Sorry it's been ages since I have written. No explanations or excuses, but there have been two passages that have just rocked my world lately. They are Proverbs 13 and Psalm 6. Here is my take with nothing held back on Proverbs 13 with the text bolded, and my comments in italics...
Proverbs 13
Children with good sense accept correction from their parents, but stubborn children ignore it completely.
This is pretty straight forward. What's interesting to me though is that stubborn kids are often times modeling what they have seen from their parents. Therefore, the parents who correct each other in love, and accept correction from their spouses, seem to have kids who are more apt to accept correction.
You will be well rewarded for saying something kind, but all people think about is how to be cruel and mean.
Look at the word "MEan". It's all about me. If you are thinking about yourself first, then the chances of what comes out of your mouth sounding mean to others is much greater than if you are thinking about others before yourself. When your first thought is to love others, you just don't say mean things. It just doesn't happen.
Keep what you know to yourself, and you will be safe; talk too much, and you are done for.
This is something that I'm passionate about. I learned this from my father, who is not a Christian. He is a man that talks a lot and likes to have fun with everyone, but he doesn't claim to know anything that he doesn't really know. When he speaks on an issue of importance, he knows exactly what he is talking about. He never speaks confidently when he is unsure. I have come to absolutely love that about my father and I try to act the same way.
I want people to listen when I have something to say. If I am constantly speaking when I'm not sure about things, my opinion becomes less valuable than a grain of salt. When I only speak truth to those around me, then when important issues of life, death, and eternity arise, people listen. They might not choose to agree, but they will listen and consider. I believe that my father may be closer to a relationship with God than he leads on, but he won't say so until he knows. I pray that that day comes soon! What a celebration that day will be!
No matter how much you want, laziness won't help a bit, but hard work will reward you with more than enough.
Lazy people can gain rewards on earth, but it's not possible to gain rewards in heaven by being lazy. Hard work, and a commitment to God is the only way to gain the reward that lasts forever.
A good person hates deceit, but those who are evil cause shame and disgrace.
I hate to keep playing word games, but "shaME" and "dIsgrace" are both focused on me and I. The important concept isn't the play on words, but rather the fact of the matter that whether or not you are a Christian, if you think about yourself first, you are going to hurt others and thanks to the inner voice that all people possess, you will feel less than happy with yourself. You will feel ashamed and disgraced.
Live right, and you are safe! But sin will destroy you.
I hope that anyone reading this really believes that my words aren't just for Christians. The parallels are so great.
For Christians, living right means eternal life with our father, our God. Failure to live right will keep us separate from Him forever.
Isn't this concept true for the world too? If you sin, aren't you typically putting yourself or others in dangerous situations? Even the sin that doesn't directly hurt you, may destroy aspects of your life. For instance, pornography won't hurt you, but it could ruin a marriage, and it could ruin your ability to love and respect members of the other sex. If you live according to Christian and moral guidelines, you typically hurt less people, and put yourself at less risk of danger. With that said, all of us fail...but the effort is what counts!
Some who have nothing may pretend to be rich, and some who have everything may pretend to be poor.
This was the verse that caused me to read this proverb today. I just had such a beautiful picture in my mind.
I see this as a very spiritual thing. The "have" referred to is a relationship with God. So, those who have no relationship with Him, pretend to have everything they need and want here on earth. On the flip side, those who have Him (everything) should be able to live here on earth with no earthly possessions because we need nothing. This is easier said than done, but it's beautiful to tell God that He is enough and we need nothing more!
The rich may have to pay a ransom, but the poor don't have that problem.
The more you have the more you pay! I look at this in two ways. If you have a lot of stuff, then you have a lot more to give up to really make God number 1. Also, having Jesus in your life isn't a piece of cake. Those who have Jesus have more responsibilities than those who don't. Don't let anyone tell you that becoming a Christian will be easy, or all fun. It's not. Your life will be more difficult, but the rewards are so much greater than any investment we are capable of making.
The lamp of a good person keeps shining; the lamp of an evil person soon goes out.
Too much pride causes trouble. Be sensible and take advice.
This goes back to the earlier comments about talking when we don't know things, and about children taking advice and guidance. If you were to decide that you wanted to change your life, either for God or for yourself, then I have some advice.
If you can get rid of pride, and start putting others in front of yourself, you will accomplish most of your goals that you hope to achieve by changing your life. You will see a whole new you, and I'm willing to lay it on the line to say that you will be very pleased with the new you.
Money wrongly gotten will disappear bit by bit; money earned little by little will grow and grow.
Not getting what you want can make you feel sick, but a wish that comes true is a life-giving tree.
If you reject God's teaching, you will pay the price; if you obey his commands, you will be rewarded.
Sensible instruction is a life giving fountain that helps you escape all deadly traps.
Cling to all that is good. This is another that idea that applies to Christians, but also to non-believers. I would have to say that seeking advice and instruction from God above is the best thing you can do. He is the only one with all the answers, and He knows what you need to hear when you need to hear it, and what you aren't prepared to hear.
Here on earth, seeking instruction from others has great value. Have you ever had a friend who was in an unhealthy relationship. His/Her partner didn't treat them well at all, but they put up with it. You probably asked them why they put up with it, but they didn't even recognize what was going on. This is common. We are not perfect people. We need others to help us, and as Christians, we need others to help us refocus our eyes on our God, who provides the ultimate instruction.
Sound judgement is praised, but people without good sense are on the way to disaster.
