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  • How to fail

    Food for thought.


    http://hosting.dynamis.net/tomsplace/xanga/TeamRace.pps


    - Tom


    P.S. If you can't view it try this free power point viewer from Microsoft.


    P.P.S. If you use a Mac try this one.


     

  • Stephanie gets the kleenex


    1. In addition to whoever else prayed for me, she did too, and I got better. Thank you God!! At least, 80% better. Better enough to be out and working again today.

    2. She's sick now so she needs all the kleenex.

    Please pray for Stephanie to be healed too !! Same kind of drainage / head cold kind of stuff. She's miserable.

  • Act now and I'll throw in this box of kleenex ...

    Well I'm sick for the 3rd day now. Started Monday around noon, what felt like a massive allergy attack. I was blowing my nose every 5 minutes! So anyway I've been staying home working on a web project (thank God for a web project at a time when I can't really go see clients), taking vitamin C and garlic and waiting for my body to overcome it all when this morning I started coughing up green mucus. So much for overcomming it. Went to see the doctor (mine doesn't do appointments, just walk-ins) but forgot the doctor's office was closed on Wed. At least I got to get out of the house and enjoy a drive in the beautiful weather. I might need to do that again later just for the fun of it. So anyway me and my green mucus will need to wait until tommorrow to see the doctor.


    But if you pray for me now I might wake up tomorrow all better and not need to go to the doctor! And then I'll throw in this box of kleenex ... absolutely free!

  • Machines

    In an apocalyptic vein, here's a thought ... it's only so long before this kind of problem ushers in the era of the machines ...


    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10927831/


    ... and then it won't be much longer before Skynet takes over.


    Ignore me, it's Friday night. Friday night puts me in weird moods.


     

  • Getting Past the Labels

    (and the ugly crud behind the sticker, too)


    (This message is brought to you today in part by those in my life through whom Jesus has done this very thing to me).


    I think the best thing a man or woman can do when they find themselves focusing on a false identity of another, such as the appearance, resources, status, or power of the other, is to get to know the real person of the other: to seek out the true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, well-reputed and excellent ransomed creation of the other. This allows the other to become much more than a 1-dimensional identity. The shipping crate may be stamped “hot babe”, “great family man”, “plain jane”, “fatty” or “dork” but there is always so much more inside that any such label becomes utterly meaningless.


    Sometimes the first thing we find in getting to know the other is their pain and brokenness – or the dysfunctional behavior that flows from that. If we are being pragmatic with our approach, we are tempted to stop here – “wow, glad I got to know this person before making a judgement based on their outer appearance, because now I am really going to avoid them like the plague!” But of course Jesus calls us to bring all this to Him and wait for his response. Sometimes we are called to lead a person to the part of the church body that can help them receive the healing they need. Sometimes we are called to quietly extend grace, mercy and compassion while Jesus draws them to Him and prepares them to receive such healing.


    Other times, we discover that there is beauty inside, and like outer beauty, this too must be brought to Jesus, with praise, to worship him, for discovering the beauty in another causes a response of worship. It is his creation, and we are to worship the creator rather than the creation.


    In Tom's world ...


    I can write about this because it is where I live. I was created to worship, rejoice, and lament. (I am like Psalms). My temptation is to worship the created, rejoice in owning it, and lament what I don’t get. God’s call is for me to worship Him, rejoice in working with Him to free his creation, and lament that bondage that continues to exist. My temptations and calling make war with each other and I weep and rage in the resulting tension, driving me to the feet of my creator, who washes over me with His peace.


    I don’t think most people see this struggle in me, as it relates to them. I think for most people this is a good thing. Some people care too much what I think. Not because I’m anything special, I don’t think, I think it’s just that they are not secure in God’s definition of their life and I represent one voice of the world they are looking to for their identity.


    You know what I would love, would be to walk up to someone and say “my eyes say you are a ____ but I’d like to get to know the real you” and for them to say “sure, I’d like for you to get to know the real me first, and why don’t we start with how I feel about that label.” And then to sit for hours and talk honestly and openly about who they are and who I am, and to be friends at the end of all that! God, I crave that … where can I find those people? I feel that I am close to finding them. Maybe the people I go to church with are becoming those people who can be so real. 

  • Holy Sh**

    Have you ever stopped to think about the meaning and origin of the phrase, "Holy Cow" ?


