Fall

the rumor is that it is fall.  the trees look like it.  the leaves are even falling off the trees.  the days are getting shorter.  change in time due to daylight savings time is fast approaching.  homecoming events at colleges and high schools abound.  the pumpkin festival is underway.  there are costumes galore in stores.  walmart has great displays for candy for halloween.  yes, all the signs appear to be there.  but it's in the 80's.  what's with that?  it's kind of like people predicting the return of Jesus to be imminent because of this sign or that sign.  yes, it is fall.  but, no, though we know Jesus will come for the second time, we know not when, really.  the signs, they don't always tell the total truth, nor do all the signs really line up with what's happening.

Colorado

well, it was that time of year again.  the time when i and four of my friends hop airplanes, rent cars, all for the purpose of making our way back to the ymca in estes park, colorado for five days of fellowship, hiking, praying, reading, eating, and just generally hanging out.  it all starts at the safeway where we gather food - not always healthy - for the week.  it's a trip - five guys throwing stuff into a grocery basket, then venturing to our cabin and sorting through the loot we just bought.  we often find some interesting stuff.  the next day we start our routine of reading, praying, then hiking, then lunch, then smoking a cigar and discussing theology, then prayer for each other, then dinner, then back home for more discussion before bed.  a great time.  it's especially great because we are all looking forward to this place we've been coming to for years to be revived by the Lord and to hang out with good friends.  in a lot of ways its like hanging out with Jesus for a week in the midst of some of His great creation.  now, you can't go wrong with that.

Mac

well, i did it.  i entered the mac world.  it took me a while and i entered it cautiously.  first, i got an iphone a few years back, and then several months ago i got an ipad.  sooooooo, the next logical step was a mac - a macbook pro to be precise.  i like it.  i really do.  once you learn it, it's simpler to use than a pc.  one of the things i noticed about people that had note book computers was this: those that had pc's liked them and were generally happy.  however, those that had a macbook - an apple computer - well, they were down right passionate about them.  they loved them.  like some kind of cult.  no, like a follower of Jesus should be about the one that he is following - passionate.

Rain

rain.  here in missouri we are beginning to ask the question of what is rain?  where did it go?  are we entering another dust bowl era?  is this drought going to go on and on and on and on?  who knows.  we need it.  we not only need rain, we need it badly.  we are multiple inches of rain behind.  and, the truth be known, i'm getting tired of watering my three trees and 15 shrubs in my front yard.  yes, they are all green.  yes, they are all doing well.  but, we still need the rain.  i mean my grass is brown because i haven't watered that and will not because of size.  so, my cry is God send rain.  and while i'm thinking about it, send rain on Your church so that it grows and becomes what you want it to be and send rain on Your people so we become what we are suppose to be.  send it abundantly so we can be vessels as your pour the rain of Your Holy Spirit not only on us, but all those around us that we have contact with.

Heat

man, has it been hot, or what?  hundreds almost seems like it has become the latest standard for temperatures in mid-missouri.  hundreds.  hundreds?  hundreds!  i just listened to a forecaster that said it would hit the one hundred mark every day for the next seven.  that's amazing.  with no rain in site.  though there have been pop-up storms that seem to sit in one little place.  one friend told me that they got one inch where they live, but a mile away they received no rain at all.  another place a bit south received four inches over several days, while not far away the crops are burning up.  it's all sporadic.  we need the freshness and coolness of some rain.  kind of like we need the outpouring of God's grace upon us.

Independence day

two hundred and thirty six years ago we declared our independence from England and declared that we had become a free nation - because we wanted freedom from a government that was different than what we wanted - that was despotic in a number of ways.  america was set up to be a place where people had freedom and a government was set up to protect those freedoms.  but, in the wisdom of man, which is foolishness before God, government has been growing and those freedoms have been eroding.  fortunately, God's wisdom is never found to be foolish, and never erodes, and those that have a relationship with Him through Christ have freedom that will never erode.  that leaves the question, whom shall i serve.  in the words of Jesus, i will give unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what is Gods.  with that said, i'm glad that my ultimate citizenship lies in heaven.

Friday

hey, it's friday.  friday!  wow!  is that cool or what.  friday.  another week has been put in.  another week has come and gone.  another week of work, meetings, and all kinds of stuff.  and now it's friday.  time to play - well at least when we get off work or whatever.  the sad part is that it's another week of our life that is gone.  and quite possibly a week that we have wished away.  you know, i can't wait until friday.  well the waitings over.  but what about monday, tuesday, wednesday, and thursday.  something to think about.  personally, i enjoyed those other days and friday just kind of crept up on me.  why?  because with each day i was blessed by a relationship with God, my wife, and many other people.  which makes life worth living and definitely each day full of joy so that you don't wish your life away.