My daughter and I were both water baptized yesterday at church. That is the full immersion in water. We were both baptized by the sprinkling of water on our forehead when we were younger and didn't have a choice. Our parents made that choice for us. Now that we are both saved and at the age of accountability, we wanted to do it because we chose to.
It was awesome that it happened on the same weekend that I took my final ISOM class for the year. I am going to ministry school, and yet had not been water baptized. I have been an elder/board memeber at my church for over a year and a half and still hadn't been water baptized. I felt like something was missing. I knew in the back of my mind that I needed to get baptized. I didn't feel right representing the church and studying to be a minister and knowing that I hadn't been baptized as an adult yet.
So our pastor's put it in on the church calendar, and asked anyone interested in doing it to let them know. I signed up right away. Then I asked my daughter what she thought about it. She took some time to think about it and then said yes, that she wanted to do it also. So we did. I have never been prouder of my daughter. To make that commitment to Christ of her own free will! Awesome! PRAISE THE LORD!!
1 Peter 3:
21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Cardinals Baseball and My Dad.
I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan, and I have my Dad to thank for that. He was born in Southern Missouri and after he and my Mom were divorced he moved back down there. So I have been a fan since pretty much from birth.
My Dad, my brother and I went to a few games in St. Louis as we were growing up. It was always fun watching the Cardinals in Busch Stadium with our Dad. Every little boys dream, to go to a big league game with their Dad. Mostly though, we would watch them on tv during the summer when we were down there. We knew all of the stats of all of the players. We had our favorite players and would watch to see how well they performed. My favorite from back then was Ted Simmons who was their catcher. I was the catcher for my little league team, so it all just kind of fit. I also liked Lou Brock, whom the Cardinals got via a trade from the hated Chicago Cubs, my brothers team.
So my Dad and I celebrated the Cardinals world series championship in 1982 over the Brewers. We celebrated every playoff apperance since, up until this past spring. In March, my Dad became very ill. On April 1st, he passed away. The night before he passed away, we watched the Cardinals on tv. It was their opening day of the 2011 season. It was just like old times. He was able to sit up in his hospital bed and watch right along with us. He couldn't talk to us, but with his hand gestures we could tell what he wanted. He interacted with us. He was happy when the Cardinals did well. We finished watching the game and told him our goodbyes. We told him that we would see him in the morning. We didn't know it would be the last time that we saw him alive. I thank GOD for that night. For God giving us another night to be like the old times with our Dad.
This fall the Cardinals made the playoffs on the last day of the season. It is kind of bitter sweet to me. I am excited that they made the playoffs, but I don't have my number one fan to share it with anymore. So I am praying that the Cardinals win the whole thing this year and I am going to dedicate it to my Dad. He is sitting in the ultimate Sky box seat right now. Looking down and rooting on his beloved Redbirds. Praise the Lord for the creation of baseball. For a Dad and Son to be able to bond over something like that, incredible! I miss it, but I sure loved the time that we had and shared in the ups and downs of their seasons.
My Dad, my brother and I went to a few games in St. Louis as we were growing up. It was always fun watching the Cardinals in Busch Stadium with our Dad. Every little boys dream, to go to a big league game with their Dad. Mostly though, we would watch them on tv during the summer when we were down there. We knew all of the stats of all of the players. We had our favorite players and would watch to see how well they performed. My favorite from back then was Ted Simmons who was their catcher. I was the catcher for my little league team, so it all just kind of fit. I also liked Lou Brock, whom the Cardinals got via a trade from the hated Chicago Cubs, my brothers team.
So my Dad and I celebrated the Cardinals world series championship in 1982 over the Brewers. We celebrated every playoff apperance since, up until this past spring. In March, my Dad became very ill. On April 1st, he passed away. The night before he passed away, we watched the Cardinals on tv. It was their opening day of the 2011 season. It was just like old times. He was able to sit up in his hospital bed and watch right along with us. He couldn't talk to us, but with his hand gestures we could tell what he wanted. He interacted with us. He was happy when the Cardinals did well. We finished watching the game and told him our goodbyes. We told him that we would see him in the morning. We didn't know it would be the last time that we saw him alive. I thank GOD for that night. For God giving us another night to be like the old times with our Dad.
