I want to be like him

By reading this, I'm sure you know that my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor Tuesday night. Since then, I've spent a lot of time with him and the rest of my family. My brother, Jody, has hardly left his side. While I have been with him, I've paid close attention to him. I've come to many conclusions over the past few days but one is resonating with me right now. No matter how old I get, I want to be like my dad when I grow up.

When I was a boy, I thought my dad drove a train because he worked at ALCOA where all the train tracks were. I thought that was awesome. So when I grew up, I wanted to be like my dad and drive a train.

When I was 8 or 9 years old, we lost power in a storm. We had a well for water so if there was no electricity there was no water. If there was no water, we couldn't flush commodes. Once the sun went down, this was a precarious situation for me because I did not want to go up in the woods to use the bathroom because it was dark and I was afraid. Not dad. When he needed to go, he took off and didn't even take a flash light. He wasn't scared one bit. When I grew up, I wanted to be just like my dad because he wasn't afraid of anything.

As I became a teen, I would meet people that my dad worked with. Sometimes they would say, "there isn't a more honest man than John Knight. I hope you're as honest as he is". Or they would tell me some story about how dad worked out a difficult situation with the Union at ALCOA and would say "you're lucky if you're as smart as your dad". But my favorite and the one used most often was when they would always say "Oh! your John's boy. If you grow up to be half the man your dad is you will be a good man". So when I grew up, I wanted to be like my dad because he was a good man.

Today I watched a man, stricken with a brain tumor pray for the preacher that was praying for him. Today, I watched my dad give thanks to God because no matter what, he knows that God will take care of him. I watched as he witnessed to every nurse and doctor that came in his room. When I grow up, I want to be like my dad, I want to be someone that is NEVER ashamed or scared to talk about Jesus to anyone.

As I type this blog, my dad and I are listening to a CD of my mom singing and Betty Bowman playing the piano. Right as I thought he was asleep, he raised up and as he cried happy tears he said:

"Son, I love that woman! Listen to that voice, have you ever heard anything more beautiful in your life? We've been together for nearly 50 years and we've had our struggles; some my fault and some her fault, but through it all, we are more in love today than we have ever been. I love your mother so much, I could never make it without her. Just listen to her. There is nothing more beautiful to my ears as your mother's voice, listen".

With that, he laid back and just listened. I want to be able to look back at nearly 50 years of marriage and say "through it all, we are more in love today than ever". When I grow up, I want to be just like my dad.

I love you and God does too!!

It's a tumor, now what God?

Got the worst news of my 41 years yesterday. My dad has been feeling poorly lately and it turns out he has a brain tumor (9.5 cm X 5.5 cm X 6.7 cm). The doctor believes it is a very new tumor, only 3 - 4 weeks old, but it is already a stage IV tumor
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_staging). Without going into detail, you can already tell this isn't good.

Bad things happen to good people every day so I'm not asking why. My dad is saved so we aren't worried about the ever-after. But this is my dad. Remember my post "go son, go!!"? I love my dad, and now looking at him in the hospital bed I don't ask God why. But I do ask, "now what?" I'm praying, my family is praying, our friends are praying, RIO-180 is praying, the RIO network is praying, Broadway Baptist is praying, Redemption Christian Center is praying.....we're all praying for my dad. But now what?

I was just being honest with God this morning in prayer and told him "God, this isn't a matter of whether You can or can't. It's a matter of whether You will or won't". God said that He will have mercy on whoever he wishes (Rom 9:18). If God heals dad, we're going to praise Him and if He doesn't, we're going to praise Him. But still, I come back to, "now what"?

At this point, all I know to do is to pray and trust God. If you read this, please pray for John Knight. He is 67 and a Godly man. He loves his wife dearly. He adores his children and grandchildren. Although he is ready to meet God, he doesn't want to do it soon.....I don't want him to either.

I love you and God does too!!

Scars

I was looking in the mirror today as I guess most normal people do when they wash their hands when I noticed two scars above my left eye.  Its not that I was surprised or anything, I knew they were there, they've been there for 39 years.  I just thought it was funny how days, weeks, and even months go by without me noticing the scars yet they are always there.

I have all kinds of scars; scars caused by falls, scars caused by my carelessness, scars caused by others.  Some of my scars are my fault, some were caused by others, and some couldn't be avoided at all.  I have scars that I'm proud of (I'm still a little boy inside) and I have some that I'm quite ashamed of.  Many of my scars I remember how I got while many more I just don't remember.  I remember when I was a kid, I once counted 22 scars on my left knee...and I was proud.

As I was looking in the mirror I realized that these two scars on my head symbolized much more than just a couple of falls when I was a kid.  Now I know this probably isn't original thinking and I'm sure someone smarter than me has put this in a much better way but this is me....and these are my scars.  As I looked in the mirror God showed me how there are other scars that we have other than physical.  These emotional scars are much like my scars; some we cause, some others caused, and some were just unavoidable.   The fact is that we all have scars somewhere.

Our emotional scars are much like our physical scars in many ways;
1) We start to forget what caused the scar when the hurt goes away.  With many scars, there is a pain that remains even when it looks like healing is done.  Those are deep scars caused by a deep cut.  All too often, we dwell on what caused the hurt rather than the fact that healing has began.  All we can feel is the hurt and all we can see is the scar so it is hard to see the fact that God is working and is providing a healing.  Sometimes that healing isn't as fast as we would like but inevitably, it comes.

2) Generally speaking, the smaller the scar the smaller the injury and conversely,  the bigger the scar, the worse the injury.  This is obvious but needs to be pointed out.  If you only have a small scar, the injury probably wasn't that bad.  In those cases, we shouldn't make a mountain out of a mole hill.  Those small injuries heal fast so we shouldn't persecute anyone that caused it as though they had severely injured you.

3) When scars are out of site, we forget about them.  Is this so wrong?  Is it wrong to forget about the past?  To forget about the pain that someone else caused you?  I don't think so.  What is in the past is in the past and if you have forgiven someone for causing your scar then you shouldn't dwell on it.  Let it go.

