Ya'll Ready for This?

I've been sitting with this passage the past day or so...rather, it's been following me around. Does that ever happen to you? Well, anyway, here it is: (from the Message translation)

"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously." Luke 6:27-30

I get barely a verse in and have to stop - "Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst." Think about that for a minute. Imagine if that were true of you today...no matter what evil or difficulty you faced, it brought out the best in you. That seems like an extraordinary thing until I start thinking about how I deal with the non-enemies in my life - friends, family, or even casual acquaintances. My mind immediately goes into "Dad-mode" here, I think of the last few times when my kids have been fighting or whining or complaining. That doesn't bring out the best in me. Or I think of driving around Austin in traffic. That doesn't bring out the best in me. Or those times deeper down in my heart, when I'm anxious about money, or buying a new car, or some health concern. Those doesn't bring out the best in me either.

So I go back to the passage and I read some more. Now I'm just getting annoyed. When someone bugs you, respond with prayer. When they hurt you, turn the other cheek. When they take advantage of you, practice service. What in the world is this? This goes totally against a basic principle that I have lived my life by since before I can remember: FAIRNESS. If someone hurts me, there's supposed to be an authority that swoops in makes it right. When I'm treated unfairly the whole world should know and that person should be shamed into making it right with me. When an enemy lines up against me, it's my duty to take them out. From pre-school to the football field to the workplace. It's me against you, or him, or her. Whoever...it's me against somebody.

This passage completely blows that up. And not just a little bit. It smashes it; it obliterates it. The only thing left standing is my selfishness and pride...it begs the question that Jesus starts with: Are you ready for the truth? Well, here's the truth for me - I've spent most of the last 25 yrs of my life following Jesus, trying to at least, and yesterday the answer to this question, if I'm really honest, is no. I don't know if I'm ready for the truth if that's the truth. I want to be ready; in my head I know that's the best way to live. In fact, if you read verse 35, Jesus says that very thing: "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it." The times in my life I've lived this way, I don't regret those times. In fact, those times are some of the sweetest, most nourishing times in my life. And yesterday my world got flipped upside down again, because somehow I've been lulled back into the game again. RACQUET!! I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Life has become about me again - that's really not much of a life.

Lord, today I want the answer to be yes. I want to be ready for the truth. I want to live in such a way that no matter what I face, it would bring out the best in me. I want to parent my kids not out of selfishness or anger, but out of love, discipline, and grace. I want to treat my friends and family with grace and hope. I want to treat my enemies with peace and service, that your name would be glorified, and those who don't know You would be drawn close to You. Thank you Jesus, for the words of life, that today cut deep me deep to the core, and remind me of the hope that is only found in You. May your Spirit forgive me, heal me, and strengthen me to be the man you've created me to be.

Hello Old Friend

Well, well, well. If it isn't my old friend de Karlos. It's been awhile...long time, no write. What's been shakin'? Seems as if a couple years have passed by, and I guess it's because a couple have, or at least a year and a half have. But I'm doing better, I've lost some weight, I've gained some back, but overall things are very different for me. I think I'm ready to give this thing a try again. Reading is believing though, huh? Yeah, I figured you'd say that.

So, here goes. Gabe's been rocking 1st grade and Hallie has been rolling through pre-school like tank. What an amazing thing to see happen, life unfolding before you in the crazy mix of "time standing still / time flying by" video stream. I look at pictures from just a couple months ago and I'm wondering where those kids went. I look at pictures of me and wonder where that white clump of hair on my head has come from?! The other day my wife says, "Karl, it looks so nice. And it's so soft!" And I'm thinking, because it's on my head and not yours sister! Anyway, time marches on, or at least it seems to sometimes...

Another semester has come and gone. This makes 21 of them we've been through. Just last night we were talking with a friend and now that we've been at this for 10yrs when people ask us about things we've done in LFC, it's all starting to run together. Was that 2 yrs ago? Maybe 3? Oh yeah, that was like 7 yrs ago. Years used to seem so distinctive -- that was during my 1st year in ministry or that was my 3rd. Now I can remember the first day on the job, a few other trips here and there, but a large part has seemed to wave bye bye to my brain and left for greener pastures. And I'm cool with that, just learning to get used to it.

