Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Highlighter [Job 5 - Psalm 55]
I've read through Psalm 55 since I've last updated on this. Here are a few things that jumped off the page and slapped me in the face...
Job 8:14-15
What he trusts in is fragile;
what he relies on is a spider's web.
He leans on his web, but it gives way
he clings to it, but it does not hold.
We must rely on God. Anything else...and we'll fall.
Job 17:9 Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.
Job 28:28 The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.
Psalm 5:8
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies-
make straight your way before me.
Psalm 14:5b for God is present in the company of the righteous.
Psalm 25:3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,
Psalm 28:8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Psalm 49:20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
This is the last verse of a great chapter, one that I've been in and out of a lot the past few months. This is a great chapter about how worthless the worldly possessions we seek really are. It's been very helpful to Jenny and I as we are still seeking employment for her. We know God will take care of us, we just need to stop trusting in our "stuff."
Job 8:14-15
What he trusts in is fragile;
what he relies on is a spider's web.
He leans on his web, but it gives way
he clings to it, but it does not hold.
We must rely on God. Anything else...and we'll fall.
Job 17:9 Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.
Job 28:28 The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.
Psalm 5:8
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies-
make straight your way before me.
Psalm 14:5b for God is present in the company of the righteous.
Psalm 25:3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,
Psalm 28:8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
Psalm 49:20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
This is the last verse of a great chapter, one that I've been in and out of a lot the past few months. This is a great chapter about how worthless the worldly possessions we seek really are. It's been very helpful to Jenny and I as we are still seeking employment for her. We know God will take care of us, we just need to stop trusting in our "stuff."
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
It's a Tech World we live in...
Before I begin, let me just say that I AM NOT against texting, I do text as many of you with my number can testify to. So please don't think otherwise, hopefully this post just gets us thinking about the pros and cons of texting/technology.
I recently commented on my mom's blog post regarding the impact technology has on our writing and relationships.
Below is a video taken from the today show about teens who gave up technology for 10 days, it's worth a watch. Note: Video expires in a few days and will be unwatchable.
Hat tip to Chris (no, not me) for the video.
What do you guys think? Does technology affect us negatively without us realizing it? What differences would you see in the world around you if everybody completed this 10 day challenge? I'd love to discuss...
I recently commented on my mom's blog post regarding the impact technology has on our writing and relationships.
Below is a video taken from the today show about teens who gave up technology for 10 days, it's worth a watch. Note: Video expires in a few days and will be unwatchable.
Hat tip to Chris (no, not me) for the video.
What do you guys think? Does technology affect us negatively without us realizing it? What differences would you see in the world around you if everybody completed this 10 day challenge? I'd love to discuss...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Highlighter [Nehemiah 1 - Job 4]
I hope these passages will bless you as much as they have blessed me...
Nehemiah 8:10b This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
The joy of the LORD is our strength. One might ask "How can the joy of the LORD be our strength?" Look, we are blessed. It is often times really easy to focus only on the negative (I'm probably speaking to myself here more than anybody else). I have a house, I have wonderful friends, I have a loving family, and God is great for showering me with such wonderful blessings! I know that when my time on earth here is done, I'm going to be with my heavenly father. That gives me an "uber" amount of joy! This joy helps get me through the rough patches of life. This joy is my strength!
Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?
Still, one of the most powerful sermons I've heard came from this verse and it was titled "for such a time as this."
Job 1:22, 2:10b In all this, Job did not sin
Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Even though Job suffered through many tough situations, he didn't sin. Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Even if we are going through a period of bad luck, we should always do what we know is right. Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Let's take this lesson from Job and do the right thing NO MATTER WHAT! Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important.
Nehemiah 8:10b This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
The joy of the LORD is our strength. One might ask "How can the joy of the LORD be our strength?" Look, we are blessed. It is often times really easy to focus only on the negative (I'm probably speaking to myself here more than anybody else). I have a house, I have wonderful friends, I have a loving family, and God is great for showering me with such wonderful blessings! I know that when my time on earth here is done, I'm going to be with my heavenly father. That gives me an "uber" amount of joy! This joy helps get me through the rough patches of life. This joy is my strength!
Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?
Still, one of the most powerful sermons I've heard came from this verse and it was titled "for such a time as this."
Job 1:22, 2:10b In all this, Job did not sin
Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Even though Job suffered through many tough situations, he didn't sin. Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Even if we are going through a period of bad luck, we should always do what we know is right. Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important. Let's take this lesson from Job and do the right thing NO MATTER WHAT! Whenever you see a repeated phrase in a section of the Bible - it's important.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Highlighter [2 Kings 24 - Ezra 10]
I missed the past two weeks doing this. I wish I had a great excuse, I just flat out forgot. Thankfully, I was able to catch up and get back on pace to where I should be.
I'll limit what I log since so many chapters are covered...
1 Chronicles 11:9 And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him.
When we have the LORD on our side, we can do great things!
