Courtney had a ballgame this evening, and it was 65 degrees, cloudy, and windy! I had my winter coat on, zipped up, and spent most of the game in the van! It has been 80-90 up until today. Weather...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
New secret to making it financially
http://lifehacker.com/5809285/the-most-basic-personal-finance-truth
Really that's it. Spend less than you make invest and give away the rest:) One thing that Suzanne and I decided even before we got married was to spend much less than we made, so that we could give consistently and not worry about money. We are tempted often to spend what we make, but continue to remind ourselves and each other of our goals. So we give up some things so we can enjoy other things. And we write it down. That's a budget or spending plan. Without it how do we know when we are overspending? How do we know if we are putting enough aside to cover a new used car, or a trip, or those bills that come due yearly?
An early great example: During our first year of marriage, we lived on my meager teaching salary, and saved half her income and paid off her college debt with the other half. When Alyssa was born, we were debt free, we had 10% saved for a down payment on a house, and Suzanne quit her job to stay at home.
An early bad example: A couple years later we bought a house that extended us very tightly (stressful), then did 12 months same as cash to waterproof the basement (more stressful). We learned from both of these mistakes. We plan to have 20%+ down payment for our next (whenever) house, while we contentedly enjoy renting. Wait to spend money till it is in the bank. Continue to live without "necessities" like cable tv. Become content with less and teach our children the power of enough. And trust God (not our savings and wise money usage). It could be all gone tomorrow, or God could tell us to give it all away. What's left then? God!
Really that's it. Spend less than you make invest and give away the rest:) One thing that Suzanne and I decided even before we got married was to spend much less than we made, so that we could give consistently and not worry about money. We are tempted often to spend what we make, but continue to remind ourselves and each other of our goals. So we give up some things so we can enjoy other things. And we write it down. That's a budget or spending plan. Without it how do we know when we are overspending? How do we know if we are putting enough aside to cover a new used car, or a trip, or those bills that come due yearly?
An early great example: During our first year of marriage, we lived on my meager teaching salary, and saved half her income and paid off her college debt with the other half. When Alyssa was born, we were debt free, we had 10% saved for a down payment on a house, and Suzanne quit her job to stay at home.An early bad example: A couple years later we bought a house that extended us very tightly (stressful), then did 12 months same as cash to waterproof the basement (more stressful). We learned from both of these mistakes. We plan to have 20%+ down payment for our next (whenever) house, while we contentedly enjoy renting. Wait to spend money till it is in the bank. Continue to live without "necessities" like cable tv. Become content with less and teach our children the power of enough. And trust God (not our savings and wise money usage). It could be all gone tomorrow, or God could tell us to give it all away. What's left then? God!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Quality vs Quantity
How about quality and quantity? Can we separate the two? Sometimes we can't do both, but I have found that the goal must be both. I took off Monday and spent the day with the girls. We went shopping in Hastings, swimsuit shopping! Does a man enjoy shopping for swimsuits with 5 females? Not really, but it was quantity time. But that isn't enough. I needed to be more than present. I needed to be a participant.
So, I gave my opinion. I complemented their choices. We held hands, we hugged, we gave high fives, we ate Subway, and we enjoyed time (quality and quantity) together.
This is a picture of the church. We, the local body of Christ, need to spend quality and quantity time together. Sometimes we will be doing things we wouldn't have chosen, and we grow in love, faith, patience, deference, and the body of Christ is built up to a unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, until we arrive at maturity, attaining the full measure of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12-13)
So, I gave my opinion. I complemented their choices. We held hands, we hugged, we gave high fives, we ate Subway, and we enjoyed time (quality and quantity) together.
This is a picture of the church. We, the local body of Christ, need to spend quality and quantity time together. Sometimes we will be doing things we wouldn't have chosen, and we grow in love, faith, patience, deference, and the body of Christ is built up to a unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, until we arrive at maturity, attaining the full measure of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12-13)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Great Mr. Rytych
How about longevity and commitment!
http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/Monday_Golden_Apple_Award_Winner_121963219.html
(Bonus: You can find Courtney and Alyssa in a couple of the clips!)
