Picture
Last summer I did a few projects in my back yard which killed the grass. I didn’t just have dead grass, I had bare spots. Just plain dirt

This summer I promised my wife a garden box. I planned on putting it in the corner of the yard where the grass was really nice.

So I transplanted the grass to the dirt spots.

I had to water it constantly because it was turning brown.But it lived.It wasn’t going to die as long as it was watered.


For a while, the grass looked like it would have been better off if I left it where it was.  But if it stayed there it would have died.  A garden box and a pile of dirt was going on top. It was only going to live if it was transplanted.

It wasn’t just moved.  It was moved with a purpose. The grass no longer filled a purpose where it was. It now filled a spot. But it needed extra water when it got there. At least until it took root

If grass could speak it would have had some choice words for me!

I took a shovel to it

I poked it

I ripped it

I tore it

I ripped out the roots

Some of it died

I knew some of it would die

It got weak

I knew it would get weak

But I knew I would take care of it

I would water it

I would tend to it

I would fertilize it

I had a plan for it

It would have died if I didn’t do any of those things


There are times when we are that grass aren’t we?

God takes us and moves us

We complain

We argue

A part of us dies

But what we forget sometimes is that if we stay where we are we will die

Moving is hard

We will need extra care

But God, the One who moves us, will provide what we need so we can take root in our new place


Jesus said, “whoever drinks water from a well will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”


The world will offer you something to eat. I’m not talking about pizza and beer. I mean meaning and purpose. The world has a lot to offer. It’s hard to keep up. But whatever the world offers you, it’s not permanent

Wherever you go to be fed, it will not be enough.

You will get hungry again.

You will get thirsty again.


I’m talking hunger of the heart

A thirst down in your soul

You know what I mean

You’ve tried different things to make yourself feel good. To feel full. To feel satisfied.

The thirst we have in our soul can’t be quenched by just anything

It can only be quenched by Living Water


Jesus said, “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again.”

Are you ready to be fed by Jesus Christ, Living Water?

 If you are ready to drink, drink with me.


 

BAP!

10/18/2011

0 Comments

 
A few months back I test drove a pickup from a private seller. It was a great truck and the seller, the first and only owner, took excellent care of it. There was one issue though. One little bulb in the  dashboard wouldn’t light up leaving a dark spot in the speedometer. The seller said it had always been like that. After driving the truck for about 7 years, he learned to get used to it and assured me I would too. I believed him and bought it.

After driving the truck for about 7 months I decided to look into fixing that little bulb. I went online and found detailed, step by step instructions on how to take the dashboard apart. It involved wrenches of various sizes, several screws and bolts, electrical wiring and even more patience. I went out to the garage and took a closer look at all the parts I’d have to remove. With the driver’s door opened and while down on one knee, I took my index finger to the spot that wouldn’t light up and…bap! I tapped the screen a few times.

And then it happened.

A tiny little burst of light.

The dark spot was gone!

I stared in amazement. I was going to take the whole thing apart. I couldn’t believe it.. but there it was. The entire screen was lit up like a brand new truck.

And all I did was “bap” it.
Picture
Do you have a dark spot in your life?  Not a big spot. Just a little one. Enough that you notice  but not enough that you feel too urgent about fixing. Maybe you just got used to living with it. That little dark spot in your life.

Perhaps you think it’s not worth the effort of tackling. There are so many little layers to who we are. Fixing that one little spot would mean taking other things apart. It’s just a spot. Learn to live with it.

Have you been living with a dark spot inside of you simply because you allow it or have gotten used to it? Sometimes, we allow something to linger because we don’t face it. Those little dark spots become a blemish that we learn to live with.

Maybe what you need is a “bap.”

Take a close look at that spot in your life and “bap” it.

BAP!

Pay that lingering bill. BAP!

Make that phone call… BAP! BAP!

Apologize for the pain you caused. BAP! BAP! BAP!

See the light come on.

See what the darkness was hiding.

See everything lit up as it should be.

And you’ll feel brand new.

 
 
Picture
This is my real kitchen!
Today I finished remodeling my kitchen. It started two years ago. It took about 3-4 months to get 99% of the job done. Then I took a break for about... oh... 18 months. (I have a great union.) I needed to level all the doors and secure the dishwasher. Leveling the doors was pretty easy. The hinges are adjustable. It just took some patience. To secure the dishwasher I just needed two screws that aren't as long as the counter top is thick. (I measured three times for that!) Until today some of our doors were crooked and the dishwasher tilted forward every time we opened it.

So why did I wait so long? I don't know. It seems that whenever I'm about 95% done with something I'm done. A 95% is an "A" after all. Those final two steps took about 2 hours. That included the 40 minute phone call I had on my coffee break. (I told you, great union.)

Do you ever do that? No not the 40 minute coffee break. We all do that.  I mean the 'I'm almost done but for some reason I'm going to call it done projects'? I have a lot of them. That's my project for this summer - to finish off the projects I started last summer. They include:

Fixing that one loose paver on the patio I installed (The other 798 are just fine thank you)
*  Changing the lock on the screen door (all the screws are out except that one. I wonder where I put them? It was about 4 months ago)
*  After replacing all the tile in my house with wood flooring last year, I have about 4 feet of baseboard to put under the sink cabinet
*  Painting about 5 inches worth of space in my church office (the other 99% wore me out)
*  Staining a handrail I installed (hey, it meets code!)
*  Fixing the drawer on my entertainment center so that after I open it I can actually close it.
There are more, but I'm about 95% there....

I myself am a work in progress. We all are. The Great Carpenter is doing his work in all of us. Fortunately, I know God will complete his work in me..."And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." Philippians 1:6.

Do you have any projects that are incomplete? Why don't you respond and share what they are? I need to feel better about myself.