Teaching to serve

Serving like Christ = Spiritual Maturity. This is a truth that I've talked about with youth over and over and over. Philippians says, "Have the same attitude as Christ... who humbled himself and took the form of a slave."

Transferring that truth into something engrained in Mac is challenging. I'm kind of frustrated by it because I just want him to GET IT. But I don't suppose that's how it works. We are heading as a family to a day of serving with DBC in Side by Side (The community mission day in conjunction with other churches) I guess my prayer for Mac this morning is that he'll get a taste of giving himself away.

Dennis

Wishing for unexpected.

One of the things I wish for that I don't expect is a spontaneous improvement in my shoulder. I get sidelined and suddenly every river and creek is running every time I turn around. Go to the links on the right and click on "Georgia River Gauges". See all the green. That means those streams have prime water for kayaking. Plus Tallulah is releasing.

I guess the best way to think about this is that this time for healing is an investment in being able to function better later. Here's another view of Soc-Em-Dog. That's my buddy Ben getting a good boof.















Another day you dog!

Organizing Pictures... and Rythm

Pictures (and especially series of pictures) tell stories. For instance, see if you can guess what happens in the next picture in the series.















Parker plotting, Mac being the object of the plot.















Parker Aiming?? Mac being the target.















Parker using fists of fury?? Mac still unsuspecting.

You can just see what's coming next can't you? Mac with a black eye. Parker laughing triumphantly as we break out the ice pack.

The day in, day out of life is such that we get into a rhythm and routine of the way things work. Get up. Get some coffee. Wake kids. Fix some breakfast. Get kids dressed. Break up a mid-morning tussle. Fix Emmy's bottles. Head out for the morning. And maybe with a few variations from time to time, that's what happens.

But there is depth of unexpectedness behind all of this that I'm noticing. Let me illustrate this in a couple of ways.

Way # 1

Yesterday was whacked! Got up. Started the routine. I was actually early. Got to the office. Nobody there. Checked the bulletin. Office closed for Good Friday. (That's a first) Raining like crazy. Routine is not so routine all of a sudden.

Let's get a biscuit. Went to Micky-Ds. Line at Drive-thru all the way to the hospital. Parked. Ran in, in a deluge. Got my biscuit with extra change (Thank you Dave Ramsey). Ran outside to get back to car. Got run over by guy going warp-speed through parking lot with no lights on. Rolled off his hood. Slid off and landed face down in the flood next to my jeep. Still pouring rain. He didn't even slow down. Way outside the routine! (I'm OK, by the way. Tweaked my shoulder a little when I landed, but I'm alright.)

Get home. Deidre is out running errands. Cop a squat on the couch and let the morning catch up to me. Not the morning I expected at all. Later after the rest, kids and D get home. Mac and Park and me take a trip to Wal-Mart. Get home. Eat some supper. STORMS! Call from Dawson Sherriffs office ("Please move to a safe location in your house") Go to basement. Powers out. Routine has left the building.

After storms pass, Go back upstairs. Get kids to bed. No power still, so no "Marley and Me" for me and D. Monopoly by candlelight. Turning into great non-routine date night with D. I win.

So all in all, not the day I expected. Day off I didn't know about. Ran over. Fun with kids. Awesome date night.

Way # 2















Ooohhhhhh. OK Just stretching.













Get it??? I'm gonna think some more about stuff and probably get some more pictures up sometime soon.

Dennis