If you have good sense, you will act sensibly, but fools act like fools.
Whoever delivers your message can make things better or worse for you.
All who refuse correction will be poor and disgraced; all who accept correction will be praised.
Correction is Godly. Correction is good. Why would someone correct you? Why would God correct you. To make you feel bad? NO! To hurt your feelings? Of course not!
People correct you to make you better. To focus you on what is good and what is holy. Now, your correctors are not always right, but their intentions are good. Otherwise what do they have to benefit from unjustly correcting you? Nothing!
Also, be sure to analyze yourself when you correct others. Be sure that you have the other persons best interest in mind, and that you are not correcting someone to make yourself feel better, because you will gain nothing but shame and disgrace.
There is one exception to the rule that you should accept correction, and I will write about that tomorrow. In Psalm 6, David says "Don't punish me, Lord, or even correct me when you are angry! Have pity on me..." David humbled himself and said, "I am at fault! I ADMIT my shortcoming!"
It's a good feeling to get what you want, but only a stupid fool hates to turn from evil.
Wise friends make you wise, but you hurt yourself by going around with fools.
You are in for trouble if you sin, but you will be rewarded if you live right.
If you obey God, you will have something to leave your grandchildren. If you don't obey God, those who live right will get what you leave.
Isn't that awesome? What do you want your grandchildren to know about you? Sometimes I think we care more what our family and friends think about us than what God does. We need to offer God even more of ourselves than our family. We need to offer God our everything! Ask yourself what you want God to know about you.
Even when the land of the poor produces good crops, they get cheated out of what they grow.
If you love your children, you will correct them; if you don't love them, you won't correct them.
If you live right, you will have plenty to eat; if you don't live right, you will go away empty.
Have a great day!!!
Joe
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 17, 2008
Another long day...
I didn't really know what to expect going into this week, but I now know that it will be one of the bussier weeks of my life. I have more work than I could possibly complete, and I start my next quarter of graduate school classes this week. I am just feeling overwhelmed with a lot of little distractions. I really need to bear down and get off to a good start in my classes, while maintaining the highest level of work.
While that first paragraph sounds to be pretty negative, I must say that I am very pleased with my work, despite my overwhelming schedule. I finished my last quarter with over a 3.9 gpa, and my level of work at New Moms has really been at very high levels. I think that we are going to experience some big successes over the next few months at work.
After work today I had dinner with Adam. We enjoyed some good wings and good conversation at the Houndstooth. It's really good to get to know another good Christian guy. We were going to go to a Maundy Thursday service this week, but I ended up getting a train ticket back to Kalamazoo to see my family. I'm glad that I am going to get to see them over the holiday weekend.
The rest of the evening was spent racking my brain as I amended my taxes. I had failed to claim a major credit on my taxes, that were filed a couple of weeks ago, so I had to go back through and fight with some different forms to give myself the correct refund. I think that I eventually got everything squared away though, and I should be receiving a much larger refund than expected!
I apologize for this post being so choppy. I am just not able to focus on too much right now. I did want to pose one question to anyone who happens to be reading this though. Here it goes-
I have been spending a lot of time focused on the ten commandments lately. Today I got stuck on the sabbath. I feel some calling to honor the commandment about keeping the sabbath holy, to it's fullest. That could be difficult, but a challenge that could be completed. It would just require me to not do any work on the sabbath, and to not shop, or go anywhere that would require someone to work on the sabbath. Therefore, no Sunday brunch. BUT...that brings me to my question...
If all Christians made the choice to not never eat out, or go to ball games on Sunday's, then there would surely be jobs lost. There would surely be a single teen mom who is in high school during the week, and works nights and weekends to provide food and shelter for her family. Therefore, if we shut down many stores, restaurants and other businesses on Sunday, aren't we hurting some members that need that work? Your thoughts??
Have a great Tuesday!
While that first paragraph sounds to be pretty negative, I must say that I am very pleased with my work, despite my overwhelming schedule. I finished my last quarter with over a 3.9 gpa, and my level of work at New Moms has really been at very high levels. I think that we are going to experience some big successes over the next few months at work.
After work today I had dinner with Adam. We enjoyed some good wings and good conversation at the Houndstooth. It's really good to get to know another good Christian guy. We were going to go to a Maundy Thursday service this week, but I ended up getting a train ticket back to Kalamazoo to see my family. I'm glad that I am going to get to see them over the holiday weekend.
The rest of the evening was spent racking my brain as I amended my taxes. I had failed to claim a major credit on my taxes, that were filed a couple of weeks ago, so I had to go back through and fight with some different forms to give myself the correct refund. I think that I eventually got everything squared away though, and I should be receiving a much larger refund than expected!
I apologize for this post being so choppy. I am just not able to focus on too much right now. I did want to pose one question to anyone who happens to be reading this though. Here it goes-
I have been spending a lot of time focused on the ten commandments lately. Today I got stuck on the sabbath. I feel some calling to honor the commandment about keeping the sabbath holy, to it's fullest. That could be difficult, but a challenge that could be completed. It would just require me to not do any work on the sabbath, and to not shop, or go anywhere that would require someone to work on the sabbath. Therefore, no Sunday brunch. BUT...that brings me to my question...
If all Christians made the choice to not never eat out, or go to ball games on Sunday's, then there would surely be jobs lost. There would surely be a single teen mom who is in high school during the week, and works nights and weekends to provide food and shelter for her family. Therefore, if we shut down many stores, restaurants and other businesses on Sunday, aren't we hurting some members that need that work? Your thoughts??
