Same Kind of Different As Me

Same Kind of Different As Me demonstrated the life we are called to live.

Loving others as we love ourselves.

Once we do that, God will take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

"He must become greater; I must become less." - John 3:30.

And if you must have some kind of review... the book was great. Read it.

Ironing is the Devil!

A few weeks ago I did something that I have sworn off many times.

I ironed.

You see, I have a process when I do laundry. I do NOT allow myself to go anywhere while my clothes are in the dryer. I must be there when the dryer is done so I can immediately scoop the clothes out of it and head off as fast as I can towards my room.

I then work like a madman (do madmen work really hard or something? Never understood this phrase) and hang everything up before the wrinkles set in.

I am convinced that hell is being in a room with an iron and a huge pile of wrinkled clothes. All day long you attempt to get wrinkles out of clothes...oh God, please save me! I didn’t want to see the movie Ironman at first because it sounded like a horror film to me!

It doesn’t matter how hard I press, how many times I spray starch, or push that little steam button, the wrinkles do not come out. The shirt or pants look just the same as they did before I attempted to iron.

Which leads me to my next point, and it’s a good one, with all the advances in technology how has the iron been forgotten? When cavemen needed to get the wrinkles out of whatever it is they wore, all they did was get a big rock and put it on top and moved it back and forth. What has changed?

We added heat and a few buttons that don’t do a thing. To be honest, we didn’t really even add heat because when you move something back and forth what do you get? Friction, or...drumroll...heat.

We can send a man to the moon, but we can’t improve the iron?

So inventors out there, I beg of you please come up with a new way to get wrinkles out of clothes. Please. I have shirts that I haven’t worn in months because they are wrinkled too much to wear.

Oh, and please don’t tell me that it’s already out there and it’s called “Wrinkle Release” spray. All that does is get my clothes wet. Then they are wet and wrinkled.

Noticing my perspective

Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.

In my own life, I had never though much about perspective. Situations would come and go and my attitude never made a difference in the outcome, or so I thought. It wasn't until I read Andy Andrews book, “The Noticer” that my perspective changed.

The book tells the stories of the residents of Orange Beach, Alabama. They have the same problems and fears as any other town in America, but they also have Jones. Not Mr. Jones, just Jones please. He is a noticer. A what? Yeah, a noticer. He notices things about people and offers them “perspective.”

Take for example a 27 year old who was just lost his job. He is clueless on what comes next in his life and is scared. Jones would sit that kid down and offer him perspective. He would say, “Like all things that seem like a big deal... this ain't a big deal. Okay?” By the end of the conversation that 27 year old would not look at himself as an unemployed 27 year old who is clueless on what is next. He would be a 27 year old who has the extra time to spend with this creator, many more chances to show God's love by serving others whenever they need it, and finding out what his true passions are in life.

That is perspective. That is what Jones did for me.

The Noticer is a book that will entertain while imparting wisdom into your everyday life. It will remind you that what you are going through in life is no different from what others are experiencing. It will offer you perspective and leave you with some seeds to plant in someone else's life. In the end we all should strive to be a “noticer” for others. Because sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.

It's Wes. Not Mr. Wes, just Wes.

View from the wheelbarrow.

A circus performer named Blondin stretched a long cable across Niagara Falls. During high winds and without a safety net, this man would walk, prance and dance across the wire. He then asked the crowd gathered, "Do you believe I can walk a tight rope across the Falls?" They all replied, "Yes." They had already seen him do it.

Then he pushed a wheel barrow on a tight rope across Niagara Falls. When he completed the feat, he asked the onlookers, "Do you believe I can walk a tight rope across the Falls pushing a wheel barrow?" To that they replied unanimously, "Yes." Because they saw him do that too.

Finally, a buddy of the tight rope walker climbs into the wheel barrow and the tight rope walker pushes him across the Falls. Wow, what a daring feat! When they finished, the tight rope walker asked the crowd, "Do you believe I can walk a tight rope across the Falls pushing a wheel barrow with a person in it?" To that they exclaimed, "Yes!" For they were now believers and had seen him do it!

Then he looked at the crowd and asked, "Ok, Who's next?"

_________________________________________________________

Two weeks ago I took a little trip by myself to a cabin in East Tennessee. I wanted to get away and do some reading and spend some time alone with God. I spent some time in the sun and also reading and it was a great recharge, but an encounter with God in the middle of the kitchen floor is what I will always remember.

I started to get honest with God about some things. I wanted to know why my prayers weren't being answered, why my heart was still being broken, why I have so much uncertainty about my job and why I couldn't get a definite answer on anything. It was a real pity party and I was the party planner.

I felt the question, "Do you trust me?". Yes, yes of course I do. "No... do you trust the plans I have for you?". Yes...I do. I don't know what they are, but I trust you. "Will you follow me where I lead?". Right then and there I knew I had come to a crossroads. I decided then that I was either going to stand up from the kitchen floor and live my life for myself and leave behind all this suffering and uncertainty of my life or I was going to stand up and know without a doubt that I would follow Christ wherever he leads.

To be honest, it wasn't an automatic decision. I wish I could be the perfect Christian and tell you that I knew immediately. No, it hurt to say "Lord, wherever you lead...I will follow. I surrender my life and career to you."

