My 8-yr old daughter took home “Gymnast of the Year” award last night for the second year in a row.
I love to see her passion and devotion in what she does. She works so hard year-round in this sport. She trains diligently, plays within a team concept, performs graciously, and represents Jesus well in what she does. We could all learn a lot from her.
You earned it Steph… we are SO proud of you!
On our recent trip to Florida we had some friends of ours take our family out on a VIP private tour to swim with the Manatees in Crystal River. We boated out to the site and were instantly surrounded by these huge creatures swimming all around the boat. Our guide jumped right in and started snorkeling with them. I followed and expected Steph, my 8-yr old, to jump right in behind me… it didn’t happen. She stood paralyzed in fear on the deck.
Steph is typically the daredevil in our family. She gets that from her Momma. So I was somewhat taken aback to see her afraid of this experience. In this moment she was stuck. I hadn’t seen her this fearful in a long time. Ironically, it was the youngest, Mackenzie, who was the first to get in the water with me followed by Zack, our 6-yr old.
I gently urged Steph to get in but she wouldn’t, and I didn’t want to pressure her so I took the other two over to pet the Manatees. A few minutes later Steph was in tears. I knew her dilemma. She didn’t want to miss this experience but she was terrified to get in the water. To add to her regret, our guide had an underwater camera shooting video and pictures of this epic adventure. Steph has seen Shark Week on Discovery and was determined to play it safe here! The water was too intimidating in itself, let alone these huge marine mammals also known as “Sea Cows.”
In that defining moment, I made my daughter this solemn promise: “Honey, I can’t promise you that in life it will always be SAFE to jump into the ‘waters,’ but I can promise you this, If you don’t jump, you will be watching this video later and you will regret not being in the picture.”
I am convinced that at the end of our years it will be regrets of inaction that far outweigh the regrets of action in our lives. In other words, we will be more regretful over not being in the picture at all (playing it safe) because we were afraid to jump, rather than being in the picture and looking silly, vulnerable, and even feeling like a failure at times.
That’s all it took for my little 8-yr old princess to conquer her gripping fear and jump into the deep. She got a hold of the reality that if she played it “safe,” she would regret it forever. All of a sudden danger became an adventure to live rather than a fear to avoid.
Thucydides once said, “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
As Lee Ann Womack artistically reminds us, “And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.”
I’m so glad that when my little girl was faced with the choice to sit it out or dance, she chose to dance. She lived fearless as she met her perceived danger with reckless abandon and ultimately swam with the giants that day.
I’m so glad that Moses, when faced with the fear of playing it safe, instead chose to dance by confronting Pharaoh to free his people from slavery. I’m so glad that David, instead of playing it safe with the sheep, decided to dance with destiny by challenging Goliath and the Philistines. Peter didn’t cower in the boat; he danced with Jesus on the water. And what about Esther? She had everything to lose by approaching the king uninvited, but she didn’t play it safe when destiny was on the line. She danced.
That’s my prayer for all my children as they grow. When they are faced with the choice of playing it safe or dancing with destiny by recklessly abandoning to God’s call on their lives, I pray they dance.
I am so glad that all my children are in the video below. They didn’t stay in the boat – they chose to DANCE. Will you do the same when faced with the fears in your life?
Enjoyed a great weekend with family. My son got his green belt in Taekwondo then came home and handed me his yellow belt and said, “Here Dad, I don’t need this any more. You can have it.” Looks like I’m now an official honorary yellow belt in Taekwondo. Gotta luv it!
Had a great Italian Valentine’s dinner with my beautiful wife at Macaroni Grill. We heard a POWERFUL story of God’s redeeming LOVE in church. And we tuned in for some of the pothole infested Daytona 500. Exciting race to kick off the NASCAR season.
I’m thrilled with all that God is doing in our lives and ministry. I love this quote I read from Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston over the weekend: “JUSTICE [is] more than a project, a protest, or a crusade. Justice is a HEART. Let it be OUR heart!”
God, let us reveal the TRUE heartbeat of JESUS to this generation!!!
Dustin Neeley of the Acts 29 network reveals five hard truths church planters must learn if they want to faithfully carry out their calling. These are great truths not only for church planters but for every missional leader of any ministry organization. Here are quick links to each post in the series:
1. Be Resilient
2. Be Yourself
3. Think Hybrid
Good stuff!
1. Goodbye 2009! You brought us some wonderful memories, some great victories, and even teachable failures. But 2010 bids us a new season and we live and worship in the here and now, not the yesterday. We welcome the new opportunities and kingdom responsibilities the Lord calls us to in this new chapter of life.
2. Three things I preached about yesterday that I’ve learned or been reminded of from 2009 are: a) Simplify life and set boundaries to guard that simplicity… b) Move forward in faith, don’t rest on yesterday’s victories or sulk in yesterday’s failures… c) To experience great victories you will have to fight great battles. I illustrated these points with a great movie clip from the film Night At The Museum 2.