This fall the Cardinals made the playoffs on the last day of the season. It is kind of bitter sweet to me. I am excited that they made the playoffs, but I don't have my number one fan to share it with anymore. So I am praying that the Cardinals win the whole thing this year and I am going to dedicate it to my Dad. He is sitting in the ultimate Sky box seat right now. Looking down and rooting on his beloved Redbirds. Praise the Lord for the creation of baseball. For a Dad and Son to be able to bond over something like that, incredible! I miss it, but I sure loved the time that we had and shared in the ups and downs of their seasons.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Spending Time With God.
I went to a men's conference a couple of weeks ago. I attended two breakout sessions. One on marriage and the other one on how to be more spiritual. The instructor of that course said some very interesting things that I had never thought of before.
He stated that there were three things that you needed to do to be more spiritual. One is to read your Bible everyday. Ok, I have that one covered. Two. Pray everyday. I have that one covered as well. I pray continually throughout the day. Three. Spend some alone time with God. Hmmmmmm, I don't do so well with that one. The instructor said that you have to do this. It is essential to your spiritual life. He said that you have to get alone, all by yourself, just you and God. Talk to God and listen to God talk back to you.
When I go hiking by myself, I consider that my alone time with God. We have some pretty good conversations. He has revealed and showed some stuff to me. I love just walking along the path and enjoying His creation. The beautiful wildlife. The beautiful trees and landscape. I just listen, or at least I try to. I usually end up talking to God. He God, check out these beautiful leaves that are changing color. Oh yeah, I forgot, you created them. I usually thank Him for the sights and sounds that I am enjoying. Then I pray while I am walking and thinking.
I brought along a Bible this last time and I sat and prayed and read the Bible for about 30 minutes or so. I didn't directly hear from God, but He did reveal this passage to me.
Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust him, and he will help you.
This was huge for me, because I am praying about a situation, and God knows my hearts desires about it. So I am going to let go and let God do His thing. Praise Jesus for everything we have!
He stated that there were three things that you needed to do to be more spiritual. One is to read your Bible everyday. Ok, I have that one covered. Two. Pray everyday. I have that one covered as well. I pray continually throughout the day. Three. Spend some alone time with God. Hmmmmmm, I don't do so well with that one. The instructor said that you have to do this. It is essential to your spiritual life. He said that you have to get alone, all by yourself, just you and God. Talk to God and listen to God talk back to you.
When I go hiking by myself, I consider that my alone time with God. We have some pretty good conversations. He has revealed and showed some stuff to me. I love just walking along the path and enjoying His creation. The beautiful wildlife. The beautiful trees and landscape. I just listen, or at least I try to. I usually end up talking to God. He God, check out these beautiful leaves that are changing color. Oh yeah, I forgot, you created them. I usually thank Him for the sights and sounds that I am enjoying. Then I pray while I am walking and thinking.
I brought along a Bible this last time and I sat and prayed and read the Bible for about 30 minutes or so. I didn't directly hear from God, but He did reveal this passage to me.
Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust him, and he will help you.
This was huge for me, because I am praying about a situation, and God knows my hearts desires about it. So I am going to let go and let God do His thing. Praise Jesus for everything we have!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
On The Verge.
Eleven months ago I went hiking at Starved Rock. I went to one of the canyons there and watched something unfold before me that I thought was a message from GOD. I watched some of the falling leaves block a stream of water from the waterfall. I watched as the water finally built up enough pressure to breakthrough the pile of leaves, and start flowing again. I watched this happen twice at two different locations. I thought that GOD was revealing to me that I was going to have a breakthrough of my own. I didn't know what or how, I just felt like I was going to.
I feel like I am on the verge of that breakthrough now. I have had a second interview with a compnay here in town. I have been out of work for over a year and some change now. So that is promising. I am one class away from the possibility of being a certified pastor. That is also promising. See now you know why I feel like I am on the verge of this breakthrough. I knew when I went hiking that I was going to take the ministry classes. What I didn't know, was that GOD was going to double "my" plan. I had originally signed up for just four classes. GOD increased me to the full eight. See I had "my" plan, but GOD had other plans for me.
