Ron Artest on Jesus Christ's stats as a BBaller

Ron Ron is like a Christmas gift everyday. His quotes and perspective are always a surprise and most definitely always awesome. Here is his take on what type of NBA stats the savior of the world would have put up.

“It happened in the past, it happened in the present, it happened in the future,” Artest said. “Not just for him. All players (get ejected). That happens a lot of times. You see guys get ejected. Rip Hamilton got ejected (recently) in Detroit. Bob Cousy got ejected … The only person who never got ejected was Jesus.”

Artest was asked if he had checked Jesus’ box scores.

“No ejections,” Artest said. “He was 10 for 10s, a lot of 20 for 20s (in shooting). Perfect from the free-throw line. Infinity rebounding stats.”

May you and yours have a very blessed Christmas. And may you have infinity rebounding stats in 2011!

Thankful

Thankful that God believes in second (and third, and fourth...) chances.

Thankful for a beautiful family and access to plenty of food and clean water.

Thankful for friends who help me carry the load.

Thankful for the sound of an open G played through a Marshal stack.

Thankful for the high pick n' roll and the lost art of the mid-range jump shot.

Thankful I get chills everytime I hear Rocky Top.

Thankful for the sacrifice of many others who came before me.

Thankful for the promise of many others who will be around long after me.

Thankful for the work of Rob Bell, Francis Chan, Timothy Keller, Dr. Jim Flemming, Robin Sharma and Dr. Chris Stephens.

Thankful to have tix to see U2 in concert.

Thankful for the book of Psalms.

Thankful I live just down the street from Litton's and the best burger in the world.

Thankful for good friends that make me laugh until I cry.

Thankful for the Beautitudes.

Thankful for a job where I get to write, think big ideas and be creative.

Thankful for the chance to shine.

Thankful for Stella Artois.

Thankful for family movie night w/ my kids.

Thankful for stories of redemption.

Thankful I survived my freshman year in college.

Thankful for two wonderful parents.

Thankful for a healthy body and the ability to exercise.

Thankful for a blue eyed girl.

Thankful God can make something out of my messes.

Thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. - Lance

PART II: Homeless but not faithless, an inside look at life on the street

PART II: Homeless but not faithless, an inside look at life on the street

2 minute Testimonial

Yesterday I was asked to speak in front of our congregation (gulp!) at Church Street and share what I love about our church. Here's what I said.

"Good morning! As I thought about what I wanted to say about Church Street, the main word that kept coming to mind was “grateful.” I am eternally grateful for what this church…and the people of this church…have meant to me and my family. My lovely wife, Terri, and I were married here almost 14 years ago. To that point, our wedding day was the single greatest day of my life. In part because knew I had somehow managed to outkick my coverage and marry WAY up…and in part because we started our journey as husband and wife, surrounded by friends and family, inside this beautiful building.

Like many people, we were first drawn to Church Street by the outside beauty of this amazing Gothic structure. But we quickly learned that it’s the people on the inside that set Church Street apart.

We found all types of things that helped us grow spiritually…like getting involved in Sunday School…taking Disciple Bible Studies…and attending Jim Flemming’s lecture series…which we look forward to every year.

We also found tons of ways to connect socially. I love to play basketball. Every Wednesday night our Men’s Church team gets together in our gym to play pickup hoops for a couple hours. It’s a great way to exercise and blow off stress with some really great guys. We always pray before we play. And while my prayers to be able to shoot 3s like Chris Lofton have remained unanswered…this is often my favorite part of the evening, as we lift up each other’s struggles and concerns…and share in our celebrations.

Church Street has also provided plenty of ways to serve….including volunteering for service projects… serving food at Community Worship on Thursday nights….or simply buying some of the goodies at the Hunger Helper Market. And no discussion about what I love about Church Street would be complete without mentioning the Hunger Helper market…and specifically the homemade bread that Loretta Best makes. That stuff truly is “Manna from Heaven.”

Eventually, Terri and I would enjoy two days that even surpassed our wedding day…the birth of our daughter, Grace, and son, Luke. As we now find ourselves navigating the ever-changing, ever-demanding world of “parenthood”, we are truly blessed by all that this church provides us for that journey. Terri has been very involved with Vacation Bible School, which has to be one of the most inspiring and important weeks in the church all year. The sheer amount of planning, coordination and hard work that Sue Isbell and so many people behind the scenes put into VBS is staggering. But the reward is more than worth it…as hundreds of children are exposed to the life and love of Jesus Christ in meaningful ways. I feel blessed that my kids are a part of this…and many other incredible programs provided by our Children’s Ministries.

So far, I’ve focused on the ways Church Street has been there for us during the high points in life. But that’s only part of the story. Because, as we all know, life loves to throw curve balls. I know many of you have experienced grief and burdens far greater than what I have had to bear. But I have found that when life has been at its worst, Church Street has been at its best. Whether that was the sudden death of Terri’s mom, her dad’s declining health issues over the past year and a half, me being unemployed on two occasions…or the random call that my son has stuck a rock up his nose and we have to head to Children’s Hospital…Church Street has responded. Throughout all of these trials and tribulations…Church Streeters have put us on their prayer lists…prepared us a delicious meal…sent a quick text or email with an encouraging thought…or watched our kids to help ease the burden…whatever was needed at the time. This support has meant the world to us both.

As John Lennon once famously said “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” What we have come to understand is that when life throws us the unexpected…both good and bad…we can expect Church Street to be there for us. Church Street is a place that has helped me grow on my spiritual journey…and helped lay a spiritual foundation for my children. The people of Church Street have laughed with me when life is at its best…and ministered to me when the days are dark. Church Street is a warm, caring community of believers with an incredible history. But I truly believe that our brightest days are still ahead. And for all of that, I am grateful. Thank you!"

Henry's Story

Feeding the homeless in Knoxville

Here's a tremendous front page article in today's News-Sentinel about a couple from Church Street United Methodist who have made feeding Knoxville's homeless their mission in life. Inspired to do more by this example of faith. Well done on so many fronts!

Sharks...Beluga Whales...Oh My!

Super excited to be bringing the awesome to the ATL. We're heading down for fall break with the kiddos to check out the Georgia Aquarium. Home to lots and lots of fish. And this guy. Can't wait!

Not Afraid

Love him or hate him, Eminem's story from the streets of 8 mile to where he is today is a pretty incredible look at redemption and overcoming all odds. Here it is as profiled on 60 Minutes.

Audience of One

I have a very addictive personality. Sometimes this is healthy (see: obsession with playing basketball). Sometimes, not so much (see: drinking in college). Often, the thing that I obsess over the most is a particular band or song. That was the case this week, as I literally have listened to Audience of One by Rise Against 47,834 times. Yes, I counted.

I've been a fan of Rise Against for a couple of years. But or some reason I had missed this song, until my new musical BFF www.grooveshark.com randomly played it for me. So good.

Here's the video, which also shreds. Love the line: "We're ok, until the day we're not. The surface shines while the inside rots..." Rock it!

Vegas Baby?