But I will say this...God's been very faithful. Unbelievably so. Things that happened early on, that at the time seemed so important and huge, have now faded and I can't hardly remember why I was so worked up in the first place. Wonderful folks have come and gone, and some mean ones here and there as well, but overall the majority have been really great.

So I'm ready to pick up the pen again, or rather, dust off that keyboard, and start writing down some more of these moments and people, so I don't see them wander off into the distance never to be thought of again. God's been too good to forget what He's done and is still doing --- too gracious, too kind, too wise, too smart, too just, too fair, and too loving.

In the days, weeks, and months to come, my purpose is to remember...the good, the bad, the mundane, and the special. I'm hoping my next post won't be a year from now, but if it is, it's because I'm too busy living. Too borrow a quote from the lovable if not controversial Ace Ventura: "If I'm not back in 5 minutes, just wait longer!"

Here's to you Ma!

Today is mother's day, and happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I'm very thankful for mine, for her constant love and support and encouragment. If you have the chance to talk to yours, let me give you some advice my old high school football coach used to give us every day after practice:

"Go home, kiss your momma, tell her you love her."

So, as they say in the good book, go and do likewise!


P.S. My daughter has played hard with her cousins all weekend long, no naps, just serious playtime. And it's 10pm and she's awake singing in her bed like nothing's been going on. She'll be a little bear tomorrow, but she's having a ball right now just chirping away like a little bird...

Darlin', can I have this dance?

Our campus ministry, the Longhorns for Christ, were in charge of leading our worship service yesterday at church. It was really a great service, I was proud of the ladies and gents who participated, their hard work and preparation was very evident, and I was thankful that I got to be a part of it. One of our interns preached a great sermon about learning to see Jesus in the everyday areas of your life, how easily we can get so caught up in what we're doing that we often don't even notice God's presence with us. He was teaching from Luke 24, the story of Cleopas and another disciple on the walk to Emmaus, when Jesus appears and walks with them and they don't notice him. He also spoke about how sometimes even when we're paying attention, we don't think that God can do much with what we have to offer. Here he used the example from Abraham and Sarah, when God comes to visit disguised as three strangers. Abraham offers them hospitality, and they respond by telling him that he and Sarah will become parents in the next year, to which Sarah laughs --- no way this could happen, right? Wrong. My friend challenged us to think about areas in our life where we're tempted think that God couldn't possibly work, no way He could make something out of our nothing. There's no way he could use a two step to bring someone to His name...is there? That's when he told us about his experience in the school dance club.

Come to find out, he joined this group after being invited by some other folks, and through a series of "coincidences" that really weren't coincidences, ended up discovering some other Christian folks who had also joined the club, with the goal of having a great time dancing, but also to see if God might provide some opportunities for them to reach out to others who don't know him.

So my friend is sharing this from the pulpit and I remember thinking to myself that this was really cool. It's cool that he can share about how God is working in his life, through something that even he thought would NEVER be a way that God would work in his life. I'm also thinking this is cool that he can share this story and in church, and not get thrown out on his keister. I was also thinking that it's really awesome when you get to see ways that God is working in and maturing people all the time.

Lord, thanks that I get to serve you in a church where we can talk about reaching people in your name while we're dancing. Thanks also for your grace in growing us up and teaching us, using things that we might simply look past or, like Sarah, laugh at, and instead you go and do something amazing. Thanks for being a God that is way bigger than I/we can ask or even imagine.

This one's going downtown

So my daughter is 3 yrs old and was sent to the principal's office today for saying no to the teacher...alright world, brace yourself, little Hallie D has officially had her coming out party!

Listening to a little Passion Worship album tonight before I head up for bed. On it is a great song called Wonderful King. Here are the words, they are very simple:

You are here because of grace, because of love
We are here because of You, because of You
You fill our hearts with more than we can hold inside and so we sing
Beautiful Savior, Wonderful King

Great song if you haven't heard it, it's on the Our Love is Loud album. Reminds me of the truth that we serve a God who loves us desperately, so much that he would send his son to die for us. I can't imagine doing that, I can't possibly understand...all I can do is accept. Lord, thanks for being a God who can't be understood, who loves far beyond what we can even imagine, who is wonderful.

