Life Lived Backwards

So, i set here tonight after one of the hardest afternoons i can ever remember. Today I had to take the keys away from my dad. he is only 76, yet he has short term memory loss. So, it got me to thinking. It would seem more fair to live life backwards......

Born with a pension and a social security check for life

Meeting your wife and growing young together

Watching your grand kids and kids get young

Very wise by the time you are in high School

Going to elementary with your young wife

Playing with a restless youth with plenty of money, wisdom and wit.

Till we are just a gleam in our parents eye! lol !

Just a Thought.....

Makeing a difference

After Tami and I resigned as lead pastors of CrossPoint Church in Little Rock we started attending New Life Church at their Greater Little Rock Campus.

I admit, at first i was overwhelmed by the size at first (10,00 and growing between there campuses) But there is something else that overwhelms me, the way that they are making a difference.

One word, Wow!

NLC is not a Church that is about a "star" pastor, or any other big personalities. NLC is NOT about fads, competing with other churches, filling buildings, good music, good programs... NLC IS about Making a difference.

Go over to their website and see for your self. http://www.newlifechurch.tv

If you are looking for a place to worship, or just start a journey looking for God, try it out. If you don't want to come to the actual campus, watch them on line. If you want to be a part of something that is making a difference... come on!

Point A to point B

There are things in life that we have to deal with on a daily basis. The main one is what I like to call, changing variables.

For example, we will always have four seasons in a year.... but the weather (at least in Arkansas) can change in one hour. Another example is, you have to get from "point a to point b" to get to where you need to go. However, certain variables can change that. Such as detours, a new road was built for easier access, or you just go a different way. The point is, "Points a and b" have not changed, just the things in between.

Get ready, because your life could change in a second! Just hold on tight to you core values and enjoy the ride!

Just a thought!

It's all good

Life has been a trip lately. Ton's of challenges for my family. But, it's all good.

Yes, i have been theologically challenged, spiritually challenged, physically challenged, emotionally challenged, beat up, knocked down, pushed down, walked on, laughed at, ticked off, sad, fearful, cowardly, fake, stupid, but its all good.

I haven't really been "following God" like i should, but, it's all good.

I have seen of my friends become silent to me, but its all good.

One thing i know is this. God loves me and his grace has NO opposite.. so, it's all good.

So in the words of Bob Dylan, "It's All good"

More than being.........

In all of us is a survival instinct. Sometimes its all we have. Sometimes its what causes us to just.... well.... be.

Have you ever been there? Just being...............

There is an ancient yet relevant and still living quote "For we live, move, and exist because of him" That was a statement from Paul the Apostle. He was actually quoting a poet from his day and time. He was basically stating.. "Live'.

A good friend of ours that lives in Colorado has taught me so much about the subject of LIVING. Not just being, but living.

Dream? - yes

Walking toward the dream? - Yes

Live... don't just be.

How?

Good question....

Start.....

Go.....

Do......

Just be? - No

Live life

Did You Get It?

Kock, Knock! Who's there? Didya. Didya who.................?
The moment was odd for the lil guy. As I overheard his conversation with his friends. When he got to the punch line, no one laughed. I looked at his expression and could tell that "he" was going to be the punch line if no one laughs. So, I giggled and said, "I get it!" And then I started laughing really hard. Then another kid said, that is so funny! Then another one said, that would make an awesome "redneck joke" for Jeff Foxworthy! I looked back at the eyes of the lil guy and could tell that he felt acomplished.
Why?
Because laughter is more contagious than any other thing in the world. Yet, most of the time we just dont "get it".
I am gonna challange myself to laugh more!
I am gonna try to find comedy, not just on the tv, but in life!
Who knows, maybe we could start a movement called.... well, "Laugh even if it aint funny!"
Oh.... the punch line was "Didya get it?"
Now thats funny right there, I dont care who ya are! :)

One grip at a time

I'm not a mountain climber, but I respect the sport. Mountain climbing takes several discipline. It takes guts, strength, heart, vision, faith, knowledge and a whole lotta risk.

Life.... That's what I am climbing. It takes guts, strength, heart, vision, faith, knowledge, and a whole lotta risk.

To get to the peak is one thing.... getting there is another.

the first grip a smile

the second grip a giggle

the third.... a point of no return

the forth... wondering, "what in the heck am i doing" while smiling

a slip

grip again

faith

heart

guts

the top? sure... but the journey is what its all about.

Whats next?

