"Daddy, I Can't See Your Face"

Recently, our family went out of town for a long-weekend vacation. In doing so, we spent a couple of nights in a hotel.

Traveling with two boys under age 7 is always an adventure. They think staying in a hotel is great fun. But getting sleep while on the road isn't always easy. To try to get the most rest possible, when we're away from home, we don't yet let the boys sleep together in the same bed.

On the first night of this trip, Tonya slept in a bed with Turner (4) while I slept in a bed with Parker (7). The second night we adjusted and Turner slept in a bed with me.

That night as we turned out the lights, Turner turned to me and said "Daddy, I can't see your face". Instantly, I knew I had a teachable moment. Wanting to comfort Turner and, at the same time, teach him a lesson about our Heavenly Father, I replied, "Maybe you can't see my face but you can hear my voice and feel my touch and know I am right here with you. God is here with us too. Let's get some sleep. Good night, big guy. I love you". "Good night, Daddy, I love you", Turner replied. And he was quickly off to sleep.

Here's The Point: We may not be able to see His face (just yet), but we can hear His voice and know His touch. And know everything is okay.

Don't Be Stupid- The Other Thief

Last Sunday, I began a new teaching series in our young marrieds' Bible Fellowship class called "Don't Be Stupid- Stupid People in the New Testament". The concept is that it is often easy to look back in Scripture and see where people made "stupid" decisions or choices while at the same time overlooking own own poor choices. Rather than judging, our goal should be to use Godly wisdom and learn from the mistakes of others.

I love a good biography. The best biographies come from firsthand accounts, original references. The people who were at a place and saw a certain thing happen at a specific time know that event the best. They were there.

Of all the people in the New Testament who made poor choices, possibly the "dumbest" guy in all of Scripture would be the Other Thief. Here's why. As an eyewitness to the crucifixion, he saw firsthand the heart of Christ. The last words of Christ reflected His priorities and His love for others:
1. For His Father (Matt. 27:46). We know Christ's relationship to His Father was restored (Luke 23:46).
2. For His mother (John 19:25, 26)- With all Mary had been through, Jesus wanted to be sure she was cared for.
3. For friends and others (John 19:25-27)- John had given all to follow Christ; now he had family again (possibly John is asked to care for Mary because Jesus' own brothers did not yet believe in Him).
4. For you and me (John 19:30)- Jesus took the punishment for all sin; "It", the payment, the sacrifice, had been made.

But then we see the Other Thief do something very "stupid". Having clearly seen the heart of Jesus firsthand, he still rejects Christ (Luke 23:39-43).

And then, darkness set in (Luke 23: 44, 45a). And it was too late for the Other Thief.

Here's The Point: Each of us know people who are without Christ. We must reach them before darkness sets in. Use your time wisely. Make His love known. Don't be stupid.

Fun on Friday

A few weekends ago, Tonya and I traveled to Florida for a few days to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. We were there during Discovery Channel's Shark Week, but fortunately we remained safe.

While driving in Florida, I was reminded that there is no motorcycle helmet law there. I can only imagine that riding with the wind blowing through your hair is a cool sensation. But from a safety standpoint, is it really worth the risk?

Mom and Pop pizza places are the best. You know, the places with the generic pizza boxes. Like this place (www.geraldispizzaplace). We highly recommend it.

And this place is worth a visit- beautiful views, amazing seashells (http://www.floridastateparks.org/stumppass/default.cfm).

Great Quote Thursday

Spotting a problem is easy. Anybody can do that. In fact, merely calling attention to a problem is called complaining. Solving a problem is harder; it requires an act of leadership. Most people would rather complain than contribute to a solution- Mark Sanborn (You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader- page 41).

The Walk is Back

The Walk, a Wednesday night worship service for college students and young adults sponsored by Sevier Heights Baptist Church, is back tonight beginning at 8:00 PM at the World's Fair Park Amphitheater.

On August 31, the Walk shifts back to the Sevier Heights campus at 3232 Alcoa Highway.

Check out www.insidethewalk.org for more information.

Book Review- You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader by Mark Sanborn

This short book, subtitled "How Anyone, Anywhere, Can Make a Positive Difference", by leadership author and speaker Mark Sanborn encourages people to lead , regardless of their position within an organization. At just over 100 pages, it's a good, quick read.

