Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Piling On?
I know it has been awhile since I posted but I am hoping to change that. I guess we shall see, huh?
My life has changed a little bit since I last posted. I went from Assistant Dean of Students to Dean of Students to Instructor in Criminal Justice all at the same institution and within a short period of time I should mention as well. I have had many changes in my life and have to change the way I think as well as learn to adjust to a new job and new requirements. It has been rewarding for the most part, but there is still a part of me that misses my old job as I knew there would be. I worked with some of the best people in the world in my old job and I miss engaging them on a daily basis. As they say though, the show must go on and so I am trying to learn to do my new job as well or better than I did the old one. That is taking some time to accomplish.
I recently have had several negative things happen in my life that have weighed on my mind very much. It just seems that they started small and have gotten bigger (probably a misnomer but I am human). It feels like things just keep piling on and I an caught on the bottom of the pile with nowhere to go. I feel trapped and like someone has kicked me in the gut. I am frustrated and discouraged and do not know what to do. The interesting side note is that for the first time in a long time I began to feel that I was growing closer to God and making progress in my spiritual life and then these things started to happen. I was recommitting my life to God and starting to straighten out my priorities and overcome my usual struggles and temptations. It is almost like the devil sensed that I was turning a corner in my life with my spirituality and he wanted to make sure that I regressed instead of growing stronger. I must say he is very good at what he does and it is hard not to allow my faith to be shaken and taken from me. I have been struggling over the last couple of days to come to grips with what is going on and really put my trust in God.
I knew that a day would come when my faith would really be put to the test and I thought I was ready. It seems like maybe I was not. Maybe my faith is not as strong as it should be, maybe I do not trust God as much as I should, maybe I have not truly pesonalized my faith and therefore I do not have a real relationship with God. I co-teach the college class at the congregation where I attend and this semester we are spending it attempting to help those in attendence increase their spiritual foundation. The goal is to get them thinking about the actions they take and decisions they make and for them to make a concerted effort to live for God and increase their faith. I think I needed this semester as much or more than the students who are attending.
So you may be thinking what was the point of this post? Well first it is carthatic for me to just put into words what I am feeling, but I also believe there are others out there who are struggling just like I am. That there are other people who are trapped under the pile of bad things happening in their life that they are questioning why it is happening to them while others have no problems (or at least it looks that way). I believe there are others like me who have prayed and prayed for something to happen and felt like the Lord was leading them to it only to run into a brickwall. I believe that the devil will any and everything he can to get us to give up and throw up our hands and turn our back on God and live for ourselves.
So what is the answer to situation I am in? I do not know. I do know this though, that my God loves me and will take care of me (John 3:16). I have faith that my God does not like to see me hurt and He will provide for me what I need when I need it. I trust in my God to bring me out this and to make me stronger because of it. How do I get there? I do not know. I do know that I will lay my problems at His feet because He promised me that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30). I know I serve a God who can do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). I know that I serve a God who hears my prayers and will provide for my needs and knows what I need better than I do.
So what will I do? I will pray to God with all my heart and trust that He will take care of me (Mark 11:24). I will grow closer to Him and put my life in His hands and let Him lead me in the direction He wants me to go. I will trust that He knows what is best for me and that I will come through stronger, better, and wiser than when it started. I will continue to ask for what it is that I want and believe He will provide it if I need it. I will get my priorities right and not let the devil take from me what is the most precious and priceless thing I have: my faith in my God who is the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.
To those who feel they are in the same situation as I am in, I offer encouragement to trust that God will bring you through the troubles you face. For those who are struggling and looking for answers, I suggest looking into His Word because it will calm you. To those who just do not know what to do, I offer the knowledge that we serve a God who spoke the world into being and will take care of us if we are faithful to Him. So what do I offer? The good news that this life will pass and what awaits us in Heaven is more valuable than anything this world has to offer. Focus your eyes on Jesus and know that He will walk with you step by step and will carry you when you need it.
