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El primero fue Jesús (Mateo 14:25).
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El segundo era Simón Pedro, discípulo de Jesús (Mateo 14:29).
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y el tercero...Jorge!
Showing posts with label misc.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label misc.. Show all posts
Friday, May 17
El tercer hombre en la historia para caminar sobre el agua
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El primero fue Jesús (Mateo 14:25).
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El segundo era Simón Pedro, discípulo de Jesús (Mateo 14:29).
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y el tercero...Jorge!
Thursday, February 28
Is breaking the law necessarily a sin?
We live in a complicated world. The world is more often gray, rather than a simple choice of either black or white. To eat an Oreo cookie or spreading Kraft mayonnaise on my sandwich is supporting the tobacco industry (both Oreos and Kraft are owned by the tobacco industry.) Is eating an Oreo a sin? That's what I mean by we live in a gray world.
Certainly some things are black or white, such as anything which clearly go against the teachings of Scripture. To kill someone is not only breaking the law, it is sin. But what about when I drive 40 mph in a 20 mph posted zone? I am clearly breaking the law, but is it a sin?
Years ago, as a music student, I was at a banquet of our school. I happened to sit at a table with several professors from the music department. In the course of the meal, I casually asked if anyone knew where I might be able to BORROW a copy of a popular cantata soundtrack to use as accompaniment with our small Hispanic church choir. You would have thought I had committed the unpardonable sin by even considering such an illegal thing! Everyone at the table became silent. Then one of my profs explained to me that doing so would be illegal and anybody doing so would be "breaking copyright laws" and could be held liable. End of the discussion. I continued to eat my apple pie but wondered to myself what harm there would be in our tiny Hispanic Church borrowing for a few weeks an expensive and unafordable soundtrack from one of the larger more wealthier churches in town who would have it gathering dust on some shelf? But since I didn't want to "sin" by "breaking the law" I did nothing more to pursue the matter. We ended up finding someone who could play the piano and used them instead.
May I ask you, the reader, a personal question? Have you ever made a song sheet for church, or made a copy of a song or CD and shared it with family or a friend? Have you ever reproduced copyrighted material in any form without the permission or license to do so? Have you ever projected on a wall a video, or printed out the words to a song and used them in a service without having written authorization to do so? Yes, I know what the laws say--to do so is a NO-NO, it is illegal--but is it a sin? And yes, I recognize that to do so subjects me to getting into trouble with the laws of the land. But again, am I sinning against God?
Maybe I have lived overseas for too many years, but the host culture where we live and serve does not regard copying and reproducing copyrighted materials as sinful. Everyone--and I mean everyone--does it all the time. There is little, to no regard, for all the strict laws that are so much a part of life in more developed parts of the world. Now I am NOT saying it is OK to do so. What I am asking is this a sin against God that needs to be repented of and confessed? Before you say yes, read on...
A wild guestimate would be that for every legitimate copy of Christian music (in all its forms) there are literally thousands of so called "illegitimate" copies floating around. Few of us even give it a second thought. There are no associated guilty feelings. Are all these tens of thousands of Christians guilty of sin? One could argue ignorance of sin is no excuse. Yet, if those participating in it are totally unaware of any wrong-doing, are they sinning? My American brothers for the most part would say, yes. They are stealing that which does not belong to them. But is using something the same thing as stealing it? If my car is "stolen" yet it is still sitting in my driveway, was it really stolen?
I am fully aware that a post like this sounds very odd to most of us coming from a Western mindset. We have been told that these kinds of things are wrong. To do them is to sin. But who is it telling us these things are sin? Isn't it our money-making, consumerism culture? If things aren't sold then the "sin" is that money isn't made. If money isn't made, we can't make more stuff! It is our society that has declared these things to be so.
Isn't everything that God gives to his Body freely given? Matthew 10 quotes Jesus as saying, "Freely you have received, freely give..." If it is meant to bless and edify the Body of Christ, should one "own" and charge money to others so that another can be "blessed?" Do we actually think we own what God has freely given to us for the benefit of his Body? Where did the commercialization of Christianity come from anyway? I truly wonder if Jesus were walking the earth today, would He not be spending a lot of time cleaning out today's temples who have made an industry out of his Word.
Now, I know that to take the above argument to its extreme would mean any of us could simply walk into another's house and "freely take" whatever we like. But what I am talking about are matters that are directly related to the building up of the Body of Christ; things like teaching materials, music, messages, songs, books, articles, media presentations, etc. As things stand, there are laws protecting these things, but I continue to wonder if this is what God intended from the beginning when He freely gave us all the gifts he has given.
If I write a song, is it my song or God's gift to his Body through me? Is it really mine to do with what I like: make money, sell, distribute, etc. Granted there is nothing inherently wrong with earning money, but to think it is MINE and not God's gift is what I am trying to correct. So what if everyone likes my song and uses it! It was a gift from God, I want it to be a blessing to all.
In Acts 8 Peter severely rebukes Simon the Magician because he wanted to "buy" the blessing Peter had. He rebukes Simon, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!" What God gives is done so freely. To charge, or think money is involved in any way, seems to go against the original plan of blessing God has for His Church. I don't believe we are to make money out of the Gospel that has been freely purchased for us by the blood of Christ.
So to conclude: the law says these things are wrong. Fine. One who breaks the law must be ready to answer for his/her actions and pay accordingly. But, we are not always sinning when we break the law. Just my 2-cents on what is still to me a highly questionable matter.
Sunday, August 21
Think you know me?
25 random things about me. Would love for you to share in the comments section which of the following surprises you the most. Feel free to share a few random things about yourself while you're at it!
