Sunday, May 20, 2012    

Christmas Day 2007

We had a white Christmas this year, but that didn’t stop anyone from making it Christmas morning. We had a full house and full stomachs once the Prime Rib finished cooking (no idea why, but it took longer than it did for Thanksgiving). We had Anita’s family over after opening presents with the kids and my mom in the morning. Here are a few pics from the day…

 Kyle Likes His Gift
I think Kyle liked this one

Logan's Guitar
Logan loves it, even though he knew what it was.

Lindsay's iPod
Lindsay already has her new iPod loaded with new music.

Rebekah
Rebekah

Rachel
Rachel (I love this pic)

Ron & Polly
Anita’s parents (Ron & Polly)

Grandpa Long
Anita’s Grandfather

Mark and Lisa
Anita’s Sister, Lisa and her Fiance Mark

Next Christmas will be here before you know it!
Click here to view the entire Christmas 2007 Photo Album

12.25.2007 | Visits: 265 Christmas, Family, Friends Add a Comment

The Greatest Present of All

Christmas Nativity

12.24.2007 | Visits: 197 Christmas, Jesus Add a Comment

It’s All in the Details

You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “The devil’s in the details”? I’ve used it myself on occasion.

This morning I had a little bit of peace and quiet before everyone else in the house got up (we had a late night). I spent that time reading some Scripture and spending some time with God. It is Christmas Eve and I was thinking about how commercialized and materialistic I and my kids can get this time of year. I love presents…there, I said it. I love getting them and I love giving them. And I was reminded by the Spirit that He gave us the best present of all…Himself, in the form of a little baby boy.

So what does this have to do with details? Psalm 37:23…

 The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD.
He delights in every detail of their lives.

Did you hear that last line? I did this morning and it hit me like a ton of bricks (OK, maybe one brick but who’s counting?). God cares about every detail of our lives. Not only does He care about them…he delights in the detail of our lives!  God is truly enthralled by you and me. Why? I have no idea, but He does.

So, you could really say that “God is in the details”…the details of our lives. That’s something to celebrate…and might just be the reason He came in the first place? Something to think about…

Merry Christmas

12.24.2007 | Visits: 242 Christmas, Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

Huckabee Christmas Ad

If you’ve been listening to any of the media regarding the Republican Presidential Race you’ve probably heard the “uproar” about Mike Huckabee’s Christmas Ad. Here’s the 30 second ad:

Not really sure what all the commotion is about, but the ad has gotten plenty of extra running time thanks to it. Here is Huckabee’s response to the reaction the ad has gotten…be sure you listen to the last minute of the video, he makes a great point:

Merry Christmas!

12.23.2007 | Visits: 359 Christmas, Huckabee, Politics, Video Add a Comment

Little Drummer Boy

One of my favorite Christmas Carols is the song Little Drummer Boy. I like the story behind the song…a young boy who doesn’t have a present to give to baby Jesus so he does the only thing he knows to do, he plays his drum for the baby King (with Mary’s approval). And Jesus hears the boy’s efforts and responds with His approval. Here are the lyrics of the song (I took out all of the “Pa rum pum pum pum” lines):

Come they told me,
A new born King to see,
Our finest gifts we bring.

Little Baby,
I am a poor boy too,
I have no gift to bring,
That’s fit to give the King.

Then he smiled at me
Mary Nodded,
The ox and lamb kept time,
I played my drum for Him,
I play my best for Him,
Me and my drum

I’m always interested in the history of songs. The song “Little Drummer Boy” is believed to have been written by Katherine K. Davis in 1941 based on an old Czech carol. It has also gone by the name “Carol of the Drums”. For what it’s worth, my favorite version of the song (so far) is done by The Blind Boys of Alabama.

12.23.2007 | Visits: 291 Christmas, Jesus, Misc Ramblings Add a Comment

Not Your Average Teenager

I know it’s a little cliche, but I’ve been reading the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke this week (having finished up 1 Kings). Since it’s a little cliche I’ve also tried to focus on finding something new and fresh…maybe something I haven’t seen or noticed before. I’ve heard the story and read the passage so many times it’s easy to go into auto-pilot instead of really paying much attention.

Today I am intrigued by Mary’s response to the entire situation. It’s commonly accepted that Mary was probably in her early teens when the angel Gabriel appeared to her (maybe as young as 12 even…but I like to think more like 14). Now keep in mind that the message Gabriel brings to Mary is huge…not only will it change her life, it will change the entire world for the rest of eternity! Not only is she going to have a baby…she’s going to have the Messiah, the Savior of the World. No pressure!

And this whole thing has a direct impact on Mary’s life as well. She has plans already made…a direction for her life. She is engaged to be married to a young carpenter named Joseph.This is a young couple with all of the dreams, hopes, and plans that come with that stage in life. She may not know what her future holds exactly…but it’s moving in the right direction and it certainly didn’t include what Gabriel was telling her would happen.

