Keller

A few months ago I read a great book by Timothy Keller called Kings Cross. Here's one of his quotes that I keep thinking about.

"Be so sacrificially loving that the people around you, who don't believe what you believe, will soon be unable to imagine the place without you."

I want this to be true of me. I want this to be true of my wife and my kids. I pray that what we believe leaks out of our smiles, no matter the circumstances. A few years ago Nikki and I decided to live what we believe: that our lives are not our own. I had no clue that it would mean all that followed, but I would take this life again. I don't want to waste a day. I also don't want to speed past a moment. I guess that keeps us dependent on Him to transform our lives into something beautiful that points to Him.

After a long break....

I talked with a few friends this weekend who were looking here for both of my wise words.  I told Jim I was start posting things, so here we go!  Here is my list of top five "Surprisingly Frightening Animals."
5.  Wisconsin cows.  Small, confined homes where the beasts don't look particularly smart.  They could fall on you, I am sure.  I saw Tommy Boy with the cow tipping.  If they fall that easy, I don't want to be under one.
4.  Addis dogs.  I was bit by one in February when I was in Ethiopia.  It's true, ask CJ.  Anyways, it didn't break skin, but if it did I am sure that I would be in some Austrian hospital still.  They are part dog, part nightmare.
3.  Louisville ground hogs.  They travel in packs and think that cars should move for them.  We once didn't go in a shoe store because a few were hanging out in front of the store.  Why there isn't a sports team named after these intimidating beasts is a mystery to me.
2.  Awassa birds.  There are these birds the size of horses in Awassa.  No one knows what I am talking about, but they are big enough for Wisconsin cows to ride on the back of them.  They are like Ford Pintos with wings.  Very frightening.
1.  Any goat.  I'm not convinced they were created before the fall.  They eat your clothes and poop Dippin Dots.  I don't understand the beasts.  I would rather meet a moose than a goat.

note: The hyena is not listed on this list because it is not surprisingly frightening.  They are just straight scary.

There you go.  I'll talk to y'all soon!

Immediately

I got a little stuck looking at Matthew 4 today.  I have heard several people speak about the word "immediately" in Scripture, and I have even spoken about it once before.  Still, this struck me a bit this morning.

At our church a few weeks ago, our pastor was talking about when Matthew went to follow Jesus.  He was talking about how Matthew probably had seen Jesus before.  They had probably crossed paths and been at least familiar with one another.  I had never thought about that.  I don't know if it was true, but I had always pictured it as a complete strange making a completely strange request and having Matthew so thrown off by it that he was left curious.  If Matthew knew who Jesus was, that would change the story a bit.

Either way in Matthew 4 we have the same type of situation.  Simon, Andrew, James and John are all fishing and invited to follow Jesus.  It appears they are at least familiar with Him, and either way, they leave their nets, their jobs, their everything and follow Him.

I am finally at the age that people want to throw everything aside to go fish (or watch horse races here in Louisville.)  Jesus' invitation is to throw what is familiar, maybe safe, and follow Him.  This invitation looks completely different depending on who hears it, but the response time is in the Gospels.  I want to be defined by my relationship with Christ, and those who went before me followed immediately.  They threw everything aside immediately and embraced what He had for them.

Some people who were marked by Jesus stayed in their hometowns, some were sent out, some were drawn near.  No matter the direction, the response time and readiness is what has marked me.  As for me and my house, I want to live ready, so we can respond immediately.

If I Tweeted

Yesterday Ezra finished a soccer tournament.  I drank a lot of coffee and they only had portable toilets.  All I could think is "After using a portable I've learned Americans need to change their diet."

Four Dollars

My gas tank is almost empty.  Tomorrow morning I will need to fill up the Man Van before I go through the day.  Paying $3.99 for gas made me think of when gas was a dollar and we drove all day to Aerosmith's song from Armageddon.  All of that is a distant past, but it is funny what I think is a good deal for $4.  Here are thoughts that I have probably had.