1. 39 of my 54 years have been lived in Latin America (Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica.)
2. Linda and I were engaged four years before getting married.
3. I prefer hymns over contemporary praise and worship songs.
4. I watch very little television, but will view 4-5 movies/documentaries every week.
5. I am not a sports fan, but can tolerate those who are.
6. I love books of all kinds and read/listen to 3-4 every month.
7. I have lived with 2-3 migraines/week for the past 20 years--no treatments seem to work.
8. At age 17 I had a root canal procedure done in Ecuador without any anesthesia.
9. More people know me as "Guido" than Guy.
10. One of my biggest life regrets is not keeping up my proficiency in playing the piano and guitar.
11. Some of my favorite foods are freshly baked bread & butter, cheese, popcorn, avocados, corn chips & salsa, and good coffee. I am perfectly content to make a meal out of any one, or combination of these.
12. Before I die I'd like to learn to dance, speak semi-fluent Italian, visit all 50 States in USA, and spend at least a month each wandering around Spain and Italy.
13. I function better by instinct than by planning. Really.
14. I am most attracted by the mysterious.
15. I love to travel, but stress out making all the necessary arrangements for a good trip.
16. My favorite fruits are a good Texas cantaloupe, Chilean cherries, and Ecuadorian papaya and bananas.
17. The people living that I probably admire the most are my parents.
18. I have had a mustache 31 continuous years. I plan to shave it off when I can maintain a weight under 180 lbs. for six consecutive weeks.
19. I most admire creative or artistic people.
20. Favorite stores: Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon.com.
21. My idea of a really exciting time would be to spend a month by myself in some far off lonely place without anybody else around.
22. I love all kinds of music--everything from A-Z. Daily, I spend more time listening to music than any other single activity.
23. Books recently read that I have enjoyed or been challenged by: The Help, Unbroken, Blink, Love Wins (didn't agree, but was a challenging book), Water for Elephants, The Tipping Point, Six Word Lessons to Discover Missional Living.
24. I hate talking on any kind of phone. I will do so to take care of business, but anything more than that quickly sets me on edge. I'd rather email or text message any day, than make a phone call.
25. I really believe that Texas is the closest thing to Heaven here on earth!
1. 39 of my 54 years have been lived in Latin America (Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica.)
2. Linda and I were engaged four years before getting married.
3. I prefer hymns over contemporary praise and worship songs.
4. I watch very little television, but will view 4-5 movies/documentaries every week.
5. I am not a sports fan, but can tolerate those who are.
6. I love books of all kinds and read/listen to 3-4 every month.
7. I have lived with 2-3 migraines/week for the past 20 years--no treatments seem to work.
8. At age 17 I had a root canal procedure done in Ecuador without any anesthesia.
9. More people know me as "Guido" than Guy.
10. One of my biggest life regrets is not keeping up my proficiency in playing the piano and guitar.
11. Some of my favorite foods are freshly baked bread & butter, cheese, popcorn, avocados, corn chips & salsa, and good coffee. I am perfectly content to make a meal out of any one, or combination of these.
12. Before I die I'd like to learn to dance, speak semi-fluent Italian, visit all 50 States in USA, and spend at least a month each wandering around Spain and Italy.
13. I function better by instinct than by planning. Really.
14. I am most attracted by the mysterious.
15. I love to travel, but stress out making all the necessary arrangements for a good trip.
16. My favorite fruits are a good Texas cantaloupe, Chilean cherries, and Ecuadorian papaya and bananas.
17. The people living that I probably admire the most are my parents.
18. I have had a mustache 31 continuous years. I plan to shave it off when I can maintain a weight under 180 lbs. for six consecutive weeks.
19. I most admire creative or artistic people.
20. Favorite stores: Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon.com.
21. My idea of a really exciting time would be to spend a month by myself in some far off lonely place without anybody else around.
22. I love all kinds of music--everything from A-Z. Daily, I spend more time listening to music than any other single activity.
23. Books recently read that I have enjoyed or been challenged by: The Help, Unbroken, Blink, Love Wins (didn't agree, but was a challenging book), Water for Elephants, The Tipping Point, Six Word Lessons to Discover Missional Living.
24. I hate talking on any kind of phone. I will do so to take care of business, but anything more than that quickly sets me on edge. I'd rather email or text message any day, than make a phone call.
25. I really believe that Texas is the closest thing to Heaven here on earth!
Monday, March 7
Paperwork and information exchange
I don't know about you, but I spend an enormous amount of time on paperwork and exchanging information with other people. In fact, as a missionary, it embarrasses me to admit that more of my time is spent exchanging information than engaging in what I consider real face-to-face people ministry!
Before you judge me too quickly though, this is not by choice. Yes I could choose to ignore all the communications, paperwork that fills so much of my time, but it won't make it go away. We live in an information society. Information is the commodity being traded. I engage in ie to the extent I do, not so much by choice, but because it has to be dealt with.
I personally think we are spending way too much time exchanging information. We are over saturated with information that we cannot absorb. Most of it doesn't even matter! (Of course, if it is information I NEED or WANT, then that's a different story! :)
Exchanging information has become an end in itself. Passing endless information back and forth seems to be the norm. It is what we do when we get up in the morning. Like alcoholics, we seem to have an unquenchable thirst for more and more. But wouldn't it be better to just start using a small portion of the info we already have and do something with it? The more time we spend passing info back and forth, the less time we have for doing what Christ told us to do.
All around me I sense an overall decline in fruitful ministry. How many of us can actually show ministry indicator numbers rising instead of falling? Seems baptisms, church plants, leadership training, discipleship, etc. are lower today than in the recent past. My own response to this is that "the work" has ceased to be the work. In place of what used to be old-fashioned missionary work of preaching and teaching, today we exchange information!
