Curious George Lens

I found this great new lens on Squidoo!

Bengals Game

I went to the Bengals game on Saturday night, preseason vs the Saints.  It was a lot of fun and a good date, but we looked horrible!  I know we’re beat up with a lot of injuries, but we were just out of sync a lot.  Carson didn’t look good.  He kept trying to hit Tab Perry, but no dice.  And our defense looked awful.  The Saints’ first drive with Drew Brees tore us apart.  We didn’t even come close to stopping them, and they sat Brees after one drive.

I hope it’s not a mirror of the season, cuz we’ll be in trouble.  We need to get healthy and start putting things together.

We left with like 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter.  All the backups were in, and we couldn’t do anything.  All in all, it was still fun to be in the Jungle.  Who-Dey!

This Weekend-Spiritual Gifts

This last weekend was pretty good.  Friday night was YL leadership, but then we had about 4 1/2 hour long Anderson team meeting on Spiritual Gifts.  It was really, really good.  Everyone on the team had listened to Driscoll’s 6 sermons, and went through his pdf’s marking down what gifts they believed they had.  We spent a good hour talking about general definitions and what we believed about the gifts, than we ran down each one for each person.  We hold a Charismatic viewpoint on the gifts – that all still exist today versus a cessationist view point that certain gifts are no longer in use.  But we hold the Charismatic view with a “seatbelt” or in the confines of Scripture.  We are against the pentecostal position that you don’t have the Spirit if you don’t have evidence of certain gifts, ie tongues.  Our categories for ranking them were 5-Spiritual Gift, 4-Natural Skill, 3-Personal Inclination, 2-Life Necessity, and 1-Needs Development.  Basically, they meant either you have the spiritual gift and 4 ways of saying you don’t.  One of our major deciding factors was if you have felt the Spirit move in you versus, you’re just good at it, etc.  Personal Inclination is more of a personality thing than a gift.  Life necessity meant that in your ministry or surroundings, you need to practice the gift even if you don’t have it.  Finally Needs Development, no dice, means pursue it.  We determined, gifts are portioned by the Trinity.  None is more important than any other, although when Paul talks about Prophecy, we believe he is referring to the preaching of the gospel, so that the whole church may be edified.

I came to the conclusion that my gifts are administration, wisdom, teaching, and pastoring.  I have a natural skill in knowledge, leadership, apostleship, and discernment, and giving.  I have a life necessity for evangelism, encouragement and hospitality.  I need development in faith, healing, miracles, helps, mercy, and tongues.

Our goal in this is that we will be more effective as a team and as Christians, and that we will have more joy in pursuing the Gifts that God has given us, thus resulting in more glorification for Jesus.  It was a super productive meeting, much joy, and I can already see how it will benefit us as a team.

Saturday, I worked out in the morning (there is a Christian who has been in the military who runs PT for us, and it’s done in the mindset of pounding the flesh into submission).  Rested in the afternoon and went to the Bengals – Saints game.  Not that fun, we looked bad.  Saints looked good.

Sunday, I left for church and didn’t get home til 11:30pm.  Church, meeting with older guy leaders to discuss placement of new leaders, lunch, guy leader Bible study-finished Proverbs, played some baseball, derby, small group with my jr’s and sr’s, Campaigners, meeting with two of our sr girls who have parents who don’t love Christ, ultimate frisbee, pool party, home. pheewww.

So, that was my weekend.

Parents Anniversary

My parents just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.  They are still very much in love with each other, and it’s really because of their love and their love for Jesus that I am who I am today.  This verse is my testimony.

Their lives are evolving.  Dad is no longer an airline pilot.  Mom is now working for their church.  Their roles as far as staying at home have somewhat switched.  Now, they are not just parents, but grandparents as well.  Mom goes out and buys discount baby bedding like this or Disney die cast cars for her adorable grandchildren.  She’s always spoiling them and loves to plan parties, and she’ll buy something like this.  I’m hoping to add some to the mix myself soon.   It’s really the reason why I haven’t moved away.  I want my kids to be around their grandparents.  I need their help, and I think it will bring joy to them.

I’m coming up on 2 years with my wife.  33 more to go and then some.

Ill effects of Stress

I hate being stressed out, but it is so easy to do in this world. There’s always something to give you pressure. There’s always a new task, another meeting, another deadline – and it is not good for me! I’m trying to learn how to handle stress in my life. I do lots of different things for it.

One of the best is listening to music. I love the David Crowder Band and Derek Webb. It helps me focus on things that are above. Also, working out helps me a lot. I’m looking into getting and aquarium because of the health benefits I’ve read about on this Squidoo lens. Of course, I’d have to fill it with all kinds of aquarium products and stuff like this to make sure it runs. But, they’re so peaceful and beautiful, I think I’ll do it.

I think back to my youth, and sometimes I long for those carefree days. All I had to do was ride my bike, watch Curious George, eat my snacks. That was the life. Now, a lot of my life is worry and fear. I see why God reminds us so much to trust in Him and do not be afraid.