4) If we can see the scar then we all too often dwell on the past.  The fact is that some of our emotional scars are on our face (not literally of course).  Unfortunately, some of our scars, usually the worst ones, are right there in the open so we are always reminded of them.  We think about them and sometimes we even think that we can still feel pain in them.  Certainly when we see them, we remember the pain and we remember how we got it.  Sometimes, seeing these scars can fill our hearts with regret; regret about how we got the scar, regret about how we healed, or regret about how we didn't heal.  

And usually, the older we were when we got injured, the longer it takes for healing to take place.  It's funny how the younger I was when I got one of my scars, the less likely I am to even remember how I got it.  I have some really bad scars that I got when I was young and I can hardly remember getting it.  Then there are others that I got when I was older.  They aren't as big but for some reason, I remember the hurt much more vividly than the bigger scar I got when I was a kid.

Scars, we've all got them.  In some way, some form, or some fashion they are there.  We live with them.  Sometimes we can cover them up and sometimes we can't.  Some aren't noticeable and some make a passerby flinch in pain when they see it.  But you know what?  These are my scars.  They are a part of me.  They don't define me and I rarely think of them but they are mine.  I own them, whether I caused them or not I own them.  If I don't own my scars then I believe I would think about them more.  If I thought about the injury, I would think about the cause and that opens the door for shame and regret.

The fact is that the devil wants us to remember our shame and regret but as the song says "...I remember oh God you're not done with me yet".  And remember, if you have a scar that means it's no longer a scab, God is finishing His work on that injury.  Don't let your scars define you and don't let them cause more pain.  You have them now and there isn't anything you can do about it.  Let them heal and give God the glory.

I love you and God does too!

Daddy's little Girl

Early this week when I took Kassi to school, I dropped her off at Mary Blount Elementary. When we left our house on Bingham Lane, we kissed Kim and my baby Kalli goodbye. As I walked Kassi into Kindergarten, we talked about all the fun things she would do that day. She gave me a big kiss and a big hug when we got to her class room.

When I got home from work, Kim and I sat at the dinner table with my 6 year-old Kassi and my 17 month old Kalli. Kassi told us about her day. I asked if she had any boyfriends and she said "daddy, I'll never have a boyfriend because I'm going to marry you when I grow up". At this moment, if you were in my mind, you could hear the loud sound of screeching tires coming to an abrupt stop in my head. THAT WASN'T LAST WEEK!!! THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO!!!

Oh my how time flies. It really does seem like yesterday that my kids were so young. Now, Kassi is 16 and Kalli is 11 and we brought Kelsi into the mix a couple of years ago. It still amazes both Kim and me that we a) have three kids b) one of them is 16 and c) one of them is 2. An 11 year-old maybe, surely we are the right age for an 11-year old. But I feel way to young for a 16 year-old and way too old for a two year-old.

It seems like just early this week, I didn't have to worry about Kassi dating because she was going to marry me and live with Kim and me forever. I know that was just early this week, had to be. Last night, reality sunk in as Kassi and I sat watching her boyfriend play football. When did this happen??!! Early this week, it seemed like my worries about Kassi were "I hope the other kids don't make fun of her for being too tall", "Kassi is a loner, I hope she learns to make friends", "I hope the teacher is good to her", and "I hope she talks to other kids about Jesus". My worries have changed significantly. Now my worries are "I hope Kassi stays away from boys", "I hope Kassi stays away from boys", "I hope Kassi stays away from boys"...I think you get the picture.

The fact is that as Kassi grows up, she is not going to stay away from boys. She is a beautiful, smart young woman and the boys have noticed that. So my focus as a father has changed over the years from "Boy bad, ball good" to "I must pick the right Husband for Kassi. I know you're thinking that I'm crazy for saying that I'm gong to pick her husband and in that sense, you're right. However, when I say that I'm going to pick her husband I mean that it is up to me to see to it that that she only date appropriate suitors.

I want my daughters to marry a man of God and I will do everything in my power to see to that. He must be a man, not that he has to be 6'3" and 225 lbs and can bench press 400 lbs. That isn't the definition of a man. A man, first and foremost, is a man of God. This means he is a protector, provider, leader and a teacher. He must be Godly and holy. He must put God ahead of everything.

Any boy that wants to date my daughter must not only live up to my standards but to God's standards. He will come to the door each time to pick my daughter up and he will come inside to speak with me. He will not wait in his car. He will open doors for my daughter. He will speak to her as though I were standing over them during every conversation. He will read his bible and be prepared for conversations with me about what he has been reading. He will only touch her in a way that he would as if I were with them. He will not use foul or vulgar language. He will not use alcohol or drugs. He will not associate with people that do use alcohol or drugs.

Fathers, it is our responsibility for our daughters to know what a man of God looks like. Does your daughters see you do any of the things on my list that I would not allow a boy to do to my daughter? Do they see you do the things that I said the boy should do? You want to know what kind of husband your daughter may end up with? Look at yourself. If you have a good relationship with your wife and daughter, she is going to want to marry someone like you, good bad or indifferent. Because lets face it, every little girl wants to marry her daddy when she grows up.

I love you and God does too!

Love and Babe Ruth

I ripped off Dennis Rainey yesterday so I thought I would do it again today.  Here is something that I read last month and it has resonated with me ever since.  One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Pet 4:8 "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins".  I know in my life and my marriage, I have counted on the love of others toward me to cover my sins to offer forgiveness so I try to be careful to do the same.  The story below from Mr. Rainey is a great example of what Jesus was talking about when he said we must accept the Kingdom of Heaven like a child (Matt 18:2-5).
 
I can’t attribute this story to its source, but a number of years ago I read a story about Babe Ruth. At the end of his legendary baseball career, the Babe had become obviously overweight. During one of his final contests, he bungled several fly balls in the outfield and struck out weakly with every plate appearance. Fans who had seen or heard about his once-proud exploits were now quick with catcalls, mocking this man who had hit twice as many home runs as anyone else in baseball.

