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11.30.07Animator vs. Animation
This is one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a while. Thanks to Kem for sharing. Click on the stick figure to play.
11.30.07Anticipation is in the Air
“Anticipation is in the Air”
A Reflection on Exodus Nineteen
Something big is about to happen.
Anticipation is in the air as we find Moses and the nation of Israel at the base of Mt. Sinai. God has given Israel instructions to prepare for something big. Everyone is to clean up and be ready because God is coming to descend on the top of Mt. Sinai. Crystal clear warnings are given not to approach the mountain. God is about to rock their world.
Three days later, everyone has this sense of anticipation wondering, “What will happen?”
What happens is God shows up.
A dark cloud comes over the mountain bringing thunder and lightning. People are freaking out because this is God. Smoke is billowing up from the Mt. Sinai. As the mountain begins to shake so do the hearts of the people. On top of that, a trumpet sound is getting louder and louder as God approaches. Finally, Moses says something. God replies. WOW!
Moses is called to the top of the mountain and is to only bring Aaron with him. Everyone else is to remain down below. God is about to give Moses something huge- the Ten Commandments. The world will never be the same.
I don’t know about you, but when I picture the scene described here I am in awe. I’m sure there were doubters among the group who have now witnessed something first hand. I’m sure there were seekers among the group who have found what they were looking for. Everyone realized their mere humanity as God showed up.
Do you anticipate God to show up in your life?
I believe that you’re reading this right now because God is setting the stage to reveal himself in your life. I don’t know what that will look like. Maybe you’ve never known him before and he wants to invite you to get to know him. Maybe it’s a big decision that you need God to give you wisdom to make. Maybe it’s a miracle that’s beyond comprehension. I don’t know. But I believe with all my heart that the same God that revealed himself to Moses and the nation of Israel is the same God we serve today.
He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Pray a big prayer today. Pray for God to show up in your life and then, anticipate he will. That’s hope! What’s cool is whether you’ve known it or not, God has already revealed himself in your life. Pray that you can see it.
11.29.07Who’s Your Jethro?
“Who’s Your Jethro?”
A Reflection on Exodus Eighteen
Do you have a mentor? Do you seek wisdom from trusted people?
Moses has a lot on his plate. He was able to lead but had an awful system in place to deal with the squabbles of the people. He alone served as mediator and judge of every dispute, big or small, among the thousands of people of Israel. It was wearing him out.
His father-in-law, Jethro, got it right when he said, “What you are doing is not good.”
Jethro was a man that Moses trusted and respected. He had a proven track record of being a compassionate leader. After all, it was Jethro that took Moses in when he was all alone in the desert. Jethro had clearly led his family well. And on top of that, he was a priest- a significant spiritual leadership position.
Jethro gave Moses some advice. First of all, teach the people God’s laws. This way they can work out many of these issues themselves. Second, find capable and trustworthy men who can make sound decisions on disputes at lower levels. Then that leaves Moses with handling only the complicated cases. This is set up much like our court system today with Moses serving as the Supreme Court.
Moses implemented Jethro’s advice and lightened his load. At the same time, he provided opportunities for other people and everyone was better off for it.
Do you have a Jethro? Are you listening to the wisdom of trusted mentors?
There are a lot of people who will gladly tell you what to do, but are you listening to the ones who know what they’re talking about? The ones who have proven themselves by the way they have lived their life and the love they have shown you? If not, what are you waiting for?
Here are some questions to ask as you determine a mentor:
- Do they care about you?
It seems like it could go without saying but the truth is not everyone has your best interest in mind. Often it’s their own. Make sure your mentors personally care about you. - Do they have dirt on their feet?
Meaning, have they lived a life of experience? Do they even know what they’re talking about? For instance, I would value marriage advice from someone with a long and successful marriage over someone who’s been divorced a couple times. Don’t get me wrong, we should listen to people who’ve divorced and learned from their experiences. But I would much rather seek the counsel of someone who’s doing what I’m pursuing. Same goes with careers, raising children, money management, etc. - Do you have all the answers?
What good is sound advice if you’re a know-it-all? Sure, not every piece of advice is right for you, but many times it will be. Are you humble enough to admit that? What if Moses thought too highly of himself and didn’t listen to Jethro? That would have been stupid. Don’t be stupid, be teachable.
Once you have a Jethro (or Jethro’s) in mind- simply ask them if they’d mentor you. Be up front about what you’re seeking from them. Actually take some of the advice they give, otherwise you’re just insulting them. Thank them often and be respectful of their time. Mentoring someone is an investment. Don’t take it for granted.
