Living with the end in mind...

A lot of times, we move through life and things happen but they really don't make an impact. But every now and then something happens that really sticks with you. Last week, something like that happened to me. It was one of those things that has just been on my mind since it happened. Last week I happened to attend a funeral of a friend's wife in the afternoon; then the birth of a friends son. All within like 12 hours.

First the funeral was of Mr. Wright's wife, a man who faithfully attends church and The Edge. (He so committed that he was at The Edge the week his wife died.) I felt so bad for him seeing how important she is to him and what the end result of a successful marriage should be! Sounds weird to think about it like that, but God tells us how he feels about divorce. So if we do it God's way, at some point, we will be separated from our loved ones by death. I don't want to embrace that because I know what that means, yet at the same time I am confident that my future holds that because my wife means to much to me to cheapen our love. So as I mourn for my friend Tom, yet I rejoice for him knowing that they were successful in their marriage. And know that as bad as it hurts, their is worse to separate marriages than going "home".

Then later that night my best friends had their second child. It was such an awesome time rejoicing with them as they welcomed their son after a long pregnancy. Their family was there and we got to hear and share stories of what they mean to us, and how blessed we are with them in our lives. We didn't get to see the baby, because of some minor complications, but we left the hospital know that my best friend (by default) was ok and that our family got a little bigger that day.

So the thought that stuck with me is so simple yet so complex. That life really is something precious. Something often taken for granted, something way more complicated, and worth cherishing. We often forget. Or at least I often do. But over the last few months, I've been striving to seize the moment, to embrace the temporary, and try to remind those I love how important they are to me. I don't want to take people in my life for granted. I don't want to overcomplicate the relationships I have, just simply love them. I don't want another day where I don't cherish the people God has allowed me to share life with because the truth is that any moment could bring death...and life.

Righteousness.....

In Light of last night's message, I had a few thoughts..... Integrity (as defined per our 6Th and 7Th grade small group) is keeping your high standards. In other words, striving for righteousness. (acting in a moral way per dictionary.com) Matthew 5:6 says that "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." It is not just OK to "try." God wants us to Hunger and Thirst to keep our high standards. Food and Water are necessities to maintain life. God wants us to desire righteousness like we do food and water. It is essential to survival. I know that I don't hold it that high in my priority list. I need to change my list!!!!!

God, help me to Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness!!!! My Integrity needs to be as important to me as survival. Just as you have shown us this in Jesus' life and Job's. Help me to hold your word in my heart as I go through this life. Help me change my priorities! Help me put you first in all I do!
Amen

What you can do with a 5 gallon bucket, dryer hose, a fan, and 30 lbs. of dry ice!

Remember the cool fog from a few weeks ago that lasted about a minute? This is how we did it!

It all started with a 5 gallon plastic bucket from Lowes, 50 ft. of dryer vent, dryer vent coupler, and a pirated fan from Pastor Terrells office. RRRR we be here to take ye fan Cap'N Terrell! With all the parts collected it was time for some serious cutting. With the handy dandy Rotozip holes were cut in the side of the bucket and the lid. The galvanized coupler was installed in the bucket to attach the dryer hose and sealed with hot glue. The fan was then installed on the lid to force the fog generated by the dry ice out of the bucket.

Click play to see the Fog Master 2000

The fog is produced from the dry ice when it goes from a solid directly to a gas. This process is called sublimation. To speed the reaction and produce a large amount of gas the dry ice is placed into boiling hot water.

As you can see from the video our contraptions did work, but we have a few things to tweak. Our ratio of dry ice to water was a little off. The dry ice froze the water in the bucket and brought the reaction to and end a little too quickly.

It's not the end for this plastic fog producing duet. Be on the watch for their return to the stage soon.

What's in your hand?

This past Wednesday, June 2, 2010, Pastor Dustin preached a message about whats in your hand. This message stuck with me! What talents has God given us that we are not using? Reminds me of the story about the talents. Matthew 25:14-30. I know that I don't want God to take away the talents he has blessed me with because I am not using them. So, keeping this in mind, what steps do we take to make sure we are where God wants us to be in life? What sacrifices do we need to make in order to get to that place? Pastor Dustin talked about Moses and how God told him to throw down his staff and it turned into a snake. Then he asked Moses to pick up the snake by the tail. How often are we too scared to do what God has for us? You know the steps you have to take, but the steps are scary. Picking up the snake's tail is frighting. But imagine what God can do with us if we only would trust in him and pick up the snake! Imagine the difference we could make in this world! Psalm 34:4 says "I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears!" I pray that we can all trust in God and use the talents he has blessed us with. Just imagine the difference we can make in this world!!!!!