Have a great Tuesday!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
It's not about me...
OK, I am going to quit promising to update this blog daily, although I will make another attempt to keep this updated! I'll start today by giving you a little update on my life as of late...
I am still working as the Donor Relations and Communications Manager for New Moms, a Christian organization that serves teenagers who are pregnant and homeless, or at risk of homelessness. I am also in graduate school, where I am about halfway done with my Masters in Business Administration. My family and friends are doing well, and I am blessed to be dating a special young lady who is also dedicated to serving the Lord with her work, and with all parts of her life.
I am going to focus more of my updates on my personal life, so I had better introduce you to the people who I share most of my life with...
Tom- One of the best men I know. He's a teacher at Hope Christian Academy on the Westside of Chicago. We are getting ready to start a new book study together.
Adam- Adam is a newer friend. He is friends with one of my favorite people who you will meet in a second, Mandy. He went to Hope, and is working towards his Masters in Social Work at UIC here in Chicago. He seems like a great guy, and I am just getting involved with a small group with him and some of his friends. Byron the accountant, Jackie the communications gal, and Rachael, whom I have yet to meet. I am really looking forward to getting to know him, and all of them better.
Mandy- Mandy is a second grade teacher at Cambridge Christian academy on the Southside. Mandy is a great Christian Gal. I've known her for a few years, and she is actually my connection to my lovely girlfriend.
Katie- Katie is a kindergarten teacher also at Cambridge. She's a great gal, with a passion for kids. She went to Cedarville, and is friends with "the gang" from her high school days back in Michigan.
Sarah- There aren't many people that inspire me more than Sarah. She's a teacher at Coles Elementry on the Southside, and she is just such a faithful servant. She has such a tough job, and is constantly knocked down, and kicked while shes down, but no one stands more firm than she. I hope she always knows how inspirational she is to all.
Emily B- Emily is a nurse, and is in graduate school to become a Nurse Practitioner. She is a great Christian gal, who owns the condo where Mandy and Sarah live. Her and I are really able to connect as we have a lot in common, both owning property, and having more advanced portfolios than most of our friends, and both being in relationships with significant others.
(Sarah, Tom, Katie, Mandy, and Emily make up a group that I will often refer to as "the gang")
Emily P- Emily P is one of my favorite people, who lives in Indianapolis. Emily and I have become really close friends over the years, and have been through a lot of growth together. A couple of years back, Emily P left the Catholic Church to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So, when I refer to her as Emily the Mormon, it is with all due respect. I love and respect her, and her faith. We have some great conversations about life and faith on a regular basis.
Emily W- Emily W is a great newer friend. She's an undergraduate student from North Park. She is dedicated to serving the Lord, and I am excited to see how He uses her. She volunteers some of her time to New Moms, designing some of our promotional materials.
North Park Small Group- Dan, Joe, Matt and John are a group of undergraduate students that I meet with on Wednesday afternoons when I lead our small group. They are a great group of guys whom you will meet one of these Wednesdays.
Leslie- Ah, the young lady who puts up with me as her boyfriend. We met here in Chicago last summer, and we have grown a lot together. She is constantly challenging me to become a better person, spiritually and physically. It is my hope that I can challenge her, and love her in the way that Jesus taught us. She is really special. She is finishing up her undergraduate work at Hope College in Michigan, but is going to be moving here to Chicago at the end of June. I am really excited to be able to grow more with her near by. You will get to know more about her in the coming posts.
You will meet more people as they are involved in my life and stories. I will go on to share some thoughts from today, and some other updates.
Well, last week I visited Leslie in Holland, and we had a really nice weekend. We did a lot of stuff, and had tons of fun. Both Friday and Saturday night, we had some super conversations, that shared some personal thoughts and feelings with each other, that hadn't really been shared before. It was really good stuff. I have been in other relationships before, and felt as if I knew a lot about what I wanted, and what God wanted for me. I had no idea. It's been such a powerful experience dating Leslie, and just trusting that the Lord has an amazing plan for both of us, whether He intends for us to live that plan out together, or on our own. It's really an incredible feeling, and unlike normal for me, I have no words to describe it. Oh, I also got a new book in Holland, it's about Joseph from the Old Testament. I love it. You will hear about it over the next few weeks.
This week has been a busy one, but very good. I got back from Holland on Monday, and had dinner with Emily P and her boyfriend. It was really great catching up with her. I showed off some of my new swing dance skills! (Thanks Hans and Leslie!) Tuesday night I met up with Adam, Jackie and Byron for a small group. It was really great! We had an awesome discussion on how faith and politics are interrelated. I am really going to enjoy getting to know each of them, and study the word with them. Wednesday I relaxed. I was dead tired, so after work I just tried to catch up a little bit. On Thursday I had dinner with the gang, and Adam came along. It was nice to catch up with them. They were all pretty happy because they were just about on spring break. Sarah and Katie are headed to Florida, and Mandy is going home, to be with her family during Holy Week.
On Friday, Leslie left for her Spring Break. She made a quick stop to see an old roommate in Indianapolis, and then is going down to a cabin in TN with some friends. She's really lucky! It should be a great time...I need a vacation myself! Well, after work on Friday I went swing dancing at the University of Chicago with 4 people I know, and about 10 of their friends. We had a blast, and for the first time ever, I felt like I was actually pretty decent at dancing. I'm not good yet, but I am having a blast learning. I also tuned my guitar again, and I am going to start practicing again, it's going to be hard, but I am going to do my best! Friday night, my good friend Jana and her roommate Jana came down from Milwaukee. We just crashed Friday night. Saturday, we went with Mandy to watch the river get dyed green, and then off to celebrate St. Patricks day. (I pretended that the burrito and Chinese food that I had was Irish!)