    I just found myself using the phrase to praise the performance of something I admired and I was so struck by the unity of the phrase and the emotion that brought it out.


    Not good.


    There's my conscience. I don't know if I need to stop using that phrase so much as feeling it with that exact meaning.

  • One Sunday Morning ...


    I’d like to tell you a story about two Christians named Chris and Robin. Now, for this particular story it doesn’t matter if they were married or friends, two guys, two girls, or one of each. (LOL, careful how you mix and match on that last sentence, though). And let’s define love as giving more of yourself to someone than you expect to get back.


    What happened is, one Sunday morning, Chris and Robin had a fight. But before they were finished they had to stop fighting because it was time for both of them to go to church. Now I know this never happens to anybody, especially not in families with kids, but try to hang in here with me if you can.


    Robin always looked forward to the music time at church, and really didn’t want the fight to get in the way of enjoying it. So when the music started Robin did everything Robin knew how to do to join in and just forget about everything else. And it was another great music time. The band was tight, the music was powerful and moving, people danced, people raised their hands, people cried, people called out scriptures, but somehow, today, Robin just couldn’t feel it, which was a bummer, but it sure wasn’t for lack of trying.


    Chris was feeling very disconnected from the music, the songs, the words, the band, and pretty much everyone else in the room, and not feeling the energy to stand and join in, slouched in the seat, and quietly whispered to God.


    "God … I hate Robin."


    "I really, really, hate Robin, God."


    "I really do."


    "I’ve had it. I just can’t take any more of Robin."


    A few minutes went by. Something was going on deep inside Chris, who sat in silence, unable to add anything more to what had been said. But a few minutes later, there was something else to say.


    "Yeah God … I used to really love Robin."


    A few more minutes went by, while more things went on deep inside Chris, still slouched in the seat feeling disconnected from all the singing people.


    "Oh, God."


    "I don’t want to hate Robin."


    "I don’t!"


    Chris’ stomach churned. Was it too much coffee or was something at stake here?


    "But how can I not? After what Robin said?"


    A few more minutes went by, while more things went on deep inside Chris, still slouched in the seat feeling disconnected, as the band played and the people sang "Both high and low find refuge in your shadow."


    "Oh, God."


    "You don’t hate Robin, do you God."


    "You really don’t."


    "Do you."


    And the band played on, and the people sang "Who is like our God?"


    "I bet you love Robin."


    "You love everybody."


    "That would have to include Robin."


    And the band played on, and the people sang "Many sorrows cannot quench your love … darkness cannot overwhelm it"


    "Yeah, I wish I could love like you, God."


    "But I can’t."


    "Oh God, I wish I could, but I can’t."


    And the band played on, and the people sang "Not our will but yours be done, come and change us."


    "But you know what, God …"


    "I love you."


    "And if you want to change me …"


    "You want to make me different …"


    "OK."


    Chris started feeling an urge to kneel. Nobody else was kneeling, but at this point Chris didn’t care what anyone else was doing. And so Chris knelt, and looked up. God wasn’t on the ceiling, but Chris wasn’t looking at the ceiling. Chris was looking through the ceiling, through the sky, through the atmosphere, through the universe, through time and space, to eternity … looking with the heart, searching for the unknown God.


    And half a molecule away (or less), the unknown God was making Himself known in the deep places of Chris’s heart, just like He had been doing since the conversation started.


    "You can have it Lord."


    "You can have it all."


    "This bad joke they call my life."


    "I’ll trade it for whatever you have for me."


    Well I’m running out of time so I’ll just tell you that over the next few weeks God worked through Chris to bring about permanent changes in Chris and Robin’s relationship. Chris had love for Robin that felt like it just sprang up out of nowhere. Chris changed, and seeing the changes in Chris changed Robin.


    So here’s my confession to you: I’ve been a Chris, and I’ve been a Robin. And I can tell you for certain: raising hands, singing loud, kneeling, dancing, tons of musical skill, 15 seconds of fame, calling out scriptures, whatever, it is all emptier than empty and drier than dry, if it doesn’t come out of a heart surrendered to God.


    Your heart may not be all pleasing to God, your heart may not be all full of love, your heart may find it really hard to forgive, your heart may find it impossible to love without expecting something in return, and that’s OK, because surrendering to God is just saying that you’re giving up your ownership of the fight and saying you’re willing for God to have His way, and that’s the only way those things are going to change.