• $4 at McDonald's: "I remember $2.99 meal.  This is way too expensive for fake food."
• $4 at a Bats Game: "$5 gives the souvenir cup, so $4 is way worth a 32 ounce soda!  After all, the "all-you-can-drink" cup is like $9.  $4 is nothing!"
• $4 fee at school.  "I really don't know if books are that important.  Prices are rising and we have five kids!"  (Plus $10 late fees at the school library!)
• $4 at Thorton's, (or Kwik Trip).  "You can get like 325 ounces of soda, 14 hot dogs and a bottle of Yoohoo there.  It's like Christmas kids!"
• $4 at Starbucks.  "I know the water costs $4, but 25 cents goes to children."
• $4 at Target.  "I don't know if we NEED socks.  That seems pretty steep for a twelve pack.  Can't you just share with your brother?  Wear them inside out? Put a sticker over the hole?"
• $4 on cereal.  "Wow!  How can Cheerios cost so much?  This will only last our family a few days!"
• $4 on donuts.  "That should get you home, Durant.  I'm glad to give you six pounds of chocolate icing for breakfast!"
• $4 at Taco Bell. "I'm going to pay for this!"
• $4 at the gas pump.  "Seriously.  These kids are going to start walking to practice."

I hope you have a more realistic grasp on the value of a dollar.  Apparently I have no clue.

Rain

It has been raining almost every day here.  I'm not complaining Wisconsin.  I am glad it is not snow.  Still, almost everyday.  The rain has been very timely though.

Yesterday Ana was out drawing with Easter chalk on the deck.  I don't know what makes it "Easter chalk" other than the extra dollar you pay and the shorter, fatter stick, but she was drawing nonetheless.  She had amazingly straight lines all over the deck.  They were also on the table, and a little bit even on the window.  Her feet and legs were tie dyed some awesome spring colors and she was happy.  I would call the art "modern."  At least I think I would.

A few weeks ago she found some baking soda goo that her brother had made and decorated the same deck, table and window.  Her legs and feet looked like goo on that day.

Today, when I look outside, everything is wiped away.  Some of the pictures were great and I was happy about them.  Some of them, well, not so much.  Still, today is new and the rain has washed away all that was.

Sometimes people need brand new starts where everything that was is wiped away.  Sometimes we need all the successes wiped away to finally be present.  Sometimes we need all our failures to be erased.  Either way the rain comes.  I'm thankful for rain.  Today is brand new again.

Enough Time Away

I think I have taken enough time away.  That was my three week sabbatical that followed my two week sabbatical.  This blogging thing offers great time away though the salary is pretty stinking low.
Anyways, this is my first Derby Season in Louisville and it is a big deal.  Not only are there awesomely decorated hats, but there are rules and routines for everything.  Here are a few things that I am learning about living here in the spring.

• The weather is crazy: 85 degrees at 5pm.  50 with rain at 8pm.  75 with sunny skies at 10am.  Repeat almost daily.
• Derby is bigger than Easter.  How do I know this?  The kids get "Oaks Day" off of school but not "Good Friday."  Oaks Day is when the female horses run the day before the Derby.  I guess this is the day to go to the track and you go to "Derby Parties" on Derby Day.
• There is such a thing as a "Derby Party."  There is even a "Derby Pie."  It looks like pecan with chocolate, but what do I know.  (side note: last year at the race they served $1,000 mint juleps.  It was made from ice that was taken off an imported glacier.  Seriously)
• Horses are a big deal.  Every Walmart has one inside.  It isn't real, but good luck convincing Ana of that.
• Secretariat won't be running this year.  Good luck convincing Durant of that.  He has a field trip to the Derby Museum and we are pretty sure he will cry when he doesn't see Secretariat.  He now wants to be a jockey.  He has the height for it.
• Horses have cool names.  "Pants on Fire" is Nikki's pick to win.  I'm waiting for a horse to be named "Mr. Wiggletooth."  He would get my vote.
• Louisville races everything.  If it can go in a straight line, there is probably a race over the next few weeks.
• Nothing gets done until after Derby.  People are on semi vacation.  It is pretty funny.  I feel like an outsider.  There are fundraisers every day, basketball tournaments, and everything.  I'll tell you more when I figure it all out.
• It takes weeks to prepare for, but the race is over in just over 2 minutes.  Go figure.

That's a crash course in this time of year here.  Have a great Easter weekend.