But as the jeering got louder and louder, a little boy leaped over the railing and onto the playing field. With tears streaming down his face, he ran to the Babe and threw his arms around the legs of the fading athlete. Babe Ruth reached down, picked up the boy and hugged him tight. Then setting him down and patting him on the head, they walked hand in hand toward the dugout, while the jeers turned to cheers. Hardly an eye remained dry in the whole place.

The crowd had been correct in their assessment, of course. The Babe had let much of his athletic prowess go to seed. Yet a little boy had remembered him for who he was . . . and had covered over his errors with love.

This is not unlike what marriage was established to be -- two people saying to each other, "I know you've failed me and disappointed me at times (as I have you), but I'm still going to put my arm around you and tell you, 'I love you.'  i'm on this journey with you one way or the other."

Love covers a multitude of sins...Period!  It isn't pride and it isn't something you earn.  God is Love (1 John 4:8) and this love allows us to forgive.  Love allows us to over look someones mistakes and see them for who God sees them.  God's love is what allows me to see my kids and my wife the way that Jesus sees them.  Like I said to Kassi yesterday, my nature is for everything to be black and white, no gray area.  It is God's love working in me that helps me to get past my human nature and see my family the way God sees them.  It's God's love that lets me know that God has laid hold of (apprehended) them for a reason (Phil 3:12) and I should always do the same.

Judge not lest ye be judged (Matt 7:1)

I love you and God does too!

Foul Ball

The aricle below is taken directly from what I read this morning in my family life devotional (familylife.com) by Dennis Rainey.  This is something I am guilty of more often than I care to admit.  I'm sure I was guilty of it today when I was asking my daughter why she had to go outside to get her backpack.  Wouldn't life be easier if you just pick your "stuff" up when you get out of the car was my comment to her. 

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise.
Ephesians 5:15

I've often wondered why more people don't get hurt by foul balls that are hit into the stands during a baseball game. You'd think it would happen almost every time, especially those line drives that carom through an entire seating section. But even on those occasions when a stray ball does leave a lump or a bruise, you can hardly blame the batter, can you? I mean, he's not out to intentionally harm anyone. It's just what happens in the flow of the game, right?

That's probably not the way Baltimore Orioles' Jay Gibbons felt not long ago when he fouled a pitch straight back over the screen. That's because this time, his wayward swing didn't threaten a nine-year-old sitting there with his cap and glove or a hot-dog vendor walking the steps or a pair of buddies taking in a game together.

No, Jay's foul ball hit his own wife right in the ribcage.

He didn't mean to. It wasn't intentional.

This story reminded me of those sarcastic remarks we sometimes let slip.

Or those little unkind things we foul off. Or those grunts we utter when we think the magazine article we're reading is much more interesting and important than what the wife is saying.

A foul ball can hurt as much as a direct hit. A fairly insignificant slight or accusation--especially when it's allowed to fester and accumulate and build on the last one--can bruise your relationship. That's why you must guard against minor, offhand offenses. Stop occasionally and go see if your words are hurting anyone--your spouse, a child or a friend.

Careless words. A lapse in judgment. Foul balls. And foul words. But whether intended or not, they can still carom with enough speed to wound and injure the ones you love the most.

Be careful with your words and choose your battles wisely.  Those we love are more important than being right all the time.

I love you and God does too!

Prison Ministry - Day 2

After a great day at Little Sandy on Saturday, we were looking forward to an even better day on Sunday.  Sunday, was our second and final day in KY and we were at Eastern KY penetentury.  I always try to to share Jesue when I can on these trips but generally, we only have enough players for one team so while the players play against the inmates we have several dedicated men that do nothing but walk the yard and share the gospel.  We stop playing a couple of times each day to share the gospel when we get a crowd.

Sunday morning at breakfast, I was asked to "share" during one of these breaks on Sunday.   Sharing the gospel is why I do prison ministry so I was fired up Sunday morning.  God had given me a message to share a couple of weeks ago so I was ready.  The message God had given me was simply telling about 4 men that I know.   I won't give names or details because some of you may know who I'm talking about but I have 3 friends that have done time in prison and are now dead.  As I told about each man, one at a time, I shared their stories about their lives and how they died.  I shared that one man was definitely in Hell right now.  I also told them that I was uncertain about the eternities for the other two because they had no fruit in their lives.  

Then I told them about a fourth man, my best friend.  A man that told me that anytime I was tired, not sleepy tired but tired of the world, I could come to Him and He would give me rest.  This man died for me so that I could spend eternity with Him and His dad.   I explained that all we have to do is believe that He died for our sins and believe He rose on the third day, then we could be saved.  This "belief" that the Bible talks about isn't the kind of belief that we have in something because we think it to be true.  But this kind of "belief" is the kind of belief that we have that our mother is our mother.  We don't remember her giving birth to us but because she has always been there, we truly believe she is the one that gave birth to us.  That is the kind of belief in Jesus that it takes to be saved.

When I got done speaking, I simply told them that now is their opportunity to know where they will go when they die because they aren't promised tomorrow.  12 men got saved.  God was truly working in this prison before we ever got there.  I did nothing, it was all the Holy Spirit.

We were about to start playing when this man, a mountain of a man came up to me.  Now I don't want to stereotype but just by looking at him, he would not be my first choice for a baby sitter.  This guy was obviously making good use of the weights.  He was built a lot like Ray Lewis, just tougher.  When he came up to me, he just said "I was the first guy you talked about".  He told me how he has always been willing to fight at the drop of a hat.  He said that he wanted to know where he was going when he died and he has always known about Jesus.  He said he has always known he needed to get saved but thought he had to clean up first.  During my talk, I shared that we don't make our selves well before we go to the doctor and we don't fix our car before we take it to a mechanic.  Neither do we have to "clean up" before we come to Jesus.  His name was Ed and his humility truly touched me.

Have you made that decision?  Do you know that you know you are saved?  If not, please contact me and I will tell you how to be saved.

I love you and God does too!

