40 years.

Control Freak

Our ConnectGroup from church gathered at our house for our first meeting of the semester last night.  We are reading "The Cost of Control" by Sharon Hodde Miller.  In the first chapter, Sharon explains that our desire for control is so strong, that if we don't have control in a situation, we have a tendency to create an illusion of control.  That illusion may help to reduce anxiety in the short term, but if the illusion is not based in truth, the damage can be severe.  One of the most graphic examples of this happened leading up to May 21st 2011.  You may remember that as the day that the world was going to end - according to Harold Camping and his followers.  Luckily for us, Harold's illusion did not come to fruition, and our world is still intact.   There are at least two things unsettling about this.  The first is that Harold had already been wrong once when he predicted the world would end in 1994.   Apparently, people's memory was short.  The second is that the Bible clearly states that we will not know when the world will end, so people making a claim that they know are misinformed.  There were people who burned through their life savings expecting the world to end, and others that committed suicide when the story didn't unfold as Harold had predicted.  Sharon promises to deliver solid advice on what we can do to manage our desire for control more effectively.  I look forward to learning more.

The Fitz

 

We got some sad news this week.  Richard Fitzgerald, one of my closest friends passed away.  I have known Richard, his wife, Kris, and much of their family for 35 years.  We first met them when we moved into our home in South Gwinnett in 1987.  We played on the same ALTA tennis team for many years and attended the same church.  Richard was a deacon at the church, always holding leadership roles, and has taught Sunday School most of his adult life.  Richard and Kris bought a second home at Lake Hartwell and then moved there full-time when they both retired.  We have experienced our kids getting married, grandkids being born and grandkids learning to ski and love the lake.  Richard was diagnosed with Cancer and has been going through treatment for the last few years.  At times it seemed the Cancer was under control,  but it continued to reappear.   Richard endured the treatment with an amazing attitude and unbelievable faith.  Richard will be remembered by many as a great husband, and a proud father and grandfather.  But I will remember Richard as one of the most faith-full friends a person could ever ask for.  I am glad that Richard is now fully healed with his Father in heaven, but I will miss him dearly every day. 

Washed Away

 

Our lives are filled with milestones: team sports championships, graduations, new jobs, marriage, kids, kid's marriages and grandkids, just to name a few.  These moments we will never forget.  But the biggest milestone for my life was accepting Jesus.  Years later, I was baptized along with my wife, Caroline, and my two kids, Michael and Lizzy.  This past week, we had the privilege of seeing Michael's  oldest son, Evan, be baptized at his church in Athens, while friends and family celebrated his decision.  I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Evan as he grows in his faith.  Praise God for His faithfulness.

The Day After

 

He didn't think like other people thought, and he wasn't scared to let them know.  His presence was large and growing larger.   Some ignored him.  Others disagreed with him.  Many hated him.  On Wednesday, he had spoken to a crowd, warning them that hard times were ahead.  His life had been threatened.  

On Thursday, James made his way towards town with the explicit purpose to kill.  His target was not random.   It was specific.   He completed his mission to kill Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4th, 1969.

Dr. King's speech the day before would come to be known as one of the most famous speeches in our nation's history. Near the end, he states: "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.  Longevity has its place.  But I'm not concerned about that now.  I just want to do God's will.  And he has allowed me to go up to the mountain.  And I've looked over - and I've seen the promised land...Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

Click here to witness his passion.  Praise God for Dr. King's leadership and his ultimate sacrifice.

The Other Brother

 

Jeymes Samuel may not be a name that you have heard of, but perhaps you have heard of his older brother, Seal, who has released massive hits like Kiss From a Rose.  Seal's little brother, Jeymes, is quickly making a name for himself.  He not only produced "The Book of Clarence" which opens in theaters tomorrow, he also wrote the script and the full score, and sings in all of the original songs.  He also directed the film.  I obviously haven't seen this one yet, but expectations are high.  The story centers on a twin brother to the apostle, Thomas, who doesn't believe the claims of Jesus, and seeks to discover his own divine path.  I'm not sure what tone the film will take, but I did read that Jeymes' mom was a devout Christian, so I am hopeful that some of that rubbed off on Jeymes.  I'm quite sure there will be spirited discussion between people who appreciate the film and those who don't like the liberties he took with such a sacred story.  My biggest hope is that there are people that might not have considered Jesus before,

 that make a decision to do that based on Jeymes' work.

Christmas Rules

I am really glad that Jesus was born.  Celebrating Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, because it pretty much guarantees that all of my family will gather for several days.  The immediate family includes Caroline, our two kids and their spouses, 7 grandkids and 3 extra dogs.  While I have to admit that having that many people/canines is not always relaxing or easy, I can tell you that there is no group of people I would rather spend time with.  Caroline and I are fortunate that our family is near enough that we can meet and that meeting is something we all still want to do.   I hope the same for you.  Thank you Jesus for being born and thank you for the family you have blessed us with.