Her life and her world where about to be turned upside down like nobody could have ever imagined.

How would I have taken this news? Probably in my typical narcissistic manner: Why me? Why now? Doesn’t God know this is going to mess everything up? This wasn’t in my plans God! You’ve got the wrong person. (Or something like that maybe).

How does Mary respond? A little better than I might have (which is likely why God chose her in the first place):

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.” (Luke 1:38, NLT)

Mary responded with a true servant’s heart…she was willing to follow God’s plans no matter what. I think we call that faith. And she really meant what we she said…it wasn’t just a platitude or a scheme to get Gabriel to go away. Her close relative, Elizabeth confirmed Mary’s conviction:

You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said (Luke 1:45, NLT)

And all of this from a “nobody teenager” growing up in the middle of nowhere. God grant me that kind of faith and trust in you. Mary’s response is my prayer: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants.”

12.21.2007 | Visits: 254 Christmas, Devotional, Jesus, Spiritual Musings Add a Comment

Huckabee on Evolution

Even if you don’t agree with everything he says, you gotta love his honesty and straightforward answers…

12.20.2007 | Visits: 303 Huckabee, Leadership, Politics 4 Comments

The Missing Years

The National Geographic Channel (Channel 276 on DirecTV) has been running some interesting programs this week focused on Biblical times (’tis the season right?). Last night we finished watching The Missing Years of Jesus. The entire program was devoted to the discussion of Jesus’ life between the ages of 12 and 30 (a time that the Gospel don’t record anything about). I was surprised that the program was fairly balanced an honest to the topic–with some respected and knowledgeable scholars (not all of them, but most of them). I highly recommend the show if you’re looking for something good to watch during the writer’s strike and the holiday “lull” (driving me crazy that there’s no new House episodes). =0)

Here are the other programs being shown this next week on NGC:

  1. The Real Mary Magdalene
  2. Jesus’ Tomb
  3. Decoding the Dead Sea Scrolls
  4. Decoding Bible Relics
  5. Last Christians of Bethlehem
  6. Secrets of Jerusalem’s Holiest Sites
  7.  Jesus: The Man

That’s a good list…especially if they are as true to them as they were to The Missing Years of Jesus. Happy watching!

12.19.2007 | Visits: 300 Christmas, Jesus, Recreation, Spiritual Musings Add a Comment

His Voice

Not that you really care, but by way of a little background: I typically do my devotions in a book of the Bible and either Proverbs or Psalms. Yesterday, I was in I Kings and Psalms (as I have been for about a month now). It always amazes me when God brings two different books together on one topic during my reading. This time it was about the voice of God and how different that voice is sometimes.

In Psalm 29:3-9 the psalmist describes God’s voice like this:

3The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
      The God of glory thunders.
      The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
 4The voice of the Lord is powerful;
      the voice of the Lord is majestic.
 5The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
      the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
 6 He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
      he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.
 7The voice of the Lord strikes
      with bolts of lightning.
 8The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
      the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
 9The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
      and strips the forests bare.
   In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

Here God’s voice is awesome, powerful and destructive. The description is impressive as the Lord’s voice “splits the mighty cedars” and “twists mighty oaks”. As a guy, I appreciate this kind of raw energy, strength, might, and power!

In 1 Kings 19:11-13, we get a similar picture with one little (but important) difference:

 11“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (Emphasis mine).

Did you see it (you should since I emphasised it)? =0) God’s voice this time appeared the same at first, but God wasn’t in those moments. Instead, God was in the “sound of a gentle whisper”. Sometimes we need the raw power of God’s voice and sometimes we need the gentle whisper from God.

The real question is:
Are we listening (regardless of the volume)?

12.17.2007 | Visits: 268 Devotional, Spiritual Musings Add a Comment

Jeckle or Hyde?

I’m not sure what that was last night with the Donkeys (aside from an embarrassment) but I’m getting tired of watching it! I couldn’t even finish the 4th quarter and I’m a die-hard, bleed orange-and-blue guy. It’s frustrating not knowing which Broncos team is going to show up from week to week.

Yes, they had a short week. But come on! This was the Houston Texans we’re talking about here. I like Gary Kubiak and hope him all the best–except when we’re playing him. And once again this Broncos team showed up and forgot how to play football.

What’s the problem? Wish I knew. I only know 2 things:

1) My 7-9 season prediction is close to coming true
2) I wish we played Kansas City every week!

Can we beat San Diego next? We shouldn’t–but who knows with this team. I wouldn’t be surprised with a 50-3 beating, a 7-6 win, or anything in between. I will admit that I’m starting to wish they’d tank the rest of the way just to get a better draft position. Blasphemy!

12.14.2007 | Visits: 289 Broncos, Recreation, Sports Add a Comment

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