Prison Ministry - Day one

This past weekend I went on a prison ministry trip to KY.  For anyone that doesn't know what I do, I go with a team of men from Sevier Heights Baptist Church into prisons in TN, KY, AL, and FL.  We play softball against the inmates and tell them about Jesus.  We get to spend time with them and build relationships.  I know that there are people out there that believe we should be doing other types of ministry because criminals "shouldn't get extra privaleges".  The fact is that in Matt 25 Jesus is pretty clear regarding prison ministry.  

Saturday, we saw several men saved.  I was a little disappointed because as of the last 1/3 of the day, I hadn't made a difference in anyone's life.  We were at Little Sandy prison and we had gone in for dinner at 3:30.  After dinner we had another 90 minutes before we could go back out to the yard where the softball field is so this gave us more time to spend with the prison softball players.  Our team and theres did different things to pass the time.  Some played basketball, some played corn-hole and some just hung out and talked.  

I was tired so all I felt like doing was sitting so I found an inmate to talk to.  I sat down with a guy named "Blue".  Blue and I talked for about 30 minutes about softball.  Then the Holy Spirit began to move on both of us.  Blue is from a town just outside of Memphis so I asked him what brought him to Kentucky.  He said "well, running dope and murder".  Thats when Blue opened up.  Blue is 41 and has been in prison for 19 years for murder.  He was saved in October of 2011 and for the last 6 months there has been strange things happening in his life.  He has found himself to be more compassionate to people and he is able to forgive when just a few years ago, there is no way he would forgive.   With all of this, there was still something wrong.  He said that he wanted to be closer to God but something wasn't right.

The Holy Spirit immediately revealed to me that He is working on Blue and that's why he has saw the recent changes.  He also showed me that the reason Blue is unsettled is because he hasn't forgiven himself.  I didn't beat around the bush.  When I brought it up, we spoke for a second and then he started crying.  He said "look at me!  what's wrong with me, I've never cried before".  Blue acknowledged that he had so much remorse for his crime that he doesn't think it is possible for him to forgive himself.  I explained to him that if he got saved God has forgiven him and he agreed.  I told him that by not forgiving himself, he is exalting himself above God and we talked about that for a while.  

When it was time to go back to the field I knew that God had worked through me and through Blue.  God was so good to us this weekend.  If God can provide hope to an inmate that is facing 7 more years to life in prison, imagine what he can do for you if you let him.

I love you and God does too!

John

I HATE....

The old man, ugh!  I hate him.  I try to never think about him….EVER!!!  Why?  The old man was so displeasing to God.  The old man would act like he tried to please God so that others could see but in reality, he was a fake and a liar.  Sin was OK to him.  The old man was not me, I hate the old man. 

Yes, the old man dies every day (1 Cor15:31) but that doesn’t mean that I truly have to face him.  He dies everyday because Christ Jesus lives in me.  Not only does Jesus live in me, His spirit flows through me.  This makes sin the farthest thing from my mind.  When faced with sin, I’m not faced with the old man.  No, rather I’m presented an opportunity to “…resist the devil and he’ll flee from me” (James 4:7).  Any temptation of sin does not make me think about the old man nor my old life.  It simply reminds me how I’ve been redeemed, forgiven, and Jesus is my strength. 

But every now and then, I mean once in a blue moon, something or someone reminds me of that old man and his sinful ways.  It makes me sick to think about how I didn’t care to displease God.  I hate sin!  I hate EVERY part of that old man and old life before I was reconciled to God.  I thank God for his forgiveness and for his divine protection.  We learn from our mistakes so that we NEVER repeat them so I guess it is good to sometimes remember who we used to be so that we can always HATE that person and hate the sin. 

I know what I’ve said sounds harsh but we must remember that God hates sin too.  If we commit just one sin we have earned hell’s fire.  That is why it was necessary for Jesus to die for our sins…His death is our eternal sacrifice for sin.  Each and every time that we sin, we are killing Jesus all over again so that we can accept his forgiveness.

If your old-man hasn’t died to Christ, today can be your day of salvation.

I love you and god does too!

We can be like David

I've been reading the old testament this year, slowly.  I've thoroughly enjoyed it.  Right now, I'm on 1st Samuel.  Saul has been annointed king but he has disobeyed God so God has removed His annointing.  Now the Israelites are at war with the Philistines.  They are camped across from each other and every day Goliath comes out and taunts the army or Israel.  He dares them to send a champion to fight against him but the Israelites are afraid of him.

Now enters David.  He is there to bring food to his brothers but he is intrigued by the war.  He heads to the front line to hear what is going on.  Thats when he hears Goliath taunting the army.  David, although he is just a boy, is angered by Goliath's taunting.  He asks who is going to fight Goliath but no one steps forward.  David doesn't hesitate and he volunteers.  Here is where the story gets good.  I'm going to leave out a lot of the details and cut straight to the chase.  David tells Saul what he is going to do and Saul basically tells him he can't do it.  

Here is my favorite part.  It isn't when David kills Goliath, it's what he says to Saul.  David says "Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued  it  from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized  him  by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God." And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Samuel 17:34-37 NASB).  

How soon many of us forget how God has delivered us from a situation.   Can one of you that is reading this say that God has never bailed you out or given you the strength and ability to bail yourself out?  I can't.  God has bailed me out so many times.  In the last trial that I was going through I read this verse about a dozen times.  I said to the devil, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from you too".  And He did.

Trust in God during your trials and don't doubt Him.  Remember 1 Samuel 17:37 and remind the devil who your deliver is.

I love you and God does too!

Thank you God!!

If you are close to my family, you will know that the last few months have been VERY hard for us.  We have been presented with situations that we never dreamed we would be in.    We have been scared.  I know that we aren't supposed to be but the fact is that as God closed doors and opened others, we were scared.   We questioned God along the way, not much but we did.  

We saw God close a door in May and we knew it but we kept pressing until we thought it was opening again.  In June, we tried to open it again and it seemed like it was opening but once again, God closed it.  At the end of July, we tried once again to open it and much to our dismay, God closed it.  We knew what God wanted us to do based on this door staying closed but going through the open door was going to be hard, so hard.  As we were going through the open door, we tried one last time this past Saturday to open the closed door.  We did EVERYTHING we could to get this door open because it was the easy way out but for the last time, God closed it.