1 Chronicles 28:9 If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
2 Chronicles 2:5b because our God is greater than all other gods.
Just a friendly reminder :-)
2 Chronicles 7:17 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
1. Humble themselves
2. Pray
3. Seek God
4. Repent from their ways
Doing those 4 things will change your life! I promise. We we do this we will realize how great God is and how much we need him. Once we come to that realization, HE will take care of the rest.
2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.
Ezra 3:3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and the evening sacrifices.
I love that they did this "despite their fear." Imagine what we, as Christians, could accomplish if we didn't let our fear hold us back. How many times are we worried about "the peoples around us" and what they might say or think about us? Let's worship God always, and not let our fear stop us from glorifying HIM.
I'll limit what I log since so many chapters are covered...
1 Chronicles 11:9 And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him.
When we have the LORD on our side, we can do great things!
1 Chronicles 28:9 If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
2 Chronicles 2:5b because our God is greater than all other gods.
Just a friendly reminder :-)
2 Chronicles 7:17 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
1. Humble themselves
2. Pray
3. Seek God
4. Repent from their ways
Doing those 4 things will change your life! I promise. We we do this we will realize how great God is and how much we need him. Once we come to that realization, HE will take care of the rest.
2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.
Ezra 3:3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and the evening sacrifices.
I love that they did this "despite their fear." Imagine what we, as Christians, could accomplish if we didn't let our fear hold us back. How many times are we worried about "the peoples around us" and what they might say or think about us? Let's worship God always, and not let our fear stop us from glorifying HIM.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Victory!
Congrats to the 2009 UNC Tar Heels!
I must admit, in all my years of watching basketball, I don't recall a team that was as fun to watch as this team, regardless of what uniform the team wore. These guys could beat you outside and/or beat you inside. You really didn't want to get out of your chair when watching this team, you never know when they could score 10 pts in 45 seconds. They've done it before. More than once.
Three of the five starters were legitimate 20 point threats. Danny Green was not to be ignored either, as a 15 point threat. Thompson started, but he and Davis teamed up to man the 4 spot exceptionally.
But, contrary to what the world has been told, this wasn't just an offense only type team. I realize this team won't go down in history as the best defensive team in the world, but they could play defense better than the media gave them credit for (did you watch them in the tourney?). Plus, call me a homer, and I'm probably going to get ridiculed for saying this, but I really think if Marcus Ginyard, the Heels' best defensive player, played this year we'd be talking about an undefeated season **GASP** But we'll never know so I guess we'll just leave it at that.
It was a fantastic run for Psycho T's senior class, as they went deeper into the tourney each year. This year, it was tournament dominance at it's finest. Every win was by 12 or more points. Of the 240 minutes played in the tournament, the Heels had the lower score for only 9 total minutes, 6-7 of those minutes belong to LSU.
Many excuses were handed out towards this team. Hansbrough's "regression" from last year, Lawson's toe, a handful of injuries in December-January, and don't get me wrong, some of those were huge issues, but in the end, this team was special. This team stood out. This team was the last standing.
I'm looking forward to the defense of the title. Ginyard will be back, taking a medical redshirt this past year. I have high expectations for Zeller and Davis. Zeller, the big 7 footer, probably won't be as dominate as Hansbrough, but plays a similar style as Psycho T does. He's good on the boards and has great touch around the rim. Davis, at times, I felt like should be starting over Deon Thompson. But who am I to second guess coach Roy? I can't wait to see Davis when he is getting more minutes next year. Joining them in the post next season will be 5 star recruit John Henson, the 6-10/200 pounder that averages 24 points a game in High school. 6-10, 200 pounds! I don't know what it is, but those long, skinny players are always exciting to watch.
Dexter Strickland is a 5 star guard we have coming in. He's labeled as a good scorer who can play the 2 guard. His noted strength is his ability to drive to the rack under heavy amounts of traffic. It's always nice to have someone on the court who isn't afraid of traffic. Pulling up and hitting a jumper is often an effective way of scoring, but you have to make sure that that doesn't translate into laziness, which would be a huge problem on the offensive side of the ball.
Leslie McDonald isn't rated as high as Strickland, but he is a multi-positional guard who can play the 2, or the point. Roy will possibly redshirt McDonald, but that is just a guess.
These guards will have to share time with Ginyard (assuming Ginyard isn't playing the 3. He'll probably play wherever he needs to be to matchup with the opponents best offensive player) and also have to split time with Larry Drew II and Justin Watts. Drew II is a good distributing point guard. I predict he'll be an All-American at some point down the road. I rally don't know what to think about Justin Watts (besides that he is heavier than John Henson, while being 5 inches shorter). There were a few games when Watts got 10 minutes of playing time, in one game he scored 9 points in 11 minutes. But, even though he only gets garbage minutes, he has a lot of turnovers. On the season he has 9 turnovers, 5 assists and that is unacceptable. Most likely, I'd say, many of these newly recruited freshmen guards will start out ahead of him on the depth chart. Watts might be looking at having a career full of garbage minutes. We'll see what happens though.
