Congressman Jack Kingston

Today, I had the opportunity to attend a forum where Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) addressed some of the issues our community - civilian and military - are facing.  There has been quite a bit of upheaval in our community with regard to the expansion of Fort Stewart and the promised addition of a brigade - a promise which did not come to pass.  Congressman Kingston has led the charge in "righting this wrong".  He has been a great source of strength and encouragement to our community's citizens and leaders.  If you know his record, you know he has championed conservative values in and throughout our government.


I had the privilege of meeting the congressman personally a couple of years ago, during our city's race to elect a mayor.  Jack accompanied one of the candidates to a gathering I hosted and spent a great deal of time answering questions posed by some of my friends.  It was then that I became impressed with him, because he did not strive to give the "right" answers, as many politicians tend to do.  He did not "spin" the facts to cast them in a better light.  He was straightforward about our situation and very candid in his communication about the pro and cons of all that we are facing, and also the options he believed would best serve our community.  I experienced that same sense of character in today's forum.  

Growing up in Maryland, and living in Annapolis, the State's capital, I lived a short distance from Washington  D.C. and had many opportunities to hear and even be around various political leaders.  Throughout the forum and also afterward in more personal conversation, I found his candor very refreshing.  He did not make everything better.  He did not promise a perfect solution.  But, he left me with a very real sense that someone with the ability to do something was on the job and truly cares - that he was honestly committed to the process of repairing the economic damage that has been wrought upon our city.  

I believe that the greatest teachers are not the ones who give you the most information about something, but the ones who are able to stir in you a passion to become a part of something as they teach.  (I will write about this in detail another time)  Add to that, the lesson my father taught me early on that you cannot be in a situation and remain neutral.  You are either part of the problem or a part of the solution.  In the meeting today, Congressman Kingston made me feel as though I am part of the solution. He managed to draw me into the process.  Whether he realizes it or not, he became a teacher for me today.


I have a renewed passion to be a part of the fight and to see our city and our military base move forward.  I am encouraged to know that the fight continues and that victory can be achieved.  I have respected and liked Congressman Kingston from the day that I met him.   But today, I feel a great sense of pride that he is our congressman and I am thankful for his service.


I encourage you to learn more about the people who represent you.  They need your prayer and they need your support - not simply in the polls but in the actions of your life as you work and live in your community.  Get to know them.  Learn their values and beliefs.  And, let them know you know - in so doing, you take the first steps in becoming a part of the solution to some of the things we are facing in the nation.

God bless you.


t

The Red Truck

There is a truck that has been in the family for years.

It has been used as a unique ministry tool both for my dad 

and for me.

Thought I might share an insight with you

about it.

Hope you enjoy it. 

How You Love Yourself

Yeah, I know.  Dangerous title.  If you are a spiritually minded person, you are probably okay with it.  If you are religious, I may have just offended you (sorry.).  If you are not spiritually minded, your mind probably just went to some archived Will Ferrell Saturday Might Live skit.  Relax.  It will be okay.

The Apostle Paul instructed the believers in Galatia that they should love their neighbor as themselves.  Actually, that command is reiterated throughout the Bible.  But how do we do that?  What does it mean to 'love yourself'?

In our Wednesday night IMPACT service, I shared on this.  Loving yourself does not mean indulging yourself.  A parent who indulges their child by giving in to their every whim and momentary desire is not demonstrating love.  We struggle hard to empower our kids without becoming enablers.  I believe it was Warren Buffet under-girded that sentiment when he instructed us to (paraphrased) "leave enough to your children for them be able to to do something but never enough for them to be able to do nothing."  Many have extended family members...siblings...cousins...etc. who they have "bailed out" of situations, only to watch in frustration as that family member immediately dives into another situation.

This to say, when we love someone, the last thing we want to do is give in to everything they want.  It isn't healthy.  It isn't really love.

In the Gospels, just before the instruction to love your neighbor as yourself came the instruction to love God with all your heart mind and soul.  It was the pattern for demonstrating love.  It covered everything - spiritually, emotionally and physically.  If you only love with a part of that mix - it isn't a true demonstration of love.

A husband can show his wife physical affection, but if he tunes her out emotionally, he does not give her total love.  She can say she loves him, but if she continually reaches back in her mind or her actions toward another, she isn't complete in her love to him.  In short, you cannot pick and choose how you love God or anyone else.  He actually designed love to be perfected by a righteous and whole lifestyle - each part of you working in harmony.

So how do you love yourself?  It involves the proper caring for yourself - spiritually, emotionally and physically.  If you cater to indulgences in any of these areas, do are not positioning yourself in real love toward anyone - especially yourself.  Physical vices bring harm to the body.  Improper relationships tear at your emotions and of those around you. Lack of spiritual maintenance leads to spiritual weakness and failure.  To love yourself means to guard each part of you.  Proverbs 4:23 says, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from, it flows every issue of life."