As we continue down this new path that God has set before us, we have to walk by faith.  We have to lean on God that he will always provide.  The thing that keeps us going is God's face and not His hand.  We do our best to have the attitude of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednigo "Our God will deliver us, but even if He doesn't, we will not bow".  We trust in God to provide for our needs, but even if he doesn't, we will continue to serve Him.  

Thank you God for loving my family so much that you guide us to where you want us to be.  Thank you for not giving in to our selfish wants and providing us with what we need.  Thank you for giving me the most awesome wife in the world who trusts me as the spiritual leader in our house.  Thank you God for giving me children that trust their parents with future changing decisions.  Thank you God for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross as the eternal sacrifice for my sins.  Lead us God and we will follow.

We so often confuse God's voice with the voice in our head.  Sometimes God's voice isn't a voice at all, it's biblical truths, it's honesty, it's integrity.  I challenge you this week to hear God's voice.

I love you and God does too!

Good for you Chic-fil-a

Have you heard the latest controversy regarding Chic-fil-a?  Seems that their CEO, Dan Cathy, said in a recent interview that he tries to run Chick-fil-a based on biblical principles.  When asked if that means they have taken a stand against gay marriage Cathy responded "guilty as charged".  I suggest you do your own research to get the details.  Now there is a big public outcry against CFA.  Chicago and Boston have both said that they do not want any new CFA restaurants.  The "Muppet's" brand has severed their ties with CFA.

The funny and ridiculous thing in all of this is that the general public believes that if you are against gay-marriage then you are also against the ethical treatment of people.  CFA says they stand for biblical principles, not only does that mean that they are against same sex marriage, it also means that they are against adultery, using the Lords name in vain, lying, and murder.  It means that they love their neighbor and and they are going to treat people humanely; gay or straight.

The world misinterprets Jesus' statement that your are either "for me or against me" (Matt 12:30), they think that if we are against something then we are against the people.  In reality, Christians are against the sin but they love the person.  I'm against my kids lying but I forgive them and love them anyway, I don't disown them.  God hates sin and we should to.  I hate it when I sin and I hate it when you sin.  Sin is sin.  The good news is that God is "faithful and just to forgive us of our sins" (John 1:9).

I'm happy that there is a company that will say "we stand for biblical principles".  What a great place this world would be if the "world" wouldn't try to attack anyone who stands for something.  Thank you Mr. Cathy for providing as much of a Christian atmosphere in a public place that you can.  I will do my best to have my family at CFA this weekend.  I encourage you do do the same. 

The good and bad of AAU

The Good: I want to start this by saying that I am a full supporter of AAU basketball. I thoroughly enjoy watching Kassi play against VERY good competition. She has certainly became a better player because of her experience in AAU. She has played with and against some of the top tallent in the country. Unfortunately, I don't get to see all of her games because I work.

The Bad: I miss my girls! Because I don't get to go to all of her tournaments, Kim goes. That means that I have to be without my wife, my cook, my care-taker, and my best friend for days. Kim is the best wife ever. I think one of the things I like best about her is she laughs at all of my jokes. Any body that knows me knows that I have a hard time being serious AND I have a very dry sense of humor. Kim knows my jokes and even when they may seem untimely, she laughs. Not only does she laugh, she smiles. One of my favorite things in the world is to make my wife smile. She has the most beautiful smile in ever.

The Bad: I find myself not disappointed if Kassi's team gets beat early so they have to come home early. This week's tourney in Nashville was a Sunday-Wednesday tourney so they pulled out at 8:20 am on Sunday. Kassi lost their first game so they will be home tomorrow. I hate that I'm not disappointed but when it comes to my time with my family, I am very stingy.

The Good: Kassi loves basketball like I love ice cream. She can't get enough. Last week, she was shooting every night until after 11:00 pm (she started each night around 8:00). AAU gives Kassi an opportunity to play against great competition almost every weekend (my diet doesn't let me have ice cream as often). She gets so excited before every game. I wish I had been as dedicated to get better at football when I was her age.

The Good: AAU provides Kassi exposure that she wouldn't otherwise get just playing High School basketball. She is already getting letters from D1 schools that saw her at AAU tournaments. I am very proud of her.

Summary: AAU is great but I'm jealous of the time I'm away from my girls. This week is the last tournament and I'm glad. I'm glad I won't have to be without my wife again until next year and I'm glad that Kassi will get a break...whether she wants it or not.

I am first and foremost the spiritual leader in my family. I am their protector and provider and I don't like being in positions where I can't protect them. I miss you Kim and I can't wait until I get to hold you and make you smile tomorrow!

I love you and God does too!

Seek his face, not his hand

When was the last time you spent 15 minutes in prayer without asking God for anything except forgiveness? When was the last time you spent time in worship without asking God for a blessing? It's really hard when we are such needy people.

David was a man "after God's own heart". David was a man that just wanted more of God "Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek His face evermore.  Psalm 105:4". In Hebrew, "face" is used in place of presence. David was saying "seeks his presence evermore". When we can learn to be like David and just want more of God, we will truly be able to worship Him in "spirit and truth" (John 4:24). That is what being a Christian is really about, being in God's presence. That's why he created us. He created humans so he could have a relationship with a being that had a choice. Why do we settle for less than all of God?

I challenge you today to spent time with God without asking for anything. I challenge you to just praise him and acknowledge his forgiveness and his love. Thank Him for what He has done for you but even more, thank Him for who He is. Seek His face evermore!

I love you and God does too!

Missing my girl

Kim is away with Kassi at a basketball tournament and I'm missing her.   Last week, I was away from her for one night so I drove to Nashville to be with her.  This week, its Cincinnati and three nights instead of two.  It just wasn't possible for me to be with her...I'm dying without her.