3. In 2010, I am determined to fight the right battles as a husband, father, missional leader, and friend. I’m going to live 2010 with greater focus and spiritual simplicity in loving God, loving people, and living out the mission of Jesus Christ. As Paul encouraged young Timothy to do, I am willing to “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:3-4). I am committed to taking the hope of Jesus Christ to the world. I am committed to doing life with people who share that same passion. I will not get caught up in meaningless pursuits, fighting the wrong battles, or investing my passions in the wrong affinities. This is my simple resolution as husband, father, missional leader, friend, and follower of the risen Christ!
On Friday night my little “karate kid” Zachary tested for his yellow belt in Taekwondo. He looked as sharp as Bruce Lee (or Jackie Chan for you young pups who don’t know who Bruce Lee was). Of course his instructor reminds me of Chuck Scarett from Joe Somebody. Anyway, I’m extremely proud of my little man.
Stephanie competed in the 2009 state gymnastics championships Saturday night in Nashville. She had an incredible performance. Mommy and Daddy love their little gymnast. She has wonderful grace out there, is a great team leader, but most importantly, she honors God with what she does before, during, and after her routines. Congratulations on a great season Steph. You rock!
I regret not being able to see the SEC Championship game although I exuberantly love the outcome (sorry Chad). It was televised during Steph’s gymnastics meet but I have, however, been much exposed to the foray of video clips and pictures showing Tim Tebow weeping on the sideline in the closing minutes of the game. The world sure does love to see Superman cry! I may bleed orange, but I’m loving Crimson Red right now. Tebow is an awesome man of God but I’m a Gator Hater and proud of it. I am pulling for Texas in the national championship. I’ve been saying all year that they are the best team in the country. We shall see.
Random Thoughts
1. Canon told us years ago that “image is everything.” Genesis 1:26-27 tells us the same. God’s purpose all along has been to create and re-create a people who are made in his image and likeness.
“I daresay we’ve heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman long to be beautiful? Why does a man hope to be found brave? Because we remember, if only faintly, that we were once more than we are now.” – John Eldredge
2. My wife is the most incredible woman in the world. I love her more each day. My children are pretty cool too. They teach me something new every day. I’m so thankful for my family. They make this journey the most exciting adventure imaginable.
3. It’s Chase time in Nascar which only means one thing: the Jimmie Johnson show. Go 48 team! Get that unprecedented 4th championship in a row.
4. Loved the old Houston Oilers’ throwback uniforms worn yesterday by the Titans. That’s got to be the best 0-3 team ever. And how about Brett Favre? That’s why the Vikings brought him in.
5. God is good. Therefore, it’s ALL good!!!
Enjoyed a few days with family in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg a couple of weeks ago. Kids had a blast at Splash Country. Check out the pics.
Weekend Download
1. Rock N’ Bowl 80’s style was huge hit. Had loads of fun and raised some scholarships to send at-risk youth to summer camp in July. My wife hit it out of the park coordinating this event. You’re the best Cid. Check out the slideshow below.
2. Thank you Brady and Rebekah for bringing me home some Blue Mountain coffee (my favorite) from your honeymoon in Jamaica. You guys rock! I owe you big.
3. What an incredible race at Dover yesterday. Some great racing between Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson in the closing laps. Glad Johnson prevailed. The kids were going crazy… and so was daddy… a little.
When I first fell in love with my wife I found myself doing all kinds of things that were completely novel to me. I suddenly had an interest for Italian restaurants (the dining preference of her and her parents), I was surprisingly tuned in to the 1996 Olympic gymnastics events (yes fellas, I said “gymnastics”), and I even proudly attended a figure skating performance at the Palm Beach Auditorium. Even the TV remote seemed to end up on her favorite shows.
What was happening? I was in LOVE.
Then something went awry for my bride after the honeymoon… I seized the remote control. I reverted back to my personal interests monopolizing the TV with NASCAR, football, cage fighting, deadly shark attacks, and Sanford and Son reruns (old school baby!).
The honeymoon was over!!!
I was reminded of that transition in our lives recently while reading a passage in 1 John.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17
John is warning 2nd generation Christians that the world will always compete with the Father’s love in us. The allurement of the world’s charm will intensely rival our affinity with God’s will. He warns us to not let the lust of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, or the pride of life to violate the Father’s will for our lives.
As mentioned, when I first started dating Cindy I had a natural affinity with her interests. What was important to her was important to me. I believe it’s the same in our relationship with God. When we first become a Christ-follower our heart is after what is important to Him. When we take back the remote control and pursue our own interests and place his name on it, the honeymoon is over. That’s the case when we allow the Father’s love in us to be eroded by our own appetites for worldly pleasure.
If I am to be full of the Father’s love I must surrender the remote control. To be in love with the Father is to be in love with what pleases Him – not me.