Imagine what kind of difference a Jethro could make in your life?
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” - Proverbs 19:20
“With A Little Help From My Friends”
A Reflection on Exodus Seventeen
When it comes to life, we need to heed the words of Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, “No more flying solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times.”
The Israelites were attacked by a people called the Amalekites. The initial attack likely caught them by surprise. So Moses selected a young guy named Joshua to lead men into battle against the Amalekites. Meanwhile, Moses would stand on a hill nearby with his staff and bring a couple of guys with him, Aaron and Hur. The staff would play a key role in the battle.
As the battle raged on, Joshua and his men prevailed so long as Moses could raise the staff in the air. As his arms got tired and dropped, Joshua and gang were on the losing end of the smack down. But Moses was smart. He didn’t fly solo. Aaron and Hur stepped up and each held up one of Moses’ arms. As a result, Joshua and his men overcame the opposition.
Why did it matter whether or not the staff was raised? I believe God was teaching them, and us, an important principle:
Don’t fly solo!
What would have happened if Moses didn’t bring anyone with him? The world would be a much different place. That’s for sure.
Are you flying solo? Would Rex give you a roundhouse kick right now?
God said it isn’t good for man to be alone. And consistently throughout Scripture we are reminded of that. Even Jesus wasn’t alone. He selected twelve men to be in his inner circle. Are we better than him?
It’s obvious that we all need a little help from our friends. But how? Here are a few suggestions:
- Be a friend- The truth is, the only way to have friends is to truly be a friend. It’s hard for people to care about you when you don’t really care about them. Relationships take work.
- Swallow your pride- If you need help, ask. If you need someone to talk to, ask. Too many of us try to do life on our own simply because we can’t admit we need other people. Don’t become isolated. If Tom Hanks has taught us anything it’s that it doesn’t take long before we’re talking to a volleyball.
- Open up- We need to be real with our friends. If you don’t, then you’re just playing a part and not being a friend. Laugh together, share your struggles, ask for advice, talk about common interests, etc. One of the best ways to form and maintain friendships is over a meal or coffee.
These are just a few suggestions from a guy who’s still figuring it out. To be quite honest with you, I am still growing in this area. I don’t find it easy to ask for help. I don’t find it easy to open up. But the truth remains- we need friends. We need community. That’s just the way we were created.
I’m working on it. How about you?
11.27.07I’m Not Gonna Go Changing
This post is among the most popular on this site. I thought I’d repost it because that’s how I roll.
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I love me some football.
During a commercial break I found myself singing along to a Coors ad playing in the background when I realized what I was singing:
“Changin’. Every thing’s changin’. I’m through with all this changing. I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”
Ah, yes. The everyman-anthem. What a bunch of bull-loni!
See how far you get in life without changing. That’s a great plan. Just stay right there in your easy chair. Oh no, man, don’t get up. Just keep drinking dude. Pretty soon your kids will grow up and they’ll have kids. They’ll come visit you and you’ll still be in that same easy chair. God knows what kind of germs will be in that nasty thing after all that time.
“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”
You’ll never get a new recliner. Nope, the cushion will pattern your fat butt and you can’t buy that kind of customization. That would require changing. You’ll tell everyone that you’d buy a new chair but you don’t make enough money. You’ll curse your employer because you’re underpaid and unappreciated. I’m sure it will have nothing to do with your refusal to change.
“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”
You may be fortunate enough to marry a woman who’ll actually put up with your refusal to change. After 20 years of marriage you’ll no longer be attracted to her because she’s about twice the woman you married. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the “leadership” you provided at home and the fact that you’re about two and half the man you were when you were married. Nope, four squares a day, four to five showers a week, and a one to two dates a year. That’s how you make it to twenty years. Forget the fact your wife has to get her romance from novels and soaps and you never talk.
“…I like the way I’m living and I got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”
Sitting in that same La-Z-Boy watching the good ol’ game. When suddenly your left arms will feel funny. Your wife left for the store and you’re reaching for your chest. While you search for the phone to dial 9-1-1 you hear the Coors jingle on the television:
“…I like the way I’m living and I’ve got my reasons why. And I’m not gonna go on changin’. I’m not gonna go changin’.”
Please tell me life is more than that. Too many men have tapped out while life passes them by.
I know Coors just wants their customers to stick with their product but the moment we identify with a beer commercial jingle we know somethings wrong. Instead, let’s be men who evolve and grow. Let’s be men who woo our wives and actually love and train our children. Let’s be men who are known more for what we’ve done with our lives than our easy chair.