I have yet to do a personal study of time spent engaged in actual people ministry vs. info exchange, but would guess for many missionaries--including myself--it is somewhere in the ball park of a 3:1 ratio. Three times more is given to ie than pm (people ministry.) And then we are shocked at how little there is to report in the way of new Christ followers, baptisms, church plants, and new UPGs engaged. I sometimes think we are more in love with our media outlets and communication gadgets than we are with real people!
Ministry activities such as teaching, training, prayer, discipleship, counseling, mentoring, visiting, helping, encouraging, serving, listening, witnessing, planning, engaging, etc. take up MINUTES of our days, while HOURS are spent exchanging information via Skype, emails, phone calls, listening/viewing news, SMS text messages, Facebook, chatting, reports, tracking finances, logging receipts, blogging, filling out forms, tracking down needed information, clicking internet links, reading the latest 'must-read' hot book title, Twittering, skimming internet articles, meetings, and more meetings. Organizing, passing along, finding, tracking, reporting and exchanging info is now what we do. We have become information junkies!
Of course, some ie is necessary in order to engage in effective ministry. But when that ratio falls out of balance into something akin to my 3:1 ratio, something needs to be done. It would seem a 1:3 ratio--one part ie, three parts ministry--is what we should strive towards.
The real problem is not what everyone else is doing--or even what I think everyone else is doing--it is what I am doing! Where is my time and energy being spent?
Some of the things I am personally trying to do to overcome this lopsided 3:1 ratio...
1) becoming aware of the amount of time I am spending each day with paperwork and exchanging information
2) purposefully spending less time exchanging information by being more selective (prioritizing what is responded to, what is delayed, what can be discarded, etc.)
3) sticking closer to daily "to do" lists where real ministry tasks are at the top of the list
4) trying to get emails and other paperwork done during designated ie times of the day, rather than trying to tackle them all day long (the inflow is never ending)
5) being more intentional with ie that I select to engage and channeling it for specific ministry purposes (see "Why I Blog".)
6) resisting the temptation to "chase rabbits" (eg. starting out to do a simple Bible Study on John 3, and end up reading about the influence of Charles Wesley's hymns on the Great Awakening.)
7) realize that just because everyone else seems to be happily engaged in a 3:1 ie ratio, I don't have to keep up with everyone else
8) just because someone throws me the ball, I don't have to catch it (if I don't have the information being requested, just say so, and leave it at that rather than engage in a long hunt for something the one throwing me the ball could do for themselves)
What do you think about any of the above? Are you drowning in the sea of information overload? How do you balance these matters in your own life and ministry?
Before you judge me too quickly though, this is not by choice. Yes I could choose to ignore all the communications, paperwork that fills so much of my time, but it won't make it go away. We live in an information society. Information is the commodity being traded. I engage in ie to the extent I do, not so much by choice, but because it has to be dealt with.
I personally think we are spending way too much time exchanging information. We are over saturated with information that we cannot absorb. Most of it doesn't even matter! (Of course, if it is information I NEED or WANT, then that's a different story! :)
Exchanging information has become an end in itself. Passing endless information back and forth seems to be the norm. It is what we do when we get up in the morning. Like alcoholics, we seem to have an unquenchable thirst for more and more. But wouldn't it be better to just start using a small portion of the info we already have and do something with it? The more time we spend passing info back and forth, the less time we have for doing what Christ told us to do.
All around me I sense an overall decline in fruitful ministry. How many of us can actually show ministry indicator numbers rising instead of falling? Seems baptisms, church plants, leadership training, discipleship, etc. are lower today than in the recent past. My own response to this is that "the work" has ceased to be the work. In place of what used to be old-fashioned missionary work of preaching and teaching, today we exchange information!
I have yet to do a personal study of time spent engaged in actual people ministry vs. info exchange, but would guess for many missionaries--including myself--it is somewhere in the ball park of a 3:1 ratio. Three times more is given to ie than pm (people ministry.) And then we are shocked at how little there is to report in the way of new Christ followers, baptisms, church plants, and new UPGs engaged. I sometimes think we are more in love with our media outlets and communication gadgets than we are with real people!
Ministry activities such as teaching, training, prayer, discipleship, counseling, mentoring, visiting, helping, encouraging, serving, listening, witnessing, planning, engaging, etc. take up MINUTES of our days, while HOURS are spent exchanging information via Skype, emails, phone calls, listening/viewing news, SMS text messages, Facebook, chatting, reports, tracking finances, logging receipts, blogging, filling out forms, tracking down needed information, clicking internet links, reading the latest 'must-read' hot book title, Twittering, skimming internet articles, meetings, and more meetings. Organizing, passing along, finding, tracking, reporting and exchanging info is now what we do. We have become information junkies!
Of course, some ie is necessary in order to engage in effective ministry. But when that ratio falls out of balance into something akin to my 3:1 ratio, something needs to be done. It would seem a 1:3 ratio--one part ie, three parts ministry--is what we should strive towards.
The real problem is not what everyone else is doing--or even what I think everyone else is doing--it is what I am doing! Where is my time and energy being spent?
Some of the things I am personally trying to do to overcome this lopsided 3:1 ratio...
1) becoming aware of the amount of time I am spending each day with paperwork and exchanging information
2) purposefully spending less time exchanging information by being more selective (prioritizing what is responded to, what is delayed, what can be discarded, etc.)
3) sticking closer to daily "to do" lists where real ministry tasks are at the top of the list
4) trying to get emails and other paperwork done during designated ie times of the day, rather than trying to tackle them all day long (the inflow is never ending)
5) being more intentional with ie that I select to engage and channeling it for specific ministry purposes (see "Why I Blog".)
