Satuday Mornings

Well, it sure feels nice to begin 2011 on a Saturday! 

Just hearing "Saturday morning" evokes great memories from childhood.  Saturday morning had the magic to wake me up early when every other day of the week wants to keep me under the covers.  Cartoons that only came on Saturday were fun to anticipate!  It called to a day-long adventure that was made up as you go or planned days in advance.

I don't know what it is about Saturdays that bring a sense of freedom and relaxation other than perhaps wired deeply into us from the time of creation was God's Sabbath.  Have you ever noticed when people use that word, we often actually feel a negative connotation? Sabbath, day of rest; even the 10 commandments tell us to keep it Holy.  O how we've twisted THAT word!  Images of sackcloth and ashes and droopy, somber faces. 

Consider that Holy means "Set Apart", Different, Special.  A Sabbath should be special and very different from the work week.  Even if we have jobs that we absolutely love, it's very helpful to spend one day a week doing something very different from it.  Our bodies and minds need a break in order to recharge and reboot.  I believe it's also a day that we can reflect back on the week and consider our work to see where we were effective.  God himself modeled this at the end of His creation in Gen 2.  Jesus, when He walked on this earth, also said that, "Man was not created for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man".  He constantly fought against the notion that the Sabbath was a day for the "Religious" to have a way to control the behavior of the masses!  And so, he often brought healing and restoration to people on the Sabbath (showing that He actually embodied what the Sabbath was made to do for us!)

I LOVE to watch the This Old House Hour on PBS on a Saturday morning, sip coffee, read from the Bible.  Kim and I work our weekly budget update among other things that get planned as the day moves along.

What do you like to do on a Saturday?  You can comment here or on Twitter/Facebook.

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan

I've been reading some great encouragement lately regarding this.  I know, it sounds like so much of a cliche, that we are tempted to pass right over it.

But have you ever stopped to notice how easy it is to drift and just coast in life?  It's usually a sign that somewhere along the way we've given up.  We've been knocked down by someone or life's circumstances.  Then we start to justify the drift.

Recently, I've had to do some planning surrounding an idea we had at work for developing new marketing strategies.  Yes, I had to force myself to sit down, do some research, talk to experts, list necessary items and delivery mechanisms and develop a spreadsheet of topics and deadlines.  Stuff that I've tried to just "wing" in the past.

And WOW!  You talk about OPEN DOORS!  You've heard the terms, "Forward Momentum", "Failing Forward", etc.  I'm here to tell you it's true.  There is something about a well thought (not perfect) plan, that helps all involved to see the potential and get excited about moving the plan along!

God is a planner, just read a couple of these verses:

Jeremiah 29:11 MSG
I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

Job 15:8 MSG
Were you listening in when God planned all this? Do you think you’re the only one who knows anything?

Hebrews 8:8 MSG
But we know the first was found wanting, because God said, Heads up! The days are coming when I’ll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah.

This morning, we begin implementing the new plan, and of course, there will be some tweaking along the way, but this is also going to be a great adventure!  Life is good because God is good (re-read Jer 29:11 above) and moving forward under the favor of God is the best plan of all!

Dads On The Day After

From June 22, 2009


Yesterday was a great Father's Day for me. I got to spend lots of time with my kids travelling down to the beach. When you drive for 5 hours, it's nice to have people you love in the car with you! We've all endured long trips where the company hasn't been near as pleasant!
It's always interesting and fun to observe the differences there are at each age of my kids (9, 13, and 17) especially when it comes to choosing the music or movie in the car! But also on the wide variety of topics we chat about, age and maturity bring different perspectives. Our youngest, Jessica, typically lives in her world where everything revolves around her imagination! Our middle girl, Nicole, loves the closeness of the family circle (group hugs!) with just a hint of branching out beyond our inner circle. Steve, our oldest, has just one more full year with us and I can already see adventure in his eyes!
I pray for my kids. I pray that I am preparing them for the full life where they can see God's blessing in all areas of their lives. I pray that they will always follow and believe in God as a BIG GOD and that they will not be afraid to attempt the impossible! I pray that God will stretch their minds as He has mine. I pray that they will fly farther than I ever will. I pray that they will find true love and cherish the simple things in life.
I have been truly blessed with a great family. Just some thoughts this morning from the beach!
Have a Good Day!