I'm about to take off to Sin City. I'm going for business, but let's be honest, they'll be plenty of fun mixed in there, too. It is Vegas, right? But I head their with totally mixed feelings. Not that I won't have fun. Actually, it's for fear that I'll have TOO much fun.

Having worked in advertising forever, I've always been impressed by the genius of the "What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas" tagline. It's brilliant. It perfectly captures the essence of what our dark sides want Vegas to be.

Big thrills. Total indulgence. Zero consequence.

But we know better, don't we?

You can drink all night, but the hangover will be there in the morning. You can open your heart to lust, but eventually realize there's no way to quench its thirst. You can spend money like there's no tomorrow, but there always is.

The check always comes due.

Maybe THAT should be the tagline for Vegas. It's not nearly as catchy as "What Happens In Vegas..." but it contains much more truth.

Rainbows

A friend of mine told me a great story. He looked out the window one morning and saw this incredibly beautiful rainbow. He said it was so stunning, he got super excited.

OK, not as excited this guy.



But that was only because he saw a SINGLE rainbow, not a DOUBLE RAINBOW ALL THE WAY!!! Nonetheless, my friend said it was incredible and so he went downstairs to grab his younger daughter to show it to her.
So she comes upstairs, looks out the window and screams with delight. I'm not sure if she broke into tears like double rainbow guy, but she was estatic.

After a minute or two, she belts out "OH THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!"

So my friend, naturally, thinks about what an awesome dad he is and says to his little girl, "You're welcome, sweetie."

At that point, he said she shot him this look and said, "Not YOU...I'm thanking God!"

Which is just so brilliant.

I think that story perfectly illustrates what Jesus tells us about having a heart and faith like that of a child. So many times we think it's all about us. But it's really about the maker of us. That level of appreciation and gratitude is what God wants.

So while it's easy to make fun of double rainbow guy for being so over the top, the more I think about it, maybe he's onto something...

Yesterday Ended Last Night

Here's a tremendous thought that I read and adapted from the always tremendous Dr. Chris Stephens:

"One of the greatest issues holding you back today is your yesterday. Jesus' death on the cross paid for ALL of your sins and shortcomings. So if you are going to reach your peak performance and potential you must put the past where it belongs: behind you."

Or as the great Zig Ziglar (who has the greatest name this side of Peerless Price) says "Yesterday really did end last night and today really is a brand new day."

Sacred Hoops

"Like life, basketball is messy and unpredictable. It has its way with you, no matter how hard you try to control it. The trick is to experience each moment with a clear mind and open heart. When you do that, the game -- and life -- will take care of itself."
--Phil Jackson, Sacred Hoops

I've never cheered for a Phil Jackson coached team. Growing up a die-hard Detroit B-Boys fan, his Bulls were always "the bad guys" to me. (I know, I know...) But I may actually cheer for him in the coming year. In part, that's because he's about to retire and the Lakers are the only team that can stop LeBron and company this year. But it has more to do with his amazing book I just read: Sacred Hoops - Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior.

I was hooked right from the title. Basketball and Faith aren't just two of my favorite topics. To me, they are woven together as one. I can find as much beauty and inspiration from a beautiful sermon or testimonial story of redemption as I can in the perfectly executied pick and roll. Jackson is of this camp, only he's executed it at the highest level of professional sports.

It's amazing to hear his take on his spiritual journey, and his journey to winning 3 consecutive NBA titles (which he's going for again for the third time). He describes himself as a "Zen Christian". I'd always heard his handle of "The Zen Master" - but what was really eye-opening to me was to read about his upbringing. He was the son of two hard-core Christian fundamentalists. His father was a pastor and his mother about Bible-drilled Phil and his brothers to death. It's cool to see how he still embraces the compassionate, redemptive side of Christianty, while adding those same elements of Zen/Budahism into his coaching philosophies.

Trying to convince MJ to do less so the team could win more being the ultimate test of faith.

If you're into bball and spiritual journeys, this book is just for you.

Two week test

A speaker at my church shared this concept last weekend that I thought was really cool. His theory was to imagine seeing everyone you come into contact with for the next two weeks as God sees them.

Everyone?

Yes, everyone.

That means for two weeks, even the most annoying, self-centered, high-maintenance people (Lebron, I'm talking to you) would be greeted with grace, understanding and forgiveness.

This would transform the world, at least your world, in just two weeks time. But man, is it hard to really do.

I've wanted to do this over the past week, but must admit I have failed miserably.

Because everyone means everyone.

The debby-downer co-worker that just wants to complain...

The old lady driver in front of you that doesn't know how to merge and thinks 45 mph is just fine on the interstate...

The Bama or Gator fan in your life...

The "YouTube video guy" that swears the clip is going to get hilarious in another 6:23....

The reality show contestant or latest celebrity trainwreck...

The black-hole on the basketball court who never met a shot he wouldn't take. Wait, that's me...

The test is to see EVERYONE you see as God sees them. I'm going to start my two week test over again next week. Give it a shot yourself and let me know how it goes.

Mistakes

I have made some unfathomly stupid mistakes. Things that make me cringe when I think back on and just wonder how mind-blowingly insensitive, selfish and immature one person can be.

Stupid is as stupid does, I guess.

But rather than rewind these mental tapes constantly and berate myself for my lack of control or lack of judgement, I've asked for grace. Grace to be forgiven. And, equally importantly, the grace to LEARN from the mistake. Suffice it to say I've got plenty I can learn from.

But I come to believe that it's one thing to do somehting dumb. It's quite another to KEEP doing something dumb. Hall of Fame QB Joe Montana tells a story that sums that idea much up much better than I can:

“As if screwing up on the field in front of millions of TV viewers wasn’t enough, the Monday after every game I got to relive my mistakes—over and over again, in slow motion and with commentary from the coaches! Even when we won, we always took time to review our mistakes. When you’re forced to confront your mistakes that often, you learn not to take your failures so personally. I learned to fail fast, learn from my mistakes and move on. Why beat yourself up about it? Just do better next time.”

So take it from Joe Cool when you make a mistake. Learn from it and move on. Easier said than done. But worth it.

Summer Reading

This Summer, I haven't been blogging much due to the job change and, to be honest, the well has been pretty dry. Those who know me would say that my well has always been dry. Nonetheless, I will get back to a more regular blog posting schedule soon. At least that's my goal. I have been reading some excellent books of late that I wanted to recommend:

Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner.This guy is a huge music geek, has a popular blog Jesus Needs New PRand has lived in Nashville. It's just like me, except for the having a popular blog part. Anyways, he's a tremendously funny writer. His chapter where he dedcided as a teenager that God was calling him to "become the Christian Michael Jackson" is one for the ages.

Nine Ways God Always Speaks by Mark Herringshaw and Jennifer Schucmann. I read this duo's first book and was blown away by the depth of the stories and inspiration it generated. This book picks up where the last one left off, and tackles the great struggle of trying to truly know and hear when God speaks. As the book says, that whether you are a Christian or not, many people have unusual experiences, conditions, or encounters that have left them wondering, Is God trying to tell me something? The authors say that God does indeed communicate with us all the time. We just need to learn how to hear his voice. This book will help you tune in to the right frequency to hear what God is saying to you everyday.

