Verse for the day

Philippians 4:12-13- I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation...I can do everything thru him who gives me strength.

My boy Brett Favre lost another NFC Championship game. I sat there with just a few minutes left in overtime and thought to myself as another reviewed played out, "Either way I am ok".

Not that what I feel or think actually matters. But when the Vikings still had a chance, I thought either way this was a good year. Either way it was a great football game. Either way who ever won was going to give the Colts a run for their money.

But I will be the first to say it, I hope he comes back. It was a long year and a tough year and the way he sounded in one of those pre-game interviews made us believe he would call it quits after this season. But I hope he comes back.

But even if he doesn't it will be ok. They had a great season. Beat Dallas soundly. Played New Orleans toe to toe and really lost it themselves, I don't know if they could have actually played better. A.P. will still fumble next year. Favre will still throw interceptions.

So it might as well be done. But I can still hope, right?

Enjoy the ride!

Rejection is always a difficult thing in life, isn't it? I was quite proud of myself back in the day (I'm a dad so I can use that phrase) when I would tell people that I never had a girlfriend break up with me. Mercy would then hit me in the arm and say, "What were you dating them for in the first place!" I love my wife!

We had a possible job opportunity come up or perhaps I should say a possible job opportunity ended this past week. I was actually quite excited about it. The job, not the ending.

What really got me was the rejection. Not by the church for not hiring us. I felt rejected by God. We aren't on the first trek of this journey since leaving our full time church job 18 months ago. We have had ups and downs, clarity and confusion, all of it. And you could say our hopes were a little high on this one.

After I found out I couldnt sleep. I just began to question God, "What are you doing?" Why did you call us out in the first place? Why won't you restore the blessing of being back in a church to us?

It pretty much sounded like I was throwing a temper tantrum in my bathroom.

But then God gave me a perfect picture of where I am. We just got back from a 14 hour round trip car ride with a 1 year old who had two teeth trying to break thru by the time we got back. At one point she had woken up from her nap and wanted to get out of the car seat restraints so bad. But we had about 30 more minutes to go before our next stop. It breaks your heart when your little kid is crying and so upset because they dont understand what's going on. If they only knew that in just a moment or two things would be better. You were taking them to a great place they were going to enjoy but they just had to wait a little bit longer to get there. Kids dont understand trips. They dont get the passage of time and travel. They dont comprehend the journey until they have experienced it or have a little more wisdom under their belts. Then they can grasp what is going on.

It doesnt matter how i look at myself or what I have achieved or been a part of, I am one of God's kids and I truthfully I dont get this journey. But I do know who is in control and I do know He has a plan and a purpose for my family.

So i am going to sit back and enjoy the ride. The stop is coming soon enough.

What do you have to offer

What a weekend it has been. My baby girl just turned one, took the family for a little vacation to Orlando for Eden and my niece Ellis to celebrate their birthdays together. (check out my wife's blog for some awesome pictures)

Mercy and I talked a good bit in regards to our future on the drive home. I think our marriage has had its best conversations in the car. As she puts it, I am trapped and have to be in a steady state of alertness and attention so I listen better.

Of course our future in God's hands was one of the big topics we covered. It is pretty frustrating to feel like you are capable and qualified for so much more but nothing seems to come your way.

As I was driving home from work the phrase, "What do you have to offer" shot across my mind as I passed an American Red Cross building. I am someone who has an O negative blood type which of course is the most widely accepted blood type for all blood transfers or infusions. But I rarely give blood. I work the humdrum 8-5 shift with a short lunch and want to get home to my family at the end of the day and cant afford to just get out and go across town to give blood.

Cant afford to or maybe don't make the effort to. (they are open on Saturdays as well)

But blood is precious and my type of blood is one of the most precious. It is something I can offer but never do because I dont make it a priority. I dont make it intentional.

It is like tithing at church, communicating to your wife, exercising, drinking more water, reading the Bible. Activities that once you start practicing them make things better.

Maybe even make you better. But activities that have to be decided upon and acted on.

As I look towards my families future I think about what Mark Batterson said the other day to think big is to think long. And although I believe in the full sovereignty of God, that He didnt just throw us into life to figure things out on our own and whatever we decide to do is fine. I do believe that He doesnt want us to sit like a piece of driftwood in the power of the waves of the sea. But rather like a sailing boat a course or direction has to be decided upon and acted on no matter how the wind blows.

I like this sailing idea especially when you start looking at terms like "in irons" and "tacking". (its a good google research break)

So what does my life have to offer? Even when life blows.