51 years teaching at the same school! Find what you enjoy doing and do it. And if you don't know what you enjoy, then enjoy doing what you find.
Click on the links below to hear what Solomon and Paul had to say about our work.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Colossians 3:23-24
http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/Monday_Golden_Apple_Award_Winner_121963219.html
(Bonus: You can find Courtney and Alyssa in a couple of the clips!)
51 years teaching at the same school! Find what you enjoy doing and do it. And if you don't know what you enjoy, then enjoy doing what you find.
Click on the links below to hear what Solomon and Paul had to say about our work.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Colossians 3:23-24
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
New post
This is a new post. It wasn't here before. Now it is. However, when the next post arrives it won't be a new post anymore. At that time, you can disregard the title, because it won't be true. This process happens at a high rate on blogs, technology, children growing up, reproduction, decay, time passing, well... generally everywhere. What is new is suddenly old, and what is old may be new again, but in a different (location, package, time, etc.). But you all were smart enough to already know this, because you have experienced this countless times before this specific new-oldness. Thanks for reading
Monday, May 2, 2011
Book review: The Pastor as Spiritual Guide
The Pastor as Spiritual Guide written by Howard Rice. This review is going to be high points; what hit me. Not a comprehensive review.
"The leadership provided by ordained pastors is for the purpose of guiding the congregation in fulfilling its own mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ." (pg 20) Shepherd the flock and a healthy flock reproduces itself.
"But the principal tool of pastors is not a particular skill or technique; it is our very being. The principal tool for the work of pastoral ministry is on's own faith." (pg 35) How's my faith? Will the faith of our people rise above our own faith> glass ceiling!
"Whether born into faith or recently arrived converts, Christians cannot take their faith journey for granted without danger to the soul. If we are not growing in our faith, we may discover that faith has grown dim, that God has become distant and unreal." (pg 45) Faith is alive; or dead. And if alive, then it must be fed and cared for. And if dead... well, no good.
"Openness to God necessitates distancing ourselves from a culture that expresses its desperate need for control through compulsive activity. Much of life's frantic pace arises from the unceasing effort to keep up the pretense of control." (pg 50) Yow! That is a good explanation of our busyness. If we don't make space for God, then we miss God. The answer isn't more control, because that means more busyness.
Keys to create space for God: (pg 50-56) Prayer, reading scripture, meditation, feasting and fasting, serving others, worship, holy reading, sabbath rest. Get acquainted with these spiritual disciplines, and put them into practice.
How can worship encourage spiritual growth? (pg 96-99) We accept God, We open our lives to God, We worship in order to be transformed. Is that why we show up for worship? Is that why we setup worship the way we do? For me, it starts with personal worship that prepares me for corporate worship, which feeds and encourages personal worship... It's a vicious cycle!
Chapter 9 connected with me the most. I won't quote the entire chapter here, maybe somewhere else:) "The Pastor as person: Keeping our souls alive". In short, Pastors need to practice what they preach, and preach what they practice. Integrity - doing what we tell others to do. Authenticity - telling others to do what we know we should do, then we have to do it to stay Integrated!
"The leadership provided by ordained pastors is for the purpose of guiding the congregation in fulfilling its own mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ." (pg 20) Shepherd the flock and a healthy flock reproduces itself.
"But the principal tool of pastors is not a particular skill or technique; it is our very being. The principal tool for the work of pastoral ministry is on's own faith." (pg 35) How's my faith? Will the faith of our people rise above our own faith> glass ceiling!
"Whether born into faith or recently arrived converts, Christians cannot take their faith journey for granted without danger to the soul. If we are not growing in our faith, we may discover that faith has grown dim, that God has become distant and unreal." (pg 45) Faith is alive; or dead. And if alive, then it must be fed and cared for. And if dead... well, no good.