So I don't know if He is going to call me into full time ministry, or get a job and work part time in ministry. I'll leave that up to GOD to decide. The job that I am interviewing for is only a seasonal job. Maybe this is GOD's way of saying work for a short amount of time while I get you ready for the next step.
I'll just praise and worship GOD while I am waiting. It is hard to be patient. We all want things done in our own time. Have to learn and to let go and let GOD.
Galatians 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
I feel like I am on the verge of that breakthrough now. I have had a second interview with a compnay here in town. I have been out of work for over a year and some change now. So that is promising. I am one class away from the possibility of being a certified pastor. That is also promising. See now you know why I feel like I am on the verge of this breakthrough. I knew when I went hiking that I was going to take the ministry classes. What I didn't know, was that GOD was going to double "my" plan. I had originally signed up for just four classes. GOD increased me to the full eight. See I had "my" plan, but GOD had other plans for me.
So I don't know if He is going to call me into full time ministry, or get a job and work part time in ministry. I'll leave that up to GOD to decide. The job that I am interviewing for is only a seasonal job. Maybe this is GOD's way of saying work for a short amount of time while I get you ready for the next step.
I'll just praise and worship GOD while I am waiting. It is hard to be patient. We all want things done in our own time. Have to learn and to let go and let GOD.
Galatians 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Movie Extra
They are filming an independent movie here in DeKalb county. It stars Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron. There is no title for the movie, yet.
About three weeks ago, they ran an ad in the Daily Chronicle for extra's being cast for the movie. They were having an open casting call. It was on a Sunday and it was raining. We had a family re-union to go to first. After we left the re-union, we drove by the theater were they were having the casting call. People were lined up around the building, a really long line. My wife just said to go home and we'll think about coming back later. The casting call went until 6:00pm. We decided to go back and see what was happening. We arrived at 5:45, there was no line and we were able to go right in. They took our info and took a picture of us. Off we went, not thinking to much more about it.
A week and a half later, I get a call from the casting agent asking me if I would be interested in being in a scene. I said sure, I would be interested. She told me that it would be a church scene, being shot in DeKalb at the Lutheran church. She told me to be there by 1:00pm. So I arrive and fill out my release, get all signed in and wait. We finally saw some action around 3:15 for some of the extra's to be used. Finally they come and get my table. I thought that we were being called into the sanctuary, but we went outside instead.
About three weeks ago, they ran an ad in the Daily Chronicle for extra's being cast for the movie. They were having an open casting call. It was on a Sunday and it was raining. We had a family re-union to go to first. After we left the re-union, we drove by the theater were they were having the casting call. People were lined up around the building, a really long line. My wife just said to go home and we'll think about coming back later. The casting call went until 6:00pm. We decided to go back and see what was happening. We arrived at 5:45, there was no line and we were able to go right in. They took our info and took a picture of us. Off we went, not thinking to much more about it.
A week and a half later, I get a call from the casting agent asking me if I would be interested in being in a scene. I said sure, I would be interested. She told me that it would be a church scene, being shot in DeKalb at the Lutheran church. She told me to be there by 1:00pm. So I arrive and fill out my release, get all signed in and wait. We finally saw some action around 3:15 for some of the extra's to be used. Finally they come and get my table. I thought that we were being called into the sanctuary, but we went outside instead.
I was matched up with some people and were supposed to be a "family". I was standing on kind of a hill and the director asked me to step down onto the sidewalk because I was too tall. I am standing on the sidewalk and the director moves me again to a different location. So I move and take my new position. Once again I am too tall. So the director moves me again. He asks me to stand next to this guy and I am like ok. I am so focused on listening and paying attention that I don't even notice that the person who he has moved me next to is Dennis Quaid. I mean I am standing right up against him. Shoulder against shoulder. Standing about three feet away from us, is Zac Efron. WOW! So we are supposed to be having a conversation with Dennis and the woman who plays his wife in the movie. We wrap that scene and then we move into the church. Shoot some stuff inside and then they release us. I kind of hang around for a little bit, talking with some of the movie's production people. I am standing there and lo and behold Zac Efron comes walking down the stairs right in front of me. I ask one of the crew if he would mind taking a picture of us. He said that sure he would. So I ask Zac if he would take a picture with me. He said sure, so we had a picture taken together. All in all a good day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)