Jesus Calling Devotional by Sarah Young. Simply one of the daily devotionals I've ever read. After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to "listen" to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed He was saying to her. It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue. She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but they were helping her grow closer to God. Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages. They are written from Jesus’ point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling. Highly recommended.

What have you been reading this summer? I'd love to hear about it...

Looking Back...

I am happy to report that I have a J-O-B! In fact I am finishing up my first week at the new gig. So far the people could not be cooler and the professional opportunities for me on the horizon are tremendous. I am truly thankful.

So what have I learned through all this? As I look back on the rollercoaster of unemployment over the past four months I am more convinced than ever at one thing:

Life is hard but God is good.

My lastest bout of unemployment was no picnic. It depressed me at times, caused major friction in my house and even brought me to tears in a very popular bakery.

But through it all, God provided.

He provided friends who dropped what they were doing to help me brainstorm job leads or send gift cards for groceries in the mail.

He provided a family that drew closer to me and, with apologies to Bob Marley, ensured that everything was gonna be all right.

He provided a series of freelance jobs to help me make ends meet - in fact of the 16 weeks since I was laid off I ended up working 14 of those weeks as a freelancer.

He provided great outlets to relieve stress, including my weekly run with my basketball brotherhood, my weekly coffee with my Silas, and a unexpected retreat to the Mountains with my lovely wife.

No mortgage payments were missed. No child went unfed. While I in no way want to diminsh how scary this was, or what someone going through an unexpected job loss is feeling, I have to check myself by asking: "What was I so worked up for?"

Probably to learn the lesson of trust. To be equipped to help another who walks down this path in the future. To learn the value of what makes me truly rich - a loving family, unbelievable friends and a loving God that has my back no matter what.

If you're reading this, no doubt you have helped me through a prayer, a job lead or just by making me smile. For that I am truly grateful. THANK YOU!!!!

God bless,
Lance

The World's Awesomest Drummer

Recycling

Last week, I had the privilege to have a meeting at Knox Area Rescue Ministries. I’ve long been a fan of the incredible work KARM does in the community, so it was great to visit to hear about some of the exciting new projects they have coming up.

One KARM team member shared a really interesting concept with me. She said that these days, so many people are into recycling. And rightfully so. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing something about being green or reducing, reusing or recycling.

The thought my contact shared was that what KARM does best everyday is recycle. Only instead of plastic, they are into recycling people. Those who have been discarded or used up. Those who have been “thrown away” by society have a chance to become useful again.

That's a great concept. And it’s a reflection of what God does everyday. Providing second chances for all of us who need them.

The choice

Everyday we have a choice.

We can either listen to the voice of fear or faith.

The voices of fear are louder than ever. Terrorism. Job loss. Oil spills. Climate change. The list is endless. It's any mental tape lodged in your brain that says some variation of you're not smart enough, strong enough or stylish enough.

The voice of faith is much quieter. It whispers while fear rants. It promises that someday all the struggle will be worth it, while fear screams to "get yours now!"

These days I've been trying more and more to silence the voices of fear. Most days I fail more than I succeed. But I'm slowly learning to trust. To be still and know that God is God.

More faith. Less fear. I like the sound of that.

Henry Granju

Please pray for my friend Katie Granju and her family, whose oldest son Henry passed away last night. Hug your babies tight and please keep this incredible family in your thoughts + prayers. Below is a beautifully written tribute by Katie's friend and excellent blogger, John Cave Osborne.

Rest in peace, Henry.


My beautiful friend Katie Granju is living every parent’s nightmare. Last night, she lost her eighteen-year-old son to complications stemming from a drug overdose coupled with a brutal assault. As I expressed in a recent post called The Trail, no amount of effort, dedication, or planning can prepare us for every single scenario that’s out there. The same holds true for parenting. All we can do is all we can do. The rest is up to someone else. Katie was reminded of this the hard way.

Still, she decided to detail every step of her family’s hellish journey in hopes that their story would serve as a grim example from which the rest of us could learn. Her platform became enormous as tens of thousands of people waited for her every post with bated breath. Her virtual community of readers cried tears that were real as they prayed alongside Katie and her family for the miracle that never happened.

But what did happen was a healthy conversation which encouraged all of us to tackle the issue of drugs with our children even more aggressively than we already were. A few cowards anonymously sprang from the woodworks during those conversations to sling their putrid arrows of insecure hatred, but Katie didn’t care. Perhaps because she knew the overwhelming majority of her readers saw her for what she is–an incredible mom turned heartbroken hero, tenaciously fighting for her son to the bitter end while simultaneously contributing to the greater good of her community, both virtual and real.

Thanks to Katie’s candor, bravery, and incredible writing, Henry’s legacy will live forever, and lives will be saved.

I strongly encourage each of you (particularly my Knoxville peeps) to read this post by fellow Knoxville blogger Shane Rhyne, who works with Katie at Ackerman PR. He details how you can reach out and help Katie and her family during this devastating time.

May God reveal the perfect path of healing to both of Henry’s biological parents, Katie and Chris, as well as to their spouses and their entire family. You have all been in my thoughts and prayers and will continue to be.

God bless you, Katie.

And, Henry, may you rest in eternal peace.

Heaven is Whenever

My roller-coaster search for a job continues. Lately I had a job interview where I was quite sure that I nailed it and a job offer would be forthcoming.

The people I interviewed with didn't get that memo.

So while I was bummed about that gig not working out, I have had several other opportunities come up. I get cautiously optimistic, not wanting to get too excited for fear that I will "jinx" it and lose out once again.

The whole process is very draining. But I do sense that I'm traveling along the path and that there's a bigger picture being painted. My problem is that I just want to hit fast-forward and get to the end, where I have a great new job and my life becomes Easy Like Sunday Morning.

God doesn't really work that way. I want him to, but where's the fun is that, really?

I was reminded of that recently with this great quote I saw by Craig Finn in the latest issue of Rolling Stone. Finn was talking about his excellent band (The Hold Steady) and their excellent new album (Heaven is Whenever). As The Hold Steady like to do, it's a concept album, and Finn was explaining his concept behind the record:

"I was thinking a lot about struggle and reward - about how the struggle is part of the reward. With anything you care about, from having a relationship to being in a rock & roll band, there are going to be days that suck. The key is understanding those days as part of the euphoria. If you're playing a show for 20 people somewhere in the middle of South Dakota, you can't think, "We just have to get through this, and it'll get awesome.' It has to all be awesome."

I've got to fully adopt this state of mind. That whether it's finding a new job or finding my path and becoming the man God wants me to be, some days are going to be a struggle. But that's part of the beauty. It only magnifies the view from the top when you get there.

It's time to experience heaven wherever and whenever.

God Is In the Gaps

As someone who is spending a lot of time "in the gaps" these days, I really appreciated today's blog from Dr. Chris Stephens. Hope you do, too.