That was on a Friday. On Monday, I lost my job.

I wish I could tell you I knew where this wheelbarrow is going, but I am not the one pushing it. I do know this though. Below me is a deep valley of doubt, depression and fear and I am safely above it in the arms of a Savior.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." - Hebrews 11:1

You got Churched!!!

I just finished reading Matthew Paul Turner’s book, Churched. He tells the story of his childhood growing up in a fundamentalist Baptist church and school. First, I have to tell the author something. You better be glad you are older than me and beat me to this book, because if you didn’t write it I would have!

I related to almost every story in this book. I felt the uneasiness Turner feels growing up trying to “win” souls for Jesus all the while trying to live the perfect life so we won’t be punished. (In Turner’s case, hoping his mom wouldn’t die in a car accident because he sinned)

Stories from his school days also echoed my experiences. I still remember the time in 2nd grade when I cheated on the spelling test bonus word. It was “firefighter.” I knew I had all the other ones correct, but wasn’t sure on this one. So I slid my spelling word list out of my book and looked at how to spell “firefighter.” I got a 105 on the test. I took my sheet, with smiley faced sticker attached, to my mom who was waiting in the car to pick me up. For some reason, I still have no idea why but I imagine it had to do with God killing us all on the way home, I told her that I cheated. That didn’t go over well. The next day, I was crying in my teachers arms telling her that I had cheated on the word “firefighter.” My 105 was crossed out and I only got a 100. My sticker was also taken away.

This book had me laughing out loud at some of the experiences the author had. Everyone’s journey is different, but I felt a connection with this story. I vividly remember the “wheat and the tear” preachers that came through my church and knew it was time for the entire congregation to get saved again. I remember the music minister calling a meeting with me to tell me that I wasn’t allowed to hang out at youth group hangouts at his house because he could tell by looking at me that I wasn’t living "right."

As you can tell, this book took me down memory road, but it also allowed me to get a better sense of my own journey. How I got to where I am and how thankful I am that I found out who God really is to me. Also, the style of writing in this book draws you in from page 1 and you can clearly picture every situation that is presented. It was a nice break from the usual Christian(ish) books that we tend to find ourselves reading.

From burning CD’s for Jesus (I’m still happy I burned New Kids on the Block) to walking door to door to tell people they are going to hell, Turner goes from the a mess of rules and regulations to falling in love with Jesus. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially for those who grow up “Churched.” It offers a humorous look into one person’s childhood and transition from a “God of Punishment” to a “God of Love.”

Also, even though I have yet to met the author, I do go to church with him and that's always pretty cool. I still can't believe Pete doesn't have highlights...

One foot in front of the other...

The race was on. People all around me were just as excited as I was. I felt good, I felt really good. Everyone was encouraging and running along right beside me.

I was strong. I was knocking the markers of my race down quickly. Nothing could stop me. I did notice however, that there wasn't as many people around me as when I started.

The elation and excitement started to subside as I got deeper into the race. I started to get a little comfortable and settled in nicely. Once again however, the crowd thinned out a little more.

I started to feel a little pain that seemed like it was holding me back a little. It would come and go, but each time it came it would be a little more intense and hold me back a little more. I knew that I had to just trust that I could move past this pain.

The race started to get tough, but I was managing. Then I saw it. The hill. The biggest test yet. It seemed insurmountable. I started to wonder if I made the right decision. If this race was really worth it.

Once I made it over the hill, I felt much better and was able to look forward to what was next. There were a few people around me for the hill. They made it with me.

Suddenly, I noticed that I was alone. Not only was I alone, I was walking. I was still moving in the race, but it was at a snails pace. I felt awful. Felt like I let myself down.

Along the sides were people who had quit. They had enough and had given up. I looked at them and thought about joining them, but I didn't see relief on their faces. Just exhaustion. Perhaps if people were around to just give them encouragement they wouldn't have quit.

Every now and then I would start running again, but I have to be honest, I wanted to just be comfortable at this point. To just sit back and watch instead of persevering, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Why?

Because there was something at the end waiting for me.

Then I realized that I wasn't alone at all. There were people all around me going through the same thing I was going through. I just focused so much on my own pain, that I failed to see them. I pulled strength knowing that I wasn't alone after all.

Then I turned a corner and saw it. I will never forget the feeling of seeing it.

The finish line.

I could barely move, beaten up from the race, but there was no stopping me. I was going to finish. People that had already finished were lined up, screaming for me to keep going. I was almost there.

With tears welling up in my eyes, it all became worth it. I crossed the finish line. I had run the race. The end was the best part.

I will tell you about my experience running a marathon another time, this was about living the Christian life.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. - Hebrews 12:1

If you have given up and are on the sidelines just watching, I pray that God's love will surround you and you would know that you aren't alone.

Support my boy Pete!

Pete Wilson is a friend of mine who is off to India for 10 days. He will be blogging from India, so while we pray for wisdom, safety and guidance, we can also keep tabs on him by clicking the link below.

Pete, I pray that God does whatever is necessary to bring you closer to him therefore allowing more love to shine through you in India.