birthdays & bears

Autumn and Kaley have birthdays 2 days apart. We celebrated them separately this year, but they each wanted something from Build-a-Bear. So, they used Grammie's birthday money and had a fun time selecting a bear and clothes to go with it. How wonderful to watch a child cuddle a teddy bear and see the simple joy in her eyes.

Happy Birthday, Autumn

Paying for the bears.

Does this look good?

Choosing the right outfit.

Happy Birthday, Kaley

it was way cool

I returned last night from an awesome two days at the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference. The sessions were packed with information -- I learned a lot that I can't wait to use. I saw several friends there and met some new ones. Thanks WPH for putting together a fantastic conference.

On the way home, I drove through Anderson and then the little town of Alexandria, only a few miles from where we pastored in Summitville 5 years ago. I stopped at Gaither Family Resources on Route 9 and bought the newest DVD from Signature Sound and got a free CD -- GVB new Christmas CD! Can't wait to hear it.

What a great weekend -- new information, friends, deja vu, and some cool stuff to come home with.

a post-script

" . . .the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." (Daniel 4:31)

"He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."
(Daniel 2:20)

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21)

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD." (Proverbs 21:30)

" The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Psalm 24:1)

makeover nation

In a nation that reveres the new and hot, it is hardly surprising that the buzzword of the election cycle is change. We are the culture that lauds whatever is the most interesting thing out of the gate, as it were.

Our technology and desire for excellence have created this super-hunger for the most appealing. We care about the packaging. We are driven to the brightest colors, the cutest design, the highest rating.

We want glamour and poise on the screen -- give us news anchors and talk show hosts that have charisma and good looks. We're tired of the old wallpaper in the living room -- call in the extreme home team and give us a new look. The cell phone is "so yesterday" -- give us the latest Iphone or Blackberry. We deserve the latest; the worst thing that can be said about us is that we're "lost in the '90's." Horrors! America detests what is dated and adores what is hot.

The fascination we have with media glitz and makeover hype has carried over now into our electorate. When it comes to our leaders -- give us something different, something smooth, something that makes us feel like the new latte at Starbucks or the new fashions on 5th Avenue -- advanced and tight. We are willing to give character a pass if the bubble wrap is cool.

When America casts its vote tomorrow, I hope we get over the "thing" we have with new and hot, and go for what our gut says -- tried and tested is good if it represents what is right and honorable. Lots of "new" things fail on the market, but the values that made America great are always in good taste.

mental clutter

Life is not flat. It has a shape and texture.

The texture of our days begins in the mind. The mind is life's repository where the files of our days are stored. When all is in order, the files run smoothly. But trust life to get hectic, the car to break down, the money to run low, the schedule to get crowded - and the mind goes into emergency mode.

Sometimes it can resemble a back alley. You've seen those plots behind city restaurants where the cook's assistants discard the cardboard containers. Boxes piled upon each other in no certain order, just a jumble of this and that, needing to be disposed of.

At other times, the mind can be like a shipping warehouse, full of good things, waiting to be opened up and used. The plain brown of the package conceals the potential that's stacking up, needing an outlet.

The mind stores appointments, to-do lists, holiday plans, relationship needs, church obligations, and family calendars. These boxes of this and that stack up, creating chaos and pushing out peace.

Sometimes I need a forklift; sometimes a pair of box cutters. Sooner or later, I start ripping into boxes and try to bring some order to this clutter of mental data.

Time to move this stuff out -- another load is coming.