6) resisting the temptation to "chase rabbits" (eg. starting out to do a simple Bible Study on John 3, and end up reading about the influence of Charles Wesley's hymns on the Great Awakening.)
7) realize that just because everyone else seems to be happily engaged in a 3:1 ie ratio, I don't have to keep up with everyone else
8) just because someone throws me the ball, I don't have to catch it (if I don't have the information being requested, just say so, and leave it at that rather than engage in a long hunt for something the one throwing me the ball could do for themselves)
What do you think about any of the above? Are you drowning in the sea of information overload? How do you balance these matters in your own life and ministry?
Monday, December 20
If the world were a village of 1000 people
--Taken from research done by Dona Meadows. The information has been updated over the years, but the numbers remain close to the original 1990 publication.
If the world were a village of 1,000 people, it would include:
· 584 Asians
· 124 Africans
· 95 East and West Europeans
· 84 Latin Americans
· 55 Soviets (includes Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians & others)
· 52 North Americans
· 6 Australians and New Zealanders
The people of the village have considerable difficulty in communicating:
· 165 people speak Mandarin
· 86 English
· 83 Hindi/Urdu
· 64 Spanish
· 58 Russian
· 37 Arabic
That list accounts for the mother tongues of only half the villagers. The other half speak (in descending order of frequency) Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French and 200 other languages.
In this village of 1,000 there are:
· 329 Christians (187 Catholics, 84 Protestants, 31 Orthodox)
· 178 Moslems
· 167 "non-religious"
· 132 Hindus
· 60 Buddhists
· 45 atheists
· 3 Jews
· 86 all other religions
* One-third (330) of the 1,000 people in the world village are children and only 60 are over the age of 65. Half the children are immunized against preventable infectious diseases such as measles and polio. The other half are not.
* This year 28 babies will be born. Ten people will die, 3 of them for lack of food, 1 from cancer, 2 of the deaths are of babies born within the year. One person of the 1,000 is infected with the HIV virus; that person most likely has not yet developed a full-blown case of AIDS.
* With the 28 births and 10 deaths, the population of the village next year will be 1,018.
* In this 1,000-person community, 200 people receive 75 percent of the income; another 200 receive only 2 percent of the income.
* Only 70 people of the 1,000 own an automobile (although some of the 70 own more than one automobile).
* About one-third have access to clean, safe drinking water.
* Of the 670 adults in the village, half are illiterate.
In the village of 1,000 people, there are:
· 5 soldiers
· 7 teachers
· 1 doctor
· 3 refugees driven from home by war or drought
The village has a total budget each year, public and private, of over $3 million - $3,000 per person if it is distributed evenly (which it isn't).
Of the total $3 million:
· $181,000 goes to weapons and warfare
· $159,000 for education
· $132,000 for health care
The Miniature Earth: 2010 Official Version...
What do all of these numbers mean? What do they represent in terms of the Great Commission and global missions?
If the world were a village of 1,000 people, it would include:
· 584 Asians
· 124 Africans
· 95 East and West Europeans
· 84 Latin Americans
· 55 Soviets (includes Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians & others)
· 52 North Americans
· 6 Australians and New Zealanders
The people of the village have considerable difficulty in communicating:
· 165 people speak Mandarin
· 86 English
· 83 Hindi/Urdu
· 64 Spanish
· 58 Russian
· 37 Arabic
That list accounts for the mother tongues of only half the villagers. The other half speak (in descending order of frequency) Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French and 200 other languages.
In this village of 1,000 there are:
· 329 Christians (187 Catholics, 84 Protestants, 31 Orthodox)
· 178 Moslems
· 167 "non-religious"
· 132 Hindus
· 60 Buddhists
· 45 atheists
· 3 Jews
· 86 all other religions
* One-third (330) of the 1,000 people in the world village are children and only 60 are over the age of 65. Half the children are immunized against preventable infectious diseases such as measles and polio. The other half are not.
* This year 28 babies will be born. Ten people will die, 3 of them for lack of food, 1 from cancer, 2 of the deaths are of babies born within the year. One person of the 1,000 is infected with the HIV virus; that person most likely has not yet developed a full-blown case of AIDS.
* With the 28 births and 10 deaths, the population of the village next year will be 1,018.
* In this 1,000-person community, 200 people receive 75 percent of the income; another 200 receive only 2 percent of the income.
* Only 70 people of the 1,000 own an automobile (although some of the 70 own more than one automobile).
* About one-third have access to clean, safe drinking water.
* Of the 670 adults in the village, half are illiterate.
In the village of 1,000 people, there are:
· 5 soldiers
· 7 teachers
· 1 doctor
· 3 refugees driven from home by war or drought
The village has a total budget each year, public and private, of over $3 million - $3,000 per person if it is distributed evenly (which it isn't).
Of the total $3 million:
· $181,000 goes to weapons and warfare
· $159,000 for education
· $132,000 for health care
The Miniature Earth: 2010 Official Version...
What do all of these numbers mean? What do they represent in terms of the Great Commission and global missions?
Friday, April 9
25 Random Things About Me
1. 38 of my 53 years have been lived in Latin America (Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica.)