I laid low today, started to prepare for my classes, and then met Andrea and went to Church with her. Here are some of the things that this weekend, and Church led me to think about...
Well, one thing that I had really been praying about this weekend was that I would keep a very tight reign on my tounge this weekend. I struggle sometimes when I am around my non-Christian friends. Not in huge way's, but I just realize that I give into some pressures, and make statements that are more like the Kingdom of the World, than the Kingdom of God. Praise God that I am always growing stronger, but I also want to praise Him for his conviction. I feel like as I become a better servant, I feel even more convicted for the smallest of sins (That said, I want to give the disclaimer that all sins are equal. It is no better in God's eyes if you curse, than if you murder or committ adultry.) than I did for sins that seem bigger. I feel like as more of my actions are honoring to God, I feel more convicted for the sins that I haven't overcome. This weekend, I did a good job with my tounge at most times, but I wasn't the witness that I could have been to my friends. I struggled to shine Jesus in everything that I did. I am going to work hard to change this in future encounters with these friends, and other Christian friends.
This can be tied in by part of our discussion on Tuesday. I am passionate about politics, and have been getting very involved in the presidential race right now, because I strongly feel that certain candidates are running with motives that don't include the future of our country. In our discussion, the sermon that we analyze mentioned that we need to focus on our own sin, before we can start getting involved in the sin of others and the masses. You know what I am talking about. Don't try to get the speck out of your brothers eye until you get the log out of your own. I never related this to politics, but I think it was God telling me that He wants me to focus on me, and my service, and to pray and have faith that He will take care of our nation.
Ok, well, I need to get some work done before bed. Hopefully though, you will hear plenty more from me over the next few weeks. If you are so inclined, please pray for me as I begin another quarter of school. I have a lot of work to do to help us to better serve our teen moms, and school is going to challange me to stay organized and to work hard.
One final thought for the week ahead...Jesus is enough...we should serve the Lord well with all we do, but know that He is all we need...no sin is too large to be covered by Him.
Have a great week!
I am still working as the Donor Relations and Communications Manager for New Moms, a Christian organization that serves teenagers who are pregnant and homeless, or at risk of homelessness. I am also in graduate school, where I am about halfway done with my Masters in Business Administration. My family and friends are doing well, and I am blessed to be dating a special young lady who is also dedicated to serving the Lord with her work, and with all parts of her life.
I am going to focus more of my updates on my personal life, so I had better introduce you to the people who I share most of my life with...
Tom- One of the best men I know. He's a teacher at Hope Christian Academy on the Westside of Chicago. We are getting ready to start a new book study together.
Adam- Adam is a newer friend. He is friends with one of my favorite people who you will meet in a second, Mandy. He went to Hope, and is working towards his Masters in Social Work at UIC here in Chicago. He seems like a great guy, and I am just getting involved with a small group with him and some of his friends. Byron the accountant, Jackie the communications gal, and Rachael, whom I have yet to meet. I am really looking forward to getting to know him, and all of them better.
Mandy- Mandy is a second grade teacher at Cambridge Christian academy on the Southside. Mandy is a great Christian Gal. I've known her for a few years, and she is actually my connection to my lovely girlfriend.
Katie- Katie is a kindergarten teacher also at Cambridge. She's a great gal, with a passion for kids. She went to Cedarville, and is friends with "the gang" from her high school days back in Michigan.
Sarah- There aren't many people that inspire me more than Sarah. She's a teacher at Coles Elementry on the Southside, and she is just such a faithful servant. She has such a tough job, and is constantly knocked down, and kicked while shes down, but no one stands more firm than she. I hope she always knows how inspirational she is to all.
Emily B- Emily is a nurse, and is in graduate school to become a Nurse Practitioner. She is a great Christian gal, who owns the condo where Mandy and Sarah live. Her and I are really able to connect as we have a lot in common, both owning property, and having more advanced portfolios than most of our friends, and both being in relationships with significant others.
(Sarah, Tom, Katie, Mandy, and Emily make up a group that I will often refer to as "the gang")
Emily P- Emily P is one of my favorite people, who lives in Indianapolis. Emily and I have become really close friends over the years, and have been through a lot of growth together. A couple of years back, Emily P left the Catholic Church to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So, when I refer to her as Emily the Mormon, it is with all due respect. I love and respect her, and her faith. We have some great conversations about life and faith on a regular basis.
Emily W- Emily W is a great newer friend. She's an undergraduate student from North Park. She is dedicated to serving the Lord, and I am excited to see how He uses her. She volunteers some of her time to New Moms, designing some of our promotional materials.
North Park Small Group- Dan, Joe, Matt and John are a group of undergraduate students that I meet with on Wednesday afternoons when I lead our small group. They are a great group of guys whom you will meet one of these Wednesdays.
Leslie- Ah, the young lady who puts up with me as her boyfriend. We met here in Chicago last summer, and we have grown a lot together. She is constantly challenging me to become a better person, spiritually and physically. It is my hope that I can challenge her, and love her in the way that Jesus taught us. She is really special. She is finishing up her undergraduate work at Hope College in Michigan, but is going to be moving here to Chicago at the end of June. I am really excited to be able to grow more with her near by. You will get to know more about her in the coming posts.
