where i have been

i have been in Austin, TX for the last few days.  i love this city.  i have never been here, but it is a challenging city for me.  it is very ... organic, in more than one sense of the word.  very local.  it has it's own personality...it isn't cookie cutter at all.  that is cool to me.  

i am here for Q.  you can read about it at the web site.  i can't write about it just yet.  my mind is reeling, but i will say this.  Q is the best conference i have ever been to.  there is such an authentic desire to further the gospel, to engage culture, to be authentic.  Gabe Lyons, founder of Q, said on the first day.  "There is not much difference between presenter and participant."  That seemed like just words to me, until I experienced intimate conversations with several of the presenters.   These are very real people, not super star pastors or super star business leaders...although some of them are.  they aren't.  

i'll try and post more later as some of this stuff later, as i hash it out in my head/heart.

forgetting

i forget lots of things!  eric cooper was walking out of the house the other day and had forgotten something that he needed to have.  in a moment of haste, i said,"buddy...why is it that you can remember so many little things about stuff that happened 4 years ago, but you cant remember to grab your back pack!?"  he said something like, "i don't know dad.  i guess i don't have a good memory."  he felt very dejected.  i felt like a jerk.  

i had to stop in that moment and remember that i do the EXACT same thing!  so, i told him.  "You know who else does that very same thing?  ME"  and we went on to have a great conversation and i am sure there were even doves flying around or something...maybe not the doves, but it could've happened.

anyway, i read a passage of scripture this morning that reminded me of my good, selective memory. 2 Peter 1:5-9 It is a pretty recognizable passage of scripture.  add faith to goodness, knowledge to self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.  we are supposed to make every effort to have these qualities.  because if you have these, they will keep you from being unproductive and ineffective.  BUT if you don't have them, i love what scripture says, "he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

i have a selective memory AND i can be very nearsighted.  i am focused on things that happen today or even down to an exact moment.  i forget sometimes how i am.  sometimes it seems like i forget who i am.

then, i had to do an inventory of those qualities.  i had to remember that i am not who i was.  i had to remember i have been CLEANSED.  

maybe you need to remember that today as well...or maybe just me.

love/hate with flying

i am not a huge fan of flying.  it isnt probably a hate relationship...but i do get a little nervous at every take off. landing and any turbulence.  BUT i LOVE flying by myself and the reading time i have to my self.  it is like i have to shut down...no internet, no phone, i hate dragging my lap top out unless i have to...so i read.  

i get more reading done on a 2 hour flight than 2 weeks at home.  right now i am reading 5 dysfunction's of a team by Patrick Lencioni.  GREAT BOOK for anyone having to lead up forming a team, working with a team or leading a team!  and it isn't your typical 'leadership' book, it is a fable.  so it reads like a novel.  very cool!  i am about 2/3 of the way through it.  

so, hope you have had a good week!  talk to ya later!

playing

uncle daniel...get outta my face.

uncle daniel...get outta my face.  

i'm sitting on my meme with my peepers.

i got out of icu today...  

thanks for all the prayers.  everything that could have gone right, did.  thank you LORD.

prayer update...

well, he made it through the surgery great!  thank you LORD. And he is now in recovery and very heavily medicated to keep him from feeling the pain.  so, now we need to pray for a speedy recovery!  he is so young and been through so much! it really is a reminder how fragile life is....  

another post maybe....  keep praying for now!

AND thanks to all of you who have been praying!!!  God bless you all!!!!

pray

this is lincoln.  he is 2.  he is a stud.  he is my nephew.  he is having open heart surgery in the morning to remove a growth on his heart.  the doctors say it isn't a big deal.  they don't know how much he means to us.  so, if you would...please, remember him in your prayers.  

i believe this passage in scripture, so i am asking in Jesus name.  keep this little boy safe.  give his parents a peace when they hand him off to the nurses.  let him recover quickly.  praise God for every moment he gives us.