Another mountain.... one grip at a time.

Sorting it Out

Tami (my wife) went through all of our pictures and separated them into own categories. i took one of the boxes and and began to look at Jacob (our youngest son). The moments that were captured were awesome. He has the best laugh, smile and since of humor! I was able to trek through a ton of memories as I looked at them.

That has me thinking. There are some things in our life that we need to "sort out". Get them in order. Browse through our thoughts and our though process.

3 simple ways to do that.....

1. Get some boxes

2. Label the boxes

3. Sort them out

Sounds easy?? NOPE , its not.

Sorting out life is a whole other process.

Hurts, mistakes, old friends, sickness, bad economy, failures, success, tears, laughter, life, death, work, etc.....

Its all a mixed up mess sometimes.

But, the process starts with getting out the boxes and sorting away.

Go ahead, start the process.

It may take a while - but it will help you see how blessed you really are.

Life is fast!!

Wow, the speed of life is freaking me out!

Luke will be a senior at Joe T. Robinson High School.

Jacob will be in the 5Th grade at Chenal Elementary.

Heck, my dogs are even getting older way to fast.

I have been married for 20 years (yep, Tami has put up with me for a long time, LOL)

When I listen to music from my day, its considered "The Oldies"

But, I am at a new adventure.

That adventure? Well, its an adventure that is slower than what I am used to. Our lives have changed so much in the last few weeks.

As a pastor I thought about it 24 hours a day.

As an employee of Kroger I do my job and go home.

As a bus driver, I do my job and go home.

Wow, Its different.

My goal for the next year is for Tami and I to reconnect with old friends, and make some new ones.

Cookouts, Take Tami Dancing, Worship at a Church, Be immersed in the daily lives of Luke and Jacob, take walks, blog, invest in my marriage, pet my dogs, laugh more, make a difference - not as a pastor - as a follower of Christ and human being.

So, what about you? Please don't wait. Enjoy your life. Move forward. Don't get stuck.

Like an old quote i heard, "Those who were dancing were thought to be crazy by others, because the others could not hear the music"

Speed Trap

We are all in a hurry aren't we ? We rush the kids to school. We rush to work. We rush our "slow" microwave to eat a quick meal. We rush back home. Rush, rush< rush, hurry!!!!!

I call it "The speed trap".

This afternoon is when that thought came to me. Jacob and I were taking a walk. I was just taking it slow. I noticed the leaves, the grass shavings on the road from a near by neighbor. I noticed the beautiful flowerbeds and the tall Oak Trees. As I kept walking I noticed a couple of driveways that led back to some beautiful homes that I have not seen in the six years since we had bought our house. But the most interesting thing happened next.

There is a man that lives about a mile from us. Over the last six years I have passed by him as he would be walking down the road. Well, as stated earlier, we are always in a hurry. I have passed by him hundreds of times and never got a wave back from him. I just thought he was a weird dude. When he walks he carries a tennis racket. Kinda strange, but oh well.

Today, I was caught in a speed trap. I was walking, not driving. Then, as we got down by his house, there he was! Tennis racket in hand. I thought.... uh oh! he is gonna attack me with that racket and ill have to commence a beat down :) . Instead, He smiled. He stopped and spoke. He was a very nice guy. We said a few words to each other and Jacob and i continued our walk.

Lesson? Slow down. LOOK at life while living it!. Take a walk. You might be surprised at what or who you see.

In Reguards too... (repost)

In regards to grace,
its amazingIn regards to love,
its a giftIn regards to patience, its earned
In regards to energy drinks,don't
In regards to my wife, Proverbs 31:10-31
In regards to my 11 year old, i want to be like him
In regards to my almost 17 year old, he is the picture of calm
In regards to Church, be it
In regards to Jesus, imitate Him
In regards to books, read the thick ones too
In regards to the heart, don't let the mind tell it what to do
In regards to Monday, well its Monday
In regards to Rocky, was that really the last one made?
In regards to doors, do not walk through all of them
In regards to rest, do it or die
In regards to jello, what happened to the Bill Cosby jello commercials?
In regards to random, lol... thanks for reading
Just A Thought...........

Living Beyond Ourselves

In my mind are about a thousand and one thoughts that are all trying to flow at the same time! Maybe its add, ocd, adhd... or maybe its just me trapped in my own mind.

The most dangerous thing in the world is to do life alone. No, I am not talking about being single (if you are thats great). I am not talking about getting alone by your self for times of prayer, reflection or just watching a good movie.