2. Linda and I were engaged four years before getting married.
3. I prefer hymns over contemporary praise and worship songs.
4. The only TV I watch is Fox News, but will view 4-5 movies/documentaries every week.
5. I am not a sports fan, but can tolerate those who are.
6. I love books of all kinds and will read 3-4 every month.
7. I have lived with 2-3 migraines/week for the past 20 years--no treatments seem to work.
8. At age 17 I had a root canal performed in Ecuador without any anesthesia.
9. More people know me as "Guido" than Guy.
10. My biggest regret is not keeping up my proficiency in playing the guitar and piano.
11. My favorite word is DANCE, and have a favorite word for every letter in the alphabet.
12. Before I die I'd like to learn to dance, speak semi-fluent Italian, visit all 50 States in USA, visit every country in the Americas, and spend a couple of weeks each in Spain and Italy.
13. I function better by instinct than by planning. Really.
14. I am most attracted by the mysterious.
15. If I could be successful at anything of my choosing I would be a good dad and husband.
16. My favorite fruits are a good Texas cantaloupe, Chilean cherries, and Ecuadorian papaya & bananas.
17. The people I probably most admire are my parents.
18. I have had a mustache now for 26 straight years.
19. I hate going to shopping malls and will only go to one to eat out or to see a movie.
20. Favorite stores: Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com.
21. My idea of a really exciting time would be to spend a month by myself in some far off lonely place without anybody else around.
22. Wherever I go I hear the music playing in the background and judge the place/people based on what is being played. Music is always playing inside my head--even in my sleep! Everything gets accompanied to some kind of music track going on inside my brain.
23. I love all kinds of music--everything from A-Z--with an exception for "screamo" and "salsa" especially when it is blasted from one of our neighbor's all-night parties in Guayaquil.
24. I hate talking on the telephone. I will do so to take care of business, but anything more than that quickly sets me on edge. I'd rather email or text message than make a phone call any day.
25. I really believe that Texas is the closest thing to Heaven here on earth!
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Feel free to be "tagged" and write your own 25 random things about yourself. If you do so, please let me know in the comments section so I can read your "things".
2. Linda and I were engaged four years before getting married.
3. I prefer hymns over contemporary praise and worship songs.
4. The only TV I watch is Fox News, but will view 4-5 movies/documentaries every week.
5. I am not a sports fan, but can tolerate those who are.
6. I love books of all kinds and will read 3-4 every month.
7. I have lived with 2-3 migraines/week for the past 20 years--no treatments seem to work.
8. At age 17 I had a root canal performed in Ecuador without any anesthesia.
9. More people know me as "Guido" than Guy.
10. My biggest regret is not keeping up my proficiency in playing the guitar and piano.
11. My favorite word is DANCE, and have a favorite word for every letter in the alphabet.
12. Before I die I'd like to learn to dance, speak semi-fluent Italian, visit all 50 States in USA, visit every country in the Americas, and spend a couple of weeks each in Spain and Italy.
13. I function better by instinct than by planning. Really.
14. I am most attracted by the mysterious.
15. If I could be successful at anything of my choosing I would be a good dad and husband.
16. My favorite fruits are a good Texas cantaloupe, Chilean cherries, and Ecuadorian papaya & bananas.
17. The people I probably most admire are my parents.
18. I have had a mustache now for 26 straight years.
19. I hate going to shopping malls and will only go to one to eat out or to see a movie.
20. Favorite stores: Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com.
21. My idea of a really exciting time would be to spend a month by myself in some far off lonely place without anybody else around.
22. Wherever I go I hear the music playing in the background and judge the place/people based on what is being played. Music is always playing inside my head--even in my sleep! Everything gets accompanied to some kind of music track going on inside my brain.
23. I love all kinds of music--everything from A-Z--with an exception for "screamo" and "salsa" especially when it is blasted from one of our neighbor's all-night parties in Guayaquil.
24. I hate talking on the telephone. I will do so to take care of business, but anything more than that quickly sets me on edge. I'd rather email or text message than make a phone call any day.
25. I really believe that Texas is the closest thing to Heaven here on earth!
-----
Feel free to be "tagged" and write your own 25 random things about yourself. If you do so, please let me know in the comments section so I can read your "things".
Friday, February 19
Weekend fun: Variations on Murphy's Law
Paul Burleson recently posted this list of humorous one-liners that I enjoyed, and thought you might too!
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Everyone knows Murphy's law... "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Well here are some similar laws...variations on the same theme:
Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of Probability -The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act
Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.
Law of variation - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).
Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the evidence - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will..
Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Law of the Theater or stadium - The people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, beer, or the toilet and who leave early before the end of the performance or before the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies, and stay to the bitter end of the performance. [The aisle people also are very surly folk too.]
Law of gym Lockers - If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly.
Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Law of seeing a Doctor - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. But don't make an appointment, and you'll stay sick.
Law of Interior decor - The likelihood of a slice of buttered toast landing butter-side-down is directly proportional to the square of the price of the carpet. [added by Bob Cleveland to the original list]
Which brought a smile to your face?
------------------------
Everyone knows Murphy's law... "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Well here are some similar laws...variations on the same theme:
Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of Probability -The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act
Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.
Law of variation - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).
Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the evidence - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will..
Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Law of the Theater or stadium - The people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, beer, or the toilet and who leave early before the end of the performance or before the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies, and stay to the bitter end of the performance. [The aisle people also are very surly folk too.]
Law of gym Lockers - If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly.
Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Law of seeing a Doctor - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. But don't make an appointment, and you'll stay sick.
Law of Interior decor - The likelihood of a slice of buttered toast landing butter-side-down is directly proportional to the square of the price of the carpet. [added by Bob Cleveland to the original list]
Which brought a smile to your face?
Thursday, February 18
Message from God to his people today
I can't stand your religious meetings.
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice--oceans of it.
I want fairness--rivers of it.
That's what I want.
That's all I want.
--God
(Amos 5:21-24 The Message)
I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
your pretentious slogans and goals.
I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making.
I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
I want justice--oceans of it.
