Relevant or Revolutionary?

I was really challenged when I heard this quote from Matthew Barnett on Sunday..."If you want to be relevant, raise awareness of a problem. If you want to be revolutionary, do something to solve the problem."

That's a challenging statement no matter what the issue or problem that comes into view. Using this definition, I want to be more than relevant. However, too often I think that is what I've settled for.

Each of us come into contact with issues - some of which we are uniquely qualified to engage with our gifts/skills/talents, while others not so much. We will need the guidance of Father God to see which we are CALLED to. However, I think that too often we (or at least I) brush things off as being beyond us. I need to pray into the issue until the 'burden' of the problem lifts. If it doesn't lift, I believe that I need to ask Father what action He wants me to engage in.

Although it isn't always easy, I really think that I although I can't do everything I MUST be involved in doing my part and using my gifts/skills to solve certain issues that God places before me. With the help of Jesus, I will do my best to leave my rut for someone else to live in.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

Being good stewards of our environment is the responsibility of everyone - paticulary if you are a Christian. Not only that, a 'green' Christmas can also be a less expensive Christmas! Here's some suggestions that I got in my email box - many which we already do. #4 is pretty challenging when you have 20 guests at the house...

1. If you put up Christmas lights, choose energy-efficient LED lights and turn them off during the day. While a 50-bulb incandescent strand of Christmas lights uses 250 watts, an equivalent 70-bulb LED strand uses only three watts. Turn the lights off at night.
2. When shopping for gifts and groceries, bring along a canvas bag to carry your purchases and try to choose items that have little or no packaging.
3. Wrap gifts in recyclable wrapping paper or use reusable gift bags or wrap in the comics section or regular newspaper.
4. If you’re hosting or organizing a holiday party, use cloth napkins and glass plates. Avoid using disposable napkins, plates and cutlery.
5. After the holidays, reuse gift boxes, packaging and wrapping paper when possible, and recycle what cannot be reused – contact your local government to find out what items are acceptable in your blue box program.

Win a $5 Starbucks Card - No More Books!

Ok - I've had it. No more books! My books must feel like Shanda's shoes in the closet. Sitting there, alone, wanted once but now quickly put aside by the new one that comes into the house. As a result, I'm being crowded out by my books!! So - No More BOOKS!
No, I don't mean I'm not going to be reading. In fact, just the opposite. It's just that, well, I have too many that I've accumulated over the past 4 or 5 months and I have to get them read.

So here is my list of books that I'm going to try and knock down over the next 3 - 4 months or so. Some are half done, some are brand new this week.

I'm going to set a goal each Friday. If I don't make (and post)the goal for the week, the first reader to alert me to that fact after 10 PM Friday (in the comments section) will win a prize. If I make my goal, I get the prize. Deal? But here's the catch, you have to register in the comments section of this post by Monday @ 10 PM! The prize for this week will be a $5 Starbucks card.
here's My list:

1. Serving God on the Christian School Board - Roy W. Lowrie,
2. Boards that make a difference - by John Carver
3. Fresh Ideas - by Diana Davis
4. Becoming a True Spiritual community - Larry Crabb
5. Community of Kindness - by Steve Sjogren and Rob Lewin
6. Beyond the First Visit - Gary L. McIntosh
7. First Impressions - by Mark L. Waltz
8. Loving Homosexuals as Jesus would - by Mark L. Waltz
9. With or without God - Gretta Vosper
10. Emotionally Healthy Spiritually by Peter Scazzero
11. Restoring the Christian Soul - by Leanne Payne
12. Relational Apostolic Families - T.A. Osiowy
13. Creating a World Without Poverty - Muhammad Yunus
14. 11 Indispensible Relationships You Can’t Be Without - Leonard Sweet
15. The Search to Belong - Joseph R. Myers
16. Signs of Emergence - Kester Brewin
17. Organic Community - Joseph R. Myers
18. Emerging Churches - Eddie Gibbs / Ryan K. Bolger
19. The Heart of a Father - Ken Canfield

Wow, that's a list so here's the goal (drum roll please....)
I will finish The Search to Belong (half done), and The Heart of a Father this week.
Register in the comments section....Not registered, no prize..

It means right away!

In our home we have an ongoing challenge of teaching our kids the importance of obedience. Basically, we are challenged with delayed obedience, which is actually disobedience.

But as I was reading Mark chapter 1 this morning in the NAS version I realized that perhaps the children are not the only ones that have a problem with true obedience. Something really stood out to me as i read. It was the word, "immediately" which means, "
directly, that is, at once". In other word - IMMEDIATELY.
In 45 verses this word shows up 8 times! I went back and reviewed them.

• v. 10 "And immediately, coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens parting"
• v. 12 After baptism... "and immediately, the Spirit drove Him (Jesus) into the wilderness
• v. 18 After Jesus called Simon and Andrew, "They immediately left their nets and followed Him."
• v. 20 After Jesus saw James and John, "And immediately He called them."
• v. 21 "And immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue (church building) and taught
• v. 28 After casting out evil spirits..."and immediately His fame spread"
• v. 31 After touching Simon's sick mother-in-law (Jesus loves mothers in law :-) ) "immediately the fever left her"
• v. 42 The leper came asking for healing and "As soon as He (Jesus) had spoken, immediately the leprosy left"

What's the point? I saw a few things for my life.

1. There was an abiding purpose (Baptized, wilderness, gather a team, church, healing) such that the next step for Jesus' life never seemed to be in question.
2. The Spirit of God was intimately involved in directing Jesus' life. I need to open my ears and listen ALL THE TIME so that I can be directed and initiate rather than respond to life.
3. Sickness immediately responded to Jesus. Lord, show me what gets in the way of immediate manifestation of God's power in and through my life.
4. The disciples responded with immediate obedience rather than questioning and reasoning themselves out of His calling. Father, help me do this.

Basically, I need to listen more, obey more quickly and watch the good that Jesus does in and through my life.