Why am I'm telling you this?  Well, I don't know, other than it seems to make me feel better to write it down.  I miss my girl.  When she is away, I'm lost.  I have sat around all day with Kalli and Kelsi not knowing what to do.  The only thing I know to do is play with them outside and with the heat today, that just wasn't possible with a 2-year old.  Kim would have known what to do today.  Heck, if she were here, I probably would have too.  Without her, I'm just lonely.  Kalli is good company and she and Kelsi are fun but it just isn't the same without Kim.

I hope she and Kassi are having fun.  As for me, I started counting down the minutes until she gets home as soon as she pulled out of the garage yesterday.

I love my baby!

YOU can do something great!

There is something that our pastor (Brad) has been mentioning a lot at church lately and that is many of our biblical heroes were just regular people.  This is a tough concept to grasp for me.  All of my life, I have looked at men like David, Gideon, Nehemiah, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednigo as extraordinary men of God.  In reality, these men were just as normal as I am before they did something extraordinary. 

David killed Goliath but before that he was tending sheep.  Then he was just taking his brothers lunch when he heard how Goliath was slandering God and Israel.  We know what happened next.  Then he became a great king but he fell into an adulterous affair and committed murder.  God restored him.

Gideon was a normal guy sitting under a tree when the angel of God called him a warrior.  Gideon basically told the angel "you've got the wrong guy, I'm no warrior".  He obeyed God and led Israel to great victories...with 300 men.

Nehemiah was the cup bearer to the king.  The cup bearer is the guy who tastes the kings wine to see if it is poisoned.  If it isn't, great.  If it is, well the king will have to find another cup bearer.  Nehemiah was expendable.  He heard that Jerusalem was in disarray and the walls were tore down and he simply stepped up.  He wasn't a leader or a builder but with God's help, he led a great building project.

Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were just young men.  They had never done anything.  All they did was the right thing.  They didn't bow to an idle.  Most importantly, they trusted God.  They told Nebuchadnezzar "Our God will deliver us, but if he doesn't, we still will not bow".  We know how that ended.

And then there is us.  We're just normal people.  We are sitting back waiting on someone else to do something great.  I generally try to put things in the context of sports when I'm trying to explain something.  Think basketball.  Every team has got their leading scorer and then there is the supporting cast.  What happens when the leading scorer is hurt or just isn't performing?  Someone has to step up.  If everyone else just goes through the motions waiting for someone to score, that team will get beat.  They need someone to step up as the go-to player.  Someone has to come out of their shell and shoot the ball even if they are more comfortable passing. 

Are you ready to step up and be God's go-to player?  God is ready to use you for something great, you just have to step up.  When God's angel calls you a warrior, you can't ignore it even though you've never fought a battle.  We must be like Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednigo and just believe God.  God gave them an open door but it was up to them to walk through.  Will you?  God will open a door for you if he hasn't already.  Some of you may be looking through that door right now but you're scared to death to walk through.  Maybe you want to walk through but you are waiting for someone else to walk through first.  Be like Nehemiah.  He didn't wait on someone else to build the walls, he did it.  Remember, he wasn't a builder or a leader.  He stepped WAY out of his comfort zone.  Are you ready?

Tell God you are ready to be his go-to player and see what happens.

God loves you and I do too!

Today is a new day

I've taken quite a break from my blog and I certainly owe some of you an apology. I use my blog as a way to keep myself accountable but if I'm not careful I can use it as a sounding board. Kim and I discussed it and we believe that it was best to take a couple of weeks off. But now I can say that today is a new day.

Have you ever needed one of those, a new day? I know for us, it was feeling like we were living the same day over again. Took us back to Bill Murray and Ground Hog Day, we tried different things but each day seemed like the same old stuff. For the record, everything is fine with Kim and me. We are just as happy together as we ever were. The "stuff" I'm talking about are things outside of our family that have a direct impact on us but are completely out of our control. But our situation did remind me that there are people out there that need a new day.

There are hurting people in this world, maybe even reading this blog, that need to know they can have a new day. I met some men at a prison in KY on Friday that found this out. They knew they needed a new day, they didn't think it was possible. They wake up every day with the same outlook, the same situation, the same people giving them trouble, and the same people telling them what to do. Every day is planned out and the longer they are in their situation, the more bleak it seems and the less help they get from the outside world.

Sound familiar? Had I left out the fact that they were in prison, some of you may have thought that I was talking about you. Some of these men got a new day on Saturday because they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They know that things aren't going to be perfect. But they also know that now they have hope. In the end, isn't that what we all need to start a new day, HOPE? Where there is no hope, there is no way out. Where there is no hope, there is defeat. Jesus Christ gives us hope, hope for a new day.

God loves you and I do too!

My cool daughter Kassi

Our internet connection was down the other day and Kassi saw Kim's computer on so this is what she did.  She opened Word and commenced to typing.  I was laughing pretty hard by the time I got finished.  What do you think?

So our wireless was down so I got bored and started writing. And now you’re reading. Let us ask ourselves, why? Why am I writing and you are reading? Why are you reading this in my voice? Why are you not creeped out yet? 

What is our place in the universe? Why can’t you wear white after Labor day? What is wrong with my font? what is this witch craft? There, much better. 

Oh gosh now it’s red. Why is it red? Red is the color of blood, what sign is this? Is there an ax murderer waiting for me in my shower? 

Doesn’t matter, I always check first. Why do girls that wear no clothes get more likes on facebook than cute puppies and babies? Why can’t I get my braces off yet? WHY ARE YOU STILL READING? 

Why am I even asking questions in the first place? Why do I have no life so I sit here and type things to no one? Is it because I can’t run or play basketball and my mind is starting to go? Of course it is. 

What if I took up knitting? Does this hurt your eyes? Hahaha I bet it does! Burn baby burn! This is the type of thing I would do if Meghan were here. But I don’t have friends over because I’m a hermit. Why am I a hermit? What is a hermit? Who came up with the name “Hermit”? It certaintly wasn’t a hermit, he never would have unzipped his full-body sweater long enough to explain it. 

Why don’t I go do something productive? Why don’t YOU go do something productive instead of sitting here reading this? Huh? 