My A. W. Tozer reading brought me across a checklist for this self evaluation.  You can learn a lot by considering:

• What you want most
• What you think about most
• How you use money
• How you spend your leisure time
• The company you enjoy (not simply 'keep', but enjoy)
• Whom and what you admire (the belief system of your heroes will affect your beliefs)
• What you laugh at

Measure these things and they will begin to paint a picture of how you care for yourself -how you love yourself - and ultimately how you love God and others.

have a great day!

Fairest Lord Jesus - A Moment To Worship

This morning I took a moment to worship with my guitar.

I hit the record button on my computer to see what would happen 

if I captured it for video.

This song is special to me, for it reminds me of the

incredible splendor of Jesus.

It was first written by German Jesuits in the 17th Century and

translated into English in 1873 by Joseph Seiss.

God's love for us is unending.  Neither is His majesty and power.

Take some time to worship Him today.

Realizing Your Value

When one hears the word "realize" one usually associates it with discovery.  For instance, "She finally realized how blessed she is."  Another use of the word "realize" speaks of accomplishment.  By example, "He finally realized his dream by starting a business."  The true realization of anything requires both discovery and accomplishment.  The Bible teaches in Matthew 12 and again in Luke 6 the principle that man is known by his fruit.  That which is accomplished brings greater revelation to the value.

Years ago one of my relatives had an apple tree in her yard.  Every year this tree would be absolutely full of apples.  You would think that this tree held great value to the family because of the apples it produced.  However, if you ever bit into one of those apples you would quickly change your mind.  They were the toughest, most bitter apples one could ever imagine.  We used them as baseballs.  Even its value for shade or aesthetic beauty lost out over the fruit that it produced. In fact, the tree is no longer in the yard.  For, while the amount of fruit is important, the quality of fruit is more important.  The value of that tree was ultimately measured by the quality of its fruit.

People enter God's kingdom without really understanding the value God has placed in their life.  They begin to recognize that value through the teaching of God's word.  This sometimes proves to have a positive and a negative effect on people for this reason:  People discover that they have value in God's kingdom.  Once they realize that, they understand that that value must be put into practice.  They become excited and full of hope that their value is about to be put to use.  Those hopes are quickly dashed because the release of their value into the world around them does not materialize.  At this point, many develop one of two beliefs - either that they actually had no value after all, or, no one cares enough about them to recognize the value that is obviously there.  The usual next step is to become complacent in their Christian walk.

The truth of the matter is, their value has not been realized.  It is there and in place, but it has not been brought forth in action.  Those who are around you will only discover your true value by the fruit you produce.  But the key to that discovery lies is in what you are willing to produce.  How you choose to relate to people realizes your value.  How you share your life with others realizes your value.  How you perform on your job realizes your value to the company for which you work.  How you raise and instruct your children realizes the value you hold as a parent.  How you relate and function among your brothers and sisters in Christ realizes your value in God's kingdom.

Many declare that they are simply waiting for an opportunity to have their value recognized so that they can have room to function.  In reality, the value of an individual is usually recognized because of how they have chosen to function.  I have a friend who is a street musician.  He and his friend can be found almost every evening on a particular spot along Savannah's River Street.  He constantly has a barrage of gifted but frustrated musicians who are waiting to be discovered.  My friend is not simply waiting to be discovered.  He determined that he would use his gift in a place where people would be.  He did not wait for an invitation to perform.  He picked up his instrument, asked the city for a permit and started playing.  The longer he plays, the more people come to appreciate his gift.  Now on any summer evening, you will likely find 10 to 50 people sitting in the square, listening to his music.  His value has been realized to the community.  When he is not there, he is missed.  Even further, as a trained musician, I became intrigued at his chord structure, which is one of his own invention.  As he released his gift into the atmosphere, I realized (i.e. discovered) a value that is missed by most.  I actually paid this street musician to teach me his chord structure so that I could enhance the music God placed within me. His willingness to pursue an action has brought to realization his value.  One thing, though.  He is out there playing when it is hot, when it is cold, when there is a crowd or when the square is empty of passersby.  He plays when he is sick, tired, or sick and tired.  When I asked him why, his reply was profound.  "If I am not here playing, I will lose my spot."

If you are not willing to exercise the value God placed within you, in time, you will lose your way.  Your place in life will become unsure and rather than living to thrive, you will begin living just to exist.  I challenge you this week to consider your value.  Consider to whom you extend yourself.  What relationships are you willing to build and nurture?  Where are you demonstrating your value in the body of Christ?  Where are you relating in order to recognize the value of others around you? What are you doing to realize your value?