I want fairness--rivers of it.
That's what I want.
That's all I want.
--God
(Amos 5:21-24 The Message)
Thursday, January 7
2009 Favorites
Favorite Blogger: Hand's down, my favorite blog in 2009 was Alan Knox's The Assembling of the Church. I follow 86 blogs in my Bloglines Feed reader. Out of these, there are some excellent writers, but the one that most consistently comes up with quality and thought-provoking material is Alan's "Assembling..." If I had a suggestion for Alan, it would be to maybe post only 2-3 entries/week. There is simply too much good stuff to absorb!
Favorite newly discovered music artist: Eva Cassidy. Until this past year, I had never heard of the her or any of her songs. She was only 33 when she died in 1996 of melanoma. I discovered her amazing voice and unique interpretations by doing a search for the classic song "At Last" (most often heard sung by Etta James.) Besides downloading Etta's version, I was blown away by Eva's interpretation of the song. To get a taste for her voice, listen to her rendition of "Fields of Gold." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwDYBWEDSc
Favorite 2009 quote: Followers want comfort, stability, and solutions from their leaders, but that’s babysitting. Real leaders ask hard questions and knock people out of their comfort zones and then manage the resulting distress.--Ronald Heifetz and Donald Laurie in “The Work of Leadership,” Harvard Business Review
Favorite 2009 books: I recently blogged my Favorite books for 2009 so will not repeat that list here. One category that was not covered in my original post is "Best Book in Spanish". This goes to Alan Hirsch for his masterpiece CAMINOS OLVIDADOS (The Forgotten Ways). I highly congratulate those responsible for making this important work available for the 400-million who speak Spanish as their first language.
Favorite YouTube video: Even though I first viewed this video back in 2007, Lifehouse's Everything Skit continues to be my favorite. I have seen it dozens of times and am still deeply moved every time I watch. Check it out...
Favorite song: For someone whose hobby is searching the world over for new music, this is an almost impossible task due to my love for music in a wide variety of musical genres. In this category I have to go with just one of my 2009 favorites, Jesus Adrian Romero's "No Hay Paredes". I recently put together a video slideshow of the Guayaquil house churches using this powerful song. To see and listen, click here.
Favorite photo: This photo was taken by Curtis Sergeant at Seleucia, on the very beach where Barnabas and Saul set out on their first missionary journey. I find it highly symbolic and prophetic. One of these days, I hope to get around to blogging about what I see in this picture.
What were some of your own 2009 favorites? Share them in the comments section below.
Favorite media website: Commission Stories. Stunning stories about what God is doing around the world. The photography/videography is outstanding. Congratulations to all the team responsible for putting out these moving pieces. A glimpse into hell is their latest story.
Favorite movie: While drama is my favorite movie genre, Avatar was such a stunning visual experience, that it has to get my vote for best movie coming out in 2009. Avatar clearly sets a new standard for the giant screen, and will certainly go down in movie history as one of the greatest productions of all time.
Favorite movie: While drama is my favorite movie genre, Avatar was such a stunning visual experience, that it has to get my vote for best movie coming out in 2009. Avatar clearly sets a new standard for the giant screen, and will certainly go down in movie history as one of the greatest productions of all time.
Favorite song: For someone whose hobby is searching the world over for new music, this is an almost impossible task due to my love for music in a wide variety of musical genres. In this category I have to go with just one of my 2009 favorites, Jesus Adrian Romero's "No Hay Paredes". I recently put together a video slideshow of the Guayaquil house churches using this powerful song. To see and listen, click here.
Favorite photo: This photo was taken by Curtis Sergeant at Seleucia, on the very beach where Barnabas and Saul set out on their first missionary journey. I find it highly symbolic and prophetic. One of these days, I hope to get around to blogging about what I see in this picture.
What were some of your own 2009 favorites? Share them in the comments section below.
Friday, December 18
What kind of Biblical leadership are we modeling?
Alan Knox makes a great point below. Go ahead and click on the links. If you're like me, you'll be shocked to see how far the meanings of these Biblical terms have changed...
Are we modeling the right kind of leadership that closer resembles Biblical servanthood? Or are we contributing to the false image the world already has of followers of Christ?
Here’s an interesting exercise. Surf over to Google Images. (You may want to make sure that “SafeSearch” is on.) Then, search the image database for whatever term you or others use to identify the leaders among your church. Here are a few examples: "pastor," "preacher," "minister," "elder," "deacon," "priest," "presbyter," "bishop," "vicar."
Now, remembering that Jesus said that we should follow those who serve (that is, our leaders should be servants – Matthew 20:24-28 for example), search for the term "servant".
Why are the images so drastically different?
Of course, I suppose, there’s a better way to check this than by doing a Google search. Do the lives of our leaders look like the lives of servants?
Are we modeling the right kind of leadership that closer resembles Biblical servanthood? Or are we contributing to the false image the world already has of followers of Christ?
Thursday, August 27
Wednesday, June 10
My secret for good health
Just about everyone out there has a life changing gadget, diet or formula for good health and well being. Well, after 45 years, I am finally joining the ranks and will now disclose my own special secret to good health and well-being.
Get yourself a SanDisk Sanza Fuze mp3 player.
That's right. For me it has been the key to healthy living. Seriously!
--I have lost weight
--feel more energetic
--reduced my chronic migraines by 85%
--sleep better at nights and wake up early and refreshed
--feel less stressed
--have not been sick for many months now
--find myself in the best physical shape I have been in since high school
And all this, thanks, to my Sansa Fuze health gadget!
For years I have struggled to exercise, eat correctly, and do all those things we are supposed to do to be healthy. But nothing...repeat...NOTHING has worked, that is, until I bought my portable mp3 player.
