Transparency--100 Words

Transparency.

My two-year-old son loves to touch things.

He comes by that honestly. So does his mother!

Evan especially likes to touch the glass doors leading outside.

When the morning sun shines through the doors, fingerprints and nose prints become quite clear.

The prints are clear; however, the door isn’t quite so transparent any longer.

There’s a part of me that wants to get angry when I can no longer see out the door.

But, he’ll only be two once. The Windex® can wait.

I’m thankful God doesn’t get angry with me for putting my fingerprints all over His creation.

Keeping Balance--100 Words

Keeping balance.

When I’ve gone to see the circus, I’ve always been amazed by the trapeze artist as they walk across the tightrope, maintaining their balance with hands, chairs, or poles.

It’s one of those “I watch but don’t want to watch” things.

You see, I’m afraid of heights.

Seriously. I am.

That fear can make flying a real experience!

Trying to paint from a ladder is really difficult to do—seeing that I have to hold on to the ladder with both hands—none left for the paint brush!

I know the fear is irrational.

Please tell my brain!

Blowing Bubbles--100 Words

Blowing bubbles.

Remember back to your childhood. A spring day. Not a cloud in the sky.

Then, someone found a bottle of bubbles.

You know the bottle, right? The container with bubbles and a wand that didn’t work most of the time. More of the liquid ran down your hand than bubbles flew through the air.

Yet, it was fun. Honest, clean fun.

As adults, we don’t blow bubbles very much.

We are too busy.

Too important.

Too serious.

Bubbles are childish. Silly. Beneath us.

Who said?

Today, I’m going to blow a few bubbles. I don’t care who knows!

Boggle--100 Words

Boggle.

There’s a game by that name.

You can even play that game online for free.

I don’t have that in mind.

I’m thinking more of the way my mind is feeling right now.

Boggled.

You know the boggled effect. Right?

So much going on in your mind that it leads to mental paralysis. Or, it might explode.

Up feels like down. Down is sideways. Sideways? Well, I’m now confusing myself.

Work.

Moving.

Paperwork.

Stress.

Decisions.

People often say, “Hold that thought.”

Or, “Let’s put a comma there and start again tomorrow.”

I’m thinking about pressing the reset button myself!

Authentic--100 Words

Authentic.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of books have been written on this subject.

I’ve read many of them. Well, at least some of them.

I’ve found that reading about something doesn’t make me an expert on it.

I still struggle with being authentic.

Words used to define authentic include “genuine, real, true, valid.”

Those words don’t make it easier to be authentic.

It’s easier to hide behind a mask. To pretend. To be fake. To hide.

There’s safety there. At least more safety than being authentic.

No neat conclusions today. I’m still working on this one.

I’m trying. I’m praying.

Counter--100 Words

Counter.

A simple word. Yet, as with many English words, it has numerous meanings.

There are the counters in the kitchen. There are counters in your favorite restaurant.

Lately, the word “counter” has taken on another meaning.

As in counter offer.

My wife and I recently decided to sell our current home and buy another home.

There have been countless offers and counter offers.

The offer and counter offer process is my least favorite part of purchasing a home.

It’s difficult. It’s nerve-racking.

Decisions are difficult enough; but, when it comes to counter after counter after counter, it’s downright confusing!

Women vs. Men--100 Words

A woman’s world.

I have the misfortune or honor of being a man in a woman’s world.

I work for a publishing company for women.

I’ve heard all the jokes. Trust me. I have.

Working with women is quite interesting.

Every day.

There are down sides.

Mood swings come to mind.

Debating issues men normally wouldn’t debate.

More leave taken for children.

More doctor visits.

There are good sides.

There’s always a softer touch to things. Normally more sweetness in disagreement. Those are good.

Also, no one makes fun of the lavender shirt my wife loves for me to wear!

Politically Correct--100 Words

Politically correct.

I used to be much better at being politically correct.

I think, years ago, it was expected of me.

Being PC means you say what people want to hear in a way that won’t offend.

Now, who has time to be PC.

I don’t know whether I don’t care to be politically correct, have outgrown being politically correct, or just want to live dangerously.

Could all three things be correct?

Probably.

So, what drives us to be PC? Is it the need to be liked and loved? Maybe accepted?

Not me.

I’m just going to be un-PC self.

Choices--100 Words

Choices.

Left or right? Eat in or Eat out? Exercise or not? Buy or sell?

Birth or abortion? Life or death? Salvation or hell?

Choices.

Our days are filled with choices and choice-making.

Even with my two-year-old son we’re stressing the importance of making good choices. The outcome of his day rests on his shoulders.

The same is true for you and me.