What I am talking about is doing life outside of ourselves.

Its a very easy thing to do, and the result is being self - centered and closed minded. I know, it has happened to me.

Life is not meant, nor has it EVER been meant to be spent alone. We MUST DO LIFE OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES. We can share it with family, co-workers, church family, even strangers.

What is your passion? Find someone who has the same interest in that passion and share your goals and work with them in doing it.

Raise money for missions
feed the homeless
Build a deck for an elderly person
Create a blog and share your calling with the world
Coach a little league team
Find out how to change the world and "get to chang'n"

Do it together, NOT ALONE!!!!!

What is your calling, itching or burden in life? Share that with someone.

Pray with someone, cry, laugh, be still, serve, worship, eat, run, walk, crawl with someone.

Live life outside of your self. Find your passion and share those thousand and one thoughts with someone. Besides, you need another opinion other than the one you keep giving to yourself.

How about you? Are you living life outside of yourself? How? I would love to know.

Randy.....

Then I blinked

The earliest memory that I have as a child is waking up and thinking no onw was in the house and i freaked out! I think I was about 4. Then I blinked.....

I was entering kindergarten and ready to tackel the play-doe project. Then I blinked.....

I was entering the 6th grade and my body was changing and girls no longer had "kooties". Then I blinked.....

Jr. High School. Lol. I wont even go there at the moment. Then I blinked.....

High School. Scarey. Then I blinked.....

Met Tami (My wife). Then I blinked.....

Our first child. then I blinked.....

Then college and then another child then another blink.....

Now a 16 year old and a 10 year old. Blink.....

Opps... just a second.....

Had to fix my contact lens, I blinked again and it almost fell out....

Just a Thought.....

The Edge

The edge is scary. It is lonely. It is a place that causes you to really think! Yea, its a place that is away from the middle ground. That place that if you fall down you just hit the ground. On the edge, if you fall you are not gonna hit the ground for a while!

I love coming from the edge of thought and inviting someone to come with me. To that shift in culture. That thing that makes you really challenge your self, question things and cause you to really pray. Yes, I am wired differently, but - like Mark Batterson from NCC Church in DC says, "Chase the Lion".

Try this, go to a tall building and go to the roof of that tall building and set on the edge of the roof of that tall building. Your heart will jump, you will respect the edge and you will see a new perspective than you can from the ground.

From the edge you can dream, target and see what it is from a panoramic view what God wants you to conquer next.

Come on, come with me to the edge and hang on tight and see what else there is to do in this thing called life.

Next? I wanna skydive off the edge! Wanna come? Just a Thought.....

Mind Dump

I saw another pastor do what is called "mind dump" on Twitter. Once a week he will just empty his thoughts onto paper. So, in the spirit of that pastor - here goes......

Time is short.

Rest is hard to get.

Its getting harder to be romantic.

My dog is my best friend.

I have to go, again??

My kids are my heros.

I wish I could scream very, very loud.

I love Jesus with all my heart, yet sometimes I just want a cold beer (but I don't - because those other "preachers" might gossip about it)

I hate religion

I wish we had carpet instead of hardwood floors at home.

I want to sky dive.

I am self centered.

I love Jesus with all my heart, why do I get road rage?

Frusteration is a flaw of mine.

I will NOT please everyone, so why do I try?

Do all people have Drama problems?

Its hard to be commited to people with the lack of commitment.

I need to loose 50 lbs.

I joined a gym two weeks ago and have not gone yet!!!!!!

I am a hypocrite

I cant spell!!!!!!

I love Jesus with all of my heart, why don't I trust him most of the time

ahhhhhhhhhh, that is much better. Just a Thought.....

In Reguards To:/ I posted this a while back, Just wanted to repost it

In regards to grace, its amazing

In regards to love, its a gift

In regards to patience, its earned

In regards to energy drinks, don't

In regards to my wife, Proverbs 31:10-31

In regards to my 10 year old, i want to be like him

In regards to my almost 16 year old, he is the picture of calm

In regards to Church, be it

In regards to Jesus, imitate Him

In regards to books, read the thick ones too

In regards to the heart, don't let the mind tell it what to do

In regards to Monday, well its Monday

In regards to Rocky, was that really the last one made?

In regards to doors, do not walk through all of them

In regards to rest, do it or die

In regards to jello, what happened to the Bill Cosby jello commercials?

In regards to random, lol... thanks for reading

Just A Thought...........