Hey Friends,

We are in our third week of the series, Eyes Wide Open. The series is about dreams and helping others you love achieve their dreams. This weekend we are going to deal with delayed dreams. All dreams are delayed to a certain extent because when we achieve them, they are no longer dreams.

Remember, life happens while we are on our way to our dreams! The journey is more important than the destination of our dreams. Let’s face it – we get discouraged in the meantime. We get discouraged when there are delays in our dreams. I think we will call them the “gaps.”

By definition there is a gap between the receiving of a dream and achieving it. We hate the gaps, but as Chuck Carringer said: “God is in the gaps.” Abraham had a gap, Joseph had a gap, and so did every other biblical character that actually achieved their dreams. For some of them the gap was decades long. Some gave up before the dream became reality.

Do you sense God in the gaps? Do you look for God in the gaps? When our kids were younger and we went on family trips (purgatory) they would ask, “Are we there yet?” “I wish we were there.” It is so easy to wish our lives away and try to skip the gaps when they really are the biggest part of our lives. To enjoy them is to experience the life Jesus bought for us on the cross.

You may be in a gap right now and He is with you. He promised He would be. I love receiving dreams and achieving them, but God’s revealed desire for us is to delight in the journey.

Are you?

Pastor Chris

Anything's Possible - Dr. Chris Stephens

Amazing story of God's faith and redemption on an amazing man: Dr. Chris Stephens. Watch this when you can...

Plan B

I'm always on the lookout for a great book. But the best books somehow have a way of finding me.

That is what is happening with me right now with Plan B by Pete Wilson. I'm just a few chapters into it, but already I can tell it is just the right book at just the right time. The fact that one of my best friends surprised me by buying a copy for me to read only makes it even more providential.

Pete is a pastor of Crosspoint Church in Nashville. I've been following him on Twitter for a while. And recently I've been impressed and inspired by the work he and his church have been doing in the wake of the terrible Nashville floods. Being a Nashville native and having seen the damage first hand (my 2 sisters both had flood damage to their homes) I was very thankful and moved by how Pete and his congregation have witnessed and worked in the midst of this tragedy.

As I kept hearing about Pete's work in Nashville, I also kept hearing about his book. Plan B is about what we do when things don't work out the way we wanted them to. What do we do when God doesn't come through the way we thought he would or could or should? How do we deal with disappointment?

It's so ironic, because in many ways my hometown is going through one great big Plan B experience. No one expects the greatest amount of rainfall in over a Century to happen in a matter of 24 hours. But it did. So what is our response as Christians?

Personally, I feel like I'm going through my own Plan B right now. Actually, somedays it feels like I'm on Plan G...or H...I...J...K...

Some days I feel like my plan is like a big bowl of alphabet soup.

I didn't expect for my agency to hand me my last check almost 3 months ago and say "we're closing the business." I didn't expect to still be out of work. I didn't expect my father-in-law to still be living with us, almost 1 year after he first got sick. But that's where things are. So do I whine, complain and moan about "the good ol' days"? Do I spend my time and energy wishing things were somehow different?

The healthier response is to stop clinging to Plan A and trusting God that Plan B can work. Notice I said it was healthier...not easier. In fact, being ok with Plan B has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

But I'm trying. And I have a feeling that by reading Pete Wilson's book, it's going to help me tremendously along my new path.

My hero

Steve Nash is a total bad-ass. His performance last night was so beyond next level. That went into Willis Reed/Chuck Norris territory. Draining 30 footers and dishing Magic-esque dimes in a NBA playoff game w/ one eye!?!?!? AMAZING!

Favorite. B-Baller. Ever!

Word to Your Mother

Mother's Day is upon us and the older I get, the more I realize that mothers rule. Seriously. I have a wonderful mom and am married to an equally awesome mom to my 2 wild childs. Hopefully that's enough to compensate for the crazy father of theirs.

Here are two posts from some amazing moms and good friends of mine:

Patti and her awesome adoption story of her son Samuel.

Katie and her inspiring story of her oldest son who is struggling with drug addiction.

2 amazing stories. 2 amazing mothers.

To all of the other amazing moms out there...HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Knox Area Rescue Ministries Jubilee Videos

The amazing organization KARM has the videos about their 50th Anniversary Jubilee uploaded to YouTube. It was such a blessing to be a part of this production. Please take a look and support KARM any way you can.



Check out all the other videos here.

Hypocrites

We had some tree work done at our house this past weekend. Tree guys are definitely a different breed. One of the guys doing the work told me how he eats poison ivy leaves to "build up his immunity."

Like I said, these cats are a different breed.

But the poison ivy eating tree guy wasn't even the most memorable one. That distinction goes to a guy named Brian.

Brian has stage-4 cancer in his esophagus. While he still has a full head of hair, he is undergoing aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. He is rail thin and it looked as if every step he took caused him great pain.

Yet here he was, helping the guys up in the trees clear the brush and carry the branches out of the road. I felt bad that he was doing this work, but he insisted. Said "I don't really want to do it, but I want to do it..."

I knew exactly what he meant.

When they were done with the job and about to head out, I had a few moments to talk. I asked him about his cancer and what the doctors were saying. He said the outlook wasn't good, but he was going to fight with all he had.

I told him I'd be praying for him. He paused and looked down for several moments.

When he raised his head, he had a fire in his eyes that I hadn't seen all day. "You know, it's a damn shame that most churches are full of hypocrites."

I asked him what he meant and he told me a story that pains my heart just to think about it. He said he has been going back to church and trying to get more involved. This church that he has been attending has some type of mission to provide food and clothes for those in need. I got the sense that Bryan was definitely a hand to mouth type of guy, not that there's anything wrong with that. But he didn't have a home, and it seemed like whatever money he made was from the occasional odd job. Add in the stress and expense of dealing with stage 4 cancer and, well, the outlook isn't bright.

It seemed that Brian had gone to this church several times. He had been losing a great amount of weight, due to the cancer. He was rail thin when I saw him so this seemed very legit. Evidently the person at the church charged with giving out the clothes told Bryan he had "used up his allotment" and he wasn't welcome to any more items.

Now, I realize there are two sides to every story. And every church and non-profit has to gracefully deal with those who are out to game the system.

But really? There had to be a better way to deal with this situation. ESPECIALLY in a church. Somehow I can't see Jesus getting caught up with the fact someone in need had already passed through the line once.

Brian said it best, "I told the guy I'm already losing my life...now you're telling me that I can't even get a free pair of jeans that fit?! You need to find Jesus in your life!!"

Pray for Brian. That he his given strength as he battles his cancer. And that the next time he has an encounter in church, it is marked with more grace, mercy and compassion.

The Kindness of Strangers...and Gators

It's been two months now since I lost my job. Still no firm offer of full-time work. But in many ways I feel more hopeful about the situation than ever. That feeling has little to do with my new job opportunities, which frankly don't always seem that promising. It comes rather from the overwhelming kindness of strangers, friends and family.

Like the great Ben Harper sings, "You can be rich, and not have a dime."

This feeling comes from the countless job leads and prayers from those who know my situation.

It comes from cards in the mail from anonymous senders that contain gift cards for groceries.