You will meet more people as they are involved in my life and stories. I will go on to share some thoughts from today, and some other updates.
Well, last week I visited Leslie in Holland, and we had a really nice weekend. We did a lot of stuff, and had tons of fun. Both Friday and Saturday night, we had some super conversations, that shared some personal thoughts and feelings with each other, that hadn't really been shared before. It was really good stuff. I have been in other relationships before, and felt as if I knew a lot about what I wanted, and what God wanted for me. I had no idea. It's been such a powerful experience dating Leslie, and just trusting that the Lord has an amazing plan for both of us, whether He intends for us to live that plan out together, or on our own. It's really an incredible feeling, and unlike normal for me, I have no words to describe it. Oh, I also got a new book in Holland, it's about Joseph from the Old Testament. I love it. You will hear about it over the next few weeks.
This week has been a busy one, but very good. I got back from Holland on Monday, and had dinner with Emily P and her boyfriend. It was really great catching up with her. I showed off some of my new swing dance skills! (Thanks Hans and Leslie!) Tuesday night I met up with Adam, Jackie and Byron for a small group. It was really great! We had an awesome discussion on how faith and politics are interrelated. I am really going to enjoy getting to know each of them, and study the word with them. Wednesday I relaxed. I was dead tired, so after work I just tried to catch up a little bit. On Thursday I had dinner with the gang, and Adam came along. It was nice to catch up with them. They were all pretty happy because they were just about on spring break. Sarah and Katie are headed to Florida, and Mandy is going home, to be with her family during Holy Week.
On Friday, Leslie left for her Spring Break. She made a quick stop to see an old roommate in Indianapolis, and then is going down to a cabin in TN with some friends. She's really lucky! It should be a great time...I need a vacation myself! Well, after work on Friday I went swing dancing at the University of Chicago with 4 people I know, and about 10 of their friends. We had a blast, and for the first time ever, I felt like I was actually pretty decent at dancing. I'm not good yet, but I am having a blast learning. I also tuned my guitar again, and I am going to start practicing again, it's going to be hard, but I am going to do my best! Friday night, my good friend Jana and her roommate Jana came down from Milwaukee. We just crashed Friday night. Saturday, we went with Mandy to watch the river get dyed green, and then off to celebrate St. Patricks day. (I pretended that the burrito and Chinese food that I had was Irish!)
I laid low today, started to prepare for my classes, and then met Andrea and went to Church with her. Here are some of the things that this weekend, and Church led me to think about...
Well, one thing that I had really been praying about this weekend was that I would keep a very tight reign on my tounge this weekend. I struggle sometimes when I am around my non-Christian friends. Not in huge way's, but I just realize that I give into some pressures, and make statements that are more like the Kingdom of the World, than the Kingdom of God. Praise God that I am always growing stronger, but I also want to praise Him for his conviction. I feel like as I become a better servant, I feel even more convicted for the smallest of sins (That said, I want to give the disclaimer that all sins are equal. It is no better in God's eyes if you curse, than if you murder or committ adultry.) than I did for sins that seem bigger. I feel like as more of my actions are honoring to God, I feel more convicted for the sins that I haven't overcome. This weekend, I did a good job with my tounge at most times, but I wasn't the witness that I could have been to my friends. I struggled to shine Jesus in everything that I did. I am going to work hard to change this in future encounters with these friends, and other Christian friends.
This can be tied in by part of our discussion on Tuesday. I am passionate about politics, and have been getting very involved in the presidential race right now, because I strongly feel that certain candidates are running with motives that don't include the future of our country. In our discussion, the sermon that we analyze mentioned that we need to focus on our own sin, before we can start getting involved in the sin of others and the masses. You know what I am talking about. Don't try to get the speck out of your brothers eye until you get the log out of your own. I never related this to politics, but I think it was God telling me that He wants me to focus on me, and my service, and to pray and have faith that He will take care of our nation.
Ok, well, I need to get some work done before bed. Hopefully though, you will hear plenty more from me over the next few weeks. If you are so inclined, please pray for me as I begin another quarter of school. I have a lot of work to do to help us to better serve our teen moms, and school is going to challange me to stay organized and to work hard.
One final thought for the week ahead...Jesus is enough...we should serve the Lord well with all we do, but know that He is all we need...no sin is too large to be covered by Him.
Have a great week!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Witnessing...a twenty-four seven ministry. (Part 1)
My hometown of Kalamazoo Michigan is a smaller county with a population of about 240,000. Of those residents, almost 85% are white, and most are Christians. It's safe to say that my upbringing was quite a sheltered one. After graduating from my upperclass Catholic high school, I decided to see what the rest of the world had to offer...I chose to study in Chicago.
The college where I chose to study was a polar oposite from where I grew up. Columbia College Chicago is a liberal arts school located in the center of the big city. The student body was made up of blacks, whites, browns, purples and pinks. There were Democrats and Republicans (at least four of them), Christians, Muslims, Jews, and the largest percentage were Atheists. From freshmen move-in day until the ink dried on my degree, I was learning about Business, but more importantly about different cultures, religions and political beliefs. I had no idea that my actions and beliefs would have such a dramatic impact on many of my classmates and friends.