Need a little grace here.....

So I'm learning that I'm not the perfect dad...and that's a big blow to my ego. Can I confess here a minute? I think I was living in this delusional world that I was going to be the best dad ever --- my kids would love me and respect me and honor my wishes all the time. I don't know that I ever consciously thought that, but deep down inside I'm pretty sure that was my goal.

My son is 4, about to be 5, and my daughter is 3. And in the last 2 months, they have quite convincingly exposed me for the fraud that I am. What is that about kids, they can see right through the garbage and can push your buttons and all of the sudden, you're exposed, the truth is out there. There are times when I feel like the Emperor who has no clothes on, at the moment he realizes he has no clothes on. Not good.

I discovered this because I was noticing how easily I was getting upset with my kids when they disobeyed me or my wife. It seemed like I went from fine to "hot and bothered" in about 1 minute. Later on I would sit and ask myself, "Why are you so mad?" And I couldn't honestly come up with an answer. I didn't know. My kids were being kids, they were pushing the limits, testing boundaries, all the stuff I did at their age. Why was it bugging me so much?

Well, as the Lord usually does, it came clear to me in a conversation with my friend Eddie. We're reading through Romans and got to that great part in chapter 7 where Paul says:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I
do not do, but what I hate I do. 7:15


Eddie asked me if I ever felt that way, if I've experienced what Paul is talking about. And I related to him my struggles with my kids, how I want to be a great dad but I keep behaving like a knuckle-head. As soon as I finish, Eddie looks at me and says: "Karl, sounds like you're trying to be the perfect father. Your kids don't need you to be the perfect father; if you were, they wouldn't need God would they?"

Well, that one cut to the core. I could feel the Holy Spirit leaning on me a little bit after that. And it started to become more clear --- all my frustration that I was expressing to my kids was really my own guilt and shame for not being the dad I wanted to be. And instead of working this out with the Lord, I was trying to work it out with my kids. I was trying to be the perfect dad and was really messing it up. In fact, I wasn't even close. And this was killing me --- but I had stopped talking to the Lord about it. I was praying about the situation, but it was that God would help my kids stop misbehaving --- seems like now it should have been, "Lord, humble me. Help me to love my kids and discipline them, and not have my self worth wrapped up in how much they obey and respect me. Help me to find my worth in you, so that I can love my kids genuinely."

Alright, lesson learned...at least for now. So here we go:

Lord, thanks for being a God who loves a silly, foolish, arrogant, knuckle-head like me. Thank you for still allowing me to be a father. Lord, thanks for not giving up on me, the way I seem to give up on myself. Help me to be a humble, gentle, and loving father, more like your son Jesus, willing to sacrifice himself for the better of others. Help me to find my identity in you and not in how well I parent. Help me to be the dad I want to be in my heart of hearts, to do what your Spirit prompts me to do. Lord, thanks for my friend Eddie who can speak your truth with great love into my life. Thanks for a wife who loves me and supports me and challenges me to do and be better. Thank you for two kids who are teaching me all the time about grace and forgiveness. AMEN.

A great beginning to Christmas!!

We have some sweet friends who moved away to Alabama this summer. We miss them dearly and look forward to being with them again soon. They have always been generous and gracious friends, and this Christmas has not turned out any differently. Jason and Cayce, we love you guys and miss you and hope to see you soon!
~Karl, Kaley, Gabe, & Hallie

P.S. Last time in the car Hallie said, "Bye bye, see you later." We asked her where she was going and you know what she said? That's right, "ALABAMA!"

You Get What You Pay For

Listening to Eddie today at church I heard something I hadn't thought about before. He was challenging our idea of faith, and when we really have it. His sermon was from Matthew's account of Jesus calming the storm. He brought up the idea of when Jesus comes up and the guys are all freaking out, he calms the storm and then looks at his disciples and says, "Guys? What's the deal? Have you no faith?" (rough translation). Eddie asked us this question, "What does it take for you to have faith in Christ?" or something like that. Essentially, what has to happen for us to believe in Christ? Does he have to answer us everytime we call out in prayer? Does he have to heal every person we pray for, or show up at any moment he's called upon? What if he doesn't do what we ask him to do, does he deserve any less of our obedience?