My life has changed a little bit since I last posted. I went from Assistant Dean of Students to Dean of Students to Instructor in Criminal Justice all at the same institution and within a short period of time I should mention as well. I have had many changes in my life and have to change the way I think as well as learn to adjust to a new job and new requirements. It has been rewarding for the most part, but there is still a part of me that misses my old job as I knew there would be. I worked with some of the best people in the world in my old job and I miss engaging them on a daily basis. As they say though, the show must go on and so I am trying to learn to do my new job as well or better than I did the old one. That is taking some time to accomplish.
I recently have had several negative things happen in my life that have weighed on my mind very much. It just seems that they started small and have gotten bigger (probably a misnomer but I am human). It feels like things just keep piling on and I an caught on the bottom of the pile with nowhere to go. I feel trapped and like someone has kicked me in the gut. I am frustrated and discouraged and do not know what to do. The interesting side note is that for the first time in a long time I began to feel that I was growing closer to God and making progress in my spiritual life and then these things started to happen. I was recommitting my life to God and starting to straighten out my priorities and overcome my usual struggles and temptations. It is almost like the devil sensed that I was turning a corner in my life with my spirituality and he wanted to make sure that I regressed instead of growing stronger. I must say he is very good at what he does and it is hard not to allow my faith to be shaken and taken from me. I have been struggling over the last couple of days to come to grips with what is going on and really put my trust in God.
I knew that a day would come when my faith would really be put to the test and I thought I was ready. It seems like maybe I was not. Maybe my faith is not as strong as it should be, maybe I do not trust God as much as I should, maybe I have not truly pesonalized my faith and therefore I do not have a real relationship with God. I co-teach the college class at the congregation where I attend and this semester we are spending it attempting to help those in attendence increase their spiritual foundation. The goal is to get them thinking about the actions they take and decisions they make and for them to make a concerted effort to live for God and increase their faith. I think I needed this semester as much or more than the students who are attending.
So you may be thinking what was the point of this post? Well first it is carthatic for me to just put into words what I am feeling, but I also believe there are others out there who are struggling just like I am. That there are other people who are trapped under the pile of bad things happening in their life that they are questioning why it is happening to them while others have no problems (or at least it looks that way). I believe there are others like me who have prayed and prayed for something to happen and felt like the Lord was leading them to it only to run into a brickwall. I believe that the devil will any and everything he can to get us to give up and throw up our hands and turn our back on God and live for ourselves.
So what is the answer to situation I am in? I do not know. I do know this though, that my God loves me and will take care of me (John 3:16). I have faith that my God does not like to see me hurt and He will provide for me what I need when I need it. I trust in my God to bring me out this and to make me stronger because of it. How do I get there? I do not know. I do know that I will lay my problems at His feet because He promised me that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30). I know I serve a God who can do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). I know that I serve a God who hears my prayers and will provide for my needs and knows what I need better than I do.
So what will I do? I will pray to God with all my heart and trust that He will take care of me (Mark 11:24). I will grow closer to Him and put my life in His hands and let Him lead me in the direction He wants me to go. I will trust that He knows what is best for me and that I will come through stronger, better, and wiser than when it started. I will continue to ask for what it is that I want and believe He will provide it if I need it. I will get my priorities right and not let the devil take from me what is the most precious and priceless thing I have: my faith in my God who is the Creator of the Universe, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.
To those who feel they are in the same situation as I am in, I offer encouragement to trust that God will bring you through the troubles you face. For those who are struggling and looking for answers, I suggest looking into His Word because it will calm you. To those who just do not know what to do, I offer the knowledge that we serve a God who spoke the world into being and will take care of us if we are faithful to Him. So what do I offer? The good news that this life will pass and what awaits us in Heaven is more valuable than anything this world has to offer. Focus your eyes on Jesus and know that He will walk with you step by step and will carry you when you need it.