We live by the choices we make. We die by those same choices.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…”

Today’s question is simple: Who are you serving?

The choice is yours.

Month/Day/Year --100 Words (Part 5)

[This is part 5 of a 5 part mini series dealing with how we spend our days.Thanks for hanging in there with me!]

Month/Day/Year.

I’m ashamed.

I truly am.

I go to bed at night, planning for tomorrow.

I wake up each morning thinking about the day ahead.

The days may change, but my attitude remains the same.

Complete today. Complete tomorrow. Complete the week. Complete the month. Complete the year.

Turn calendar, repeat.

How arrogant is that!

How blatantly wrong is that!

I’m not promised the next breath.

I know that. Maybe I don’t want to believe it. Or, live that way.

To do so would require total submission to God. Obedience. Trust.

But, I have no choice!

God, here am I!

Month/Day/Year --100 Words (Part 4)

[This is part 4 of a 5 part mini series dealing with how we spend our days. Part five comes tomorrow. Thanks for hanging in there with me!]

Month/Day/Year.

I was asked, “If you knew the day you’d die, would you live differently until then?”

Piously, I’d say no. I’d live as I am. Serving God. Loving family. Going on as if nothing was going to happen.”

While pious, that’s an outright lie.

Of course, if I knew the exact day I’d live differently. I wouldn’t sweat the small stuff. I would live more!

I’d anticipate going to heaven more. And prepare those left behind.

Shame on me for not living like I know the exact day!

Forgive me Lord for pretending that I’ll live forever.

I won’t.

Month/Day/Year --100 Words (Part 3)

[This is part 3 of a 5 part mini series dealing with how we spend our days. Part four comes Monday. The final blog on this subject comes Tuwday.]

Month/Day/Year.

The past is behind us.

The future is before us.

How will you spend those days?

Somewhere out there is an expiration date on your life. You know, the day someone lays you out naked on a table, not to get back up. You know, THAT day.

Let’s call it death day.

Let’s say it’s coming in 22 years, 3 months, 15 days.

Between now and then, what would you do differently?

Love more? Relax more? Sleep more? Pray more?

In reality, your expiration date is set. You just don’t know the timestamp yet.

Why wait to live differently?

Month/Day/Year --100 Words (Part 2)

[This is part 2 of a 5 part mini series dealing with how we spend our days. Part three comes this weekend. Part four comes Monday. Part five comes next Tuesday. Please stay with me to the end.]

Month/Day/Year.

Tax day has come and gone. So have 104 other days in 2010 alone.

How many other days have passed by? Well, depends upon your age. For me, over 18,000 days.

Some I remember. Some I fight to forget. But, all days in the past. Never to be repeated. They are done. Finished.

I have a choice to make. I can try to live in the past. Whether high school, college, or even last week.

I could do that.

But why?

What changes can I make to those days?

None!

What changes can I make into the future?

Plenty!

Month/Day/Year --100 Words (Part 1)

[This is part 1 of a 5 part mini series dealing with how we spend our days. The second part will come tomorrow. Part three will be shared over the weekend. Part 4 will come Monday. Part 5 will come next Tuesday. Stick with me to end on this.]

Month/Day/Year.

Three things we refer to every day.

For example, today is April 15, 2010.

Tax day in the United States. The day we are reminded how much government cost. It’s the day we are reminded that government entitlements are paid by someone—the 52% of Americans who pay taxes!

What will you do with today?

Scramble to complete tax forms?

Work hard at a job that doesn’t thrill you, for people who don’t appreciate you?

Grumble about paying taxes?

Or, will you say, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!”

Living Life--100 Words

[This picture was taken last month on our Spring Break trip to St. Augustine, Florida. Evan, my two-year-old, loves the beach! And, he's teaching me a thing or two about living life.]

Living life.

How are you living life?

Your life?

Stop thinking about everyone else.

Don’t hurry through that question. Take a moment to think about it.

Are you living your life as if the promises of God may not be true?

Or.

Are you living your life as if the promises of God are true?

HUGE difference there!

So, which is it?

I’ve been in both places. And, it seems that I fluctuate between the two way too often!

I have to learn to live as if nothing but God is true!

When, in reality, isn’t that the case?

Thoughts?

Doing--100 Words

Doing.

Doing isn’t easy. Sometimes, it is the absolute last thing I want.

I’m more than willing to think. Or create. Or even dream.

But doing? Come on! That’s tough.

From the politician that is more than willing to give away my tax dollars to the panhandler that had rather sit on the street corner than work to the unemployed person that is more than willing to let everyone else do while he watches.

It’s time to get up and do!

Those words are not meant to sound harsh or critical.

