Sweet Bandaids

First, if you haven't checked out New Jersey Jesus Blog you should just look in my blog log and check it out. So I am now officially a member of the Jesus Band aid Club. Wow I did not know they would come so fast but I got them in the mail today. Way cool. Talk about a good platform to teach your children about the healing power of Jesus (if you have kids). So we are preaching on Righteous Role Models from the Bible at my church, the pastoral staff rotate turns, and mine is Moses any ideas how to work the band aids in to my sermon? The band aid box actually reads "Perfect for cuts, scraps, locust bites, or other minor boo-boos." That's exactly what the Egyptians needed when God sent the plague of locust on them for not letting His people go (Exodus 10). BIG THANKS to New Jersey Jesus for sending me this awesome prop.

Mo' Money

I would like to have more money to things like build a garage I could work in my own little "man cave" as my uncle calls it. Also I would like to fix everything that is broken on all my cars won't that be nice. I would also like to do the work on my house that needs done like the floor and the walls and the little path the leak from the ice storm damaged. somewhere in there I would like to put more rock on my drive so it is not so muddy and even make it bigger so we can park our cars in an out of the way place instead of right in the middle. However, when I was praying this morning I found myself asking God to guard me from GREED. "WHAT", I was thinking to myself, you crack smoker where did that come from. Greed is the love of money or material possessions that is my own definition but I realized if I start wanting these things more than I want God I am in BIG trouble. The good news is I don't but it is wise to guard against it, Thank God for the Holy Spirit who speaks up every once in a while. God promises to give us what we need and give us more if we will follow Him it is just the timing I have to get down, His not mine.

A look back

I know the bible says that if you put your hand to the plow and look back you are not worthy of the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62) But I am confident he did not mean taking measure of where you have been and where he has brought you. As I look back at my life I see time after time where God's grace has covered my stupidity. Whether it be almost crashing truck off a bridge or playing cowboy poker with a bull. There are mistakes I have made that are not for the public to know but I know them and so I know the amount of Grace and Mercy God has poured over my life. At some points I am sure it was like the jar pouring out the oil for the widow, it kept coming because it was still needed but finally I wised up and God started doing great things in my life. I like to remember where I have come from sometimes as it helps me to not be so quick to condemn others who know better than to act as they are acting. All I can say is God is TRULY GOOD.

My Truck

Just a side note. My truck is messing up and I would like God to bless me with a newer one. A extended cab so I can store my tools with a V6 so I can pull the trailer better other than that I am open to any make or model he wants to bless me with. Although I would like a foreign model as they seem to stand up better to wear and tear, a Toyota Tacoma would be nice. Just putting it out there in case God has been whispering in your ear.

Mr. Fix it

I am handy to have around (according to my wife anyway). I like to work with my hands when I have the time and I can usually figure out how to fix something at least temporarily. So I am developing a name for a guy who can fix small problems. I get calls from my neighbors asking me to crawl under their house and fix plumbing problems, calls from my sister to help fix leaks, and calls from older widows to help fix toilets. For a while one of our church lady's was teasing me about making a shirt with a SJ and the superman logo on the front for "SUPER JOHN". It has all slowed down now but I enjoy being able to help people. It makes me feel good inside. I am glad God gave me a heart to help people. I am glad he built us with that inner satisfaction when we know we have done a good job and have blessed someone else. It has been awhile since I have done that and I am realizing that I need to put that back into my schedule.

Exercise

I was reminded this week that I am not a thin as I used to be. Granted I am not what you would call fat but I am getting unhealthy. It was a crude awaking to be reminded that yes I have not really worked out for a few years and my body mass has reconfigured itself to the shape of a small tire around my midsection. Now we are not talking tractor trailer tire or even Honda civic tire but it is still there and the fact is I am about 15 pounds past what I need to be. I don't watch what I eat, I don't exercise, and my work is not as physically demanding as it used to be. My intake is way more than my output so it gets stored. I need to be more conscious of my health. I have always been told my body is the temple of God and granted I have some ink on the temples walls but that doesn't mean I let my temple go unmaintained. So now the reality I have got to drink more water GOD HATES ME, OK maybe not but that's what I think when I drink water. I also need to work out and eat better I am now almost 28 and my temple isn't getting any younger. Time to start fixing it up again.

Monday's

I don't hate Mondays but they are not so cool. It is always hard getting started again after a weekend. If your like me you have a weekly to do list and a weekend to do list and it is not always easy for me to switch gears and remember what I was doing on each list. So here we are on Monday remembering what in the world was I doing Friday, not the interruptions but the list I was working on. Pouring coffee into this brain of mine trying to get it to run, a little more primer and I think I'll be there. Just in time for Lunch. :)

Stepping Out

I am a cautious person, one who likes to see what step I'm taking analyse it three or four different ways and then once I've made my decision I like to wait a while longer and see what happens. This approach has helped me in a number of areas but it has also hurt me in quit a few areas as well. Some things require quick decisions and I have never been the one to make a decision that way. I have passed up many opportunities because they moved faster than my decision making process did. Now I am stepping out on a business venture this is hard for me as I am like I said very cautious. I do not want to be the one to lead my family into financial trouble and hardship. I do not want to have to trust God with this even though I know He has told me this is to happen and the the doors that were shut have now miraculously opened on there own. You heard me right, it is hard to place everything into Gods hands and eliminate your own safety net to completely trust Him to provide for you. I have done this before but God has lead me back to the same circumstance once again. It seems He wants me to remember that He is the provider not my extra income that I count on for peace of mind. My security blanket will have to go it has gotten in between me and God. At the same time He has put me into a situation that will bless me in the long run, isn't God awesome He can strip you of your comfort level while putting you on the road to blessing. Where is God stripping you of your comfort so that He can put YOU on the road to blessing? Do you still have a hold on your security blanket or have you finally turned loose of it?