Thursday, January 31, 2008

Re-Run

I've never done a blog re-run here...until now. But this one was double-blogworthy.

From January 12, 2005:

I bought a Murphy's Law desk calendar for my office this year. It has me thinking about those kind of things. So, with apologies to Murphy, here's my humble submission for today:

Shaner's Law of Forcasting:
It always rains the first day you drive your new vehicle.

(update for 2008: perhaps instead of "rains" it should say "snows"...)

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Let's Go All the Way

Song heard playing over the speakers inside the car dealership on Tuesday evening.

Of course they would play something like that...

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

"A heckova deal!"

The past year has been a learning and growing experience in boundaries for me.

So, now we'll see how well I've learned those lessons as I prepare to deal with...




THE DREADED CAR SALESMAN!!!! (insert evil sounding music here)

I resolve to be calm and courteous. My yes will be yes, and my no, no.

No matter how poorly they listen, I have no right to be rude. Too many Christians forget their identity when dealing with salesmen, whether they be at a car lot, calling on your home telephone, or knocking on your door.

Do you guys have any fun car buying stories to share?

Monday, January 28, 2008

Testing Monday

We watched part 2 of Beth Moore's study on Daniel with our small group last night. In it, she referred to Psalm 118:24 :

This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

It's been a struggle to live that one this morning. My alarm clock somehow was switched from the radio to auxilary, so it didn't go off this morning and I was late to my meeting.

When I got out of the meeting, I had a voice mail from Alice that her car had dropped all its oil on the garage floor when she put it into reverse to go to work. I'm now waiting on a tow truck...

And you all remember about my lack of patience with cars, right?

I am rejoicing. Really. ; )

Friday, January 25, 2008

Game Day

I was tagged by Franklin.

The Rules: Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share 5 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, OR
Share the 5 top places on your “want to see or want to see again” list, OR
Share 5 things you never pictured being in your future when you were 25 years old.

Tag a minimum of 5, maximum of 10 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. The tagees have a choice of which they want to do.

Since I give plenty of random information about myself all the time here, I'll go for 5 places on my "want to see" or "want to see again" list. None are terribly exotic, but they would be special to me:

1. I'd love to go back to Malibu for the Pepperdine Lectures. Who wouldn't want to eat breakfast every day with that view of the ocean?

2. I'd love to go to Washington D.C. I would enjoy seeing our nation's historic places. The Smithsonian would keep me entertained for days as well.

3. I'd love to go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA and space exploration always captured my imagination.

4. I'd love to go back to New York City. We had a wonderful time there in 2005, but didn't get to do nearly as much as we would have liked - mostly because it was only 15 degrees outside! To bad it probably won't be an all-expense-paid business trip next time... To go during U.S. Open Tennis would be a bonus!

5. I always enjoy going back to Stillwater. Oh, wait, I'm going there tomorrow! Life is good!

I'm tagging my brother-in-law Todd, because he is just getting started blogging and needs to participate in his first game of blogtag, and because he and his wife are world travelers so his list should be interesting, Danna and Lindsay, who both desparately need to update their blogs, Amy, who could use a vacation, even if it's only in her daydreams, and Vanessa, just because she's fun to tag (but I have to give her credit - her blog is pretty current right now - new template and everything!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Workshop is Coming!

I hope you've blocked out your calenders for this year's Tulsa Workshop. Terry, myself, and the whole Memorial Drive family would love to have you join us! Workshop Wednesday and the Feeding of the 5,000 will be March 26. We'll have singing groups from 6:00 - 7:00, Worship led by Keith Lancaster, myself and the Memorial Drive Praise Team starting around 7:00, and Don McLaughlin will be our guest speaker for the evening.

The fun at the fairgrounds begins on Thursday, March 27, at 9:00 a.m. and runs through Saturday night. A full schedule is posted here. Free Indeed will lead worship on Thursday evening, Keith, myself and the Memorial Drive team will lead again on Friday evening, and The Zoe Group will be leading on Saturday evening as well as Sunday morning at Memorial Drive.

Spread the word and come to be filled, challenged, and inspired. It's the largest Family Reunion you'll ever attend this side of heaven!

Uh-Oh

Last night before I left work, I e-mailed myself at home to remember to bring a tape measure to work today.