The story of the calming of the storm is one where Jesus actually does a miracle, and yet seems to be rebuking the disciples for not having faith that he could, whether he did it or not. As if the only time they would agree to have faith in him was when they really didn't need it in the first place.

So it got me thinking, is this true for me? Am I waiting to really put my trust in Christ because he hasn't answered my "requests"? Is that really what I want my faith to be about? I can honestly say that I'd never thought of that, in that way before. I've never thought about how much I really do expect God to do what I want, and then when he doesn't "come through", I'm struggling with my faith. If I'm honest, that happens way more often than i'd care to admit. What's the point of having faith if you're never going to use it? I'll have to think some more about this one...thanks Eddie, my head hurts.

A new day has come

I woke up this morning with a smile on my face. It's hard to really believe what we were witness to last night, a truly historic thing, and watching the people in Grant Park, I couldn't help but smile and imagine what might be in the days, weeks, and months to come. I felt very proud to vote in this election, to be a part of helping our country move into a new day, with the first African American president, and to see that people from all races, economic backgrounds, etc had come together, united, because of a belief that working together we really can make a difference. I'm excited about the road ahead, looking forward to what's coming, trying to keep a realistic view of progress, but overall thankful for being alive at this time and in this place.

Like a cold glass of iced tea on a hot day

It's funny how God can remind you and speak to you often when you least expect it. Tonight I was surprised once again at his faithfulness as I listened to four of our students in LFC give their testimonies about how God is working in their lives. I have been excited about this night for awhile now, and even so, I was surprised at just how much God is working and how he always is. I don't know why it's so surprising to me, I believe He works, or at least I thought I did, but perhaps tonight was a reminder that believing and living it out are two different things. It's one thing to believe it, it's another to live as if it's true. I guess tonight I was reminded/challenged/confronted with the truth that I don't always live as though God is working in other people, my world seems to end at the end of my nose. But it was delightfully refreshing to get lost in the stories of God working in men and women who love him and want to live their lives to his glory. It was really refreshing. Lord, thanks for the grace and the love, for reminding me that this life is not about me, and how easily I can deceive myself into thinking it is. May you help me live tomorrow what I believe to be true in the depths of my heart, that you are living and active and at work in your people. I look forward to seeing your handiwork tomorrow!

Misc thoughts from inside...

Things have been a little crazy to say the least. We're in the midst of a new semester and tackling 1 Peter, I think a very appropriate letter to read for students at UT. I'm in and out of a funk over this Hurricane Ike thing. It's brought back a lot of memories from Katrina, and I've found that I'm struggling with a lot of emotions, and I wasn't even affected by it. I'm sad for all the people that have lost so much and now have nothing. I'm frustrated that so many people stayed behind and didn't get out when they had the chance. I'm sad and frustrated that so many had no friends or family to escape to, and I'm wondering why it seems like FEMA is not doing what it's supposed to do, why we can't get people food and water and tents. As you can tell, I'm all over the map with this stuff.

Anyway, one of the things that we're talking about from 1 Peter is about hope, and how we've been born again into a living hope. It's one thing to have hope when things are going well, when the stock market isn't plunging everyday, when there are no storms and no wars happening, when my little world is hitting on all cylinders. It's quite another to have hope when things are difficult, when times are hard, and nothing seems to be working.

I'm thankful for some conversations I've had lately with students about this very thing, about connecting with God and trusting that our faith in Him is real. I'm thankful for a God that's big enough to handle any question, and in the midst of hard times has promised to never leave us or forsake us. And I'm thankful for a community like LFC where we can be real with one another, we can have good and bad times, we can sing and eat and pray and watch football, where in the midst of life we can know that we're together.

And one last thing...I miss my friend Jason.

Another birthday!

Looks like right now all I"m good for is posting b-day stuff. Well, I'll try to do better in the future. Anyway, I have two birthday updates --- Hallie is 2 and Gabe is 4! Here are a few pics from our adventures, enjoy!

Happy Birthday Indeed!

