Nonsensical Ramblings of Mark

Safe and sound knowing that You're big enough to Wrap around my heart completely Safe and sound just knowing that You know me - Safe and Sound, Mercy I had an experience in my ride into work today that can only be described as being held. I had a mildly stressful weekend that really came to a head, so to speak, when I got back from our evening service. There were quite a few stressors that effected my countenance to a great degree and I was caught up in them to a great extent. I had a restless night's sleep last night and knew I needed to meet with God in a special way this morning. Actually I think it may have been God Himself prescribing the cure for my anxiety. I took what He offered and had a commute into work this morning that was unlike anything that I have had in a while. Why didn't I run to you sooner Dad? Your peace was available to me last night, wasn't it? Why didn't I avail myself of it? Maybe that was part of it God...maybe it was. To say that I am happ...

Deuteronomy 6:7-8 is the standard for me to communicate the Commandments of God, and really the whole Bible, to my children. It is a popular passage that took on new meaning for me during the evening service on Easter Sunday. We watched various scenes of John's account of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It was powerful and I even had the opportunity to do a couple (literally) minutes of instruction from the 18th chapter. Well, we were singing one of my favorite songs at the end and I was very into it. During the height of the song I felt a tap on my leg. Quickly realizing that it was Drew trying to get my attention and snapping me out of my focus on the words of the song and the beauty of the moment. I instantly wondered what was so important (I was worshiping after all) and I bent down to inquire what he wanted. And there it was. An even more beautiful moment and one that I will never forget. Drew asked a simple question: "What does 'come again' mean?...

Let me start out by saying that I find nothing inherently wrong with the statement "I am so proud of you." I do not equate the message of that statement with the sin of pride at all. Reflecting on it, though, I find that I am a bit uncomfortable with the focus it brings. It seems to me that a better statement would be "I thank God for what he has done through you." or something like that. Maybe "Thank you for letting God use you" is all right too. I guess my main concern is that I want the focus to be on the Gift Giver rather than the one who has been gifted. That, to me, makes me more comfortable and makes more of God and less of the individual that God is using in a particular way. That seems to be more of the spirit of John the Baptist when he said that "He must increase and I must decrease." For me it is a little like taking a circuitous route to a destination. If my goal is to get there as quickly as possible then there is a better way to do...

I thought our days were commonplace, I thought they would number in the millions. - Treasure of the Broken Land, Mark Heard Time leaves its marks on me in almost imperceptible ways. I mean, I live with me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (a fact that I often lament) and I need to look at pictures to see the effect that time has had on me. I don't look old to me until I look at the wedding picture on our living room wall. I looked so young back then...and that was only 15 years ago. I know that I am not as quick as I used to be and that I can't do the Spring clean up for 8 hours straight like I used to. I find that when I jog I feel like I am going to die and that I get a bit more winded running down the street after my boys. Of course that is not all age related...the volume of Stromboli that I have eaten in 12 hours may have something to do with that as well. At any rate there have been 40 of them. Years that have passed and yes, I would do some things differently had I know tha...

My questions right now don't need all the answers Just, please don't ever let go of me No, don't ever stop loving me - The Unattainable Earth, Daniel Amos I often repeat the response Socrates gave to the question of whether he feared death or not. He responded that it was irrational to fear that which we do not know. I agree, but I am woefully irrational. In my life there have been situations and questions that have shaken me, literally, to the core of my being. They have left me at the end of myself and have given me more than pause...they have staggered me. My mind, (as small as it is), my understanding (as feeble as it is), my relationships (as shallow as they are) do not hold all of the answers and counsel that I need. And even if I received it I would not be able to understand it. Those are the times that I throw myself on Him and beg Him to never let go of me...to never stop loving me. Like a child I run into my Daddy's arms and ask Him nonsense questions praying...

En route to Albany from the Atlanta airport I had a great conversation with my youngest son: Drew: "Daddy are you flying Delta?" Me: "Yes I am, Drew." Drew: "Oh good I am soooo glad you are flying Delta Airlines!" Me: "Really?" Drew: "Oh yes. They give you drinks, they give you food. They are the best! You'll have a great time!" I wondered where all this came from, but I then recalled that we flew Delta when we visited our friends down in Asheville, NC. I am in Detroit now and recall our layover here on our way from Rochester to Asheville and back again. I love the wonder that my guys have as they live their lives. It makes me want to be more cognizant of the experiences I am having and look for the exquisite in the ordinary. Is there an ordinary? Not with them. It doesn't even enter their minds. It should have no place in mine either.

"Hi John, Let's break some rules." - Intergalactic Radio Station, Vangelis Last night we were informed of some big changes that are coming down the pike that effect the way I minister at my church and they won't be easy. More than a desire for a particular ministry, I just have a desire to be used by God to bring people closer to Him. If I can, more effectively, help make more and better disciples with a rubber band and a hamster than with what I am doing now you can bet that my next two trips would be to Staples and to the pet store. Even though it is hard and I will miss what I am doing now and what my boys are involved in my goal is not the preservation of the status quo or throwing the Great Commission to the wind so that I can continue in a ministry that I have grown familiar with. That just doesn't compute anymore. It is time to break some rules. It is time for me to grab a hold of ministry that has one measure. The old way of ministering for ministry's...