"Openness to God necessitates distancing ourselves from a culture that expresses its desperate need for control through compulsive activity. Much of life's frantic pace arises from the unceasing effort to keep up the pretense of control." (pg 50) Yow! That is a good explanation of our busyness. If we don't make space for God, then we miss God. The answer isn't more control, because that means more busyness.
Keys to create space for God: (pg 50-56) Prayer, reading scripture, meditation, feasting and fasting, serving others, worship, holy reading, sabbath rest. Get acquainted with these spiritual disciplines, and put them into practice.
How can worship encourage spiritual growth? (pg 96-99) We accept God, We open our lives to God, We worship in order to be transformed. Is that why we show up for worship? Is that why we setup worship the way we do? For me, it starts with personal worship that prepares me for corporate worship, which feeds and encourages personal worship... It's a vicious cycle!
Chapter 9 connected with me the most. I won't quote the entire chapter here, maybe somewhere else:) "The Pastor as person: Keeping our souls alive". In short, Pastors need to practice what they preach, and preach what they practice. Integrity - doing what we tell others to do. Authenticity - telling others to do what we know we should do, then we have to do it to stay Integrated!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday of Holy Week
John 18-19:42
Good Friday? What is good about Good Friday? Jesus was arrested, betrayed, deserted, denied, roughed up, publicly disgraced, slapped in the face, bound, kept awake all night, rights violated, due process violated, repeatedly questioned, lied about, misrepresented, misunderstood, sentenced to die, flogged nearly to his death, crown of thorns pressed into his head, mocked, belittled, forced to stand for hours, handed over to be crucified, forced to carry his cross through the streets, crucified, nails driven through hands and feet, mourned by his mother and closest friends, had a spear thrust through his side after he died, wrapped in grave clothes and placed in a tomb...
Good? Good for me, and you, and all humanity. But still, not good, unless you know about resurrection!!!!! Which hardly anybody expected. It seems even his disciples weren't expecting him to rise again. Scripture shows us that they were trying to figure out what just happened, even 3 days later (or more). When receiving the news that Jesus was alive, many couldn't quite bring themselves to believe! Grace!!!
Good Friday? What is good about Good Friday? Jesus was arrested, betrayed, deserted, denied, roughed up, publicly disgraced, slapped in the face, bound, kept awake all night, rights violated, due process violated, repeatedly questioned, lied about, misrepresented, misunderstood, sentenced to die, flogged nearly to his death, crown of thorns pressed into his head, mocked, belittled, forced to stand for hours, handed over to be crucified, forced to carry his cross through the streets, crucified, nails driven through hands and feet, mourned by his mother and closest friends, had a spear thrust through his side after he died, wrapped in grave clothes and placed in a tomb...
Good? Good for me, and you, and all humanity. But still, not good, unless you know about resurrection!!!!! Which hardly anybody expected. It seems even his disciples weren't expecting him to rise again. Scripture shows us that they were trying to figure out what just happened, even 3 days later (or more). When receiving the news that Jesus was alive, many couldn't quite bring themselves to believe! Grace!!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday of Holy Week
John 13:1-35
Maundy Thursday - Commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples.
Jesus was eating a Jewish passover meal. A celebration of remembrance of what God had done in redeeming the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. And I believe it was also a fervent call for God to act again on their behalf, and redeem the people to freedom from the Romans.
And Jesus surprises them all by washing their feet! Everybody present is thrown off by this. They don't know what to do! It is recorded that Peter objects, but everybody else is silent.
How do we wash each others feet today? Some are uncomfortable with feet. Is hospitality equivalent to washing feet? And what is hospitality? It can be:
-talking to your neighbor
-borrowing things, and lending things out
-hosting a block party, or attending a barbecue
-sitting on the porch (yours or theirs)
-having a meal together
-giving or receiving a ride
This stuff can be messy, like feet...
Maundy Thursday - Commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples.
