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! :)

Bitter to Better

So, I sometimes what its all about. I was a pastor (of a great Church) for 10 years. Me along with, my family, staff and many great volunteers gave our hearts to it, and now I realize i sacrificed my family for it. Wow! Did I really do that? I treated it like a business. i got "locked in" to the stupid politics of the "denomination" I was trying to be their golden boy!

Now that I am not pastoring, I am on the "outside of their camp". I'm not the "Golden boy".

Basically I am let down. I have let my wife down. I owe a ton of money to an the Bible College I went to. I only hope that some of my credits from the college transfer so that I can continue my education at another institution.

Bitter?

yep!

Whose "fault" is it?

Mine.

Will I be OK?

Sure!

Church is NOT a business!! It is a place where both parishioner and pastor should have a safe place to go without all of the politics to interfere.

So, here I am. "pastorless", and working against being bitter. And I will.

I have a ton of life to live (not necessarily time), but life.

Do I still desire to make a difference in this world? Yes. And I will.

I am going back to school, getting my licences to teach and desire to teach High School in the public sector. It will be tough... but its my passion. i will also be doing some motivational speaking when given the chance.

To anyone that reads this that i used to pastor, I love you. You were awesome. But, I wish the context of it were under a different set of eyes other that of the denomination I was a part of.

Bitter? a lil bit.... But I am gonna get better!

Kicking Cats

Sometimes the way we frame a problem contains an assumption that prevents us from solving it.

Gotcha!... based on the title you probably got ready to cal P.E.T.A. and turn me in for animal abuse.

I heard it said that if you assume it makes an a** out of you and me.

I am at a time in my life where a lot of people have assumed that I am "not in the ministry" any longer, based on the fact that I am not a pastor.

Someone may be assuming that you are who you are because you failed, messed up, changed jobs, got a divorce, got married, changed your clothing style, etc...

Eg; Many people that did not no I was a pastor, find it strange that I was one. Why? Well, I shave my head, have a couple of tatts, can't stand to wear a tie, and love to kick cats.. (Kidding about the kicking cats ;) I have a cat, and love her! LOL! Anyway, I think you get the point. Kind of like those that are "in the church" assume that I am someone different now. Nope, I am the same.

How about you? Are you assuming something about someone? Or, are you allowing someone to assume something about you? Its OK, like my Father - in - Law used to say all the time.. "It is what it is". I agree. Just be who you are... Quit assuming, don't allow people to assume about you based on ANYTHING and please... quit kicking the cat!! :)

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.

CAN DESTINY HAPPEN IN A VACUUM?

This is a repost, what do ya think?

Remember the story of Macbeth? He tried to change his own destiny only to see the "prophesies" about him come true. To make a long story short he tried to avoid his foretold death only to be beheaded as his "fate".

Question: Can destiny happen in a vacuum?

I was talking to a coupe of co-workers on my break today and asked them this question. I posed the question in the form of what I call, "Plinko in a sealed room' Go with me on this.......

Remember the game 'Plinko" on the game show "The Price Is Right"? The game was all about the luck of the way a large poker looking chip would be dropped along the top of strategically placed pegs. When a person would drop the chip down the plinko board it would bounce along the pegs, and if "luck" was on their side it could land in the 10,000 money slot.

When the chip would land in a large money slot, the contestant would try from the very same spot with different results only to befrustrated.

Why?

I have been told that if you try the same thing you will get the same results. tell the contestant that. Maybe it is the atmosphere of the room. Maybe its the air coming from the vents blowing it. Maybe it is the rumble of the audience cheering vibrating it in a different direction. Maybe.

So, lets change the atmosphere.

A vacuumed room - sealed tight - plinko - a machine that is programed to drop the chip at the same place with the pegs, board, and all aspects with NO variables to change it.

Can destiny be changed in a vacuum? A sealed off room?

My co-workers said No. I asked, why? they said because its impossible to create that atmosphere.

Hmmmm.

As is life. THERE IS NOT A "ONE FORMULA" that can work EVERY TIME... Enter, the Cross. Jesus. The Messiah. YHWH. GOD. (Some "American Christian's" have their view of a long blond hair and bright blue eyes - I am not talking about him, I am referring to the one from historical scripture with out an American interpretation.

He (Jesus) said, "I am the (Only) way, the (only) truth the (Only) Life"

That, is destiny.

That IS a cure all.

So, from the moment we accept Christ, does our destiny begin? Free will VS. Unconditional Election.

Macbeth. Was that "supposed" to happened? Could it have changed?

Judas (who betrayed Jesus), was that "Supposed" to happened? Could it have been changed?

The plinko chip. In a sealed environment - could it fall in the same place every time?

Me and You, In a sealed environment - does that effect us?

Or, does God drop us on earth like plinko chips (with a Bible) and say "I'll see you on the other side."

What do you think?