This is a quote from the book The Shack...

"I suppose since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing."

This is an excerpt from Kent, a blogger friend of mine. This is where I am at at this point and I need to work through this...

We just can't avoid the reality that we were created to relate to one another. Nor should we want to avoid it. Relationships are what life is about...healthy relationships are what we long for but often instead find ourselves caught up in conflicts that leave them in shambles. Too often the pattern seems to be to just go separate ways.

Peace!

Love

It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start.
-Momma T

Joy

I have committed myself to joy. I have come to realize that those who make space for joy, those who prefer nothing to joy, those who desire the utter reality, will most assuredly have it. We must not be afraid to announce it to refugees, slum dwellers, saddened prisoners, angry prophets. Now and then we must even announce it to ourselves. In this prison of now, in this cynical and sophisticated age, someone must believe in joy.
- Richard Rohr, OFM

Pollution Control

Sadly, this is how some pastor's treat attendees!

When life throws you a fastball, swing for the F'ing fence!

Peace

To make peace with an enemy one must work with that enemy, and that enemy becomes one's partner.
- Nelson Mandela

Some updates

I haven't blogged lately about my personal life. Let me just state that we are going through some trials right now. If you're a parent, then you know all too well that sometimes it just isn't easy. It's even harder when the son or daughter is an adult. We're working through it and there is no doubt in my mind that we will get through it. It's just not fun, and to be honest, it sucks the life out of you. It can also be very stressful on the relationship with your spouse. So the bottom line is...things could be better, but we're doing okay.

Just got back from a day trip to the orphanage. Patty and I drove down Saturday morning and brought a bunch of canned fruits and vegetables for the pantry down there. They are really improving the property and I was quite impressed with all of the improvements that we saw. We also brought some clothes and bathroom stuff for the boy we sponsor and Leslie and Paul also gave us some stuff to bring down for the kids they sponsor. We went down loaded up and came back empty. Just wish we could bring the kids back here, but that would be illegal. It was very hot on Saturday but we enjoyed the kids and were blessed by being able to see them again. We came back Saturday evening and had a nice diiner after we got back to town. It was nice just to have some alone time with Patty even though a lot of it was spent in the car.

Sunday morning we went to the early service at church and then had lunch and went grocery shopping. I called my mom and told her Happy Mother's Day. I will be driving down to Tucson on the 25th and taking my mom out for a lunch date on the 26th. It has been something I have done for the last 4 or 5 years around Mother's Day that my mom and I look forward to every year.

I will be heading out to California tomorrow morning to install a new site. It is a remote site and I'll do the prep work tomorrow afternoon. Then finish up on Wednesday and head back home on Thursday. It's going to be around 105 degrees so I'll have lots of water and will be taking a lot of breaks. The heat can really get you fast if you're not careful. Even though it will be hot, I look forward to being out of the office.

Speaking of the office, my boss retires on June 3rd. They already have the job announcement out for his replacement. I know two people that are putting in for it, and I would be happy with either of them. The staff is a little nervous. You never know who you're going to get. Tony has been my boss for the past 16 years and longer for those that have been there longer than I have. I think Tony got here in 1988 or 89. Anyhow, he has been a GREAT boss and it will be sad to see him go. Let's hope the new guy or gal in town can fill his shoes.

I've been blessed by being back at Vineyard Community Church in Gilbert. You know you are in a REAL community when people rally around you when you're going through trials. They don't preach at you, chastise you or condemn you. They pick you back up when you fall. It's the way it should be. I think that's why a lot of people are leaving the church these days, because they like Jesus, but not the church. I am blessed to be a part of a community that is loving and caring.

That's all from here for now.

Another reason my blogging has slowed down is that I am really enjoying using Facebook. It seems all the rage these days and the majority of my friends and blog friends are using it. But I'm not retiring the blog. I'll still be around.

Until next time...be nice, play nice, and above all else, encourage someone at least once a day. If you see someone that is down, a kind word or a good deed can do wonders!

Peace!

Cheney says he prefers Limbaugh

Cheney Prefers Limbaugh Over Powell

I was not a fan of Cheney to begin with, this is just icing on the cake!

The Furious Longing of God

From Brennan Manning's - The Furious Longing of God

Reflecting love:

“I’ve decided that if I had my life to live over again,…I would devote not one more minute to monitoring my spiritual growth.”

“What would I actually do if I had it to do all over again? Heeding John’s counsel, I would simply do the next thing in love.”

Loving others:

“To affirm a person is to see the good in them that they cannot see in themselves and to repeat it in spite of appearances to the contrary.”

“This is not some Pollyanna optimism that is blind to the reality of evil, but rather like a fine radar system that is tuned in to the true, the good, and the beautiful.”

The Seen and the Unseen

From the May 6th entry of the devotional written by Sarah Young - Jesus Calling (Enjoying Peace in His Presence



Do not search for security in the world you inhabit. You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life. If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace. But the more you work to accomplish that goal, the more things crop up on your list. The harder you try, the more frustrated you become.



There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence with you. This continued contact with Me will keep you in My Peace. Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what needs to be done now and what does not. Fix your eyes on not what is seen (your circumstances0, but on what is unseen (My Presence).

2 Corinthians 4:18 (The Message)
16-18So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

Lighten the Load

Matthew 11:28-29 (The Message)
28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

The Whipping Boy

Wow did this one hit home for me. Another great one from the naked pastor. Here he explains the cartoon well. I have gone through exactly what he is talking about.

Peace!