Wednesday, May 23, 2012    

Tuned In

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

This past Sunday our Worship Pastor (I would like to his blog, but he never writes anymore…too bad too because he has good stuff to share) talked about something that has stuck with me since he said it. It must be something the Spirit wants to continue working on in me.

He talked about us tuning our heart into God.

I love that imagery. And too often I am out of tune instead of being in tune. I may be close…but as anyone knows (especially those of you with kids who learn to play an instrument), close is not good enough when it comes to being in tune.

This has been, and continues to be, my prayer this week: “God, help me be in tune with You.” I don’t want to be in tune with the world…I want my thoughts and my action to be in tune with the Living God…but Father…my Friend!

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14, NLT

29.04.2009 Spiritual Musings 2 Comments

Dead to Me

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

After this atrocious draft, the Broncos are currently dead to me!! I am too much of a fan to let it last too long, but I am not going to mention them again at least until the NBA Playoffs are done. I will spend my “fan energy” on the Nuggets…let myself cool down from this stupid draft…and trust that when I wake up again is a couple of months that this was all a bad dream and Cutler is still our QB and we drafter five Defensive front players in the draft. I hope am proven wrong, but McDaniels does not seem to have any clue what he is doing in the draft. It could be along decade.

Until then…the Broncos are dead to me!

25.04.2009 Broncos, Sports 1 Comment

Broncos First Round Draft Predictions

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

I didn’t used to be much of an NFL Draft “watcher”. I would just listen to the news that night and see who the Broncos picked up (and who was the #1 pick that year). Fantasy Football has changed all of that. I am now a big fan of draft day…and I hope to be able to watch at least most of the first day this Saturday. I love the startegy and all of the “guessing” and predicting that happens before draft day.

Thanks to “Cutler-gate” the Broncos now have two…count them, two…first round draft picks: #12 and #18. They also have five picks within the first 84…the first time in franchise history on both accounts. So who will the Broncos pick up? Are they going to trade up and take Sanchez? Are they going to trade down? Will the stand pat? Here is my prediction…

First, I do not think they are going to move up to take Sanchez. One one hand, I think McD thinks he can groom one of the QBs he already has. One the second hand, they are being way to vocal about their interested to actually be interested (this is the ultimate poker game…and you can’t trust anything being said or done this month). On the third hand (I don’t’ know where the third hand comes from), if they pick a QB instead of defense I might just drive down to Dove Valley myself and TP the place!

I am predicting defense, defense, defense with both of these top two picks. I would LOVE for them to get B.J. Raji but I just don’t think he will be there at #12 (but if he is…Merry Christmas!). I wouldn’t even mind if they traded up as far as #8 to grab Raji (but he may not be there then either). So who do I like? I like a lot of players, but here are my predictions…well see how they pan out come Saturday…

#12: Tyson Jackson, DE from LSU
#18: Ron Brace, DT from Boston College

Anything close to this (i.e.: two good defensive players) will make me very happy. Anything offensive and I will just shake my head and join the “Does McDaniels Know What He’s Doing?” crowd. One thing is for sure…it’s gonna be fun to watch!

How about you? Any predictions of your own? Do share…

23.04.2009 Broncos, Sports 2 Comments

Sermon: John 21:15-17

Monday, April 20th, 2009

I had the privilege of preaching again this past Sunday—and on the first day of our new first service, “reFresh Cafe”. My passage was John 21 and I focused on the interaction between Jesus and Peter (his “reinstatement”). In this interaction, Jesus draws a parallel between our love for Him and our love for one another. You can’t have one without the other. Our love for others flows out of our love for Him, and our love for others is evidence of our love for Him.

Until I got to studying this passage I hadn’t always made that connection. Love God…check. Love Others…check. Love Others out of my Love for God….hmmm….not so sure about that one. I prefer to love others out of my own strength and ability. As usual…I still have plenty to work on!

Listen to the sermon podcast.

