I Love Soccer Season

(From the Paw of Me)

Today was the first home game of the season. As you can tell by the photos included it is hardwork being the offical team mascot and good luck charm for the Montreat College men's soccer team. I arrived just before the game started in time for the players to give me a rub for good luck. Then I was off to tour the sidelines and motivate all the fans to cheer harder. Next I traveled in the golf cart with my dad to get water for the teams during halftime. Then I had to do some more socializing and motivational speaking. Unfortunately, after all this, we lost 2-1. But you can bet I will be out there next game ready to do it all again!

It's Been A Long Time

(From the mind of he)

Times have been busy. Much has been happening. Many things learned.

I've learned that if you complain or add fuel to other complaints then all that happens is the knocking down of another person. Jesus says "Blessed are the peacemakers". This is what I desire to be. A peacemaker. Someone who can put out fires, not makes them burn brighter and hurt more people. Sin makes us want to hold on to the Adam aspect of our lives. It makes us defensive when someone tries to speak into our lives in an attempt to help us. We must give God all we are. He will break through our walls and make things the way He desires. He can free us from ourselves. This is what I need to happen. I need to live in the freedom that only Christ offers.

I woke up one night a while ago an wrote this. It was fitting then and continues to be fitting now. This was written on 1/4/08:
One Road

As I walk this road

It seems to be known

Stuggles from the past

Struggles that seem to last

Hope is always there for me

Freedom is all around

Trusting that my Savior

Can save me once more

Love is the Answer

Love is the only Key

The World still continues

To fall away from me

This Road leads one place

Once place I want to be

The world leads many

Many places unseen

Sin should have no power

It's wiped away from me

Trust is the Savior

Follow The One Road

I have no poetry training so I know I probably didn't follow the proper format. Freedom is there. Freedom is true. Freedom is beautiful.

What A Summer!

(From The Paw Of Me)

Wow! The 'owners' have really been keeping me busy this summer. I have been in 10 different states in less than a month! I have meet all kinds of new people. My favorite kinds of new people are 'kids'! These smaller versions of people are great! They have as much energy as me and they let me get away with way more than the 'owners' do. They do wonderful things like leave treat bags lying around for the taking and holding pancakes and other food items right at my level.

I just got back from a great place called 'Minnesota'. Did you know there are actually 10,000 lakes there? That's right...I said 10,000!!!! I got to swim in about 5. We stayed in a place where you could see the water just outside the window! There were lots of other creatures there that I had never seen before. I really wanted to get a closer look at the animals called 'ducks' but for some reason the owners kept pulling me away.

It's been fun being a world class traveler but I am glad to be back home. I was starting to miss my own comfy bed and my nice little yard. I have enclosed some photos of my trip and my new friends. I hope you enjoy them!

A Weekend to Grill

(From the mind of he)

We just had a weekend full of grilling. We had the FCA leadership team over for a cookout on Thursday. We had the moms and my dad over on Friday and Saturday. Friday night we cooked chicken and had our first fire in our new fire pit. We managed not to catch any of the pines on fire. Saturday Mickey and Brenda came and we grilled hot dogs for lunch and steaks and veggies for dinner. Needless to say the grill is getting a workout. I love the season when you can grill and hang out outside. Family, friends and good food. We even had some intense outdoor dart games. Good times.

A New Post

(From the mind of he)

For all two of you who read this, I posted something new but started it on April 9 and didn't finish it until today, so it was posted under The Beginning.

Thanks

The Beginning

(From the mind of he, written for some reason in 1st and 3rd person )

Bare with me on this one. This is coming from a week without the wife. So in other words, sleep deprivation and many sugar highs and lows.

It all began one year ago today. It was a beautiful spring morning when little Zaba came into the world. He didn't quite know what was going on, but would soon learn what this world had to offer. He had freedom, he had a farm. He ran after four wheelers, ran with the horses, and played with his mother and siblings for hours on end. Three months go by and these strange people pull up in a green vehicle. He runs to them and greets them enthusiastically, not knowing what would soon follow. Little Zaba is taken from the farm life and introduced to the spoiled life. The life of weak-willed owners.
The Present- My friend Scott came over last night and we had a celebration of his birthday, which entailed giving him some steak. The steak disappeared in five seconds. We celebrated yesterday because I thought yesterday was the 17th. Again this goes back to a week without the wife. Anyway, it has been great times since we got our puppy. Life-changing and I have enjoyed every moment. And just think, in another year and a half he will calm down some. Maybe.

A Journey

(From the mind of he)

So I've been on this journey for the past 6 weeks or so. The journey I'm on involves this book by Paul Tripp called A Quest for More. It has been very eye opening and has allowed me to get a better understanding of the character of Christ. The book talks about the two kingdoms. The big kingdom, which is God's, and our own little kingdom.
The little kingdom is compared to a cubicle we build around ourselves. In my cubicle I have everything arranged how I like it. My timing, my purposes, my way. What God is trying to do is to punch a hole through my cubicle so I can see that there is this world out there which is in need. And once I see the need He wants to pull me through the hole and destroy my cubicle. Paul Tripp used this story as an example. He said when he was in seminary he and several of his classmates would ride to school together and discuss deep theological truths and solve all the worlds problems. Then one day he looked out the window and noticed the run down buildings, the homeless people, the lost. He was very focused on knowledge but forgot to apply that knowledge in love. I do that often. I concern myself often with how wise I can become through scripture, but forget that the point of knowledge and wisdom is to build others up. I'm too busy at times building my own spiritual resume and forget that I must decrease and Christ must increase. Luke 7 says this about the Pharisees, "...they rejected God's purpose for themselves." They had become so knowledgeable and wise that they felt they didn't need God to show them the path. They had discovered the path that fit them best.
Jesus on the other hand always lived for the big kingdom, God's Kingdom. His focus was never Himself. He never focused on the temporal or what He could see or touch. He focused on souls. I feel the reason He could do this was because His life was always looking outward. (Now don't get me wrong, Jesus spent many hours alone with God in prayer, which gave Him the strength to do this. But even prayer is reliance on God instead of ourselves). He looked around at others, he listened and invested His time in building relationships. Not so He could have friends or feel important (Although fellowship is very important). But He did this so He would know what the source of peoples struggles were. He cared and He loved while He walked this Earth, and He still does.
Now it's my turn to care and to love. To keep my head up and always be looking for the opportunity to impact the big kingdom. Self must die. Live for others. Live for God's purpose and His purpose alone.

On a side note. I have no idea when to use semi-colons.