Here are some valuable insights Sanborn shares in the book:

It's impossible for a title or an organizational chart to reflect all the many people who act as leaders or exert leadership throughout the organization.

Real leaders bring the same commitment to excellence to whatever they do, whether on the stage or behind it.

It's easy to be incredibly busy and still accomplish little.

One of the quickest ways to burn out is to stop doing what you enjoy. The more successful you are, the greater the risk that you'll move into a position that will take you away from doing those things you're really good at doing and really like to do. You may have more responsibilities and as a result have less time to spend doing what you care most about.

Fun on Friday- More Turnerisms (and a Parkerism)

My youngest son, Turner, just turned 4 years old. The combination of a developing sense of his world, an expanding vocabulary and a creative young mind have led to what we affectionately refer to as Turnerisms. Here are a few more:

"Daddy, I'm going to tell you something that will make you sad. New people become old people and you are too".

"Why did God make possums"?

When talking about Dollywood: "Is it hard for Dolly Parton to keep up with all of that"?

And a Parkerism:
Me: "Thanks, Big Guy".
Parker: "You're welcome, Extra Large Guy".

Great Quote Thursday

I have seen competent leaders who stood in front of a platoon and all they saw was a platoon. But great leaders stand in front of a platoon and see it as forty-four individuals, each of whom has aspirations, each of whom wants to live, each of whom wants to do good- General Norman Schwarzkopf

Book Review- The Truth About You by Marcus Buckingham

Marcus Buckingham's The Truth About You is a short read that helps the reader differentiate between his strengths and weaknesses. While conventional wisdom teaches that an individual should work to improve the areas they are weak in, Buckingham promotes the perspective that that time is better spent trying to enhance one's strengths. While you can't ignore your weaknesses, Buckingham suggests that time is better spent working to strengthen your strengths.

Here a some nuggets from the book:
Your interests are a very good clue to your strengths. Your interests aren't random.

Don't expect your organization ever to know you like you do. The organization will start with the performance it wants- a job that needs to get done- and then it'll work backward to you.

Don't you have some things you're good at, but they bore you, drain you, or frustrate you? You are certainly capable of doing them, and because you're capable of doing them, people keep asking you to do them- in fact, they come to rely on you to do them- but if you never had to do those things again it would be too soon.

People join because of the "Why". They stay because of the "Who". And, in the end, they quit because of the "What".

The Truth About You is worth your time.

Great Quote Thursday

A person first starts to live when he can live outside himself- Albert Einstein

Why the NBA Needs to Play a Complete 2011-2012 Season

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the members of the National Basketball Players Association are currently in a lockout period during which the league owners want to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement that is more agreeable to them (meaning they want a larger piece of the large pie). Depending on whose financial statistics you believe, the owners are either losing money due to tough economic conditions or they're in a financial mess of their own making by signing players to bad contracts (see Eddy Curry).

But here are several reasons the two sides should start contract negotiations soon:
The National Football League will soon kick off its season.
The start of the college football season in about three weeks away.
The Major League Baseball season is winding down and headed toward the playoffs.
College basketball will tip-off this fall and will be televised on multiple channels every night.
The National Hockey League is as healthy as its been in some time.

Here's The Point: If the start of the NBA season is delayed or if the season completely lost, being "out of sight, out of mind" is no place for a professional sports league to be. The competition for the fan's dollars is too strong and the economy is too unstable to risk a league becoming irrelevant. It's very difficult for fan's to care when millionaires and billionaires can't make a multi-billion dollar pie work for everyone involved.

Book Review- Decision Points by George W. Bush

This memoir of former U. S. President George W. Bush is written around the major "decision points" of the Bush presidency. Rather than an entire life history of the former President, Bush instead focuses on topics such as the selection on his cabinet; his relationships with his wife, daughters and parents; his administration's work against terrorism; the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; and others.

Bush is candid in assessing his administration's successes (work for freedom and opposing terrorism) and its failures (the aftermath of Katrina; his ill-advised aircraft carrier landing). He devotes an early chapter of the book to sharing about his struggles to maintain sobriety during his early adulthood. Additionally, he is very open about his Christian beliefs.

As with any modern day government leader, your interest in this book may depend on your political leanings. But regardless of your politics, details of the discussions and arguments that proceeded (and followed) the administration's decisions is very interesting reading.

Great Quote Thursday

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat- Theodore Roosevelt