Thursday, March 14, 2013
Choose your perspective
Many people believe you have to see something to believe it. They question God’s existence in this dark world. They doubt his ability to change people. Many try to avoid the possibility that someone else is in control. They rage at what God allows to happen. Make statements like- If there was a God…. I don’t see how he would…. Why…. Where is he… When I see him with my eyes…
Well here is my answer. Check your perspective! Chances are- He is right in front of you. I know this because I sat across the room from God last Thursday. I saw him with my very own eyes, heard him with my own ears, and hugged him with my own arms. I heard him laugh and cry, saw his smile, and his heart ache. Real as real can be. Now you are either reading this in disbelief or completely stunned. I’m serious though. I have found that the most amazing thing on this earth is experiencing God. And he is EVERYWHERE.
On Thursday I saw him in my friend Deb as she shared how he is working in her life. It’s amazing- he is transforming her right before my eyes. It is so beautiful. I listened to how he has interacted with her thru loss, celebration, anxiety, conversations, tragedies, and all the ups and downs of life. I have seen his love thru her more times than I can count. In her generosity, her hugs, her genuine love, her excitement, his love just radiates from her!
I think that is the beauty of More Than More. It has helped me open my eyes and really notice God. It’s amazing how he is everywhere yet I had such a hard time finding him anywhere for a long long time. I was not really looking. I was waiting. Waiting for him to do some obvious act or grand display. Challenging him to catch my attention. Questioning his authenticity. Demanding proof. Truth is I did not really want to be found. I was hiding. And I wanted to blame him for that. I wanted to control the circumstances. But I had to choose to see him. Choose to notice. And even once I found him I still tried to limit his access to my life, my heart, my children, my plans, my marriage, mine, mine, mine. It’s the love at More Than More that helped me change my perspective. Now I can notice God in everyday life in the strangest most interesting ways. I can see God working in the lives of those around me. I can trust God. I can trust others. I know he will not abandon me. I know he will provide for me. I know my children are his children. I know he loves me. I know he is transforming my heart and life. I know he is in control- don’t always like it, but I know it.
What does you perspective look like? Are you waiting? Running? Doubting? Controlling? Don’t. Choose to notice. Need a good place to start???
More Than More will be meeting Thursday March 21, 2013 at 6:45 pm at McAllister Recreation Center, just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette. Love to have you join us. AMAZING childcare provided!
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 NLT
Monday, March 4, 2013
What Will Really Make a Difference?
Since November i have had many conversations about Obamacare, elections, politicians and government. So many times people have a tons of opinions about whether this particular politician or that one is good or bad - it always amazes me how so many people can believe so many different things about the same person! Many are asking me what i think of Obamacare and the future of healthcare and all. Aside from joking that i may end up being a government employee soon, my response is pretty predictable:
"I don't really know what is going to happen and for the most part i don't care."
sometimes mixed in with a
"I can and have taken care of people under a tarp in the middle of a field. I'm pretty sure i can handle whatever comes."
To some this seems to be a relief - they are reassured that i am not spazzing out at what might or might not happen.
To others this is insanity and they think i am either delusional or apathetic.
To still others this is infuriating and they are ready to nail me to the wall!
Then i usually try to explain myself...
You see, this response comes from the way i live my life. I am convinced that if anyone is going to really make a difference to the people that i encounter on a given day of my life, one person it is not going to be is Barack Obama. I am also pretty sure it will not be Joe Biden or Dan Coats (Indiana Senator) or Mike Pence (Indiana Governor), in fact i am so sure they will not be the "difference maker" that i had to look up their names to find out who was in those offices! - not Obama or Biden, give me some credit!
You know who made the difference in my life today? A friend. His name is Larry and he spoke with such genuine goodness and concern for me and my family that i went on with the rest of my day feeling as if i mattered more! Who else? My friend named Troy, who took time out of his schedule and met me for lunch - where he shared his recent experiences and i mine and i left that 45minutes strengthened - with new ideas and encouragement for the rest of my day. My children, my wife, my medical assistant...