    So here’s my advice: when you're going to sing to God, just say to God in your heart, that He’s welcome here, here in your heart, to do what He wants to during this time. Ask and wait. Ask and wait. And then if you really feel your heart reaching out to God, reach out to Him with those arms he gave you! And if you don’t … don’t! Stand, sit, kneel, lie down on the floor, sing, don’t sing, whisper, yell something ...


    These songs to God ...  don't sing them how you think you're supposed to look like you're singing them. Think about them and feel them as you sing them. If there’s a line in a song you don’t get, sing it as a question. Sing it as a request if you want. If you don’t like it, sing it as a complaint. And as your heart turns to God let your body do what your heart is asking it to. God is listening to your heart.


    Do you hear me on that. God is listening to your heart.


    Let your heart sing to Him.


    P.S. If you're driving ... please keep your eyes open and your hands on the wheel.  Thanks.


     

  • OK, here are some rough sample pictures I threw together. I'm also throwing price into the mix so you can help me consider preference value ...



    Honda Insight:  $22,000


     


     



    Toyota Prius: $23,000


     


     



    Toyota RAV4: $6,000 - $10,000 (used)


     



    Scion Xa: $14,000


    Comments please !!


     

  • Help me pick a company vehicle


    OK, as many of you know I have a small computer and networking company. I think it's time for the company to get a vehicle. It needs to be similar to a hatchback or minivan. It can be used or new. It must be a Toyota or Honda.


    One thing I'd like to do with it is have the company logo on the side. I have two company logos:


          


     


    Here are some vehicles I'm considering:


    RAV4 1997 to 2000


    Scion Xb (new)


    Honda Insight


    Toyota Prius


    Any comments? Suggestions?

  • I'm not gonna pay!


    You won't believe what happened to me this morning.


    If you've been following along you know I've been really blessed lately with some surprising miracles and great news. So not too surprisingly I was still floating on cloud 9 full of gratitude this morning and walked into my living room and thought or said, God, I want to sing you a song.


    So I stood in front of the piano and started thumbing through the binder full of songs I'd picked out for CrossCurrents, trying to sense a clue of what song God wanted me to sing to Him, and I just kept going and going until finally I got toward the end and came across "Your Love Oh Lord."


    I paused for a second and glanced over it and then turned the page, thinking in the back of my mind, I don't want to do that song, it's a bummer, I'm not comfortable with (translated: I'm afraid of) that part about


    Your justice flows like the ocean's tide


    But immediately I had this check in my soul. Why? It stood out after thumbing over 20 other songs without a second glance. The check just stood there in my soul, not helping me out any. Just like a check to do that. And I thought, well, lately God's been teaching me to pitch a "yes" tent in some of my "no" squares on my map. So I'll sing it and we'll see what this is about.


    So I sat down and sang the song through a few times, and enjoyed it. It's about God -- I don't have to like everything about God every day right, just praise it?? Anyway I enjoyed hanging out some on the line about "I will find my strength in the shadow of your wings ... when I'm beaten, when I'm tired, when I want to quit, when the enemy says I can't ... I will find my strength in the shadow of your wings ..." and then I went around again and got to that line again


    Your justice flows like the ocean's tide


    For the third time, and He said pause for a moment here, and He wrote these words on the wall of my brain:



    1. The price is paid

    2. The enemy is defeated

    3. ... and condemmed

    And like dry air on a foggy windshield it just started blowing the mist right off my vision, and I saw it, for the first time in a long time.


    The enemy is condemmed. I'm not going to pay!


    The punishment, the vengeance part of the justice --- it's not for me! It's not aimed at me! It's not in my future! I'm not going to pay!


    See all this time, I know this is like "duh" but I could even sit and think, "I'm gotta communicate to so and so that the price is paid for their sins" and "I'll be in extra big trouble if I don't give so and so grace after all the grace I've received ..." and all the while dreading the day when I'll face God with all the times I've failed (of course) to communicate and receive grace, not to mention all the other horrible things I've done. I was offering a grace I hadn't owned! I'm tellin' ya!


    So naturally I was weeping and thanking God and Jesus all over the place. Most of you don't know much of my past, I was dreading that Justice. Dreading it. Justice was not a nice word. Not for me. Sure, for everybody else. Not for me.


    It's a great word now, cause I know who's gonna get the short end of it.


    Let it flow Lord !!


    And by the way ... if you're reading this ... you need to know ... the vengeance, the punishment ... it's not for you!  Do you own that?