The Lord's Prayer - The Message Version

Heard the Lords Prayer read today at the Hearts Called to Prayer Conference hosted at our church . I've never heard this particular translation.

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

The roof is completed and we are waiting for the final inspection on it. The true test will come when we get a heavy rain. With the roof completed we went ahead with replacing the walls that we knew had water damage. Knowing that the walls had gotten wet we knew we would be replacing at least one or two walls. Once we started tearing out walls we discovered not only had they gotten wet, but mold had begun to grow. So we ended up taking out the entire section of walls in the living room. Luckily the mold had not spread and was contained to the living room walls and only required scrubbing down the studs with a bleach solution and will let them dry out for the next week.

For now we are enjoying the new look in the living room.

Mastered?

"You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am." John 13:13

If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, that idea itself is proof that we have no master. If that is our attitude toward Jesus, we are far away from having the relationship He wants with us. He wants us in a relationship where He is so easily our Master and Teacher that we have no conscious awareness of it - a relationship where all we know is that we are His to obey.
-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Happy Fall Ya'll

When you live in South Florida you don't get to enjoy the changing of the seasons. In fact, you hardly notice that the seasons change. Unless of course you look on a calendar. Since today is the first day of Fall and the leaves here are still green and it's still 90+ degrees out, the only way I will actually notice a change in seasons is if I change the seasons on my blog template. So in celebration of the Fall season I give my readers (the two or three that occasionally stop by) a new look. If you don't like it, please don't tell me! :o)

Fall Busyness

We have now adjusted to our school schedule. While the carefree schedule of summer was nice, it's good to be back into a routine. I have discovered that I actually like schedules. I enjoy knowing, for the most part, what each day holds in store.

School started at the end of August for both David and Angela. David is taking 4 classes at Palm Beach Community College this semester. He will take one more semester in the Spring to complete his AA. He has classes on Monday morning, Monday evening, Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning plus an online course this semester. Due to one of his co-workers having a scheduling conflict with one of his college classes he is now working on Wednesday evening, Thursday evening and the morning shift on Saturday and Sunday. He's happy to have his Friday nights free for this semester. Angela is taking a heavy schedule at the high school this year. She has Advanced Placement U.S. History, Advanced Placement Psychology, English honors, Biology honors, Geometry honors, and a teacher aide at one of our Elementary schools. Both of busy with school work, but are diligent in their studies.

As for me, I'm enjoying working for our new pastor and excited to see our church kicking off the fall schedule of youth ministries, children's ministries, mission ministries, small groups and outreach. Our kickoff for small groups was last Tuesday night and we have 33 taking part in the 2 groups. Our first meeting is tomorrow night and I'm excited to see how God works through the small groups. Our associate pastor has done a wonderful job of organizing the small groups, as well as working with our youth department. He has incorporated the help of several members to help work with the youth and it's great to see some new faces within that department. Our mission ministries will be kicking off the first Wednesday night in October for adults and children. We will be meeting separately as men and women (Brotherhood and Women on Missions) the first Wednesday night of each month with the focus being on missions. Our children's missions ministries will be co-ed this year and we are praying that we will see some of the younger ones back when that gets underway the first Wednesday in October. Next Monday night we will begin going back out to visit members that have not been with us as well as visiting those that have visited with us.

We are also having a new roof put on the house. Due to the previous hurricanes and tropical storms our roof took a beating. Unfortunately it didn't stop at the roof, but did some damage to several of our walls inside the house. We will be getting those repaired (the work on the inside starts this week) and once they are done the painting adventure will begin. When you live in a mobile home the walls are prefab walls so to replace a wall you end up having to paint the entire room for it to match. Since we are painting I figured it would be a good time to replace the carpet that has been damaged by pets over the years. I'm thankful that we have a friend from church that is willing to replace the walls, which will save a tremendous amount of money, and that I can paint the walls myself. Not to mention that once it's all completed it will be like living in a new place.

We are keeping busy and enjoying the fall.

Sweet 16 to My Sweet Baby Girl

Today is my baby girl's 16th birthday. Where have the years gone? It seems like it was yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with you. You captured my heart from the moment you were born. I could not have asked for a more precious gift from God than the one he gave me 16 years ago today.

You meet life with determination and confidence. You have a heart for people and are always put others before yourself. You are inquisitive and love a good debate. Your willing to work hard and find enjoyment in the little things in life.

You are a wonderful daughter! I pray that as you continue to grow that you will achieve your goals with the determination, excitement, and confidence that you have done these past 16 years. Most of all I pray that you will always know that you are a gift from God and I am so blessed that God has granted me the privilege of being your mom.

I Love You!

Random #4

Rejection

How bad does it hurt to be rejected? At some point in our lives all of us have been rejected. It may have been by friend, co-worker, family member, or boyfriend/girlfriend. It's stings to be rejected by others. I've been rejected more times than I care to think about and I've held "pity parties" over being rejected. I was reminded this morning just how important it is to understand Jesus as our shepherd when someone has rejected me.