Let’s be real men!
11.27.07Smelly Things Covered in Maggots
“Smelly Things Covered in Maggots”
A Reflection on Exodus Sixteen
Stomachs are growling as the Israelites begin to grumble about the fact that they are low on food. It’s not as if the desert provides plentiful resources for thousands of people to eat.
So God does something remarkable. He provides mystery bread everyone morning. It’s called manna and it literally means “what is it?”. The Israelites were very clever when they named something.
The people are given clear instructions to only gather enough bread for that day alone. They are not to save it. No leftovers.
[Pause]
Why do you suppose they are given instructions to not save any for the next day? What’s the point of that? We’ll get back to that question shortly.
[Play]
Some disobeyed and stored some manna overnight. What they found when they woke up was awful smelling, maggot-covered wafers. It was no good. Moses discovered who they were (probably because of the smell) and was ticked off at them because of their disobedience.
Knowing that the manna will spoil after a day, God tells them to take a rest day, called a Sabbath. In preparation, everyone is to collect as much manna as they could the day before the Sabbath to last two days.
You may be thinking, “Didn’t the manna smell and have maggots after just one day? Now they are expected to gather enough for two days?” Yes, that’s exactly what God’s asking them to do.
What didn’t work before will now work because God said so.
Sure enough, they awoke the next day and the manna did not spoil at all. No maggots. No funky smells. Just good eats and plenty of rest on the Sabbath.
Let’s tackle the question asked earlier. Why would God tell the Israelites not to save any manna? I mean, it seems wise to store extra for a rainy day, doesn’t it?
Yes, but God was doing a couple of things here. First, he was testing the obedience of his people. Second, he wanted them to trust him. When some of the Israelites saved their manna for the next day they were saying they didn’t trust God. Some of them went out on the Sabbath to collect some manna, but they found none. They didn’t trust God.
Obedience calls on faith and is a way we tell God, “I love you too.”
When God gives a command we need to trust that he has good reasons for doing so. When he tells us to take a day and chill, we should. It’s for our own good. When he tells us to love him and others as ourselves, we should. When he tells us not to eat the leftover manna in our lives, we shouldn’t. That way we don’t end up with smelly things covered in maggots.
What’s the smelly issue covered in maggots in your life? What are you not trusting God with?
The heroes of this section in the Exodus story are those who trusted God and did what he said. They believed God would provide simply because he said he would. That was good enough for them.
What about us?
11.26.07Baby Got Book
Funny stuff from Dan Smith.
11.26.07Don’t Drink the Water
“Don’t Drink the Water”
A Reflection on Exodus Fifteen
Three Days, a desert, thousands of people, and no water. That’s a recipe for disaster.
Up to this point God has paved the way for the freedom of the Israelites- from the calling of Moses, to the ten plagues, to the parting of the Red Sea. But after all those extraordinary wonders the people are desperate for something ordinary- water. What was Moses to do?
Pray. Specifically, he cried out to the Lord.
Ever been to the point of desperation where the only thing you can do is cry out to God?
Usually, being desperate is a sign of weakness. But God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. And that’s exactly the point where we need to be. [Rant: Desperation for God is something beautiful but don’t be desperate with people. That’s kind of pathetic. End Rant]
God provided for the Israelites. They across some bitter water. I can just hear the Dave Matthews Band song, “Don’t Drink the Water” playing in the background as they approached the stew. But God performed another miracle by turning that nasty water into good drinking water. Then, he led them to an oasis of twelve springs and seventy palm trees. Clean water and shade. That’s paradise in the desert.
God provided even more than they could have ever hoped for.
Do you need God to provide? Do you need God to show up big time? Are you desperate for his help?
Do what Moses did. Cry out to God.
11.25.07One Thing
What’s your one thing?
What’s that one thing you would trade it all for? What’s that one thing you would give it all for? What keeps you up at night?
The answer to the “one thing” question says a lot about us. If we can’t answer it, then what are we living for? What’s the point of our lives? What’s the point of your life? What does it all boil down to?
The song “One Thing” by Finger Eleven is an incredible song with simple and sharp lyrics that cut through to what’s most important.
Below are the lyrics to the song as well as the video. Read the lyrics, listen to the song, and ask yourself what your “one thing” is.
“One Thing” by Finger Eleven
Restless tonight
‘Cause I wasted the light.
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line.
It’s nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line.
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing.
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn’t that be something
I promise I might
Not walk on by
Maybe next time
But not this time
Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah, I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing.
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn’t that be something
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Tags: FingerEleven, Music,
