8 months of note taking

i doodle thoughts during Church.

i rarely get a moment to put them all together.

Here's 8 months worth:

· Spirit is willing Body is weak
Like 2 dogs in a fight. The one I feed will eventually over power the other

· CONFORM + TRANSFORM = RENEW YOUR MIND

I am BLESSED for saying no: James 1 12 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

· Gentle quiet spirit is prescious to God the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight

· SIN IS SO INVITING AND PLEASING… but there’s a catch… it leads to death!

· Minimize TEMPATION

· GUARD YOUR EYES: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

· Ruuuuuuuuuunnnnnn!!!!!!! Be radical when it comes to sin. It’s like cancer. Run!

· Guard your mind. Security tighter than the airport. Cuz if someone gets in with a bomb. Bad things happen

· This is just great… especially the end of it: 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

· Here’s a thought: a Holy God could not stand to be away from us. So He fixed the problem.

· The Holy Spirit … is a helper to aid you as you battle to choose the Spirit over the flesh you were born into.

· Sinning doesn’t make the Holy Spirit leave you. The Quenching of the Spirit is basically like throwing water on a camp fire… it’s still there… it’s just been quenched.

Being in fellowship and communion with Jesus is going to lead to an abundance of the Spirit present in your day. Sin and an abundance of sin “quenches” the spirits work and ability to work through you

· For now… I am glad I can’t figure God out. Leaves me dependent on Faith

· In Hebrews 11 Moses and Abraham are described as amazing men of Faith who moved their families around… pursued promises of a God they’d never laid eyes on. Wow. I’ve never seen him either!

· Choose PURPOSE over FEELING every time

Test God on his principles 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

· I am free. But it is good to assemble with other believers

· I’d like to be more concerned with finding more Truth rather than I am about bring right.

· Live a life of Worship

· Psalm 39:5 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath.

· Get to know Jesus More every day. Then Be salt. Then Shine.

· Serve. Give.

· Make deposits into stuff that lasts forever. Not earth.

· RACE TO THE BOTTOM! NOT THE TOP! Serve. Servant of all.

· The disciples showed “our” nature. “who will sit at your right hand in heaven Lord? Which of us?” Jesus shocked them by serving.

Emeril watch out!

So my quest to become a gourmet Chef is underway!

Well, at the core, it's a 32 year old guy in a desperate search to find a hobby that doesn't have to do with work, home, taxes, church, ect.

Last year Saltwater Reef's crept into my life but in 09 It's all about cooking.

Ok so i've only taken 1 class so far. A group that was formed by a Chef that attends our church in Bradenton. Chef Doug leads a class called "Fun with food".

20 of us got together in 1 kitchen. That's the miracle of this all. Fitting all of us in one kitchen.

My first job on the quest to become a master chef. Dusting mushrooms!! Which i don't eat!

By the end of the night i learned that the giftings God has blessed me with are not in the mushroom field but rather with rice. I am a changed man after learning what onions and chicken stock can do for rice!

More in a couple weeks..... here was the main course

Chicken, Mushroom, and Bok Choy Kebabs
yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled ginger
2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound baby bok choy (5 to 6 heads)
1/2 pound large cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with caps
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Equipment:
14 (12-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes.
Preparation
Marinate chicken:Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt.
Boil soy sauce, Sherry, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic paste, ginger, and sesame oil, then cool to room temperature.
Pour half of marinade into a large sealable bag and chill remainder for basting. Add chicken to bag and marinate, chilled, turning bag occasionally, at least 3 hours.
Make kebabs:Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).
Meanwhile, halve bok choy lengthwise and blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water (2 Tbsp salt for 5 qt water) until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to an ice bath to stop cooking. Pat bok choy very dry, then, bending leaves, thread 3 or 4 halves (through bulb and leaves) onto each of 3 or 4 skewers. Put on a tray.
Toss mushrooms with vegetable oil. Thread mushrooms (through sides) and chicken (discard marinade) onto remaining skewers, alternating them. Put on another tray.
Oil grill rack, then grill chicken-and-mushroom skewers, covered only if using a gas grill, 6 minutes. Turn over and baste with some of remaining marinade, then grill, turning and basting occasionally (but not during last 3 minutes), until chicken is just cooked through and mushrooms are tender, 6 to 8 minutes more.
Lightly brush bok choy with oil and grill, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes total.

Zooooorilla

The conversations with Tampa Bay Ray Outfielder/Infielder Ben Zobrist are now posted here:http://www.thejoyfm.com/Article.asp?id=1405855

including:

Using Zobrist as a pawn to get another fantasy baseball opponent to trade Zobrist to me

Plus the call to little James who got surprised at day care with a call from Zoriilla

Why under these stars.....