"The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. . ." - John 10:12

The hired hand abandons the sheep because they aren't his own and he's not committed to them. Why stick around and get eaten when he's not the real owner? So, he runs, leaving the sheep vulnerable. What imagery! All of us are sheep, whether we recognize that or not. And it's not the hired hands of this world we need to put our trust in but in the shepherd instead. When trouble comes, the shepherd is going to be the one willing to lay down His life for us. He'll be the one with his rod and staff fighting off the wolf. He's not going to leave us vulnerable. God tells us that He will lay down His life for us. And that isn't just lip service. He did it when He went to the cross for us and laid down His life for us.

Rejection hurts. But what does it really matter if a hired hand deserts us when we have a Shepherd? What have we really lost? It'll hurt for a little while and we might even experience pain and tears, but when we realize the good Shepherd is still there and that He will never leave us or forsake (even for someone better, prettier, nicer) us, it's then we can embrace peace, comfort and security that we may have thought we had when that hired hand turn tail and ran.

In the midst of rejection rest assured that the good Shepherd hasn't left you alone. He's the only one that loves you enough to lay down His life for you. And when we think about it, what more could we ever want than that?

How about those Syrupmakers! Number 1!!

Last night Angela was joking about my high school alma mater and how ridiculous it was that our team name was the Syrupmakers/Syrupmaids. I wonder how she will feel when I show this article on sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When I covered high school sports for The Tampa Tribune, it drove me crazy when a county would spend a fortune to build a new high school and then give it a generic nickname. How many Wildcats, Knights and Rams does the world need? Why saddle the youth of America with sobriquets that only emphasize the older generation's lack of creativity? We expect our children to excel, and since that's the case, their school teams should have excellent nicknames.

The schools on this list get it. These are the top 15 high school nicknames in America. In some cases, the name draws on the town's heritage. In others, school leaders simply sought an inspiring nickname. And with apologies to Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights, those are some great names.

15. Stuyvesant Peglegs, New York

This Manhattan school is named after Peter Stuyvesant, the last director general of New Netherland. Stuyvesant was in charge when the Dutch lost what is now New York and New Jersey to the English in 1664. Stuyvesant, who lost his right leg while serving as the governor of Curacao, was nicknamed "Old Pegleg" and "Pegleg Pete." The school, founded in 1904, kept the nickname.

14. Colorado Rocky Mountain School Oysters, Carbondale, Colo.

Maybe it's the pioneer spirit, but Colorado schools have some fantastic nicknames. Brush High is home to the Beetdiggers. Lamar High has the Savages. Alamosa High has the Mean Moose, which has a better ring than the Agitated Antelopes. But nothing compares to the name of the boys soccer team at a small boarding school 170 miles west of Denver. Lots of schools have daring nicknames, but only one has the stones to call its team the Rocky Mountain Oysters.

13. Dunbar Poets, Baltimore

The school's namesake, Paul Laurence Dunbar, was a poet. Baltimore also was home to Edgar Allan Poe, who dabbled a little in verse. Dunbar's students are mighty with their pens, but they're also mighty on the football field. The Poets have won three consecutive state titles and six since 1994.

12. Don Bosco Prep Ironmen, Ramsey, N.J.

It's a bit easier to choose a nickname at schools with an all-male or all-female student body. There are no Rams-Ewes or Bulls-Cows issues. Still, the Salesians of St. Don Bosco went the extra mile, choosing a nickname that predicted the near-invincibility of the Bosco football program. Alas, Tony Stark is not an alum.

11. Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts, Erlanger, Ky.

Every year during the NCAA Tournament, somebody breaks out a Mascot Fight to the Death Pool. The idea is simple; choose the mascot that would win in a fight. Forces of nature (Miami, Tulsa or Alabama, for example) usually win. For this reason, I've always wondered why a mid-major didn't call its teams the 100-megaton Warheads. This name might be even better. A juggernaut is an unstoppable, crushing force. It would win every time. Alas, Marvel Comics supervillian Juggernaut is not a Lloyd Memorial alum.

10. Punahou School Buffanblu, Honolulu, Hawaii

Lots of schools use their uniform colors as their nickname. Plenty of Crimsons and Green Waves dot the sporting landscape. But no school combines its colors into its nickname quite like the one that produced President Barack Obama (class of '79) and America Online founder Steve Case (class of '76). The Buffanblu also get it done on the field and court. In 2008, SI editors named Punahou the nation's best high school athletic program.

9. Staples Wreckers, Westport, Conn.

A nickname that suggests what might happen to opponents is always intimidating. In the case of the Wreckers football team, which has won three state titles in seven years, it's pretty much a promise. It also doesn't hurt the school itself boasts a fantastic name. No relation, though.

8. Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits

The school that produced Billie Jean King, Willie McGinest and Snoop Dogg doesn't have an intimidating nickname, but just try catching a Jackrabbit. They're as fast as Philadelphia Eagles first-rounder Desean Jackson, another Long Beach Poly alum.