Jesus was eating a Jewish passover meal. A celebration of remembrance of what God had done in redeeming the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. And I believe it was also a fervent call for God to act again on their behalf, and redeem the people to freedom from the Romans.
And Jesus surprises them all by washing their feet! Everybody present is thrown off by this. They don't know what to do! It is recorded that Peter objects, but everybody else is silent.
How do we wash each others feet today? Some are uncomfortable with feet. Is hospitality equivalent to washing feet? And what is hospitality? It can be:
-talking to your neighbor
-borrowing things, and lending things out
-hosting a block party, or attending a barbecue
-sitting on the porch (yours or theirs)
-having a meal together
-giving or receiving a ride
This stuff can be messy, like feet...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday of Holy Week
John 13:21-32
Denial, rejection, betrayal. These are the worst that we do in friendship. And when it is done to us, we are devastated, most times we are blindsided. We don't see it coming. Truthfully, if we saw it coming, we would separate ourselves from the friendship first. Or if they mean the world to us, we would confront them to try to salvage the relationship.
Here we find Jesus knowing that Judas (the one who keeps the money, pays the bills, and even leans up against Jesus sharing a meal, one of the closest 12 friends and followers) will betray him to death! Yet, Jesus keeps him in close fellowship. Jesus shares food, conversation, friendship, and his life with this Judas.
And I believe that it truly hurt Jesus to know this! And yet he stayed engaged. This is love!
Denial, rejection, betrayal. These are the worst that we do in friendship. And when it is done to us, we are devastated, most times we are blindsided. We don't see it coming. Truthfully, if we saw it coming, we would separate ourselves from the friendship first. Or if they mean the world to us, we would confront them to try to salvage the relationship.
Here we find Jesus knowing that Judas (the one who keeps the money, pays the bills, and even leans up against Jesus sharing a meal, one of the closest 12 friends and followers) will betray him to death! Yet, Jesus keeps him in close fellowship. Jesus shares food, conversation, friendship, and his life with this Judas.
And I believe that it truly hurt Jesus to know this! And yet he stayed engaged. This is love!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday of Holy Week
John 12:20-36
Jesus is in Jerusalem at a feast, and he knows his time here on earth with his disciples is about to end. Some Greeks (non-Jews?) came requesting to see Jesus. I am wondering if Jesus is in hiding. The request is given to Jesus, and Jesus begins to talk about being glorified. Well that to me involves Jesus being seen. But Jesus instead seems to be portraying the idea that he is going to die. Instead of doing something great and wonderful in the full view of all, to be seen, Jesus instead is going to "just die". And this is for his glory, and for his Father's glory?!
My mind says, "Who will get the glory if Jesus dies? The one who kills him?" Jesus seems to be saying that the glory will go to Jesus, God, those who die with him. Now, I wouldn't have come up with that... and neither did the disciples. And just for good measure, so that Jesus will be glorified, Jesus goes and hides himself from them...
One time somebody told me that following Jesus is just about common sense. I didn't buy it. It's about a Spiritual sense, only revealed by God through the Spirit.
Jesus is in Jerusalem at a feast, and he knows his time here on earth with his disciples is about to end. Some Greeks (non-Jews?) came requesting to see Jesus. I am wondering if Jesus is in hiding. The request is given to Jesus, and Jesus begins to talk about being glorified. Well that to me involves Jesus being seen. But Jesus instead seems to be portraying the idea that he is going to die. Instead of doing something great and wonderful in the full view of all, to be seen, Jesus instead is going to "just die". And this is for his glory, and for his Father's glory?!
My mind says, "Who will get the glory if Jesus dies? The one who kills him?" Jesus seems to be saying that the glory will go to Jesus, God, those who die with him. Now, I wouldn't have come up with that... and neither did the disciples. And just for good measure, so that Jesus will be glorified, Jesus goes and hides himself from them...
One time somebody told me that following Jesus is just about common sense. I didn't buy it. It's about a Spiritual sense, only revealed by God through the Spirit.
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