... Why under these stars is it so easy to let go and just believe?

Why do you become so murky the moment I enter my house?

Why are you so hard to hear the second I enter my work place?

When trouble raises it's voice; why do I pretend that I barely know you?

Yet under that celestial canvas of yours it's so much easier to remember who you are and who I am?

Why is it so easy to believe that you created me and found a way to save me.

Yet when it comes to my problems, worries, and fears I find a way to forget who you are?

When you tell me your yoke is light and your burden is easy I seem to prefer the weight of my own burden as sweat beads drip off my face.

It doesn't make sense.

But under your stars it all makes sense.

If I weren't renting I'd consider a homemade skylight in my house to fix this problem.

Santa, Cinderella, and Pixie Fairy's

My little kids believe in some very interesting things. At Christmas time my 5 year old puts out Cookies for Santa and Carrots for his reindeer. When she wakes up Christmas morning she truly believes that Santa and Rudolph came into our house and partook!

I've never heard her break down the specifics of what an overnight trip to every house in the world would take. She's never asked me how a deer can defy gravity and fly from house to house... she just believes.

I have had a faith in God as my creator and Jesus as my savior and redeemer for nearly 30 years. Although i wonder on a daily basis how God can speak the Universe into existance. How did he speak and human life came to be. Every day i wonder how over 4000 years ago a guy named Moses walked on dry ground through the Red Sea. I still wonder how Jesus physically was dead... but he defied death and came back to life

I wonder how people who believe in a loving God/Savior can meet sunday morning and sing and talk about Freedom yet they live chained to religion?

There's a lot that doesn't make sense to me

Whats my problem?

I stumbled upon this:

Luke Chapter 10 Verse 21

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

Are you kidding? Is it that easy?

All the truths of God are hidden in the children and the way they process things?

I will become a student at home now! When my daughter asks me if Cinderella truly sleeps in Cinderella's castle at Disney World in Orlando... I'll smile! She's helping me under stand my maker!

Just believe!

Wrestling with God

I would like to start this by saying that I am in awe of God. I "fear" God in the awestruck sense. How can you not? Look at what he's made. Look at this litle seed of faith in me that connects me to an unseen creator... I am obviously in awe of Him.

But what i am about to say may sound unconventional.

I truly believe God wants to pick a fight with some of us!

Before calling the religion police on me... let me explain.

Genesis 32 is a chapter that is tough for a lot of people to explain (including me)
All i know is that a great man of faith (Jacob) was ravaged by fear.
He questioned all the things God had been promising Him for years.
Jacob sent half of his crew to ease the fear... the other half he sent into retreat mode.
Which means... Jacob was alone.
In a piece of scripture that a lot of people have a hard time explaining God came down and physically wrestled with Jacob... i am not sure in what form but i know he battled him in some sense... even came away with a limp ... the limp was like a scar... proof that you got cut!!!!

I have spent many nights like Jacob...swimming in a bottom-less pool of fear.
When i read about God visiting Jacob in his tent to "do battle with Him" ... it gives me chills because God has visited my tent many times and i fought and yelled and screamed at Him!!

"why did this happen?"
"rescue me from these circumstances"
"thats not fair"
"cut down my enemies"
"you said that i am your kid and yet you allow trouble to beat me up"

I finally got the point.

God would rather have me yelling and screaming at Him than have me run away.

I am not the only one that runs to things to ignore a pending clash with God.

Shopping, alcohol, movies, books, excercise, sports, sleep ... we will do what we can to avoid hashing things out with God

The picture that comes to mind is an image of a person beating on God's chest.

While beating on God's chest you are yelling "WHY AM I HURTING AND IN PAIN?"

"WHY WON'T YOU TAKE IT AWAY"

yell, beat on His chest ... in the end your strength and efforts will leave you tired and you will fall against Him and He will wrap you in comfort.

either way... The Creator of the Universe and lover of your soul is so madley in love with you just the way you are that He'd rather have you raise your voice at Him than run away and ignore him.

Like King David hiding in a field yelling to God to slay David's enemies... He was frustrated, angry, and confused but i will end this the same way he did

you are great God... and your love endures forever!

God's LOL's

Prov 17: 22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

LOL... I know it was thousands of years ago but i am pretty sure God meant to include a lot of LOL's throughout the Bible.

Knowing from scripture that God encourages laughter and a joyful heart is so cool to me.

I say that because God knew... that in 2008 stocks would be down, gas and milk would be 4 bucks a gallon, cancer and diabetes up, car accidents and death up, broken homes every where, choas and divorce are the norm, depression is life for most, morality is ancient, hurt, brokenness, and hopelessness would breed.

The creator of Joy and laughter knew 08 was comin'

I need to laugh more... he's is Hope why shouldn't I laugh?