Just a few months after my 18th birthday, I moved into my dorm with 3 other guys. We would all become well known as the most outgoing guys on campus. We were commonly referred to around campus as either the "Party People" or simply "501". They all knew who we were, but unfortunately, people never got to know us as individuals the way that we would each have liked them to.
If you have watched television shows such as the "Real World" or "Big Brother", then you know what these television networks attempt to assemble when casting. They usually include a gay guy, a homophobe, a tree-hugging liberal, and a conservative religious type. When we all moved in, God must have been enjoying the aforementioned reality shows, because He assembled us in a very similar way. The guys in 501 were Rob the Comedian, James the Cook, Kevin the Potato, and myself.
James was a free spirit from the East coast. When I first entered our dorm room, I heard somoene in one of the two bedrooms so I knocked. James answered his door in a tie-dyed t-shirt and a bandana tied fasionably around his long nappy hair. His Bob Marly poster and wet towel under the door made me wonder if he might participate in the use of a certain controlled substance. It didn't take long to confirm those assumptions, but what a cook he was. I would come to know James as a very kind-hearted guy with a lot of talents and a tough addiction.
Kevin was an Irish Catholic kid from the southside. (AKA, Potato spent many nights partying hard with his good friend Jameson, Jameson Whiskey that is.) Kevin shared a room with James, and they were both partiers, but chose different guests and party favors. Kevin was very much against smoking and illegal substances, but he loved to drink and become quite loud and boistrous. The idea of a party to James was a few friends turning off the lights, smoking and playing his guitar. There were certainly some conflicts that arose from this living arrangement.
Rob and I shared a room. He was an extremely outgoing young fella that lived to make people laugh. He would laugh at you, with you, at himself, or at different situations. After years I started to see that he didn't really find enjoyment in laughing, but it was seeing people laugh at him that gave him true happiness. After about a year and a half of living with Rob, we would learn that he was gay. It didn't completely shock us, but we were taken somewhat by surprise.
As we were unpacking our stuff on that late summer day, Rob pulled out a menorah, and placed it on his desk. I didn't hesitate to inquire as to why he was displaying that. I wasn't being rude when I inquired, I just had never met a Jewish person before. In fact, I didn't really know that Jewish people existed here in America. Rob would go on to tell me that he is Jewish, but that his faith isn't really important to him at all.
Chapter to be continued...
The college where I chose to study was a polar oposite from where I grew up. Columbia College Chicago is a liberal arts school located in the center of the big city. The student body was made up of blacks, whites, browns, purples and pinks. There were Democrats and Republicans (at least four of them), Christians, Muslims, Jews, and the largest percentage were Atheists. From freshmen move-in day until the ink dried on my degree, I was learning about Business, but more importantly about different cultures, religions and political beliefs. I had no idea that my actions and beliefs would have such a dramatic impact on many of my classmates and friends.
Just a few months after my 18th birthday, I moved into my dorm with 3 other guys. We would all become well known as the most outgoing guys on campus. We were commonly referred to around campus as either the "Party People" or simply "501". They all knew who we were, but unfortunately, people never got to know us as individuals the way that we would each have liked them to.
If you have watched television shows such as the "Real World" or "Big Brother", then you know what these television networks attempt to assemble when casting. They usually include a gay guy, a homophobe, a tree-hugging liberal, and a conservative religious type. When we all moved in, God must have been enjoying the aforementioned reality shows, because He assembled us in a very similar way. The guys in 501 were Rob the Comedian, James the Cook, Kevin the Potato, and myself.
James was a free spirit from the East coast. When I first entered our dorm room, I heard somoene in one of the two bedrooms so I knocked. James answered his door in a tie-dyed t-shirt and a bandana tied fasionably around his long nappy hair. His Bob Marly poster and wet towel under the door made me wonder if he might participate in the use of a certain controlled substance. It didn't take long to confirm those assumptions, but what a cook he was. I would come to know James as a very kind-hearted guy with a lot of talents and a tough addiction.
Kevin was an Irish Catholic kid from the southside. (AKA, Potato spent many nights partying hard with his good friend Jameson, Jameson Whiskey that is.) Kevin shared a room with James, and they were both partiers, but chose different guests and party favors. Kevin was very much against smoking and illegal substances, but he loved to drink and become quite loud and boistrous. The idea of a party to James was a few friends turning off the lights, smoking and playing his guitar. There were certainly some conflicts that arose from this living arrangement.
Rob and I shared a room. He was an extremely outgoing young fella that lived to make people laugh. He would laugh at you, with you, at himself, or at different situations. After years I started to see that he didn't really find enjoyment in laughing, but it was seeing people laugh at him that gave him true happiness. After about a year and a half of living with Rob, we would learn that he was gay. It didn't completely shock us, but we were taken somewhat by surprise.
As we were unpacking our stuff on that late summer day, Rob pulled out a menorah, and placed it on his desk. I didn't hesitate to inquire as to why he was displaying that. I wasn't being rude when I inquired, I just had never met a Jewish person before. In fact, I didn't really know that Jewish people existed here in America. Rob would go on to tell me that he is Jewish, but that his faith isn't really important to him at all.
Chapter to be continued...
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Bring on the rain...
It was a very hot, but dark and dreary morning here in Chicago. There was something interesting about my 45 minute morning commute. I noticed that no one was smiling. There wasn't a single person with a smile on their face. When I was getting off the subway, and about to take the escalator up to street level, I made eye contact with someone, and let them board the escalator before me. Finally, they smiled at me! I was relieved! For a minute I thought that I was in that new movie "The Invasion" starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, and Malin Akerman. (It's a movie where an epidemic alters the behavior and personality of all human beings except for Kidman.)