This morning, I have no earthly idea as to why I need a tape measure.

Oh, well. It's here in case I ever remember.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Simple Pleasures again

A few months back I shared with you my plight to find the perfect undershirt. After trying several new and different brands since then, I finally hit the jackpot. I picked up a couple from Old Navy last week since they were on sale and fell in love. They are long enough to tuck in and stay there, the sleeves are neither too long nor too wide for my toothpick arms, the neck is perfect, and they are as soft as Zorro's belly fur.

Well, maybe not that soft. Let's not get carried away.

I'm telling you, you need to learn to revel in the simple pleasures, folks. Life is full of them. What are yours?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Murphy's Law

You always run into someone you know when you're at the store buying underwear.

Friday, January 18, 2008

11 years

We celebrated 11 years of marriage today. I hope no one is expecting me to top last year's post.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

A Middle C Life

When we were recording “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” for the Christmas cd, our poor tenors had to stay on a middle C for 22 straight notes!

Last Thursday evening in rehearsal, as we worked on “More Holiness Give Me”, our altos joked that we needed to wake them up when it was time to move, as they stayed on an Eb for 6, then 10, then 13 notes in a row!

I thought about how that can be so much like our day-to-day lives. While routine has its benefits, before long we can also begin feeling as if we’re stuck in the same rut for days, weeks, months, perhaps even years on end. Our life begins to feel as if it has no purpose, no direction, no excitement. One may feel that all they do is get up for work, perform the same tasks a monkey could do, come home from work, watch TV, go to bed, and get up to do it all over again tomorrow. For another, they may feel as if all they ever accomplish is feeding and cleaning up after children and performing one household chore after another. The student may feel their life consists of one assignment and test after another, with a couple of extra-curricular activities thrown in to consume the remaining time. Significance is the farthest thing from our minds.

Some of you may feel like you live a “Middle C Life”. Stuck on the same note for months on end. Wishing you could have greater depth in your life to match the deep, rich bass tones that resonate in a person’s bones. Wishing someone would notice you like a sky high soprano note that rings throughout a room.

Instead, you find yourself stuck on middle C, where it seems no one notices your existence, and feeling as if you make no difference at all in the chord of life.

My friend, don’t fall asleep! If you have, then it’s time to wake up! Not every note is full of glamour, but each note is important to the chord.

Take one note out and the whole chord sounds empty. Sing one note flat and the chord may change from major to minor, or it may drag the entire song down.

You play an important role, even if you feel stuck on middle C for notes on end while everyone else seems to be moving around you. Have the confidence to be that anchor for us. Keep the rest of us on pitch and in tune by your consistency.

The day will come when it is time to move on to that next note. And you’ll be ready for that next challenge, blessed with the maturity and strength that can only be found at middle C.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!” Matt. 25:21

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Physical vs. Spiritual

At what point did taking prayer requests become the equivalent of asking for a medical report on the family and friends of all present?

I don't mean to sound heartless. But would it be possible for us to stop being so fixated on the physical to the sometimes (oftentimes?) COMPLETE neglect of the spiritual?

Is my experience the same as yours?

Friday, January 11, 2008

New Territory

It's always fun to go somewhere you've never been before.

Today I join a group traveling to Monroe, Louisiana to be a part of the filming of Terry's video, "100% Natural Evangelism".

This will be my first time in Cajun Country. Hope my stomach can handle it!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Talk can be expensive

Let's move from cat-language to the english language...

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians

Check out the great blog today from Trey Morgan on being careful with the words we use.

Which list do you speak from more often?

Negativity is a cancer. It destroys relationships. Yes, talk can be cheap. But it can also be very expensive.

I've lived my life around one that uses all of the first list, and little of the second. I probably didn't fully realize how much that affected me until I came to work with Terry Rush here in Tulsa. His words are packed with the second list, and none of the first list. What a refreshing change! What new life it breathes into a person!

So, resolve to let your words be expensive - not in terms of the damage they do, but rather in terms of the great riches of love and encouragement that they share with others!

Monday, January 07, 2008

Got tongues?

Ever heard that phrase, "Cat got your tongue?"