You know what else, it is almost always these people who really have the profound effects on my life. It is almost never people i don't know or who are far away. I must admit now that there are authors, like Paul the Apostle and like Brennan Manning among other, whose works have changed my life, but the impact of those words always lands in the reinforcement of the relationships of my life and this is where their wisdom actually takes shape.
So, here's the point. Will healthcare change - yes, i'm sure it will. And some things will be better undoubtedly and some will be worse. But, i will not be changing who i am in the middle of it - and nothing will change what makes my life, my practice, and More than more, so special. You see, we in our family, and at More than more believe that the world is messed up and that most people go around believing that people matter a lot but they don't typically notice the people around them enough to really make a difference in their lives - they are too busy, too overworked, too rushed, too harried and dare i say, too self-focused. So, we rush around getting things done and we miss out on the real difference makers - all the while having all kinds of discussions about the people who really won't make that much of a difference anyway.
Now don't get the wrong idea, we get all distracted into ourselves a lot of the time just like everyone else, but we are striving, pushing, extending ourselves, intentionally to be more people who dare to notice the people around them.
If you are sick of life as usual in this country and would like to live in a world where people make a difference to people, rather than waiting to see what the politicians and policy makers do, we would love to see you Thursday, 3/7/13, 6:45-8:00 PM, at McAllister Recreation Center, just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette. As always there will be some kind of activity for all ages. We will notice you, that i can promise.
Hope to see you there.
"I don't really know what is going to happen and for the most part i don't care."
sometimes mixed in with a
"I can and have taken care of people under a tarp in the middle of a field. I'm pretty sure i can handle whatever comes."
To some this seems to be a relief - they are reassured that i am not spazzing out at what might or might not happen.
To others this is insanity and they think i am either delusional or apathetic.
To still others this is infuriating and they are ready to nail me to the wall!
Then i usually try to explain myself...
You see, this response comes from the way i live my life. I am convinced that if anyone is going to really make a difference to the people that i encounter on a given day of my life, one person it is not going to be is Barack Obama. I am also pretty sure it will not be Joe Biden or Dan Coats (Indiana Senator) or Mike Pence (Indiana Governor), in fact i am so sure they will not be the "difference maker" that i had to look up their names to find out who was in those offices! - not Obama or Biden, give me some credit!
You know who made the difference in my life today? A friend. His name is Larry and he spoke with such genuine goodness and concern for me and my family that i went on with the rest of my day feeling as if i mattered more! Who else? My friend named Troy, who took time out of his schedule and met me for lunch - where he shared his recent experiences and i mine and i left that 45minutes strengthened - with new ideas and encouragement for the rest of my day. My children, my wife, my medical assistant...
You know what else, it is almost always these people who really have the profound effects on my life. It is almost never people i don't know or who are far away. I must admit now that there are authors, like Paul the Apostle and like Brennan Manning among other, whose works have changed my life, but the impact of those words always lands in the reinforcement of the relationships of my life and this is where their wisdom actually takes shape.
So, here's the point. Will healthcare change - yes, i'm sure it will. And some things will be better undoubtedly and some will be worse. But, i will not be changing who i am in the middle of it - and nothing will change what makes my life, my practice, and More than more, so special. You see, we in our family, and at More than more believe that the world is messed up and that most people go around believing that people matter a lot but they don't typically notice the people around them enough to really make a difference in their lives - they are too busy, too overworked, too rushed, too harried and dare i say, too self-focused. So, we rush around getting things done and we miss out on the real difference makers - all the while having all kinds of discussions about the people who really won't make that much of a difference anyway.
Now don't get the wrong idea, we get all distracted into ourselves a lot of the time just like everyone else, but we are striving, pushing, extending ourselves, intentionally to be more people who dare to notice the people around them.
If you are sick of life as usual in this country and would like to live in a world where people make a difference to people, rather than waiting to see what the politicians and policy makers do, we would love to see you Thursday, 3/7/13, 6:45-8:00 PM, at McAllister Recreation Center, just off 20th and Schuyler Ave, Lafayette. As always there will be some kind of activity for all ages. We will notice you, that i can promise.
Hope to see you there.
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