After seeing my first smile of the morning, I decided that I wanted to see more, so I began going out of my way to smile at everyone I encountered. Waiting for the bus, on the bus, walking into the office, I smiled at everyone. A lot of people turned their frowns upside down and smiled! It was really neat to see! That just goes to show how important the little things are!
With my commute out of the way, I got to thinking about bigger things. Life, and our purpose here. It's a big wrestling match inside my mind. I want to commit every aspect of my life to Christ, and to helping others. To do that though, I must give up a lot of my "stuff". I'm not wealthy by any means, but I have been blessed with some great successes that have allowed me to buy cars, a condo, and a lot of nice things to fill the condo.
It's just tough telling someone who is homeless that I can't help them with a few dollars, when I know that I CAN, but I think of myself first. Jesus didn't do that. Jesus gave His ALL for me. Jesus could have said, "Well Joe, I am going to let Pilate have my hand, but not my life. That way you know I am the Son of God, but Joe, I just enjoy my life too much to let them kill me in order to save you. I'm really affraid of thorns, needles and such, so I am not going to do the whole crown of thorns thing either. Sorry Joe."
I know it sounds a little silly, but is it really OK for us to say, "Yeah, we are supposed to love and help our brothers and sisters, but we deserve to have a good life ourselves"? It's the hardest thing in the world to think about though, because if you don't have anything, then you can't provide for your own family. It's a toughie. I am always going to try to give as much as I can, but I don't know that it will ever live up to His standards.
I am so incredibly blessed to know a God that pours down a storm filled with challenges and blessings that just soak me from head to toe with His glory and majesty. As hard as anything may get, remember that every day is a blessing from God! Thank Him for everything!!
Have a big day tomorrow!
Joe
After seeing my first smile of the morning, I decided that I wanted to see more, so I began going out of my way to smile at everyone I encountered. Waiting for the bus, on the bus, walking into the office, I smiled at everyone. A lot of people turned their frowns upside down and smiled! It was really neat to see! That just goes to show how important the little things are!
With my commute out of the way, I got to thinking about bigger things. Life, and our purpose here. It's a big wrestling match inside my mind. I want to commit every aspect of my life to Christ, and to helping others. To do that though, I must give up a lot of my "stuff". I'm not wealthy by any means, but I have been blessed with some great successes that have allowed me to buy cars, a condo, and a lot of nice things to fill the condo.
It's just tough telling someone who is homeless that I can't help them with a few dollars, when I know that I CAN, but I think of myself first. Jesus didn't do that. Jesus gave His ALL for me. Jesus could have said, "Well Joe, I am going to let Pilate have my hand, but not my life. That way you know I am the Son of God, but Joe, I just enjoy my life too much to let them kill me in order to save you. I'm really affraid of thorns, needles and such, so I am not going to do the whole crown of thorns thing either. Sorry Joe."
I know it sounds a little silly, but is it really OK for us to say, "Yeah, we are supposed to love and help our brothers and sisters, but we deserve to have a good life ourselves"? It's the hardest thing in the world to think about though, because if you don't have anything, then you can't provide for your own family. It's a toughie. I am always going to try to give as much as I can, but I don't know that it will ever live up to His standards.
I am so incredibly blessed to know a God that pours down a storm filled with challenges and blessings that just soak me from head to toe with His glory and majesty. As hard as anything may get, remember that every day is a blessing from God! Thank Him for everything!!
Have a big day tomorrow!
Joe
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Roller Coasters...no we aren't going on a trip to Cedar Point!
No, we aren't going to Cedar Point or Disney World! Isn't it funny how life is filled with extreme highs and lows though? Actually, it's not very funny at all, it's quite confusing. Although I went to bed in tears last night, they were tears of joy and happiness. I was on cloud nine because I knew that I had done something right, and that my hard work and dedication was going to help make the world a better place.
This morning I must have gotten up, exercised, and had the most productive day making the world better for the blind individuals that I work on behalf of...right? Wrong! I woke up this morning and felt like I had run a marathon in my sleep. I didn't feel good at all! I didn't want to get out of bed. Am I sick? I don't think so...it's some sort of burn out. I am 23 years old though, and shouldn't be burned out.
Creating a personal schedule is hard to do. Some people schedule too few things, while others are always over booked. Think about an airline, and the way they operate. If you are currently flying your planes at half capacity, you will not make enough money to operate. On the flipside, if you are always overbooked, and have to bump passengers to later flights, people will stop flying with you, and you will again not have the income required to operate successfully.
Life is the same way. If you are under scheduled, you get bored. Your energy level drops, and your production drops. If you are over scheduled though, you tend to not be able to take care of the things that are required of you. You may be involved in 5 post-work organizations, but you might forget about a meeting during the day. You may help organize an event that builds a house for a homeless family, while forgetting to plan your child's birthday party.
I am learning how tough it is to juggle these activities. I committed to launching my own non profit designed to help others, and I have really dropped the ball on some personal and professional responsabilities. The launch of Give Your Gifts is in three weeks. From that point forward, my new focus for GYG is going to be finding the support that would be required to allow us to hire someone to manage the organization. This is going to mean finding a person, persons, or company that is going to be able to contribute about $35,000.
I have really enjoyed reading some of the comments and emails that readers of this blog have been sending me, and I just ask that you continue to pray for me with this time struggle in particular! There is nothing that can change the world like prayer! I need to be reminded of that sometimes!
