A thief does not steal free stuff

"Love the Lord your God! Love your neighbor as yourself."It is a basic command Jesus gave us to live out, but what happens when the second part of the command makes us think, "I would never wish on anyone the kind of love I give myself."

You have to love yourself; not selfishly, but with an understanding that God wants you for who you are. Realize that there is thief and enemy who also wants you for who you are (John 10:10).

You are of incredible value!

A thief does not steal free things. A thief does not steal things without value. The only steal things of GREAT VALUE!

You have to realize that before you can truly serve and live a life of faith, because only then can you love others as you love yourself. Through this understanding can you really love others and serve others.

One of those days: when I put my Bible away

There are days when it seems God just wants to love me. There are days when I sit with open Bible and heart, and I wait...and wait... There are days when God does not speak to me in his Word even when I come to it faithfully There are days when I will sit and stare at the pages There are days when I will sit silently awaiting God and receive a challenge to close my Bible and let God love me There are days when I am ready and prepared to discover God and I am challenged to sit and let Him love me There are days my heart needs to be still and rest in God's love; to sit and pray "Abba, I belong to you. Please love me today." Some days bring my heart to a place where God has a different challenge than I realize coming in

If someone desired to know me they could only read my journal and blog so many times before they would need to step away from them a while and let me love them get to know them talk with me get a cup of coffee with me and let me relate to them

There are days I need to step away from the Word and sit with God and allow him to love me and accept His love

There are days my mind has soaked up all the love leaving my heart and soul a little dry In those days my heart and soul need to stop and allow God to love me

Ragamuffin Re-Write: Psalm 66

From time to time, I come to the Psalms and re-write them in my own language, context, and circumstance. It is a great way to engage scripture and see it come alive in your current context. Give it a shot some time! PSALM 66

O my soul, shout your praise as best you can muster to the God you love and desire

How amazing is His provision! Sing out within my flesh!

Praise God for His help let your voice be heard over the noises of your life.

For you, O God, have stood by me tested me though you may, I rise refined from the hardship

You brought me through the fire of Christian tongues full of hate and foolish gimmicks

God, you have rescued me from waters which had drowned my soul under currents of verbal slaughter

I have come through fire and water; you brought me to a place of abundance

My soul will praise you with written offering

Come and listen, o soul within me; let your voice call out what Abba has done for you

I cried out with my mouth and pen, and Abba listened.

Praise to the refining Daddy, who has not neglected my prayer or EVER withheld love from me.

What are the 3 most significant historic events in your lifetime

I found myself thinking through this question last week. I am thinking of moments I more than 'remember where I was when', but moments I could not help but feel the weight of regardless of my age or stage in life.This is my list...for now. 1. 911

2. Election of Obama

3. Rodney King

*There are many other big events, but I view these three as the most significant in an influential way. Honorary mentions might be: Space Shuttle Challenger, Gulf War, World Trade Center Bombing, Waco, Clinton scandal, Katrina, OJ Simpson Trial

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What are your disagreements? What are the 3 most significant historic events in YOUR lifetime?

Diabetic Spirituality

I have to carry a syringe around with me all the time. It is a medication called 'Glucagon'. It is an enormous syringe in a giant red carrying case of its own. It is for emergencies. As a Type 1 diabetic, I am dependant on insulin to keep my blood sugar in balance. There are moments, though, when my blood sugar gets very low. In those moments, my body reacts and can be a bit scary. I am to have something in those moments to boost my sugars to the correct level.

Should my levels drop extremely is when the Glucagon comes in. It is for the moments my levels plummet to points when I my body can barely even operate. It is for those times of emergency low. Glucagon is outrageous sugar-water (to put it tersely).

The one syringe runs me nearly $200. So I resist buying it each year after it has expired.

The doctor explains it is like a fire extinguisher. Hopefully, you never need to use it, but having it available can save your life IF you need it.

I was going to make a connection to prayer here; in that prayer is a practice we should develop instead of only waiting for the moments of crisis. Prayer is the type of thing utilized best in crisis when it has been repeatedly practiced. Prayer is something that will save your life in crisis but only if you have put the practice in outside of the crisis when it seems routine and strange or even dull at times.

I am afraid the connection to Glucagon is a bit lost since I do not exactly 'practice' my glucagon regularly.