We decided tonight that it's our cat who is hoarding all of the tongues. Because this was the conversation in the kitchen as Alice prepared dinner:

Zorro:

"Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow."

Alice:

"It's not dinner time yet, Zorro."

Zorro:

"Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOW! Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow. Meow."

Alice:

"SHUT UP!"

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Holiday Fun

There was no doubt in my mind what to get our nephews for Christmas this year. They are growing up to be football fans, so what better gift for 6 year olds than play football uniforms? I know I loved that kind of stuff as a kid. I hear they're loving them, too.





And, it appears I still do!



Zorro loves it when I hold him this way. Really, I'm not joking.



Shows off how loooong he is, huh?

Friday, January 04, 2008

Disciplines for Disciples

I've not been a terribly successful person when it comes to New Year's Resolutions. There aren't very many I have made over the years, but I doubt my percentage of keeping them is any better than everyone else's either.

But, the New Year is still a good time to take a look at our lives and reconsider how we spend our time and what direction we are headed.

With that in mind, I spent some time in our Wednesday evening assembly this week talking about spiritual disciplines. After all, if we are truly disciples, apprentices, of Jesus Christ, it only makes sense that we would consistently be training in some way to be more like the Master.

I prepared a handout of ideas and resources, and decided to share it here as well for your consideration. The purpose is not to weigh anyone down with one more thing on top of your already busy schedule. The purpose is to be intentional about putting ourselves in positions where God can grow us in 2008.

So with that in mind, consider if any of these disciplines would be right for you to commit to in 2008:

Reading
Follow a daily Bible reading plan.
Some go through the Bible in a year, others focus on stories or concepts.
Examples:
The Daily Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/
http://www.studylight.org/plan/

Study
Choose one story, text, or topic for the week and study it in depth.
Go for depth, not quantity.
Utilize commentaries and concordances.
Write down what you think it meant to those who originally heard or experienced,
then what you think the implications are to you today.

Meditation
Follow a devotional book with readings for each day.
Examples:
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Grace for the Moment, by Max Lucado

Take a verse or phrase, memorize it, and reflect on it often each day for at least a week, maybe a month, perhaps all year.
Recite and internalize it until it is consistently at the front of your thoughts.
Examples:
Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Luke 12:15

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matt. 7:2

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 14:11

Read some good books that will get your mind thinking about the things of God more often.
Examples:
Prayer, by Philip Yancy
Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster
Laugh Again, by Charles Swindoll
Pilgrim Heart, by Darryl Tippens
Righteousness Inside Out, by Mike Cope

Prayer
Read some of the prayers of our spiritual ancestors.
Keep a prayer journal.
Subscribe to the intercede4you e-mail list and pray over each item that comes through.
Pick something specific to pray about every day.
Examples:
missionaries, your ministers and their ministries, governments, the homeless and hungry, young families

Fasting
Skip one meal per week, or skip solid food for one day per month
(sunrise to sunset, or 24 hours)
Refrain from certain items rather than food.
(computer, television, whatever it is that distracts you)
The purpose is to have a physical reminder of your complete dependence on God and for you to spend the time you would normally be doing those things in prayer, study, meditation, etc.

Simplicity
Clean out your house, garage or closet and give things away to people you know need them.
Resolve that if you bring something new in, something old must go.
Allow yourself to “resign” from activities that burden you and keep you from spending your time on more important things.

Service
Find a way to serve someone else every day.
Find a person to help consistently.
Find a particular task that you can do for others on a regular basis.
Send out at least one e-mail or card encouraging someone each day.

Confession
Before you sleep each night, go through your day and confess to God your sins.
Be diligent about apologizing to others often.

Worship
Understand that all of these disciplines listed are acts of worship.
Spend time “making melody in your heart” outside of just our public assemblies.
Play worship cd’s in your car rather than listening to talk radio or other music.
Examples:
The Zoe Group
The Acapella Company Praise & Harmony Series
True Lift

If you would like help locating any of these resources or if I can help you with these disciplines in any other way, please let me know. I would be happy to help!

Now back to regular programming

Happy New Year to all. I hope you had a great holiday season and didn't gain too much weight from all the goodies.

I've got a backlog of things to share with you now, so I plan to be updating a little more regularly for a while. Thanks for stopping by!