What do YOU do?
For the last few weeks life has been a little crazy with the new baby, Nichole being in and out of the hospital, holidays, church, etc. I wouldn’t call it a bad crazy (except for the hospital part), but it’s just been busy. I’ve had that feeling that we are all too familiar with, how do I get connected to God?
I’ve attended church, but when you have a baby that wants to randomly yell and throw food it can be a bit distrac… wait… it can be VERY distracting. Through these last few weeks the point has been proven to me stronger than ever, church is not where your relationship with God grows and becomes real. That has to happen at home.
Church is where we worship and strengthen the community of believers, but with a lack of personal devotion time, there is no depth…
What’s so awesome about God is that he’s a gracious God, he gives back more than we put in (way more). Here’s what I mean… last night I ran downstairs to put my clothes for work in the dryer at about 11:30 PM. I had already been to church, even though spending much of the time in the hallway with London; and yet I was still empty.
As my pants were in the dryer I took five minutes and sat down at my keyboard and began to play the old simple song “Surround Me” (This is where God starts giving back more than I give), and God began to refresh me sitting right there. Did I cry? No. Did I interceed? No. But I felt the overwhelming comfort of God’s presence around me, and it’s exactly what I needed at the time, and God understands that.
God knows where we are. I’ve heard that statement over the years and it made some sense, but last night, in a basement filled with boxes, and laundry, and a/c units that cost a lot of money to fix every other month… God met me; and it made a lot of sense.
My question (since this is supposed to be a conversational blog), what do you do?
…but he helps sick kids!
Last week the George Mitchell report on his investigation into HGH and steroids in Major League Baseball. Between 25-30% of the players on the list of users were either current or former members of the Baltimore Orioles. Seems surprising to me that almost 1/3 of the list is occupied by losers. The Orioles haven’t had a winning season since I was a child (over 13 years).
Even greater, one of the prides of Baltimore, young and atheletic second basemen Brian Roberts, is listed on the report. Brian Roberts has been one of the bright spots in the O’s lineup for about five years. This week the Orioles released a statement defending Roberts by the work that he’s done in the community. “BUT HE HELPS SICK KIDS” was the best story they can come up with supporting their player (referring to the work Roberts does with sick children in local hospitals).
Ironically, Roberts himself doesn’t deny the allegations. In fact, he admits it, and he accepts responsibility. Roberts said, “In 2003, when I took one shot of steroids, I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing,” Roberts told the Sun. “I never used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing drugs prior to or since that single incident. I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish in the game of baseball. I am very sorry and I deeply regret ever making that terrible decision. My only hope and prayer is that the Orioles, my family, friends and fans that have supported me so faithfully will forgive me.”
Roberts exemplified greater leadership than the organizational leaders for the team he plays for. See a trend? Could it be that the Orioles have been losers for so long because they lack true leadership from the top?!
Poor leadership trickles all the way down the stream to the coaches and players that enter the field nearly every night April-October. The players involved in taking steroids have poor personal leadership; they substitute true work ethic by using a substance that will provide results which do not equal the work put forth.
The only way to get where we need to be is true work and strong leadership. With these trends in our lives, we will never become winners. Throw any substance, any lie, any form of cheating into the mix… in the end…. we all end up losers, even if you help sick kids.
Love is a verb.
I’m a blogger, I can’t believe it. I’ve always wrestled with the idea of blogging, but always felt inadequate, or that it could be a bit prideful to think that someone actually wants to read what I have to say…. and for that matter… who am I to offer my words without someone even asking for them ?
I felt this way, until last night. Last night as I stood in my living room drinking my nightly 4.3 ounces of sweet tea before I head off to bed and it hit my like a ton of bricks.
It’s not
good for
man
to
be
alone.
Just as you see it written is how it happened in my head, it was like Rob Bell was doing some type of dramatic speaking in my mind.
As you may know last Friday (Dec 7), my wife gave birth to our second baby boy. Things seemed to be going well… I started a great new job, having a baby, Christmas time, happy happy + joy joy. Well we came home from the hospital on Tuesday and Nichole had to be re-admitted for infection on Friday. This sparked a chain reaction like fireworks at a smokers convention.
So I had to find someone to take care of London while we went to the hospital. So many questions… is she going to be ok? how long will she be here? who will keep london? can the new baby stay with her in the hospital? who will take care of my dogs? i’m not going to have to call out of work on my new job am i?
it’s not
good
for man
to
be
alone.
Long story – short. We have a wonderful group of people that stepped up to the plate. I started getting answers. Yes the baby could stay, but only if I was there too. People offered to take London. Mom stopped by for the dogs. I would sit at the hospital. People came to sit with Nichole while I worked on Monday. What would we have done without people. People who care, people who love you, people that not only love you, but are willing to go out of their way when you are unable to help yourself.
Last night as I sipped my 4.3 ounces of sweet tea in my octagon shaped mini-glass, the weight of all of it just settled in.
that’s it!
that’s what it means.
In Genesis when God said the simple words: it’s not good for man to be alone, it wasn’t just a phrase for his justification or reasoning to create Eve. He was sending a message that would ring through eternity. Life is not meant to be alone. You can’t.
it’s
not
supposed
to be
that
way.
God places people in our life, because life is not to be done alone. It’s about helping others and sacrificing for the sake of someone else in need. Let’s not be hogs of our own time and then steal the time of others without doing our part. I want to do anything I can for the people that brought sanity back into my life. It’ s just how it works.
So, why can I now freely blog? Because it’s not good for man to be alone. It’s my duty to share what on my heart or in my mind because we don’t hold all the tools necessary to do the job on our own. I need your blog, and you need mine.