20.04.2009 Church, Ministry, Sermon No Comments

Friday Fodder 04-17-09

Friday, April 17th, 2009

I’m not much of a golfer, and I watch even less of it, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of shot. Of course, it only happens to the best of players…can’t see me getting this kind of luck!

Golf Shot

Happy Friday!

17.04.2009 Friday Fodder, Sports, Video 1 Comment

Not My Way

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

“God in his wisdom saw to it that the world
would never know him through human wisdom…”
(1 Corinthians 1:21a, NLT)

This is the passage my devotions started with yesterday. We don’t get to know God through our wisdom. It doesn’t work that way…it’s not God’s plan. In fact, God ensures that we don’t get to know Him that way.

But why?

Because if He allowed us to get to know Him based on our own wisdom and knowledge, we would take the credit. Of course we would…that’s what we do. We don’t get to really pursue God—it’s the other way around. God pursues us.

Again…why?

God pursues us so that we will know that He loves us. There is no doubt. No question. God loves us. Period. He loves us so much that He wants to be sure that we don’t get in our own way and take the credit for His love (I’ve done this). He loves us so much that…

“…he gave his one and only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
will not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16, NLT)

Now, why would I want to go and mess that up? :wink:

16.04.2009 Devotional, God's Love, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

It’s Empty!!

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

“Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!
Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man
must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified,
and that he would rise again on the third day.”
Luke 24:5-7, NLT

12.04.2009 God's Love, Holiday, Jesus No Comments

Enjoy It

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

School is drawing to a close (can I get an AMEN?!). One more class. Six more weeks of papers and studying. One more grade. And then I graduate…I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s so close I can taste it. And the ride has been fun, but it’s time for it to be over.

But that simply leads to the next question: What’s Next? And God has finally released me to start praying about it…about what’s next. No answers yet—but at least I get to pray about it and start looking toward the future. So that’s what I’ve been doing over the past week. Not in large doses of prayer, but in simple prayers where I just ask God, “What’s next? What do you have in store for us? What should we be preparing for?”

And then I listen…

This morning He gave me an answer I was not expecting: “No matter what happens…enjoy the process.”

Enjoy the process. Hmmm…

Interesting. Not exactly what I was expecting. But I get it.

Don’t worry. Don’t fret. Don’t get your undies in a bunch (I might have added that one myself)…just enjoy the process regardless of the results. During the process…whatever that ends up being…I get to learn about myself. I get to learn about God. I get to connect with God and share thoughts and feelings with Him. I get to walk with God and hear His voice.

I should say…WE get to walk with God and hear His voice. I’m not alone in this process. Anita is in it with me. The kids are in it. I have no idea what’s coming down the road but I will enjoy the process. And I just might end up with exactly what He wants for me in the process. Wouldn’t that be a bonus? :wink:

07.04.2009 Ministry, School 1 Comment

Twelve Years Ago Today…

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Twelve years ago today…it happened. Anita told me our baby girls was on her way. I was about to officially become a father.

Twelve years ago today…Lindsay Kay Baumgartner was born.

And life has never been the same! I can hardly believe my little baby girl has grown up so fast! And it has been so fun watching her grow and develop and become the young woman she is today…full of great humor, biting sarcasm (where did she get that?), intelligence, and a love for God. She stole my heart 12 years ago and never gave it back.

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!

Look how much she’s grown…

  
Her Baby Picture

 
One of My Favorite Pics of Us Together

 DSC00826 
Lindsay Today

My Two Favorite Lindsay Moments…

Sand Dunes Crash

Sky Coaster

06.04.2009 Family, Video 2 Comments

Friday Fodder 04-03-09

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

This video stands on its own…there are no words. I put it here in celebration of the Nuggets (and a slight protest to my beloved Broncos). At worst this video will make you shake your head…

Jazz Dancer

Happy Friday!

03.04.2009 Friday Fodder, Humor, Sports, Video 1 Comment

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