Friday, August 24, 2007
The Baggage Handler
Have you ever not enjoyed a trip you took because of the baggage you had to carry? Think about going on a trip and flying to your destination, and how much more difficult it would be for you to have to carry your baggage with you every where you went: on the plane, while sightseeing, while dining in a restaurant, etc. That would make the trip miserable and it would put a heavy burden upon you as well. That is why it is such a wonderful thing to be able to check your baggage at the beginning of your trip and leave it in your hotel room or wherever you are staying as you go about on your trip. What would be even better is if we could travel without the baggage at all and just enjoy our trip.
Well the Christian life is the same. There is a quote that says “Leave old baggage behind, the less you carry, the farther you go”. There is a great deal of importance to the Christian in that thought. Life presents many challenges and we all carry baggage with us from relationships, decisions we make, events in our lives, and many other things. The key is not to get weighed downed with the baggage but instead to trust the One whose job it is to handle that baggage of our lives. The baggage we carry can create such a burden upon us that we get weighed down in this life and lose sight of our God. We attempt to handle it all by ourselves and we get angry and frustrated and sometimes blame God for allowing it to happen, and in the end it causes us to forget God and what he offers us. Baggage is no fun and it can stop us from growing spiritually and from living a Christian life, but getting rid of baggage on our own is impossible.
That is why it is so wonderful to read passages like Matt. 11:28-30 and know that Jesus is offering to take the baggage away and in its place give us something that is much lighter and easier to handle. Or consider what Paul wrote in Phil. 3:13 where he reminds us that he himself forgets about what is behind him and reaches toward what is ahead of him. We must do the same by leaving our baggage in Jesus’ hands and striving for what lies ahead of us as Christians, the promise of eternal life in Heaven with God. The only way we can accomplish that is to truly trust our baggage with the only one who can help us, the Baggage Handler.
Well the Christian life is the same. There is a quote that says “Leave old baggage behind, the less you carry, the farther you go”. There is a great deal of importance to the Christian in that thought. Life presents many challenges and we all carry baggage with us from relationships, decisions we make, events in our lives, and many other things. The key is not to get weighed downed with the baggage but instead to trust the One whose job it is to handle that baggage of our lives. The baggage we carry can create such a burden upon us that we get weighed down in this life and lose sight of our God. We attempt to handle it all by ourselves and we get angry and frustrated and sometimes blame God for allowing it to happen, and in the end it causes us to forget God and what he offers us. Baggage is no fun and it can stop us from growing spiritually and from living a Christian life, but getting rid of baggage on our own is impossible.
That is why it is so wonderful to read passages like Matt. 11:28-30 and know that Jesus is offering to take the baggage away and in its place give us something that is much lighter and easier to handle. Or consider what Paul wrote in Phil. 3:13 where he reminds us that he himself forgets about what is behind him and reaches toward what is ahead of him. We must do the same by leaving our baggage in Jesus’ hands and striving for what lies ahead of us as Christians, the promise of eternal life in Heaven with God. The only way we can accomplish that is to truly trust our baggage with the only one who can help us, the Baggage Handler.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Anyone for a Cuban? Mark Cuban that is.
It seems that Mark Cuban has submitted his application to MLB to purchase the Chicago Cubs. So you maybe asking yourself the same question as this Cub fan, Is this a good thing? Well that depends on your point of view. Cuban has helped turn around the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, but has had numerous run-ins with the authorities (i.e. David Stern). He is heavily involved and has some conflict with his coahces (i.e. Don Nelson). So what would he be like as owner of the Cubs? One would believe he would spend money to put a winner on the field and to provide nice amenities for his players, but how involved would he want to be and does he have the knowledge to be involved? Would he become the George Steinbrenner of the NL? Is that a bad thing? Would he put advertising all over Wrigley, would he move the Cubs from Wrigley? Would the owners ever let him in? Jerry Krause owner of the rival White Sox and Chicago Bulls has a major dislike for him, and Bud "Lite" Selig may not want to deal with him, so is this all just a matter of pointless rhetoric? I say give him a chance to explain what his plans for the Cubs are. Hear him out, because no one can be as bad for the Cubs as the Tribune Company has been. I say we band together and vote for Cuban to get a chance and see what he can do to turn the Cubs around!
