Lifting My Hands

I don’t know about you but I’ve always struggled with this concept when it comes to worship.

Like as if my connection and relationship with God is based off of how high I raise my hands in surrender.

Or maybe you go to a church where some real Christians are up front “roach stomping,” “elephant dancing,” or “running the 40′.”

And I’m in my pew…hands in my pockets…”elbow flapping.”

I struggle at church though. I might have talked about this before, but I suffer from W.A.D.D. (Worship Attention Deficit Disorder). If something not normal happens I’m focusing on it instead.

But anyways…my question is

Does it matter if I raise my hands?

True worship goes to God and God alone. I can find myself in my car alone listening to Hillsong and having a deeper worship experience than being at church AND vice versa. You really have to ask yourself is this really because I’m putting myself out there for God or am I being moved by the artists?

Your worship is your worship and it’s really between you and Him. If people are telling you what you need to be doing to experience God I highly suggest RUNNING AWAY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE rethinking your place of worship.

Finding God In Everything

I’ve been asking God lately to show me the good in things. It’s so easy to be a negative Ned that I tend to overlook all that he blesses me with.

During work today I was starving so I went to McDonalds to pick up something quick and cheap. While on the way back I noticed a man on the side of the road. We’re currently low on money (but still all bills are paid) but this man was lower than me so instead of stuffing my fat face, I give him one of my cheeseburgers.

When I arrived home today, my wife informed me that the air conditioning is broken. We’re in Texas. It’s 96 degrees. Insteas of flipping out and being angry I grab my wife’s hand and go to praise.

“Lord I thank you for the air conditioning being broken because we live in an apartment and don’t have to pay to get it fixed.”

Failing Is Not An Option.

I was reading get to know you questions at my office today and I had asked my coworker…

“If you could not fail, what would you accomplish?”

And as I sat there I contemplated a different question…

When did I start deciding to not accomplish something for fear of failure?

I remembered as a fourth grader doing a report about wanting to play in the National Hockey League and be a big star. Side note never played a game of hockey in my life. And now when I talk with kids of that same age and they say they want to be football players and basketball players, I hit them with a big dose of reality and say something like “Well you should probably have a backup plan just in case…”

If someone told my kid that, I’d freak out, so why should I tell someone else’s?

As people who are called to show Christ’s love we should be encouraging them. Doesn’t matter how far fetched it might sound to us. God gave ordinary people, his extraordinary powers to accomplish a lot.

So I ask you…

If you could not fail, what would you accomplish?

Peanut Butter & Steaks

I’ve been reading Dave Ramsey’s book The Total Money Makeover and living by his mantra of

If you will live like no one else later you can live like no one else.

And that’s where I am today. The peanut butter stage.
Don’t get me wrong, I love these peanut butter sandwiches. If there are no left overs for dinner then it’s peanut butter sandwiches for lunch (Current streak is 2 days in a row).

It’s a matter of saying no to myself day in and day out. No to going out to eat. No to stopping and getting a Slurpee. It’s saying no to impulse now and yes to financial freedom later.

It’s saying peanut butter sandwiches now and yes to steaks later.

Literally. We bought steaks from Aldi (my new favorite grocery) and I’ll be cooking them on my little tiny grill (read this so you can see my little tiny grill)

Off topic but if you have an Aldi in your area you should shop there. Save a ton of money compared to brand name grocers like Tom Thumb or Kroger or WalMart or Target. Trust me.

Anyways after May 2018 there will be a time where if I wanted to I could eat steaks for breakfast, lunch, dinner because we’ll be debt free.

I won’t though because now and later and always I’ve been rich. The bills are always paid. The lights are always on. The cars aren’t repossessed. The collectors aren’t calling. God is providing all our needs.

I don’t need the best things because God is the best thing and he loves me. He loves you and he’s there for you through thick and thin.

Yes it’s steaks later but right now it’s God and peanut butter sandwiches…I shall not want.