It comes from a brother who loads up a Panera gift card for me because he knows I'll be spending a lot of time there.

It comes from my parents who tell me not to worry if I can't make my mortgage.

It comes from a Sunday School class full of people who spring into action the moment I sent an email saying I needed help.

It comes from my brotherhood of basketballers, who help me clear my mind on the court, and lift me up off of it.

It comes from one of my sisters, who is working two jobs as a single mom and still sends me a gift card for groceries.

It comes from my other sister who did the exact same thing.

It comes from a good friend, who's only discernible character flaw is his love of the Florida Gators. He and his wife not only gave us a gift card for groceries, but a portion of their tax refund.

Did I mention that he was a Florida Gator? And it's not Tim Tebow.

When you have a die-hard Gator lifting up a die-hard Vol like myself, why wouldn't I feel good about this whole thing working out?

God bless you all.

Resurrection: Rob Bell

Happy and blessed Easter to you and yours. Rob Bell's latest work was released for free today on his Facebook page. Do take a moment to check it out when you can.

Resurrection: Rob Bell from The Work of Rob Bell on Vimeo.

Building Through Breaking

Is it ever cool to be openly crying in a Panera?

I can speak from experience that the answer is no.

But there I was, tears streaming down my face. Feeling like my entire world was crumbling all around me. Feeling like the mayor of Loserville.

Let me set this up. Since my last post, my world has been and endless stream of frantic calls, interviews and frustrating run-arounds in trying to find a new job. The weight of my responsibility to my kids, my wife and my father-in-law who lives with us now, seemed heavier with each dead end. The knot in my stomach grew with each person who looked at my resume and said some variation of, "This looks great, but we just don't have anything right now..."

In my search, I adopted various Paneras around time as my temporary office. It's good for decent coffee, free wi-fi, and to meet with my connections and (soon to be!) employers. But after 3 weeks on the job hunt trail, even the staff at Panera seemed to wonder why I kept showing up.

So there I found myself, at Panera on the strip. It was Friday at 5:00. I was literally one of 2 or 3 customers in the place. I was waiting on a phone call where I was quite certain, I was going to be offered a job. I had finished a week's worth of interviews with the company. Everything in my gut told me I had it. I had every prayer warrior I know throwing up prayers on my behalf to the Big Guy.

But when the call came, the job offer didn't.

Ouch.

$$@#$&*$!!!!!

As I hung up the phone, the weight of 3 week's worth of frustration over my situation came crashing down on me. Outside, it was pouring rain. Which was perfect, because inside I sat with tears streaming down my face. In a Panera for crying out loud!

I felt like a loser. I couldn't understand why God would forget me now. I didn't feel like I did anything wrong to lose my last job, the agency where I worked just closed up shop. So why wouldn't God help me out now? Was there really something valuable to be gained from me sitting in a Panera sobbing like a baby?

Apparently so.

I gazed out the window. Outside, a hospital is going through a major renovation. An entire new wing is being added, so the place is covered with scaffolding, construction equipment and debris. You can start to see what it will look like once complete. A beautiful glass facade at the entrance is just starting to come together.

But at the moment I looked, crying in Panera and feeling hurt and hopeless, the hospital looked like a big ugly mess.

And it was at that precise moment, I felt God speak to me.

Not in the big, booming, Voice-of God kind of way you see in the movies. It was a quiet message that I felt tug at my heart. And what he said was:

I am building through breaking.

To build that hospital I was looking at requires a lot of breaking. Rocks get blasted. Metal gets bent. Concrete gets jackhammered. But through all these violent, painful actions, something beautiful is built. The architect's dream is realized.

The master architect was telling me the same thing was going on in my life. Through these hurtful, broken episodes, he was building something beautiful. So my job really wasn't to question why I didn't get the job offer. My job was to trust that it was still part of God's blueprints for my life. To trust that he was building something amazing for me. But to do that it means that certain things have to be broken.

Some things also apparently have to be wired with TNT and blasted into oblivion.

So the Monday after my little "episode" at Panera the place that told me "no" called back offered me a 2-3 month contract gig. In many ways, it's a better situation. No I can see how much I like them as much as they can see how much they like me, while continuing my search for a full time gig.

God has a plan. While I often have no idea what He's doing, I really can't wait to see what he will build out of my brokenness.

Job Search

Last week, I lost my job.

Actually, everyone in our agency lost his or her job.

So many lives put into a tailspin.

I was faced with joblessness about 3 years ago. Thanks to good friends and help from above, I landed on my feet.

For a time, anyway.

The feeling of not knowing where your next paycheck will come from is scary. Especially when there are kids and wives and other family at home depending on you.

But since this bomb went off in my world, just six days ago, the overwhelming support from friends and business colleagues has been incredible.

It's friends listening and passing along job leads.

It's my son's principal waving our fees for his tuition for two months without being asked.

It's a friend dropping off a 12 pack of Stella Artois and hiding at $75 gift card for groceries.

It's friends from my Sunday School class leaving voice messages of support along with reassuring Bible verses, like this one.

It's neighbor's adding my situation to their church's prayer lists.

It's business colleagues finding time to grab a coffee and brainstorm options.

It's all this and so much more. Many things, that I might not even been aware of.

As me and my family go through this stormy time, I ask that you keep us in your prayers. I truly believe God will provide a beautiful opportunity...I just at this point have no idea what (or where that will be).

And that's both exciting and frightening.

I prolly won't post here for a while. At least until I land in a new gig. But whenever that is, I'm sure there will be great stories to tell about the journey.

Thanks for reading...and God Bless!
:)lance

Haiti (The Day Before)

My talented friend Josiah Morgan was in Haiti just 24 hours before the tragic earthquake. Read his amazing story and see some of his incredible photos like these on his blog.







And let us all continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

KARM Jubilee

Sometimes work is just work.

But sometimes it is something much, much more.

Such was the case for me recently. My agency was blessed (and I do mean blessed) with the opportunity to help Knox Area Rescue Ministries develop a campaign to celebrate their 50th Anniversary.

Day after day, heroes at KARM do incredible work for the hurting and lost in the Knox Area. Consider these facts:

• KARM serves up to 1,400 meals a day to the poor and homeless.

• Over 400 men, women and children call KARM home each night.

• 139,479 spent the night at KARM last year.

So it was an incredible opportunity for me - both creatively and spiritually - to come up with a campaign for such a vital organization.

The concept came straight from the Good Book.

“Sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty to everyone. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you.”
Leviticus 25: 9 -12

The Old Testament teaches of Jubilee—a special time of celebration that occurs every fifty years. It was a time where sins and debts are forgiven, slaves and prisoners are freed, and the gift of new life from God rejoiced.

Perfect!

2010 is a Jubilee year for Knoxville Area Rescue Mission. A time to celebrate 50 years of helping the poor and needy of the Knox Area. It’s a celebration of thousands of nourishing meals provided to the hungry. A time to rejoice how those addicted to drugs and alcohol have been given shelter and help for their addiction. And a time to honor how KARM has helped those in search of their own personal jubilee a way to find new life through Jesus Christ.