I've been laughing about this for a couple days now so I need to share this. Do you know what Gabe's favorite part of his birthday this year? It wasn't the presents, not the cupcakes (which were amazing) and not all of his buddies coming over to celebrate with him. The best part, far and away, simply no contest, was to have us sing Happy Birthday to him. We must have done it 15 times on his actual birthday, and somewhere around that number the next day when we had his party. At one point when he had about 3 presents to open, he had us stop and sing Happy Birthday to him between opening each present. It was hilarious! If you don't believe, just check out the video below (the camera doesn't lie)!!

Click To Play

Trust and obey

There's an old hymn that I've been going over in my mind the last couple weeks and I can't seem to shake it:

Trust and obey
for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus
than to trust and obey

Ever heard it? I imagine that if you're like me and grew up in the C of C, you've heard it a hundred times. I must confess, I've never really been a fan of the tune. I don't know why, perhaps because it was too slow? I know that's a really stupid and childish reason not to like a song, but it's about all I can come up with. Anyway, I never really listened to the words, never requested it at the Sunday night sing alongs, and I always sighed loudly when someone else did.

Well, ever since the end of March, this song has been following me around. I heard a speaker on campus at Rez Week (a week long outreach event sponsored by a number of the Christian groups at UT). The speaker (Jason Ma) challenged us on obeying Jesus, giving our lives 100% to him and actually doing what he tells us to do, not worrying about the outcome. Not a new lesson, not a new idea, not a new sermon. A very good one, but one I (and perhaps you too) have heard a thousand times. And yet it was like I was hearing it for the first time.

Trust God and obey what He calls you to do, it's the only way to be happy. This is not sitting well with me these days. I don't often connect or think about my happiness having anything to do with my obedience to Christ; if anything, it's more likely the other way around --- I ask Christ to provide for me, help me, do what I ask --- and when He doesn't "come through", I am not happy.

And so this song has been playing in my head:

Trust and obey
for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus
than to trust and obey

3 years and counting...

Today Gabe turned 3 years old. Hard to believe but it's happened. Gabe, you are a blessing and a joy to us. We are constantly amazed at how much you learn, how precious and tender your heart is, and how kind and gentle you are with your sister and other friends, even when they don't respond inkind. I love you son, I'm so very proud of you, and I count it pure joy to be given the gift of being your Daddy!

A lonely road...

There is perhaps not a more difficult topic to deal with in the world today than the problem of pain. Why do bad things happen? Why do kids suffer? Why do natural disasters ravage communities and take lives? If God is loving and caring, why would he allow these things to happen?

I guess right now I still have more questions than answers. I've been thinking about this because our church, during this season of Lent, has been reflecting on the story in the gospel of Luke of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Last week our focus was on verses 25-27 of chapter 24:

He (Jesus) said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Jesus, though they didn't recognize it was him at the time, explained why he had to suffer and die on the cross and how Scripture from the begining had pointed toward this. It got us talking about the suffering that we face in the world today and why that is. We spoke about suffering for making bad decisions, suffering for someone else's bad decisions, and then suffering that seems to be for no apparent reason at all.

Interestingly enough, the next day this same conversation came up in another circle of friends of mine to which one person referenced the story in John 9 about the man born blind and Jesus' disciples asking him (Jesus) about who sinned to cause the suffering in the man's life, his parents or him? Jesus said that niether his parents' nor his sin caused this, but it happened so that the work of God would be shown through his life.

So that got me thinking about whether I really believed that. Not did I believe Jesus' words, but did I believe my friend's interpretation of Jesus' words. Or maybe it was about believeing Jesus' words. Do I believe what he said, that God allowed this to happen so that His work might be displayed in this man's life?

On one hand, I can easily say yes to this question. I've experienced struggles in my life that I did not cause, they simply happened to me and I had to deal with them. Going through them has made me stronger, wiser, perhaps at times cynical, but I really think in the long run they have inspired a great amount of personal growth.

But then there are things that happen that I don't know what to do with. Things not necessarily to me, but they happen to other people, and it doesn't make much sense. Take for example this --- I'm listening to the radio today and I hear about a women who has entered into a contract with her boyfriend, a contract that says he can have sex with her 15 year old daughter while she (the mom) recovers from her surgery and can't have sex with him. She does this why? Because she's afraid she'll lose her boyfriend. What's in it for the daughter? Well, she gets to stay out late, gets some extra allowance, as well as she can spend a few nights over at her boyfriends house. As you can imagine, this thing ends because the daughter ends up attempting suicide twice, spends a few weeks in a psychiatric hospital, and will be in therapy for who knows how long trying to figure things out. Now what in the world is that about?