DOES IT SOUND LIKE I’M YELLING NOW? I BET IT DOES. WAAAAHHHH. 

You know, punctuation is a beautiful thing. It saves lives, it does. It’s the difference between, “Let’s eat, Grandma!” and, “Let’s eat GRANDMA!”  Poor grandma. I would never treat my grandmother like that. Would you? I bet if you’re still reading you would. 

Grammar is a cool thing too. It’s the difference between knowing your crap, and knowing you’re crap. Yeah, I went there. 

You know what gets on my nerves? No you don’t so I’m about to tell you. DON’T EX OUT OF THE PAGE NOW I WANNA TELL MY STORY. YOU’VE BEEN READING THIS LONG. KEEP PRESSING ON YOU WIMP. 

Anyway, what gets on my nerves is the people who tlk lyke diis and Xpect u 2 take dem siriusly.

Like dude, warn me next time before you have a seizure on your keyboard and I’ll go offline. You are not gangster. You are not ghetto. You are not “she knoww she bhadd” or whatever that is, so yeah. 

Why are you still reading this? Are you not bored yet? Oh, wait , I told you to keep reading didn’t I? See I’m just too lazy to use the backspace bar. Yeah, so I’m going to go do something productive now. Hope you enjoyed reading what went through my head for the past 10 minutes. 

These are random thoughts from Kassi.  Not a lot about Jesus here but this is what my kid does when she's bored.  I'm pretty proud of her!!

God loves you and I do too! 

Names of God Wednesday Lesson

I spoke at church last night and here is the outline I used talking about some of the names of God. I love the story about Paul and the nameless or unknown God (Acts 17:22-26) but the fact is we know that God has a name. He told Moses he "I AM". There is a deep study just on that name and maybe I will share my opinions here some day. Would be too long to get into AND to list my outline for this blog. This study talks about some of the names in which people of the bible, through God's inspiration, addressed God.

Names of God: 

"ELOHIM"  is the first name for God found in the Bible, and it's used throughout the Old Testament over 2,300 times. Elohim comes from the Hebrew root meaning "strength" or "power", and has the unusual characteristic of being plural in form. In Genesis 1:1, we read, "In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth." Right from the start, this plural form for the name of God is used to describe the One God, a mystery that is uncovered throughout the rest of the Bible. 

Throughout scripture, Elohim is combined with other words to describe certain characteristics of God. Some examples: 
Elohim Kedem - God of the Beginning: (Deuteronomy 33:27). 
Elohim Mishpat - God Of Justice: (Isaiah 30:18). 
Elohay Selichot - God Of Forgiveness: (Nehemiah 9:17). 
Elohay Marom - God Of Heights: (Micah 6:6).
Elohay Mikarov - God Who Is Near: (Jeremiah 23:23). 
Elohay Mauzi - God Of My Strength: (Psalm 43:2). 
Elohay Tehilati - God Of My Praise: (Psalm 109:1). 
Elohay Yishi - God Of My Salvation: (Psalm 18:46). 
Elohim Kedoshim - Holy God: (Leviticus 19:2, Joshua 24:19). 
Elohim Chaiyim - Living God: (Jeremiah 10:10). 
Elohay Elohim - God Of Gods: (Deuteronomy 10:17). 

"EL" is another name used for God in the Bible, showing up about 200 times in the Old Testament. El is the simple form arising from Elohim, and is often combined with other words for descriptive emphasis. 

Some examples: 
El Shaddai - The all-sufficient God (Gen 17:1)
El HaNe'eman - The Faithful God: (Deuteronomy 7:9). 
El HaGadol - The Great God: (Deuteronomy 10:17). 
El HaKadosh - The Holy God: (Isaiah 5:16). 
El Yisrael - The God Of Israel: (Psalm 68:35). 
El HaShamayim - The God Of The Heavens: (Psalm 136:26). 
El De'ot - The God Of Knowledge: (1 Samuel 2:3). 
El Emet - The God Of Truth: (Psalm 31:6). 
El Yeshuati - The God Of My Salvation: (Isaiah 12:2). 
El Elyon - The Most High God: (Genesis 14:18). 
Immanu El - God Is With Us: (Isaiah 7:14). 
El Olam - The God Of Eternity (Genesis 21:33). 
El Echad - The One God: (Malachi 2:10). 

"ELAH" is another name for God, used about 70 times in the Old Testament. Again, when combined with other words, we see different attributes of God. Some examples: 
Elah Yerush'lem - God of Jerusalem: (Ezra 7:19).
Elah Yisrael - God of Israel: (Ezra 5:1). 
Elah Sh'maya - God of Heaven: (Ezra 7:23). 
Elah Sh'maya V'Arah - God of Heaven and Earth: (Ezra 5:11). 

"YHWH" is the Hebrew word that translates as "LORD". Found more often in the Bible than any other name for God (almost  7,000 times in the old testament and almost 1000 times in the new testament), the title is also referred to as the "Tetragrammaton," meaning the "The Four Letters". YHWH comes from the Hebrew verb "to be" and is the special name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM; and He said, thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you... this is My eternal name, and this is how I am to be recalled for all generations'" (Exodus 3:14-15). Therefore, YHWH declares God's absolute being - the source of everything, without beginning and without end. Although some pronounce YHWH as "Jehovah" or "Yaweh," scholars really don't know the proper pronunciation. The Jews stopped pronouncing this name by about 200 A.D., out of fear of breaking the commandment "You shall not take the name of YHWH your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). (Today's rabbis typically use "Adonai" in place of YHWH.) 

Here are some examples of YHVH used in scripture: 
YHWH Elohim - LORD God: (Genesis 2:4). 
YHWH M'kadesh - The LORD Who Makes Holy: (Ezekiel 37:28).
YHWH Yireh - The LORD Who Sees/provides: (Genesis 22:14). 
YHWH Nissi - The LORD My Banner: (Exodus 17:15). 
YHWHShalom - The LORD Of Peace: (Judges 6:24). 
YHWH Tzidkaynu - The LORD Our Righteousness: (Jeremiah 33:16). YHWH O'saynu- The LORD our Maker: (Psalm 95:6).