This served as the cornerstone message through all the materials we created - - including the KARM Jubilee Logo, microsite (that you can check out at www.karmjubilee.org,)various print materials and campaign videos.

Check out the site to see some of these elements and to learn more about the Jubilee year-long celebration. The videos we filmed should be added to the site soon. (I'll be sure to share them right here when they make it to the YouTubes, as well.)

I was also thrilled to be a part of the KARM Jubilee kick off event last week. An incredibly inspiring event to see and hear first hand how KARM has changed lives - like the one of former KARM resident, gifted musician and rock n roll evangelist, Davis Mitchell.

Davis' story is incredibly inspiring and a beautiful portrait of God's grace. Meeting him and getting to learn his story - and what he's doing with his second chance - is one of the greatest blessings I experienced through this entire project.

But that's another post for another day.

In the meantime, visit www.karmjubilee.org to see how you can support this incredible organization. Whether it's your time, your talents, your money or your prayers, KARM needs your support more than ever this year.

Together, we can all help KARM accomplish so much during this special year - and for 50 more to come!

Dead Sea Thinking

I am becoming such a fan of the thoughts on faith that Dr. Chris Stephens churns out daily. Dr. Chris has a pretty amazing story. He's the lead pastor of Faith Promise Church. And while I've never heard him preach in person, that's something I definitley want to work into my to-do list.

I've come to appreciate his thoughts and his heart through a daily email he sends out. It comes like clock work (around 10ish) and always seems to give me some good spiritual manna to chew on. Check out his blog or sign up to receive his email, if you're interested.

Below is his post from today, which was just too good not to share. Love his thoughts about that God can’t bless selfishness and that we are all blessed to be a blessing. Good stuff!

Dead Sea Thinking

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 09:01 PM PST

Hey Friends,

The Dead Sea is beautiful. I have driven around it and have gone for a swim in it. It is below sea level and NOTHING can live in it because everything flows in and nothing flows out. It is dead! It is dead because this is not how the Lord designed the world to operate.

We are all supposed to take things in and we are all supposed to give things out. This is true in the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. Far too many people, and even some in the church today, are dead seas in their lives and in their thinking.

Life is all about them! Everything flows to them, but never away. They are like the Dead Sea and nothing can really live in them or around them. The Dead Sea is selfish and God can’t bless selfishness. I hope you caught that last sentence because it is so true.

I wonder if some of the churches today are “Dead Sea” in their thinking. If the life of God is flowing in, then the life of God should be flowing out and giving others life.

Does life flow out of you? Are you a giver of yourself? Of your money? Of your time?

Look around you – do you see life? Are the people around you flourishing, thriving, growing, and giving life to others? That is the plan of God. We are blessed to be a blessing. People are like plants; they need water to grow and we are called to water them.

Who are you blessing?

Just some thoughts…

Love you,

Pastor Chris

This is the day...

Psalm 118:24

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Today is a very special day.

A gift.

But then again, each one is.

I thank the Lord for all He has done and continues to do in my life.

Blessed with health, a beautiful family, and friends that help pick me up, make me laugh and make the journey worthwhile.

Blessed with the chance to work with amazing, inspiring people, like this guy.

Blessed to play the game I love with a group of guys who are like brothers.

Blessed for you, dear blog reader, in forgiving all my numerous grammatical errors and half-baked blog posts.

Seriously.

I am so thankful for you. And for this day.

Let us rejoice!!!

Inskip

Thoughts and prayers to the two principals shot today at Inskip Elementary. My agency is literally right next door to Inskip. So we've spent most of the afternoon on "lock-down." No one allowed to come in or out. Cops everywhere around our building. Helicopters in the sky. A very surreal, scary moment.

Today has made me think of a couple things. One, it has renewed my hatred of guns. I personally see nothing but pain and heartbreak when a gun is involved. I get that it is a person's "right" to have one. I just don't understand it. But given my history with them, I guess that makes sense.

Second, today was a good reminder that sometimes God may have more going on than we realize. Today Knox County schools closed early for the snow. Now, I hear DC has 28 inches on the ground. We have a light dusting of snow that was already off the roads as I went to pick my daughter up early from school. Throughout the day I, and others, cracked jokes about the fact that Knox County was letting out because of the "blizzard" we are experiencing.

But, if I understand the timeline correctly, all students were out of the building at Inskip when the gunman came to the school. Because of the snow.

A tragic day, but a good reminder of how God works miracles in the midst of this world's chaos.

Be Blown Away

Loved this post by Jud Wilhite over at People of The Second Chance. Tremendous thoughts on how to imagine God, and how to live a life blown away by His power.

BE BLOWN AWAY
Posted by Jud Wilhite:

On any given night, it is estimated you can see about 30 stars from downtown New York City, about 3,000 from most rural areas, and up to 30 billion with a large telescope. We do not know how many stars exist, but we know there are over 200 billion stars in our galaxy alone. One of the largest known stars has a diameter of almost a billion miles!

An explosion of energy on the surface of the sun, known as a solar flare, recently sent a magnetic cloud toward the earth at a million miles per hour. The cloud was over 30 million miles in diameter. Think of the size and speed of this cloud and remember that God is bigger and faster.

Richard Swenson writes: “If we witness a magnetic cloud thirty million miles in diameter moving a million miles per hour—is God bigger than that? Can He move faster than that? If the center of the sun has temperature of fifteen million degrees centigrade and pressures of seven trillion pounds per square inch—could God walk into the core of the sun, take a nap, and walk back out? Every impressive structure or event in the universe should remind us of a God who is greater than all his works.”

Maybe if I regularly spent more time beholding the vast expanse of the starry heavens—and meditated on the sovereign God who established them and upholds them—I would spend less time questioning his ability to control things in my life.

Maybe we all need to look up tonight at the stars and be blown away again?

Father/Daughter Dance

This weekend looks to be legendary. Possible snow. Peyton gets Super Bowl Ring #2. And one of my absolute favorite nights of the year: The Annual Father/Daughter Dance in Fountain City.

To prepare for this year's dance inferno, Grace and I have been watching all the classics for inspiration. Travolta's intro on Stayin'Alive.

Elaine's dance on Seinfeld.

The ever-smooth Lionel Richie "Dancin' On The Ceiling."

But our main inspiration shall come from the epic masterpiece Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. Grace has proven to be a natural with the art of the Pop N' Lock. Take a look at the YouTube clip below to see some of the moves that we will be unleashing. We will also be dressed like Turbo and his lady friend. Oh yes we will.

Counterfeit Gods

Timothy Keller has already written two of my all-time favorite books on faith. The Prodigal God and Reason for God were both game changers for me. Full of insight and provocative answers for those who are both skeptics and believers. Some days, I'm a bit of both.

Well, I just finished his epic third book in the trilogy, Counterfeit Gods. And this one in many ways is my favorite of the bunch.

The book deals with our idols and the empty promises of money, sex and power - and how none of these ever truly quench our thirsts.

I must admit, I never really thought much about the Commandment to "have no other God, or idol, before me." But God put that Commandment first, so he must find it important.