Mr. Hendry I Have A Bridge In Brooklyn I Would Like To Sell You!
Last night while watching the game between the Cubs and Giants on MLBtv.com I heard the Cubs announcers mention that the Cubs had made a trade. Now I was not paying real close attention until I hear trade and it seems that they had mentioned the guys name before that word. And the commentators were making comments like, "How could you not make this trade?" and "There is nothing to not like about this deal!" and so I am thinking, hey maybe we made a deal for Ken Griffey, Jr. or maybe Eric Gagne. Then to my dismay I hear these words, Jason Kendall, nnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, please nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
What in the world are the Cubs thinking? I mean I know that neither Hill nor Bowen or for that matter Soto in like 3 games has not really added any offense to the catcher's spot, but they had been much better defensively than Barrett. So why make this deal?
Kendall is hitting .226 on the year and has thrown out 20% of the baserunners attempting to steal against him and has a -12.4 VORP. Hill is batting .148 and has thrown out 28%, and has a -4.8 VORP. Bowen is hitting .065 and has not had a runner attempt a steal against him as a Cub, and has a -5.4 VORP. Soto has a -.8 VORP. So is that really an upgrade? Some of the catchers in front of Kenall are Will Nieves, Paul Bako, and Jason Phillips! And the Cubs traded for this guy and believe it was a good move? Now you know why the Cubs have not won a World Series in almost 100 years. They are run by an inept front office.
Look Jim, I know you want to make a difference and add something to this team to help push it over the edge in terms of making the postseason, but Jason Kendall is not your answer. I mean you have the best record in baseball since June 4th and you have won 4 straight and 16 of 20, was the catching position really the place you needed to make a move? Why not start by looking for some relief help or better yet, how about an everyday rightfielder who has some power and plate discipline so that you don't have to run out a combination of Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd, and Angel Pagan? I mean do they look like World Series contributors to you? So Jim, I know you felt like you needed to make a deal, but please all we Cub fans ask of you is to make sensible deals for real players who will make a real difference for the real problems you have! And if that doesn't work I have some ocean-front property in Arizona I would like to talk to you about.
What in the world are the Cubs thinking? I mean I know that neither Hill nor Bowen or for that matter Soto in like 3 games has not really added any offense to the catcher's spot, but they had been much better defensively than Barrett. So why make this deal?
Kendall is hitting .226 on the year and has thrown out 20% of the baserunners attempting to steal against him and has a -12.4 VORP. Hill is batting .148 and has thrown out 28%, and has a -4.8 VORP. Bowen is hitting .065 and has not had a runner attempt a steal against him as a Cub, and has a -5.4 VORP. Soto has a -.8 VORP. So is that really an upgrade? Some of the catchers in front of Kenall are Will Nieves, Paul Bako, and Jason Phillips! And the Cubs traded for this guy and believe it was a good move? Now you know why the Cubs have not won a World Series in almost 100 years. They are run by an inept front office.
Look Jim, I know you want to make a difference and add something to this team to help push it over the edge in terms of making the postseason, but Jason Kendall is not your answer. I mean you have the best record in baseball since June 4th and you have won 4 straight and 16 of 20, was the catching position really the place you needed to make a move? Why not start by looking for some relief help or better yet, how about an everyday rightfielder who has some power and plate discipline so that you don't have to run out a combination of Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd, and Angel Pagan? I mean do they look like World Series contributors to you? So Jim, I know you felt like you needed to make a deal, but please all we Cub fans ask of you is to make sensible deals for real players who will make a real difference for the real problems you have! And if that doesn't work I have some ocean-front property in Arizona I would like to talk to you about.
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