Have a great evening!
Joe
This morning I must have gotten up, exercised, and had the most productive day making the world better for the blind individuals that I work on behalf of...right? Wrong! I woke up this morning and felt like I had run a marathon in my sleep. I didn't feel good at all! I didn't want to get out of bed. Am I sick? I don't think so...it's some sort of burn out. I am 23 years old though, and shouldn't be burned out.
Creating a personal schedule is hard to do. Some people schedule too few things, while others are always over booked. Think about an airline, and the way they operate. If you are currently flying your planes at half capacity, you will not make enough money to operate. On the flipside, if you are always overbooked, and have to bump passengers to later flights, people will stop flying with you, and you will again not have the income required to operate successfully.
Life is the same way. If you are under scheduled, you get bored. Your energy level drops, and your production drops. If you are over scheduled though, you tend to not be able to take care of the things that are required of you. You may be involved in 5 post-work organizations, but you might forget about a meeting during the day. You may help organize an event that builds a house for a homeless family, while forgetting to plan your child's birthday party.
I am learning how tough it is to juggle these activities. I committed to launching my own non profit designed to help others, and I have really dropped the ball on some personal and professional responsabilities. The launch of Give Your Gifts is in three weeks. From that point forward, my new focus for GYG is going to be finding the support that would be required to allow us to hire someone to manage the organization. This is going to mean finding a person, persons, or company that is going to be able to contribute about $35,000.
I have really enjoyed reading some of the comments and emails that readers of this blog have been sending me, and I just ask that you continue to pray for me with this time struggle in particular! There is nothing that can change the world like prayer! I need to be reminded of that sometimes!
Have a great evening!
Joe
Monday, August 6, 2007
The blessing in disguise!
Have you ever had the pleasure to do something good for someone else? Sure you have. Wow, isn't the feeling you get incredible? Why is that feeling so strong?
Here's my take-
Do you remember back in middle school, when a person of the opposite sex smiled at you? At that time, you didn't quite know why, but deep down inside, it made you feel really good. Well, I think that when you do something that is pleasing to God, He smiles at you. The feeling when God smiles at you is much more intense than that of another person.
(Just an FYI, that last paragraph is based on no fact, it's not based on the word, or on anything else, it's just the way I think about it.)
Why am I writing about this topic today? Well, there is a radio show I listen to once in a while, called The David Stein Show. It's a nationally syndicated show from California, and the theme is celebrating life through sports. It's quite moving.
Last night on the show, David read a letter that he received from the father of an 11 year old girl here in Chicago who is battling cancer. Her name is Alexi. She is a big White Sox fan. I wrote David (whom I know somewhat) and offered Alexi my tickets for tomorrow's game. I also recently began the process of joining the Auxiliary Board of a foundation called Bear Necessities here in Chicago. It's a pediatric cancer foundation. I offered to connect Alexi's family with the good people at BN.
After conversing with Alexi's dad, I knew that I could do more. I wrote a letter to my friend Roland Hemond, who is the legendary former GM of the White Sox, and Mike Veeck, who's dad used to own the team. I am confident that they will do something very special for Alexi.
That wasn't necessary though. Alexi's dad sent me an email that said that Alexi stayed up late last night, and listened to the show, and heard David read my letter offering a few White Sox tickets. He said that Alexi was "Blown Away" when she heard my offer. (I have tears pouring down my face right now.) Why does God trust us with such responsibility to make people happy? I don't know, but it's a big responsibility.
Sorry this post is a little more personal, than generic, but I just pray that you have the opportunity to do something for someone else. It's an incredible blessing!
Thank you for being you! Have a great day!
Joe
Here's my take-
Do you remember back in middle school, when a person of the opposite sex smiled at you? At that time, you didn't quite know why, but deep down inside, it made you feel really good. Well, I think that when you do something that is pleasing to God, He smiles at you. The feeling when God smiles at you is much more intense than that of another person.
(Just an FYI, that last paragraph is based on no fact, it's not based on the word, or on anything else, it's just the way I think about it.)
Why am I writing about this topic today? Well, there is a radio show I listen to once in a while, called The David Stein Show. It's a nationally syndicated show from California, and the theme is celebrating life through sports. It's quite moving.
Last night on the show, David read a letter that he received from the father of an 11 year old girl here in Chicago who is battling cancer. Her name is Alexi. She is a big White Sox fan. I wrote David (whom I know somewhat) and offered Alexi my tickets for tomorrow's game. I also recently began the process of joining the Auxiliary Board of a foundation called Bear Necessities here in Chicago. It's a pediatric cancer foundation. I offered to connect Alexi's family with the good people at BN.
After conversing with Alexi's dad, I knew that I could do more. I wrote a letter to my friend Roland Hemond, who is the legendary former GM of the White Sox, and Mike Veeck, who's dad used to own the team. I am confident that they will do something very special for Alexi.
That wasn't necessary though. Alexi's dad sent me an email that said that Alexi stayed up late last night, and listened to the show, and heard David read my letter offering a few White Sox tickets. He said that Alexi was "Blown Away" when she heard my offer. (I have tears pouring down my face right now.) Why does God trust us with such responsibility to make people happy? I don't know, but it's a big responsibility.
Sorry this post is a little more personal, than generic, but I just pray that you have the opportunity to do something for someone else. It's an incredible blessing!
Thank you for being you! Have a great day!
Joe
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