Truth be told, those words are written to me.

Challenged--100 Words

Challenged.

Some days are extremely challenging.

Some days are just mind-numbing challenging!

I seldom know as I roll out of bed which kind of day it will be.

The calendar doesn’t always give a clue.

Will work challenge me? Or, will work really be a challenge?

Will traffic challenge me?

Will raising my son be a challenge? What day raising him isn’t a challenge?

Will I be challenged by those around me?

I’ve learned, well, I’m learning to go more with the flow.

I wish I were a pro at it. I wish I didn’t stress over challenges.

Maybe soon.

Unveiling--100 Words

Unveiling.

While once serving as a bi-vocational pastor, I signed up to substitute in the high school that I had graduated from. I was so pumped.

Until the first day, that is.

I’ll never forget going into the teacher’s lounge for the first time. Seeing and hearing what took place in there was a shock to my naïve mind. Who knew teachers felt the same way about us that we felt about them!

The unveiling was shocking.

You know, God regularly pulls back the veil so that I can better understand Him.

He’s always the same! Why am I shocked?

Decisions--100 Words

Decisions.

How are you at making decisions?

I’ll admit. Most of the time, making decisions comes easily for me.

I weigh the options. Look at as many sides as possible.

Then, decide.

At that point, there’s no looking back. I did the best I knew to do. So, no second guessing.

But then, there are times that the decisions weigh heavily on my mind, heart, and very soul.

Those are the decisions that seem to have no answers. And, at that point, all I can do is second guess.

I hate times like that.

Right now, I find myself there.

Vs.--100 Words

Vs.

Just two letters and a period. Yet, so much is said in that word.

My team vs. your team.

My money vs. your money.

My child vs. your child.

Why do we use that word?

Better yet, why do we see a need to compete?

I get the sports thing. And, I love competing in sports.

But, it is really necessary to compete in everything?

I often hear people say, “It’s my way or the highway.”

As if they not only have to compete, but they always have to win.

I like winning, just not at everyone else’s expense.

Random--100 Words

Random.

I’ll admit it.

My blog is quite random. I know.

It’s rather intentional that way.

One day I’m talking about mayonnaise.

The next, I’ll be talking about the resurrection.

It’s my blog.

Solely run by me.

Written by me.

Reflecting me.

Just be thankful you don’t live in my mind!

Thoughts pop into my mind all day and night. While in the midst of conversation, reading, or just living. Thoughts that need to be expressed. Almost as if they are about to literally jump out of my mouth onto the computer screen.

Accept it for what it is.

Random.

The Morning After-100 Words

The morning after.

We know the significance of the morning after.

There’s the morning after our wedding night.

The morning after a first date.

The morning after a hard day’s work in the yard.

The morning after being sick all night with food poisoning.

Yes, all significant. All memorable.

But, the “feeling” of those days will fade all too quickly. They’ll be out of sight and out of our mind.

However, the morning after Easter Sunday is just as memorable as the day before.

You see. Jesus is still alive today. The resurrection hasn’t changed.

The tomb is still empty!

Easter--100 Words

Easter.

Easter has really changed for me over the years.

As a preschooler, Easter was about baskets, bunnies, and a few handmade Easter eggs dipped in dye—the kind of dye that lasts far longer on your hands than Easter M & M’s.

As a boy, Easter meant wearing the new suit sewed by my mother. The one I remember most? A solid white suit, with matching white shoes and socks.

Easter took on a new meaning for me at the age of 15 when I asked Jesus to be my Savior.

Since then, Easter is about resurrection. Hope. Life.

Darkness--100 Words

Darkness.

As a child, I was afraid of the dark.

Truth be told, it wasn’t the dark that frightened me.

It was the things that went bump in the dark.

The monster under the bed. The scratching on the window.

Darkness can be frightening.

I’m certain that on a hillside called Calvary, there was much fear. Shaking. Uncertainty.

Around 3:00 PM, the sky went dark. The earth shook. Jesus died.

That was Friday!

Three days later, a borrowed grave was empty again!

The angel would say it best, “He’s not here!”

What do I have to fear?

Not the dark!

Shutting Down--100 Words

Shutting down.

For some time, I’ve considered shutting down my blog. At one point last year, I did for a couple of months—I think I ran out of steam or words.

I’ve also considered closing my Facebook® page. After all, who really cares if I give a status update or not or should I even care about posting those.

So, the time has come to shut’em down.

Call it quits.

Ride off into the sunset.

Bid everyone a fond adieu.

Wave goodbye.

Today’s a good a day for that.

Don’t you think?.

Considering it’s April Fool’s Day!

April Fool!