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  • January 31, 2010

Archives For January 31, 2010

“He’s Control”

February 26, 2010 — 3 Comments

…or rather, “He is in control.”

My wife and I have been on a journey to adopt children for a while and are trusting that God will lead us to the exact ones He has providentially prepared for us (and us for them!). I’ll admit, the waiting, praying, hopeful phone calls and meetings, dashed hopes, etc. is tough. We both have grown personally and as a couple during this process – and for that we’re grateful…but that doesn’t make the journey any easier. We trust in God’s plan and look with expectation to what He has prepared.

At times, it’s hard to remember, as we search, inquire, pray, trust…, that He is actually in control.

…that He has always been in control.

One of my favorite passages that clearly demonstrates this is in John 19. Jesus has been arrested and, in the eyes of His accusers, close to defeat. As he stands before Pilate we read:
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Listen Up, D! [v2.25.10]

February 25, 2010 — Leave a comment

From a Lenten devotional I recently subscribed to:

“The life God longs to give me in his presence is free of my dependencies.”

[…save Him]

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Forgotten God – Chapters 4 & 5

February 22, 2010 — 2 Comments

It’s been a few weeks since I posted on Francis Chan’s book: Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.   We took a few weeks hiatus, but we’re back and this is a catch-up post…

Chapter four: “Why Do You Want Him?“

The chapter title summed up the main theme.  It’s really about purposes for desiring to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  It’s an interesting question – and one that probably isn’t really considered as one asks and prays for empowerment.  Do we wrongly treat the Holy Spirit as a token?  Do we call out to him with wrong motives in our heart?

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Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy (Derek Sivers)

February 18, 2010 — Leave a comment

…thought-provoking, insightful, and challenging on many levels.

Read the transcript at Sivers’ blog.

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A Tarp?

February 17, 2010 — 1 Comment

Imagine:

Right now, right where you are…

Sitting under a plastic tarp…

A terrible downpour…

You’re wet.  Your family is wet…

The little that you have is wet…

…and that tarp is your shelter for the next few months.

That is the shelter that is proposed until May 1st for about 250,000 Haitians.  I don’t know about you, but that just seems wrong.

From an MSNBC article:

Haiti’s homeless get tarps, want tents
Aid agencies tell quake refugees they’ll need to get by with plastic sheets

…

Instead the officials are mobilizing a plan they call the “shelter surge:”

– By May 1, one plastic tarp will be given to each of about 250,000 displaced families.
– Transitional shelters of 194 square feet, with corrugated iron roofs, will then be built.
– Shelters will have earthquake- and storm-resistant frames of timber or steel and are supposed to last for three years.

…

[Further details on this YouTube video.]

I’m sure there may be a logistic rationale for this, in reading several other articles, the general consensus of relief organizations is that tents take up too much room, but still – a tarp for someone who lost everything they owned?  And for upwards of three to four months?

It blows my mind…I’m sure it does yours as well.

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Listen Up, D! [v2.16.10]

February 16, 2010 — 1 Comment

[Paul, to the Corinthians]

“… Christ [sent me] to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

1 Corinthians1:17 (NIV)

[Holy Spirit, to Dennis]

Whatever you do or say in the name of Jesus, make sure it’s not based on YOUR words or experiences alone.  They are powerless without pointing to the sacrifice and grace of Jesus.  That’s where life-changing power lies.

x

…Am I the only one challenged or convicted by this?  How about you?

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Listen Up, D! [v2.11.10]

February 11, 2010 — Leave a comment

I always like it when God whacks me on the head during my devotional:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this [all three, dennis!] is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

thank you GOD, my I have another!

So, what did God “whack” you with recently?

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Happy Birthday, Karen!

February 10, 2010 — Leave a comment

Hug hug, kiss kiss, hug hug, big kiss, little hug, kiss kiss,
little kiss.

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Remain

February 4, 2010 — Leave a comment

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

– Jesus (John 15:4)

My wife and I are avid Fringe viewers.  A few weeks ago, one episode really illustrated John 15:4 for me.

The episode, titled Johari Window, involved a town of people who have, for generations, been stricken with a physical deformity as a result of a government experiment.  The townspeople hide their physical deformity from outsiders through a massive electromagnetic pulse that runs through the town.  The pulse causes them to look normal; however, once they leave town and are out of the pulse’s reach, their true deformities show.

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Pruned

February 1, 2010 — 4 Comments

Last Saturday, I completed the annual “pruning of the roses” task at home – not as dangerous as the “running of the bulls”, but I did have some good pokes from the thorns!

Some of the rose bushes and trees we have are pretty old (according to my neighbor, some were even transplanted years ago from his house).  Some of them are younger, having been planted by us.  In order to keep them healthy and flowering each year, they must be pruned – even if they look like they don’t need it…even if they have blooms right now.

Old or new, well-established or just-planted – each gets the same treatment.

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