What if you knew this would be your last Christmas?

What if you knew that in 2010 things would be very different?

What if you knew you were going to lose a job, a family member, or your health?

We’re all one breath away from standing before God.

Are you ready?

How would you live?

For you…or for Him?

What would change?

What would be the same?

What if you decided to live like this was your last Christmas?

What would that look like?

Why not do it?

How could the world be a better place because of you living like that?

How could you be a better person because of you living like that?

It’s time.

Merry Christmas.

It’s been a Christmas tradition for me to play this as loud as possible at least once during the Christmas season.  This year, I though I’d share it with you so you could carry on the tradition.  Share it proudly with those you “love.”

This is one of my favorite scenes and is what Christmas is really about:

Bet you didn’t know our family had this kind of talent.

Ten months ago I was laid off from my job as a marketing director.  Through this journey, I have experienced God’s sovereignty and provision.  If someone had told me ten months ago that we could last this long financially, I would have told them it just wasn’t possible.  It doesn’t work on paper.  What I’ve learned, though, is that God doesn’t care about paper.  He cares about me – and He cares about Him receiving the glory.  I’m still looking for a full-time job but I know God is taking care of me.

That’s been the perspective I’ve learned over the past ten months.  And I thought that was pretty good.  But God has a way of still teaching me and He’s not done with this quite yet.  Matt Chandler, a pastor I admire and whose teachings I love, found out a couple of weeks ago that he had a tumor in the frontal lobe of his brain.  The option:  do surgery.  That’s it.  No treatment – no wait and see.  He released the video below before his surgery.  It was shown to the church he pastors.  The new perspective I have comes from this statement by him:

“There’s part of me that’s grateful that the Lord counted me worthy for this.”

Wow.  I have to tell you it was like a light came on to me about my own journey.  God counted ME as WORTHY to carry this.  He allowed this to happen so I would be able to see Him more clearly!  We’re not worthy to be in His presence AT ALL, yet He gives us the honor of going through trials so we can see how He works and so we can know MORE about Him!

I know this is a longer post than normal, but I’d like you to rest in this:  When you go through trials in your life, it’s not because God is mad at you or has ignored you.  In fact, He is giving you a UNIQUE perspective into His heart.  Count it as JOY.  Learn more about Him.  He will carry you through.  And realize He loves you enough and counts you as WORTHY to endure.

Watch this video and be encouraged:

If you know me at all, you know I’m a Tennessee Titans fan.  I was a fan from the day they announced the team was coming to Nashville.  This past Sunday, they were down 17-13 with 2:37 left in the game.  They were also on their own 1-yard line – 99 yards from victory.  This seemed like an impossible task, I’m sure.  It’s not like the Cardinals were just going to lay down and let them go 99 yards.  In fact, Tennessee converted THREE 4th downs in the drive.  They never gave up, they persevered, they gave it all they had.  As time expired, here is what happened:

Did I mention that the Titans started the season 0-6 and have since won 5 straight games?  No NFL team has ever done that.  They aren’t giving up.  They may not win the rest of their games (I hope they do), but they won’t give up.

What is it about your life that you think is impossible?  Losing weight?  Getting out of debt?  Seeing that person you know come to Christ?  Saving your marriage?  Restoring a relationship with a family member?  Getting a job?  Don’t give up.  Keep trying to move forward.  Keep keeping on.

Luke 1:37 reads “Nothing is impossible with God.”  Nothing.  Nothing.  Nothing.  Don’t give up.  Don’t think that God can’t do it.  He created the universe from nothing.  He can make it happen.

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy this video and remember…no matter what your family’s like, at least you’re not in Carmen’s family.

What is worship?

A song?

A service?

That’s what we tend to call it.  But I have a different definition:

Worship is our response to the collision between our sin and God’s grace.

What is your response to a collision?  Shock?  Awe?  Surprised?  Startled?

Think about your sin.

Think about God’s grace.

Can you experience the collision?

Now you’re getting close to worship.

I’ve been reminded through a couple of different circumstances this week that life is short.

We all face death all day long.

Our next breath could be our last.

Live this breath with all of your soul.

Love deeply, let differences be short-lived, and live abundantly.

It’s not worth a breath to hate, despise, reject, or condemn.

Live and love.

I rode in Blake’s car today for the first time since he “cleaned” it.  I have to admit, it does look better although not what I expected.  There are still some random things in it (a Yoggie, toenail clippers, diploma, casserole dish, among other things), but you can see all of the seats and more of the floor.  According to Blake, this is a work in progress and will happen in phases.  Time will tell.