Last, but definitely not least, come the twins. David and Travis Wear, both listed at 6-9/225. They come from the other side of the country, California...turning down a scholarship from most PAC-10 schools to play for the Heels. Travis is kind of like a Robert Horry/Jawad Williams player - he's good inside but you have to cover him outside too, he's got a good perimeter shot. David is the same type of player, but his range isn't quite as deep as his brother's. Good, but not as good. David is probably the better defender though. We'll probably see these guys playing the 3, maybe shifting to the 4 occasionally.
But the one I'm most excited about won't come this year, but next year. We have coming in Reggie Bullock, one of the best high school guards and best high school shooters in the class of 2010. Two years from now, this squad is gonna look exceptional.
Congrats to a great season!
I must admit, in all my years of watching basketball, I don't recall a team that was as fun to watch as this team, regardless of what uniform the team wore. These guys could beat you outside and/or beat you inside. You really didn't want to get out of your chair when watching this team, you never know when they could score 10 pts in 45 seconds. They've done it before. More than once.
Three of the five starters were legitimate 20 point threats. Danny Green was not to be ignored either, as a 15 point threat. Thompson started, but he and Davis teamed up to man the 4 spot exceptionally.
But, contrary to what the world has been told, this wasn't just an offense only type team. I realize this team won't go down in history as the best defensive team in the world, but they could play defense better than the media gave them credit for (did you watch them in the tourney?). Plus, call me a homer, and I'm probably going to get ridiculed for saying this, but I really think if Marcus Ginyard, the Heels' best defensive player, played this year we'd be talking about an undefeated season **GASP** But we'll never know so I guess we'll just leave it at that.
It was a fantastic run for Psycho T's senior class, as they went deeper into the tourney each year. This year, it was tournament dominance at it's finest. Every win was by 12 or more points. Of the 240 minutes played in the tournament, the Heels had the lower score for only 9 total minutes, 6-7 of those minutes belong to LSU.
Many excuses were handed out towards this team. Hansbrough's "regression" from last year, Lawson's toe, a handful of injuries in December-January, and don't get me wrong, some of those were huge issues, but in the end, this team was special. This team stood out. This team was the last standing.
I'm looking forward to the defense of the title. Ginyard will be back, taking a medical redshirt this past year. I have high expectations for Zeller and Davis. Zeller, the big 7 footer, probably won't be as dominate as Hansbrough, but plays a similar style as Psycho T does. He's good on the boards and has great touch around the rim. Davis, at times, I felt like should be starting over Deon Thompson. But who am I to second guess coach Roy? I can't wait to see Davis when he is getting more minutes next year. Joining them in the post next season will be 5 star recruit John Henson, the 6-10/200 pounder that averages 24 points a game in High school. 6-10, 200 pounds! I don't know what it is, but those long, skinny players are always exciting to watch.
Dexter Strickland is a 5 star guard we have coming in. He's labeled as a good scorer who can play the 2 guard. His noted strength is his ability to drive to the rack under heavy amounts of traffic. It's always nice to have someone on the court who isn't afraid of traffic. Pulling up and hitting a jumper is often an effective way of scoring, but you have to make sure that that doesn't translate into laziness, which would be a huge problem on the offensive side of the ball.
Leslie McDonald isn't rated as high as Strickland, but he is a multi-positional guard who can play the 2, or the point. Roy will possibly redshirt McDonald, but that is just a guess.
These guards will have to share time with Ginyard (assuming Ginyard isn't playing the 3. He'll probably play wherever he needs to be to matchup with the opponents best offensive player) and also have to split time with Larry Drew II and Justin Watts. Drew II is a good distributing point guard. I predict he'll be an All-American at some point down the road. I rally don't know what to think about Justin Watts (besides that he is heavier than John Henson, while being 5 inches shorter). There were a few games when Watts got 10 minutes of playing time, in one game he scored 9 points in 11 minutes. But, even though he only gets garbage minutes, he has a lot of turnovers. On the season he has 9 turnovers, 5 assists and that is unacceptable. Most likely, I'd say, many of these newly recruited freshmen guards will start out ahead of him on the depth chart. Watts might be looking at having a career full of garbage minutes. We'll see what happens though.
Last, but definitely not least, come the twins. David and Travis Wear, both listed at 6-9/225. They come from the other side of the country, California...turning down a scholarship from most PAC-10 schools to play for the Heels. Travis is kind of like a Robert Horry/Jawad Williams player - he's good inside but you have to cover him outside too, he's got a good perimeter shot. David is the same type of player, but his range isn't quite as deep as his brother's. Good, but not as good. David is probably the better defender though. We'll probably see these guys playing the 3, maybe shifting to the 4 occasionally.
But the one I'm most excited about won't come this year, but next year. We have coming in Reggie Bullock, one of the best high school guards and best high school shooters in the class of 2010. Two years from now, this squad is gonna look exceptional.
Congrats to a great season!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Everyday is a holiday...
I know it's not Christmas season. But it IS Easter time in a week or so. Thought this video might inspire you as much as it did me.
God Bless
God Bless
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