Even so, I have always held a very uninformed view on idols. That they were lifeless creations worshiped by a more primitive people. And while that's true, it is also true that idols are still very much worshiped in our modern, "sophisticated" generation.

In some ways more than ever.

The idol of success. The idol of "having it all". The idol of sex without any commitment. The idol of all pleasure with no pain. The idol of staying forever young. The idol of total convenience. The idol of getting now but paying later.

Just this week I began to worship of the new idol from Mac - and the iPad isn't even in production yet!

The list is endless. But Keller's book helps open your eyes to modern day idol worship. Better yet, he gives you information and inspiration on how to replace these idols with the worship of a God who surpasses them all.

Read an excerpt of the book here. Or better yet, read the whole thing as soon as you can get to it.

An Atheists Take On The Haiti Situation

My boy Phil ran across a blog from uber-Atheist, Richard Dawkins, who shared his thoughts on God's role in the Haiti Situation. Phil picks apart Dawkins' points like Manning did the Jets' secondary. Well done my man!

(Dawkins points in bold. Phil's smack downs, not bolded)


An Atheists Take on the Haiti Situation


I was browsing around on one of the blogs I frequent to kind of wind down from the state of the union address when I came across a ranking of the top religious blogs on the net at http://teampyro.blogspot.com/

So it turns out, rather unsurprisingly, that one of the top "belief" blogs is one led by an atheist. So I thought I'd check it out, and this is what I ran across:
http://friendlyatheist.com/2010/01/26/haiti-god-evil-and-richard-dawkins

The blog begins on the next line. I'll "bold" the blog.


Blog begins:
Richard Dawkins is responding to Christians who are looking in all the wrong places for some sort of supernatural “reason” that the earthquake in Haiti caused so much devastation. Obviously, Pat Robertson isn’t helping any Christian PR campaign, but neither are pastors who say “God did this for a reason”:

You nice, middle-of-the-road theologians and clergymen, be-frocked and bleating in your pulpits, you disclaim Pat Robertson’s suggestion that the Haitians are paying for a pact with the devil. But you worship a god-man who — as you tell your congregations even if you don’t believe it yourself — ‘cast out devils’. You even believe (or you don’t disabuse your flock when they believe) that Jesus cured a madman by causing the ‘devils’ in him to fly into a herd of pigs and stampede them over a cliff. Charming story, well calculated to uplift and inspire the Sunday School and the Infant Bible Class. Pat Robertson may spout evil nonsense, but he is a mere amateur at that game. Just read your own Bible. Pat Robertson is true to it. But you?

First comment: This won't come as a surprise to Christians reading this, but yes, scripture does tell us that Jesus did these things. I have a hard time, however, understanding how Pat Robertson's claims that the Haitians "had made a pact with the devil centuries ago" has any relation to Jesus Christ exercising control over demons and healing those afflicted by them. Also, there's an implication here from Dawkins that pastors are preaching things they don't themselves believe. I'll acknowledge that there most likely are pastors out there who say things from the pulpit that they don't believe, but this just means they're normal fallen sinners in need of the same grace as the rest of us. Preaching what you don't believe should definitely disqualify someone from the pulpit, but there's no sense in denying that it happens. Accountants shouldn't cheat on their taxes, but some do. Lawyers and judges shouldn't break the law, but some do. Doctors and nurses should never seek to harm their patients, but some do.

This is what Christian pastors do best. They instill this (false) belief in people that awful occurrences like natural disasters don’t just happen randomly or in certain, pre-determined parts of the world; instead, they occur in placed where God wants to make a point. And if you live in a Christ-filled, God-fearing area, you’ll be spared.

People who want any sort of hope will cling to that like rope on a cliff.

I'd love to see a link or some sort of reference that shows where a pastor has said that living in a "Christ-filled God-fearing area" is some sort of holy shield against disaster. Matthew 5:45 in the bible clearly says -- and this is quoted often by secular and religious folks alike -- that God "causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." We read in Job that God allowed the devil to bring great ruin on one of the most righteous men who ever lived. Cancer strikes within the church just as often as it strikes those who don't believe.

The bible clearly tells us that this is God's world, and He can do with it whatever He chooses to do for whatever His purposes are. We also know that God does things on a much greater time scale than our feeble minds can comprehend, and what may seem like a short-term disaster can eventually become an event of great healing and power. Jesus showed us this EXTREMELY clearly with His death on the cross, taking a symbol of capital punishment, despair, loss, and extreme pain and converting it to a symbol of hope, resurrection, and life.

It’s a shame. There are reasons Haiti (or New Orleans or Southeast Asia) was susceptible to such disasters. We can understand this better with scientific knowledge.

Bad things happen. Sometimes, there are no reasons for it. Other times, there are understandable reasons. The Haitian earthquake falls into that latter category. There’s no need to bring a god into the mix.

So which way is it? Does "scientific knowledge" give us all the answers, or doesn't it? Which makes more sense...that science can occasionally give us the answers to life's questions, or that a God who made everything have the right to use His creation in ways that we don't understand? Dawkins et al often attempt to elevate science and rational thinking to the level of god-hood, but suggest that there might actually BE a God who controls every single solitary thing that goes on in the world, and suddenly it's people of faith who are ignorant?

Daniel Dennett is especially frustrated by God getting a pass when disasters occur:

The idea that God is a worthy recipient of our gratitude for the blessings of life but should not be held accountable for the disasters is a transparently disingenuous innovation of the theologians. And of course it doesn’t work all that well… All the holy texts and interpretations that contrive ways of getting around the problem read like the fine print in a fraudulent contract — and for the same reason: they are desperate attempts to conceal the implications of the double standard they have invented.

Maybe some pastors don’t believe this characterization. If that’s true, then they need to be the voice of reason when members of their congregation say that God had any type of role in this tragedy, good or bad.

Otherwise, they’re just part of the problem.

By my way of thinking, Mr. Dennett's frustration is completely misplaced. If he's acknowledging that God did indeed create everything we know, see, feel and touch...everything we can even possibly conceive...then why is it not that very same God's right to do whatever He wishes to do with what He has created? Why (again) is it not conceivable that God is telling the truth when He tells us via scripture that He knows who we are and what we will be before we are born, that He knows the length of our days, and He knows how they will end.

God indeed has a role in the tragedy of Haiti. He created Haiti. He created the people who live there. He created the people who are rushing there to offer hope, healing, rescue, and restoration to those injured or rendered homeless by the disaster.

I acknowledge this: that it is impossibly hard for me to understand why bad things like Haiti and 9/11 and cancer and war and death and divorce and hurt and all the bad things in the world happen. I also acknowledge, however, that if we believe that God created all this, we must recognize His right to do whatever He wishes to do with it, and that in the long run, that He has reasons for doing things that I am not able to understand. I also know that this same God knew in creating us that we as human beings would someday come to understand that we are imperfect, that we need a Savior, and it was God's plan that once we acknowledge that aspect of our humanity, He would provide an alternative to the punishment we deserve for the evil that we've committed. It's this alternative, in the form of His perfect Son, that allows us into the presence of His holiness.