Here's my brief testimonial success story (SanDisk ought to pay me a promotional fee for plugging their product like this!)
It all started one day as I was wandering up and down the aisles of an electronics store in San Antonio, TX. I chanced upon SanDisk mp3 players on sale. My two kids and wife already had their own (my wife an iPod) so felt guilty about spending money for a fourth one. But the price was just too good to pass up, so I bought myself a shiny red 4GB Sansa Fuze.
Like most of you reading, I have tried everything over the years with little success and no lasting results to show for all the effort, hunger cravings, sacrifice, and sweat.
I can think of fewer things I hate more than exercising--I absolutely hate every second.
Dieting...well that is a source of marital stress and tension, so that has never worked for more than 2-3 days at most.
Then I went through a phase where I got myself a stationary bike and would watch TV while exercising. The problem with that one is there are just too many commercials on TV and I have zero tolerance for commercials. So then I progressed to watching DVD movies (without commercials), but, that too, didn't work because I don't like wasting a good movie while sweating on a stationary bike. I'd much rather watch a good flick with a large bowl of butter popcorn, Coke, and my easy chair!
So what was it about the mp3 player that has made all the difference?
I LOVE BOOKS...I HATE EXERCISING. (You can probably guess where this is headed.) About nine months ago, I began downloading and listening to audio books (and podcasts) while going for morning walks. I was totally engrossed in the audio content and without even realizing it, was walking 30-40 minutes six days a week.
I have now been following this daily routine consistently for close to a year. It is the only thing I am doing. But the results have been amazing.
Now, to be honest, my secret success formula for good health is no rapid weight-loss plan. I have only lost an average of about 1 pound per month, but I FEEL so much better, have a lot more energy, and have lost more weight than all the combined efforts of the previous 20 years!
Lately I have tried to do something about the eating side of things. Dieting and low-fat eating are just not my cup of tea. I love my sweets, fried foods, snacks, carbs, etc. But what I have begun doing, though, is eating LESS of all these yummy things. Instead of 4 slices of pizza, it's now two. Instead of six panes de yuca, I stop after enjoying four.
The net result has been dramatic--at least for me. I am thinking about writing a book, "How to lose a pound a month and feel great by doing nothing more than listening to audio books!" The $19.95 sticker price could help finance some of our missions projects. Who knows, maybe it could even surpass Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" (which by-the-way is on my list to download!)
So, what works for you? What do you do for good health? Do you have a secret the rest of us could benefit from?
Get yourself a SanDisk Sanza Fuze mp3 player.
That's right. For me it has been the key to healthy living. Seriously!
--I have lost weight
--feel more energetic
--reduced my chronic migraines by 85%
--sleep better at nights and wake up early and refreshed
--feel less stressed
--have not been sick for many months now
--find myself in the best physical shape I have been in since high school
And all this, thanks, to my Sansa Fuze health gadget!
For years I have struggled to exercise, eat correctly, and do all those things we are supposed to do to be healthy. But nothing...repeat...NOTHING has worked, that is, until I bought my portable mp3 player.
Here's my brief testimonial success story (SanDisk ought to pay me a promotional fee for plugging their product like this!)
It all started one day as I was wandering up and down the aisles of an electronics store in San Antonio, TX. I chanced upon SanDisk mp3 players on sale. My two kids and wife already had their own (my wife an iPod) so felt guilty about spending money for a fourth one. But the price was just too good to pass up, so I bought myself a shiny red 4GB Sansa Fuze.
Like most of you reading, I have tried everything over the years with little success and no lasting results to show for all the effort, hunger cravings, sacrifice, and sweat.
I can think of fewer things I hate more than exercising--I absolutely hate every second.
Dieting...well that is a source of marital stress and tension, so that has never worked for more than 2-3 days at most.
Then I went through a phase where I got myself a stationary bike and would watch TV while exercising. The problem with that one is there are just too many commercials on TV and I have zero tolerance for commercials. So then I progressed to watching DVD movies (without commercials), but, that too, didn't work because I don't like wasting a good movie while sweating on a stationary bike. I'd much rather watch a good flick with a large bowl of butter popcorn, Coke, and my easy chair!
So what was it about the mp3 player that has made all the difference?
I LOVE BOOKS...I HATE EXERCISING. (You can probably guess where this is headed.) About nine months ago, I began downloading and listening to audio books (and podcasts) while going for morning walks. I was totally engrossed in the audio content and without even realizing it, was walking 30-40 minutes six days a week.
I have now been following this daily routine consistently for close to a year. It is the only thing I am doing. But the results have been amazing.
Now, to be honest, my secret success formula for good health is no rapid weight-loss plan. I have only lost an average of about 1 pound per month, but I FEEL so much better, have a lot more energy, and have lost more weight than all the combined efforts of the previous 20 years!
Lately I have tried to do something about the eating side of things. Dieting and low-fat eating are just not my cup of tea. I love my sweets, fried foods, snacks, carbs, etc. But what I have begun doing, though, is eating LESS of all these yummy things. Instead of 4 slices of pizza, it's now two. Instead of six panes de yuca, I stop after enjoying four.
The net result has been dramatic--at least for me. I am thinking about writing a book, "How to lose a pound a month and feel great by doing nothing more than listening to audio books!" The $19.95 sticker price could help finance some of our missions projects. Who knows, maybe it could even surpass Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life" (which by-the-way is on my list to download!)
So, what works for you? What do you do for good health? Do you have a secret the rest of us could benefit from?
