Another Adree Song

Several weeks ago I posted something about my daughter Adree introducing me to a Christain "rap" artist nicknamed C-Lite.  You can see that post here.  I have listened/watched the youtube video several times over that last few weeks.  I also stumbled onto another artist who C-Lite got together with on a song called "Background."  The artist is Lecrae.  The lyrics to this song have been so profound that I have actually committed to try and memorize them.  Here is the video from youtube with lyrics.  Let me know what you think.  By the way, the official video for the song can be found here.

212 Degrees

Been off the grid for about a week.  It has been rather busy.  First full week of coaching softball.  Thought for the week with the girls was "Practice as if you are the worst, and perform as if you are the best."  This is a really busy time of the year.  It is usually the time when patience is short and arguments are often.  Trying to talk to myself about this so as to make things a little more peaceful heading into the spring.

Talked to the girls on the softball team a lot about effort this week.  One thing that is unacceptable at my softball practice is "I can't."  I expect "I'll try."  One of my favorite inspirational videos is called 212 degrees.  It talks about the fact that at 211 degrees you have really hot water, but at 212 degrees you get steam,,,and that can power a locomotive.  Just one degree makes that much difference....here watch for yourself.

“By what power or what name did you do this?”

Peter and John went on their way in chapter 4 of Acts to begin the Proclamation stage of "Operation Gospel Expansion."  The religious leaders of the day felt very threatened by their teachings, techniques, and especially the following they were starting to amass in and around the area.  So they did what any good leader would do...they seized them and put them in jail.  Probably thinking this would scare them into stopping....??

The irony is that they were being brought to the religious leaders for actually performing an act of kindness!?  So, there have probably been times we have done things that go against popular opinion, and our character or motives have been questioned, but we knew deep in our hearts it was the right thing to do.  What do we do in these situations...become defensive?.....gather people to be on "our side"?....what should we do?

Well, what did Peter do?  He was filled with the Holy Spirit.  (v. 8)  Am I tuned up?  Living a spirit-filled life?  My personal test for this is to take stock of how comfortable I am.  If I am coasting, just muddling through my daily existence, I am probably living an "ernie-filled" life.  If I am being challenged, tested, forced to step outside of what I know I can do....chances are pretty good I am needing some supernatural spirit-like help.  Hence needing to be filled with the Spirit. 

So what is the result when we choose this path??  Look at verses 13-14.  "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say." 

So may we go about our daily grind attempting things way beyond what we can do ourselves so as to render our critics speechless....

..................by what power or what name did you do what you did today??

Valentine's Day

I got to go on a date on Sunday, right before Valentine's Day. It was time away from my "true" Valentine, but it was time spent with one of my "mini" Valentine's. We went to our favorite restaurant, Bahama Breeze, and just had a wonderful time. I realized when I sat down, and we prayed for our food, how truly blessed I am.

I heard one key phrase from my pastor's sermon this past week. "I am not all that I am supposed to be, but at least I am not who I was." Thank God for grace......

I hope my kids see this in me. May I always default to Grace when I am uncertain.....................................

This picture is from our last date at Steak-n-Shake, but it is a keeper. I wish life could stay simple, but kids grow, they become independent, but I hope they remember the grace extended to them...it would help all of us to remember the grace extended to us, then we would be more generous with grace.

May I always live as if my shake has two straws..........................

Author of Life

Peter goes on in Chapter 3 and begins to somewhat put the Israelites in their place.  Sharing with them, rather forcefully, how they missed out, killed the Messiah, and now it was time to change their ways.  He mentions the big 3, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, just to make sure he has their attention.

He then describes Jesus in a unique way...the Author of Life.  What a great metaphor for Jesus.  Authors originate things.  They create story lines that capture our minds and cause us to not want to put "the book" down.  They use words to convey messages, develop opinions, and promote discussions.  Peter made a careful distinction here by not just calling him Jesus.  The Pharisees felt threatened by Jesus.  So for Peter to make him the "Author of Life" it actually raised his "status" to beyond just a prophet or disciple of Satan, etc.

Also, the appropriateness of Jesus being an "Author" is related to him being "the word" as mentioned in John 1.  And then in Hebrews, Jesus is called "the author and finisher of our faith..."

So how is your book coming along?  Have you taken it to "the Author" for editing lately?  Are you reading the same old boring words, or are you looking to enrich your vocabulary by being editable and moldable?  Do you present yourself as a blank page (Romans 12:1-2) on a regular basis? 

Not that I am there...but I hope to live as a "man they would write about..."  This is an old 4 Him song (dating myself some), but I hope "the Author" hears these as sweet words........

Where is your beautiful gate?

Finally, I have made it to the 3rd chapter of Acts.  The apostles have been filled with the Holy Spirit and are now on a mission.  So Peter and John were headed to the temple, per their usual schedule, I suppose.  Interestingly, the place where they entered the temple, stated as being a gate, is called Beautiful.  The irony that I felt as I read this little passage at the beginning of Chapter 3, is that the scene of a lame beggar asking for money, does not promote beauty in my mind.

My mind began to wander...big surprise there!!  I probably have the chance to be Peter everyday.  I am by no means rich.  I try to give to worthy causes and all, but don't have cash just laying around to give to everyone who asks...probably a lot better off than Peter....but I'm pretty sure I have what Peter had, and what he offers to the man at the gate called Beautiful.

So, I said to myself, "Self, who are the lame beggars in your life?  Who are the people who need something beyond the tangible?  Who in your life needs Jesus?  Where is the "gate called Beautiful" that I have to pass through everyday?  Am I in such a routine that I don't notice those around me who need what I have?

Where is your beautiful gate....and are there any lame beggars sitting there in need of what you have??......

Footnote-- This is an actual photo of the Gate called Beautiful

No Tombstone

So I am sitting in my living room playing with our 9-month old boxer and I hear this catchy little tune pumping from the direction of our home computer being used by my 10-year old daughter.  I say to her, "What is that your are listening to?"  Innocently, she says, "I found this 'white rapper', and he is really awesome" (This probably comes from her limited exposure to rap music from her 14-year old brother)  She is really much more of a Faith Hill/Taylor Swift type of girl.  She goes on, "His name is Andy 'C-Lite' Mineo, and he is a Christian."  Skeptical, I say Ok, give it a brief "fatherly" look and listen, and continue with what I was doing.

Later on, my curiosity got the best of me.  I went back on Youtube and did a little investigation of this "C- Lite."  Come to find out, he is a guy from Philadelphia trying to spread the Gospel using as many media outlets as possible.  His website can be found here.  The message in this particular song is quite compelling.  He tells (and shows) a story played out thousands of times over in the streets of big cities.  I am sure there are ways to apply the message to situations in our everyday lives where we influence people.

This is definitely a specific genre of music that not all of you will appreciate, but as a father, I would rather my kids hear this message, through this mode of music, than some of the other stuff that is out there.

Enjoy.................