The Simple Truth

More Random Friday Thoughts

Here are some more of my not so insightful random Friday afternoon thoughts. Read at your own risk...

• The weather in NJ has been beautiful the last few days. The key - low humidity.
• Went to the eye doctor yesterday. Time for progressive lenses in my glasses. I'm officially old - I wear bi-focals, drive a mini-van, make noises when I get up and sit down. What's next? Wearing white socks with dress shoes and dark socks with running shoes, and eating dinner at 4pm.
• I don't drink enough water. (I told you these were random)
• I'm excited to watch the first preseason game for the Chiefs tonight.
• Busy weekend ahead filled with birthday parties, baby showers, church, Plainsboro bulk waste day, and much more.
• Saw pictures from my 25th High School class reunion. How come everyone else looks so much older but I still look the same? :)
• What a week for the Dow! I'm sure glad I don't have any money.
• Played hackey sack with Abby yesterday - really sore today. More proof I'm old.
• Finding more and more that naps don't help. I'm still tired when I awake and really grouchy. Answer - more coffee!
• Still really fired up about what God is doing in people's hearts to help raise funds for Snehashrya Woman's Shelter in India.  
• Working on some ideas for a new writing project - excited! Lord give me the discipline to do this.
• Saw Soul Surfer this week - really liked this flick!

Rescue Workers BBQ

We had another great Rescue Workers BBQ this past weekend.  The weather was great!  The food was delicious!  The games were a lot of fun! The blowup slide was enormous! (although I must admit, I was not happy with the height restrictions - you couldn't be over 6'4". That's height discrimination!)  Most of all it was just a blessing to be able to minister to the emergency responders and their families.  Thank you for all you do!  Also, let me say a special thank you to all the people at PBC who help make this event a huge success. 

Here is a Facebook thank you from the Monmouth Junction Firehouse...

http://www.facebook.com/mjvfd?v=wall

Life's Reset Button

I grew up when video games were just coming on the scene.  The game systems were nothing like they have today - Wii, Playstations, X-box 360, PSP, or Nintendo DS.  We had Atari - remember those?  When I got my Atari game system for Christmas I felt as if I had arrived.  I sat for hours playing Asteroids, Space Invaders, Pac-man, and my all time personal favorite, PONG!  Life was good!  My goal every time I sat down to play was to beat the high score - it was my mission in life.  Occasionally, I'd start off poorly in a game and lose my turn right away.  No worries though.  I would just reach over to the game console and hit the handy dandy "Reset" button.  Immediately the game would start over. I would get a fresh start. It was like the previous game never even happened.

Don't you wish your life had a reset button that you could hit whenever you've really screwed something up?  There are choice I've made in life that I wish I could go back and do over.  Obviously that's not possible but there is a way to get a fresh start in life.  That fresh start is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. How refreshing to know that no matter how badly we've screwed things up he is willing to take us back and start over.  We may still have to deal with the consequences of our bad decision but at least we know that with Jesus we can made clean and complete. 

One of my favorite passages in the entire Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:17. All things are made new and the old things are passed away.  Wow!  We're made new in Him.  No matter how badly we've messed things up. No matter how far from God we might feel.  All you have to do is take a step toward God and he'll gladly receive you back.  He'll give you a fresh start (a reset).  I want to encourage you to take God up on His offer - let Him make you new. Allow Him to give you a fresh start.  It's time for you, like the prodigal son, to come home and be reconciled with your Father.

Walk This Way...LOVE

We're entering the home stretch of our "Walk Like an Ephesian" series where we are discovering what it means to walk like Jesus.  This week we'll be encouraged to be imitators of Jesus as we learn to walk in love.  I can't wait for Sunday - I think it could really transform the relationships in the church.

You don't want to miss the latest production from the drama team - oh baby!  Or should I say, Oh Bubba!?

Also, rumor has it that we may have a visit from none other than Alex Trebek as he unveils his newest game show, Sniffardy!

Take a chance for Jesus and invite a friend to come with you this weekend.

Getting Ahead of God

I bought Kerrie Wii Fit for her birthday.  Before you make any comments or think bad thoughts about me for buying my wife something related to fitness / weight - the Wii Fit is what she wanted for her birthday.  She was thrilled!  Anyway, one of the games on the Wii Fit involves you jogging with your personal trainer.  On the screen there is a virtual trainer and behind them is a virtual you.  They are there to guide and pace you.  When the game starts you jog in place holding the Wii remote in your hand or pocket.  The faster you jog in place, the faster your virtual character runs.  At the beginning of the game you are instructed not to pass your trainer.

On Abby's first try at this game, the trainer wasn't moving fast enough for her and so she decided to speed up and pass him.  She got a few steps in front of him and then her virtual character did a face plant on the trail.  She got up dusted herself off and then tried to pass the trainer again.  Same result - face plant!  Of course we're all howling with laughter as Abby's character chews on dirt.

In the midst of my laughter it struck me - this is exactly what happens when we try and get out in front of God.  We think He's moving too slowly and so we decide to pick up the pace and move things along.  The next thing we know, we stumble, fall, and find ourselves face down in the dirt (metaphorically speaking).  God is our guide; our trainer.  He knows the pace that's best for us.  When we try and move out ahead of Him, disaster always awaits.  Wait on the Lord.  Run at His pace.

You see playing video games is spiritually beneficial!