It's normal and natural to question why bad things happen. I'd hope that it would also be comforting (and convicting) to know that there are answers to these "why" questions that only the Creator of the universe could provide.

Nash!

Steve Nash is such a hero to me. Here's a very inspiring story in new Fast Company about how he is shining in both business and bball.

Or just watch this. Nash is the only NBAer who could pull this off and keep it funny...

Add it up

I am horrible at math. Guess that's why I went into the creative services field. Not much advanced calculus or trig required. But this awesome post by the always insightful Dr. Chris Stephens made me realize I can still be a math person. To quote the great Violent Femmes, I wanna add it up!

What Kind of Math Person Are You?
By: Dr. Chris Stephens
Posted: 20 Jan 2010 09:01 PM PST

Hey Friends,

I guess this is an odd question, but what kind of math person are you? Some people add to you and some subtract. Some divide you and some multiply you. What kind are you to the people you come into contact with? Here is a list of some of them. Look it over and see where you find yourself in the equation:

1. Some people add to others. D.L. Moody said, “Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as you can.” Great advice from a man that rocked the world. Don’t you love to be around people that add value to you? Chuck Carringer, our Pastor of Fami ly Ministries, does it to everyone with whom he comes into contact. He is amazing. He not only is growing our family ministry, but he is a life coach for individuals that want to improve.

2. Some people subtract from others. ”Subtractors” are not there to help you, they add to your burden. They don’t help you carry your load, they want you to carry yours and also help them with theirs.

3. Some people multiply you. My assistant multiplies my time and my effectiveness. Almost twenty years ago a friend of mine named Melvyn Smith told me that one day I would have a great assistant and life would get better automatically.

4. Some people divide you. They take away from you. For some reason they want you to seem less than you really are. It is an odd thing. I guess some people’s lights burn so dimly that they have to blow out the lights of others to make theirs seem brighter.

Leaders want to take everyone to the next level. They want to add value to, or even multiply, people’s lives so they reach the peak of their potential. That is the reason I wrote The Climb of Your Life – to help people scale summits that seem impossible.

Which kind of math person are you? To make a difference you must build others up. There are more than enough people in the destruction business so let’s be in the construction business – building lives one at a time. I don’t know about you, but I surely am grateful for those that added value to me. It’s pay back time.

Just a thought,

Chris

Get Me Right

Every now and then, you hear a song that strikes such a chord that you remember everything about the moment you first heard it. It's happened to me only a handful of times in my life. The first time I heard "Ain't Talking About Love" and realized Eddie Van Halen was from another planet, one which I would try with all my might to visit. The first time I heard Metallica's "Battery" which was perfect fuel for my years of high school rebellion. The moment I heard Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as a freshman in college and realized that Kurt Cobain had (thankfully) killed 80's Cheese Metal with 4 beautiful chords (and heavy debt to the Pixies, which I would discover later).

Well, this week it has happened again. Dashboard Confessional's "Get Me Right" is mesmerizing. To me, it's a perfect soundtrack for my struggles and yearnings in my faith journey. Plus, it absolutely shreds. Can't. Stop. Listening.



Here are the lyrics. Everything except the line about "cutting your hair" makes total sense to me. :)

Get Me Right
I made my slow way home
Limping on broken bones
Out of the thickest pine
Across the county lines
On to your wooden stairs
I know you can repair
I know you've seen the light
I know you'll get me right

Right
Right
Right

I own a sinners heart
I know the rain falls hard
I know the currency
I know the things you'll need
I hope he hears my prayers
I see you cut your hair
I know the saving type
I know you'll get me right

Right
Right
Right

But, Jesus I've fallen
I don't mind the rain if
I meet my maker
I'll meet my maker clean

But, Jesus the truth is
I've struggled so hard to believe
I'll meet my maker
I'll need my maker

To cure of my doubting blood
And drain me of the sins I love
And take from me my disbelief
I know it should come easily
But it remains inside of me
It battles and devours me
It cuddles up the side of me
And whispers it convinces me I'm

Right
Right
Right

MLK

The first thing my daughter said to me when she woke up today was "Yay for MLK!"

Can't really improve upon that. Do yourself a favor and go back and listen to MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech. Amazing. Revolutionary. Riveting.

May you and I do our part today to keep that dream alive.

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase" - MLK

What Gospel Does Pat Robertson Read?

Seriously. Pat Robertson talks, thinks and acts like no Christian I know. Yesterday he inexplicably said Haitians brought the earthquake on themselves because the country has been "cursed" since it made a pact with Satan in the 18th century. (An assertion disputed by this Haitian minister.)

Really Pat? So where does Jesus' message of loving one's neighbor and helping the poor and lost come into all this? These people somehow "deserved" this!? Instead of calling a country cursed during a national tragedy, Christian leaders should be focusing on what so many Christians already are doing—leading the charge with prayer, sacrificial aid and demonstrating the love of Christ. Christians should be known for healing, not causing more hurt.

And if you can't get down with that Pat just start by shutting your mouth. Please. You speak and act like nothing I read about in the Gospel of grace, mercy and love.

Rob Bell on power of Social Media

Here's an excellent interview w/ Mr. Bell as he takes break on his current tour. He talks about his next new project (post Nooma) and the power of social media. Good stuff.

Handbook 2010

A friend passed along this list which I thought was a tremendous way to look at your 2010 resolutions. If I could just really do half the things on this, 2010 will be legendary!

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2.. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants...
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12 Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that t life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. God heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up..
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, be thankful for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Open by Andre Agassi

Even thought we're just a few days into 2010, I just finished reading what has to be one of the best books of the year. Andre Agassi's Open is an amazing, inspiring page turner that I simply could not put down.

I'd always been a fan of Andre's, mainly because he brought such flair and attitude to a sport that frankly, I could care less about. (Also because we're both follicly-challenged and have world-class return games). But in this book you learn that he literally hated the sport that made him a worldwide icon.

It's all in here: his admission that he smoked crystal meth. The epic battles (and frequent losses) to Pete Sampras. The horror over going bald and even wearing a hairpiece that was falling apart before one of his biggest matches. Hustling NFL great Jim Brown out of $500 in a game of tennis at the age of 11. Dating Streisand and finding himself in a marriage to Brooke Shields that he wanted to escape.

But at the heart of the story, is an epic father wound. Andre's father building him a home made tennis ball machine (Nicknamed "The Dragon") and making a 9 year old boy return thousands of tennis balls shot out at over 100 mph a day. Andre's dad pulling him out of class to play tennis and sending him to an infamous tennis "boot camp" at the age of 15. All in the name of one day becoming the #1 tennis player in the world.

Which Andre did, at two different points in his career. He was also one of the few players to win all four slams. He's used his fame from his game to create his own school for disadvantaged youths in his home town of Las Vegas and has donated millions of dollars to the cause.

But his new identity and purpose came at a great cost. Open captures all the highs and lows, like the best VH1 Behind the Music episodes do. (Think Motley Crew)

Read this one now.