Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Being Grateful-A 30 day Challenge

I have been thinking about gratefulness! I had read something recently that most people who struggle with depression also have a corresponding issue with being grateful. Since I am someone who struggles with depression I thought I would take up the challenge to talk about what I am grateful about on a daily basis for the next 30 days. So my goal is to talk to someone each day about what I am grateful for. Yesterday was the first day and I spoke to someone about being grateful for a great job that allows me to pay most of my bills! 29 more to go! Today’s thought for being grategful is having a wife that is very supportive and capable. God thankyou for Vanessa!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Inspiring People - Part 1

I have been thinking of the people that inspire me these days. Let me share some of the highlights of my thoughts.

I am inspired by Lorne McAllister. Lorne is our coaching pastor at the church and he is someone with boundless energy. I am just getting to know Lorne but he is someone who has a great amount of energy and a very positive attitude. Lorne is not afraid to think outside the box and is passionate in communicating the ideas of God. He challenges me in my attitudes and my desire for ministry.

I am inspired by Ted Haggard the minister who had fallen previously. I like Ted’s books on ministry and the Church. His story of his fall and his desire to repent and make things right is inspiring. Now I know there is significant controversy over his recovery and restoration but I choose to believe the best about Ted. I have been rereading his Life-Giving Church from the perspective of knowing Ted and his moral failure. If anything, I have more respect for him now after reading this than I did before.

I am inspired by my friend Stew Carson. Stew is someone that has a keen mind and a desire to be an influencer of others. He is an active reader and incorporates what he learns on a daily basis. The thing that inspires me the most about Stew is his example as a father. I have never met someone that is so dedicated and passionate for his family. He encourages me to do better!

My wife Vanessa is the last person I will write about today. She challenges me to be a man of integrity and to live what I say I believe. She is a great partner and friend. Vanessa is one of the most intuitive and talented human beings that I know. She has a way of cutting through the crap and getting stuff done. And whatever she does, she does with a creativity that is impressive. I am grateful that God gave me her and she inspires me to not give up on my/our dreams.

Friday, March 12, 2010

One Tin Soldier

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
"With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there."

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Now the valley cried with anger,
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...
"Peace on Earth" was all it said.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

The Laughs...er...Leafs

Couple of Leaf jokes:
1) What do the Leafs and Billy Graham have in common?
They both can make 20,000 people jump up and yell "Jesus Christ".
2) How many Leafs does it take to win a Stanley Cup?
Nobody knows and we'll never find out.

If the NHL were the WWE ...

If the NHL were the WWE ...

Announcer: And that's Steve Staios with the puck behind the Oiler net, with Edmonton and Calgary still awaiting the first goal an— oh, the humanity!! What's Staios doing? He put the puck right into his own net! Why did he … No!!! (Staios pulls off his Oilers jersey, revealing a Flames jersey underneath) No!!! No, Staios! One of the biggest betrayals in NHL history has just been committed folks! And now what's he... OH NO! (Staios proceeds to power bomb Oiler goalie Jeff Deslauriers) Staios has lost it! He has completely lost it!! What a despicable, disgraceful move!! (Staios somehow finds a chair and whacks Shawn Horcoff with it, before skating over to the Calgary bench and high-fiving the other Flames while Oiler fans boo and throw garbage). I cannot believe what I just saw! Unbelievable! We can only hope the Oilers get some revenge at the next pay-per-view...

And finally ...

Some phrases you will never hear after a trade

"He's a good Top 12 forward."
"He's a solid one-way player."
"He's a great stay-away-from-home blue-liner."
"He's a real regular-season performer."
"He'll be able to eat up at least one, maybe two solid minutes of ice time per game."
"He's got a tremendous downside."

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

She's A Lady...Named Vanessa

Well she's all you'd ever want
She's the kind they'd like to flaunt and take to dinner
Well she always knows her place
She's got style, she's got grace, she's a winner.

She's a Lady. Whoa whoa whoa, she's a Lady
Talkin' about that little Lady, and the Lady is mine.

Well she's never in the way
Something always nice to say, Oh what a blessing.
I can leave her on her own
Knowing she's okay alone, and there's no messing.

She's a Lady. Whoa whoa whoa, she's a Lady
Talkin' about that little Lady, and the Lady is mine.

Well she never asks for very much and I don't refuse her
Always treat her with respect, I never would abuse her.
What she's got is hard to find, and I don't want to lose her.
Help me build a mansion from my little pile of clay. Hey, hey, hey

Well she knows what I'm about,
She can take what I dish out, and that's not easy.
Well she knows me through and through,
She knows just what to do, and how to please me.

She's a Lady. Whoa whoa whoa, she's a Lady
Talkin' about that little Lady, and the Lady is mine.

Yeah yeah yeah, She's a Lady
Listen to me baby, She's a Lady
Whoa whoa whoa, She's a Lady
And the Lady is mine

Yeah yeah yeah, She's a Lady
Talkin' about this little Lady
Whoa whoa whoa whoa
And the Lady is mine

Yeah yeah, She's a Lady
And the Lady is mine.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Let it Go...By TD Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you.

And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk.. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.. You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something.. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye.. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains…

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you…

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction...

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents…

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude...

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him...

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship…

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves…

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed…

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to…

LET IT GO!!!

'The Battle is the Lord's!'

During the next 45 seconds, Stop whatever you are doing, and take this opportunity…

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who are in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever.

Amen.