All I can think about is why? Why does this happen? The John 9 reference my friend made doesn't seem to make much sense to me here. I mean I know that she's experiencing the consequences of terrible decisions and choices the adults in her life made. But why does she have to deal with it in the first place? I hear the usual answers in my head that I've heard since I was a kid, but they're not very helpful.

I believe that God is a God of grace and love and hope. I believe that Jesus desperately cared for people, so much so that he was willing to die for them. I believe that only he is the way, the truth, and the life. Though I must admit, it's in times like this that I wish I could have been on that road to Emmaus. Do you ever feel that way?

365 Days and counting...

It's hard to believe that "Hawwie D" (as she's affectionately known by Gabe) is already a year old today. It seems like it was just yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. Times seems to fly, especcially ith the second kiddo. She's made some pretty amazing strides, especially over the past 2 months. She's on the verge of her first word and she's already taken her first step...looking foward to the next one!

Hallie, we love you sweet girl, and we pray that your loving spirit and tender heart will continue to shine through, and that you and Gabe have a blast together tag-teaming your mom and me this next year.

Father, thank you for this precious little one, in whom we find so much joy. We love her and commit to raising her to know and love you!

Can you smell the rubber burning?

A lot has been rolling around in the old noggin' lately and nothing seems to be coming together. I was hoping to use this season of Lent as a way to get back in the grove of journaling and reflecting on life and yet each time I stop to write I can't seem to sit still long enough to express a thought.

I've been reading an amazing book called Banker to the Poor, the story of Muhammed Yumus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner. If you haven't read it I'd highly reccommend it to you. It's stirred a lot of questions in me, and surprised me by it's simplicity and boldness.

I've been thinking about the vision and direction of our ministry, where God wants us to go and what He is wanting me to do. I've been thinking about this series we're studying with our college students focused on putting others first. I'm reminded each week when I stand up to teach of how much more I need the lessons than they do.

I've been wondering why it is that there seems to be a saturation point when it comes to growing up in the church. You kind of hit this level to where you've been around long enough to hear most of the stories and sing most of the songs so that the new stuff is never really that new and the old stuff is taken for granted. I wonder why it is that I want to expect more from those who have been around the church the longest but what I find is that it's often those folks that have the most demands and complaints. I guess that's a pretty serious generalization, perhaps unfair, but it sure feels that way a lot right now.

I'm also wondering if what I gave up for Lent is really something that I wanted to sacrifice to God and give to Him as an offering or if I'm doing it because it's a convenient thing to give up because I'm wanting to get back in shape and stop eating like I'm invincible.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. What are you thinking about these days?

But we had hoped...

I was reading at the end of Luke's gospel, the story of the walk to Emmaus. I'm struck by the disciples response when they first encounter Jesus (his identity is hidden from their sight). As they're telling him about what's been happening in Jerusalem the past 3 days, they say:

"Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

"What things?" he (Jesus) asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. "

Have you ever hoped for something that didn't happen? Something really big? Something that you were about to lay it all on the line for, and then it blows up in your face, or, perhaps worse, just vanishes into thin air? Kind of leaves you feeling breathless, speechless, shocked, frustrated, angry, sad, etc. For a while at least.

Feels like I've had a couple of these punches to the gut the last couple weeks and I'm struggling to regain my breath. I'm not sure what all is happening, not sure what's going to happen in the days to come, I'm a bit unsettled. I can really identify with the two guys in this passage. I've been hoping, and at least right now it looks like things are not what I thought they'd be. I know in comparison to many others, my problems are momentary and light, and I agree with that. I guess this is just my way of getting it off my chest.

I look forward to the rebuke and teaching of Christ in the coming days and weeks. I look forward to some "table time" with the Lord, when my heart begins to burn once again as I hear about the Kingdom and life within it. So, I guess I'm hoping once again...

A Wintry day in Austin!!

Well, with a little ice, snow, and frozen grass, we had a lot of fun!