God loves you and I do too!

She's coming home!

Kim and Kassi have been gone since Friday. Kassi had an AAU tournament in Suwanne, Ga this weekend. I couldn't go because we had a huge upgrade going on at work so I had to stay home just in case there were problems. I hope we don't have to do this again!

Don't get me wrong, I've gotten some good Kalli/Kelsi time in. Friday, Kalli stayed the night with a friend so it was just Kelsi and me. She is a lot of fun and all we did was play until she went to bed. Saturday, I took Kalli to Bass Pro Shop and then we went on the hill behind Smokies park and watched an inning of baseball...for free! Kalli thought this was the coolest thing and I enjoyed it too. Kalli was the cutest, she thought we were really getting away with something. But nothing, I repeat NOTHING compares to Kimmy time.

When we are apart, I have the hardest time going to bed. I sleep OK, I just can't seem to make myself go to bed without her. Its funny, we are appart over 10 hours everyday but as soon as I knew she was gone on Friday morning I was missing her and I've missed her ever since. I may be different than others (I hope not) but I don't look at this time as "me" time. I look at as I'm mising out on "we" time. But now, she is on her way home. She should be home by 7:30 and I can't wait. I miss my baby when she is gone but oh how I love the feeling of her embrace as soon as she gets home. There's nothing like that hug knowing she has missed me just as bad as I missed her. I'll love Kim forever no matter what but she sure makes it easy to love her because the way she loves me.

No matter how great your kids are, and mine are pretty darn good, your world has to revolve around them. Kids are just needy by nature. Kim is selfless. She puts me ahead of herself so that just makes me want to put her needs ahead of my own even more. I love my beautiful wife and I can't wait to see her. Two hours and counting!

I love you and God does too!

He ain't tired yet

My God is awesome. I was just thinking about Him a few minutes ago when He brought this verse to my memory. There is no one like our God. We need to remember that every day. It's so easy for some people to walk through their day-to-day and forget that God is God. He is our almighty and our strenth and our joy.

(Isaiah 40:25-31 NASB)
"To whom then will you liken Me
That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,

He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,

Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Coach K(im)

I came home from work on Monday to the cutest and most beautiful sight. Kim and Kelsi had been working in Kim's flower garden. I can't tell you how cute it is to see your gorgeous wife in work gloves with dirt on her face. Funny thing is that the first thing I noticed was her big smile. I don't know if it was becuase she was happy to see me or because she was having so much fun planting her flowers with Kelsi. You just have to picture an almost two year-old working as hard in the dirt as her mom, it was priceless. With Kassidi, Kalli, and coach K's basketball schedule I don't know how she found time to plant flowers but she did.

I changed clothes and me, Kassi, and Kalli all pitched in either helping with the flowers or watching Kelsi (thanks Kass!) and we had a great family night. As the sun was fading and I was weeding another flower bed, I hadn't noticed that Kim disappeared. I was disturbed from my work by the smell of frying bacon. Kim had made us BLT's. Now I don't know about you, but I really enjoy a good BLT, ESPECIALLY when someone else makes it.

As I was eating, I looked over and there Coach K was folding clothes. Now Kim had been working outside longer than any of us and she had made dinner so if anyone deserved a break it was her. Nope! There was work to be done and a family to take care of.

Flowers, dinner, and laundry. I'm not saying Coach K is perfect, but who is? But heaven knows that she is as close as it gets as far as I'm concerned. God has truly blessed me with an amazing wife. More importantly, He has blessed my children with a remarkable mother. She sacrifices more for her children than any other mother that I know. I pray for Kim daily but I also pray for myself. I pray that God will teach me and help me to love Coach K the way that she deserves.

Husbands, I encourage you to stop and think about what your wife does for you and your family. Please take the opportunity (besides her b-day, anniversary, or mother's day) to remember her and thank her. She may not be perfect but she is your wife. Love her the way that she deserves....the way Christ loves the church.

Thank you God for giving us Coach K!

I love you and God does too!

Get ready, the 3rd day is coming!

I've been reading Exodus lately and its funny how much I have forgotten since the last time I read it. There are some great stories there and I encourage you to read it the next time you aren't sure what to read.

The bible is amazing to me. The bible, from Geneses to Revelations, was written over a span of over 2000 years and yet the whole thing points to one event; the resurrection of Jesus. Our faith is worthless if Jesus didn't raise Himself from the dead. In the garden, God told the devil that Eve's seed would bruise the devils head (Gen 3:15). He prophesied that Jesus would come to step on the devil and the crucifixion would be no more to Jesus than a bruise on his heel compared to what Jesus would do to the devil. I'll never understand how people doubt the validity and inspiration of the bible when you know how it was written, by whom it was written, and over the long time span.

In Exodus 19 God was speaking to Moses telling him that He would come to Mount Sinai and visit with Moses and the people could watch. But before the people could be in the presence of God, they had to prepare themselves. They had to be consecrated by Moses and then they had to wash their clothes so they would be ceremonially clean. Then in verse 11 God says "and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people".

Obviously, this was symbolic and prophetic regarding the coming of Christ. I believe it was also symbolic toward us today. We know that Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and that our sins have been washed in His blood. Nevertheless, the 3rd day is coming. God wants to come to our Mount Sinai but before He does, we must be ready. We need to wash our symbolic clothes and consecrate ourselves. To consecrate means to set aside as sacred, to consecrate yourself means that you have declared that you are God's and God's alone. Not only that, you are presentable to God because you are sacred.

Are you presentable to God as sacred? Are your spiritual clothes clean? God wants to meet you on your Mount Sinai but first, you have to be ready to meet Him. I'm not saying that you have to clean up before you get saved, heavens no! What I am saying is that if you are saved, its time to set yourself aside as a sacred presentation to God. When you do, He is faithful and will present Himself to you.

I encourage you to be a peculiar people (1 Pet 2:9), set apart for God so that you can have a deeper relationship with Him.

I love you and God does too!