7. Watersmeet Nimrods, Watersmeet, Mich.

This Upper Peninsula public school won national fame in 2004 for its part in an ESPN advertising campaign. While most of America considers a nimrod a silly or foolish person, the folks in Watersmeet celebrate the Biblical figure Nimrod, who was described as "a mighty hunter before the lord."

6. Johnson Atom Smashers, Savannah, Ga.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research first smashed atoms with a Proton Synchrotron in November 1959. That same year, Sol C. Johnson High opened its doors. The Johnson football team's helmets feature an atom logo, and the school calls its gym the Reaction Chamber.

5. Poca Dots, Poca, W. Va.

Named by a Charleston newspaper writer in 1928, the Dots are the best marriage of school/city name and nickname in sports. The only other sports nickname that comes close is the Macon (Ga.) Whoopee, a defunct minor league hockey franchise.

4. Cary Imps, Cary, N.C.

The name is awesome, but the logo is even better. Imagine if the Great Gazoo from The Flintstones had turned demonic and started a steroid/imp growth hormone regimen that even Bill Romanowski would have considered excessive. You would let this imp call you a dumb-dumb.

3. Lakeland Dreadnaughts, Lakeland, Fla.

According to The (Lakeland) Ledger, Lakeland principal I.G. McKay praised the 1923 Lakeland football team for "rolling over the opponents just as a massive ship steams through stormy seas." That ship, McKay decided, was a Dreadnought, the British ship that revolutionized naval warfare. The current-day Dreadnaughts usually roll over their opponents, too. In 2005 and 2006, USA Today crowned Lakeland the high school national champ.

2. Glenville Tarblooders, Cleveland

Christian Bryant, a senior defensive back at Glenville who is being recruited by most of the top 25, was kind enough to explain the origin of his team's nickname a few weeks ago. Bryant said the name came from the men who built the railroad through Cleveland. The tar from the stakes would splash the men, causing them to bleed. To the untrained eye, the men appeared to bleed tar. Their namesakes have done them proud, and "sweat blood" remains the ultimate motivational creed for Glenville athletes.

1. Cairo Syrupmakers, Cairo, Ga.

The name of this tiny south Georgia town is pronounced like the syrup, not like Egypt's capital. But contrary to popular belief, Karo syrup is not produced in Cairo. The old syrup plant used to churn out Roddenberry's. Now, the Syrupmakers just churn out championship football teams. Next month, Cairo will begin its defense of the 2008 Class AAA state title.

Random # 3

Grace

Just started reading Paul D. Tripp's book, Broken-Down House, and as with all of his books that I have read thus far I am enjoying it immensely.

I love his description of Grace. . .

So grace is a story and grace is a gift. It is God's character and it is your hope. Grace is a transforming tool and a state of relationship. Grace is a theology and an invitation. Grace is an experience and a calling. Grace will turn your life upside own while giving you a rest you have never known. Grace will convince you of your unworthiness without ever making you feel unloved.

Grace will make you acknowledge that you cannot earn God's favor, and it will remove your fear of not measuring up to his standards. Grace will confront you with the fact that you are much less than you thought you were, even as it assures you that you can be far more than you had ever imagined. Grace will put you in your place without ever putting you down.

Grace will enable you to face truths about yourself that you have hesitated to consider, while freeing you from being self-consciously introspective. Grace will confront you with profound weaknesses, and at the same time introduce you to new-found strength. Grace will tell you what you aren't, while welcoming you to what you can now be. Grace will make you as uncomfortable as you have ever been, while offering you more comfort than you have ever known. Grace will drive you to the end of yourself, while it invites you to fresh starts and new beginnings. Grace will dash your hopes, but never leave you hopeless. Grace will decimate your kingdom as it introduces you to a better King. Grace will expose your blindness as it gives you eyes to see. Grace will make you sadder than you have ever been before, while it gives you greater cause for celebration than you have ever known.

Grace enters your life in a moment and will occupy you for eternity. You simply cannot live a productive life in this broken-down world unless you have a practical grasp of the grace you have been given.

- Paul Tripp, Broken-Down House, pp. 42-43

Pray for True Repentance

A friend of mine shared this quote with me earlier today via text message. God is good to know the words that we need to hear and exactly when we need to hear them.

"The truly repentant are often so purified and humbled by disaster that they are willing to do anything. If persons who claim repentance are still arrogant and unwilling to take responsibility, they are probably missing the fruit of repentance. They are a long way from ready. Don't bail out on them even then! Help them, speak the truth in love, and pray them to true repentance!"

- Beth Moore, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things

Go Do Some Good

As Beth concluded the Simulcast on Saturday she had each of us stand and find a woman next to us, take their hands, look them in the eye and repeat these words of commissioning:
My Dear Sister, God has not overlooked you.He has not ignored you He hears every petition and intimately knows the heart beneath it. Give Him full access to all your longings pray every single day to become a person who delights in Him. When it seems to disappear remember to check your JAW! Are you jealous? Are you angry? Are you worried? Roll it all on Jesus; He's strong enough to carry it, big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart. Now leave this place and go into the world and do some GOOD.