On the other hand, I do have to have it with me at all times. I have to make sure others are aware of how to use it should anything happen and I am unable. It can cost me, but it can save my life...

like prayer.

Favorite Poet: Buddy Wakefield

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wUoVhdN0A&w=425&h=349]

"Forgiveness is the release of all hope for a better past."

You're Welcome: Dear Photograph

This is a second installment of a reoccurring post idea here called: “You’re Welcome”.

Every once in a while you come across a website that just steals your attention right from under you. You may not even know why, but you find yourself just mindlessly clicking through because you just have to see one…more…post.

These will be things I find to share with you; things before you thank me for showing, I’ll just say, “You’re welcome!”

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A couple weeks ago I came across Dear Photograph.

Submissions are made of people going back to memorable places in their lives and photographing a well-placed older photograph of that place. The results are endearing and inspirational.

Take a break and remember.

#yourewelcome

MADE UP STATS: Karaoke

My college PSYC Professor said, "50% of statistics are wrong." According to the national survey I just made up, the top 5 Karaoke songs are [probably]:

1. Don't Stop Believing (by Journey) - Thank you, Glee, for the resurgence of this great song.

2. Anything with the "F word" in it 

3. Friends in Low Places (extended version) - People seem to love singing a song that highlights their drunken but jovial range. "This is ma'SONG!!!"

4. Ice Ice Baby - The rap song white people can perform...kind of.

5.  Bohemian Rhapsody - Thank you Waynes World for revealing the greatness of Queen to an otherwise lost generation

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What do you think are probably the most sang karaoke songs? Why? (You may NOT google it!)

Your God is not Active

Psalm 37:5 says "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this." God has a way of upsetting decisions we make without considering him, but the primary reason we do this is because we do not actually trust and consider God to be a living, active, factor in our lives. Especially when we are speaking of daily, moment-by-moment parts of our lives!

We are likely to remember and consider how active God really is on Sundays during worship. We prepare ourselves for those moments to actually pay attention to God but forget his active involvement in our day-to-day.

What about evil? What about sin? Scripture tells us that "LOVE takes no account of evil" (1 Cor. 13:5). That is NOT to say that love is ignorant to evil's existence. It means it does not consider evil as an active involvement in our lives.

When sin and evil make themselves present in our day-to-day, it is because we have not considered God to be a true active part of our lives, but have trusted in evil's involvement as more active.

When we are separated from an active (and intentional) entanglement with God, we begin to bargain with evil and sin instead.

You cannot look for the future sin either. You cannot keep telling yourself, "I am bound to mess it up again; I always do." This is not trusting God as active either.

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled." (John 14:1) Notice it does not say God will keep trouble from you. It says, "LET NOT..." Jesus' command is for you to make a choice.

Over and over in my day, I have to choose to not be troubled by my past sin or future sin. Over and over in my day, I have to choose to trust God is active, and he is more active than evil and sin.

Lessons I guess I'm still learning...

- apply sunblock - check tire pressure regularly - check oil regularly - fill the ice bucket in the freezer - write it down so you don't forget - creativity requires dedicated time - your dream requires dedicated time - test your blood-sugar after you eat....also. - workout - take the grill inside or cover it - you don't LIKE soymilk...you're allergic to it - write for the passion of it; not always just the work of it

------ What lessons do you KEEP FORGETTING? 

What would you tell yourself 10 years ago?

  That blonde California girl you meet this next school year will the pillar of grace in your life. The poem you recite to her in The Valley will be far more pivotal in your life than it will feel in the moment. Far more than a beautiful girl you crush on, your story together will be one that will wreck you on some days, but heal what is broken in you on most others.

If you are reading this a couple years from now, secret be told, she does love you. She will not admit that to you for several more years, but trust me.

Pursue her. You will want to. You will. Love her more. Love her through.

Through your parents' divorces. Through your past. Through your fears. Through your waiting. Love her through.

You want me to write you and tell you she will be your wife. You want me to write you and tell you there will be a day she will mother your beautiful daughter. You want me to tell you the future that I already know and am currently living.

But you do not get the future. You will miss the story you will one day love and I love so much now.

Open your eyes wide, and do not change a thing.

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Happy Anniversary to my wife of 7 years, and my best friend of more than a decade!