Monday, March 16
Church planting quiz
God Grown has come up with a quiz to help one determine whether or not your heart is in the right place for going out and starting a new church.Here are my quiz results. If you take the test and care to share your results, please paste them into the comments section below. I'd love to see how others scored!
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Friday, March 6
How much is your blog worth?
I saw this on Praisegod Barebones and clicked the link to find out how much my blog is worth. Not near as valuable as Bart's, but hey, if anyone out there would like to pay me the $26,533.38, the "M Blog" will be yours within the hour!
My blog is worth $26,533.38.
How much is your blog worth?
Wednesday, January 14
Nuggets of wisdom we are trying to live by (Part 2)
Mother Teresa wrote, "Slowly I am learning to accept everything just as He gives it." Am I learning to accept all things without complaining and whining , understanding that it is God who allowed it?
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote,
In spite of everything, it is still a beautiful world.
Excellence is in the details. Attention to details is one of the ways I worship God who is worthy of my best.
People come first. Everything else falls in line behind them.
We are blessed to be a blessing (Psalm 67). Am I using my blessings to bless others?
Jesus and others and you: what a wonderful way to spell JOY... When I lose my joy, maybe it is because I am focusing more on myself than Jesus and those others he has placed in my life.
The facts and truths of God's Word are my anchor when the storms of life seek to sink my ship. Feelings and emotions are unreliable means to judge what is happening.
God gives us 24 hours every day to be divided up into balanced eight-hour blocks of work, play, and rest.
Do it anyway. Do things simply because they need to be done. Don't wait for someone else to do the good deed, just do it. Instead of worrying, fretting and procrastination, do it and get it over with. My deepest regrets are usually those things I did NOT do, more than those I did do, that maybe didn't turn out as hoped. [For more on this one, see here.]
Simplify. Get rid of the clutter in my life and in our home. Do what I can to help others simplify their complicated lives. Less is more.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote,
Earth's crammed with heaven
And every common bush afire with God:
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries...
Am I seeing God in every common bush, or am I one of those plucking blackberries?And every common bush afire with God:
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries...
In spite of everything, it is still a beautiful world.
Excellence is in the details. Attention to details is one of the ways I worship God who is worthy of my best.
People come first. Everything else falls in line behind them.
We are blessed to be a blessing (Psalm 67). Am I using my blessings to bless others?
Jesus and others and you: what a wonderful way to spell JOY... When I lose my joy, maybe it is because I am focusing more on myself than Jesus and those others he has placed in my life.
The facts and truths of God's Word are my anchor when the storms of life seek to sink my ship. Feelings and emotions are unreliable means to judge what is happening.
God gives us 24 hours every day to be divided up into balanced eight-hour blocks of work, play, and rest.
Marriage is work.
Time spent improving our marriage counts as work time.
Marriage is play.
Time spent playing together counts as play time.
Marriage is rest.
Time spent resting together counts as rest time.
Family is work.
Time spent strengthening our family counts as work time.
Family is play.
Time spent playing with family counts as play time.
Family is rest.
Time spent resting with family counts as rest time.
Time spent improving our marriage counts as work time.
Marriage is play.
Time spent playing together counts as play time.
Marriage is rest.
Time spent resting together counts as rest time.
Family is work.
Time spent strengthening our family counts as work time.
Family is play.
Time spent playing with family counts as play time.
Family is rest.
Time spent resting with family counts as rest time.
Do it anyway. Do things simply because they need to be done. Don't wait for someone else to do the good deed, just do it. Instead of worrying, fretting and procrastination, do it and get it over with. My deepest regrets are usually those things I did NOT do, more than those I did do, that maybe didn't turn out as hoped. [For more on this one, see here.]
Simplify. Get rid of the clutter in my life and in our home. Do what I can to help others simplify their complicated lives. Less is more.
Tuesday, December 23
Wednesday, December 17
What if the church were run like an airline?
I travel quite a bit, and have been watching all the up-charges that the airlines have been passing on to customers. From paying for the first checked bag, to fuel surcharges, to purchasing soft drinks, they have really socked it to the consumer with all the new charges. I was thinking... particularly during this economic trying time for many churches, maybe we should take some advice from the airlines. Here are some things that I think we could take from the airline world and apply to our churches that might help get us through these trying times:
--First donut free; each additional donut 75 cents.
--All aisle seats are now $10/week. Back row premium seating available for $20 per week.
--First ear plug is free. Additional earplugs just $5 each.
--iPod rental with a Perry Noble sermon - $20 upcharge
Oh... there's more...
--Valet parking: $20 plus tip
--No Bible charge: $10
--Cell phone ringing during service: $50 one time charge
--Late to service fee: $10/per person
--"Sing that chorus one less time” request: $20
--Nursery diaper change fee: $5/lb.
--KJV upgrade to NIV: $15
--U-PIC the sermon topic: $250
--Hit job on the organist (rates vary per city/church)
--Online tithing discount rate: 8%
--Music Volume Up fee: $20
--Music Volume Down fee: $20
What would you add? Leave your ideas in the comments!
Friday, November 14
It's a beautiful world
In spite of all that is going on in the world, it is still a beautiful world that our God has created. Last weekend our family hiked through the natural beauty of Lost Maples State Natural Area. The following 2:16 slide show taken last Saturday simply does not do justice to the real thing in all its splendor.
Friday, October 24
Tuesday, October 7
Einstein quotes for missions and church planting
Many Albert Einstein sayings and quotes are highly applicable to missions and church planting. The following are my "top ten" favorites...10. "The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them."
9. "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
8. "The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
7. "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."
6. "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."
5. "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious."
4. "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
3. "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."
2. "The important thing is not to stop questioning."
1. "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Have any other favorites or comments about any of the above you'd like to share?
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