Surprise Comment

Today I found a comment on my blog!! It was from someone I don't know (or if I know them, I don't realize it) and was very nice. Now, not that many people read my blog. I write for myself; to get my thoughts from the jumble of my head and into some semblance of order.

Anyway, it was like a little dollop of sunshine in my otherwise rainy day (it really did rain here most all day).

Thank you mystery commenter. :)

Andy

Leaves

As I drove Tim to school today, I couldn't help but notice the way the sun hit the changing leaves. It was like the mountains that surround us were awash with the every hue of yellow, red and orange.

To think that God did this for us. He created a world where every autumn, the leaves would die and fall off of the trees. But, before they did that, they would change into this awesome show.

I need to find my digital camera and take some pics.

Andy

the finish line

this has been the longest presidential election that i can ever remember. and thankfully, it ends tomorrow. i'm not sure what television and radio stations will do with out the ad revenue that they have been getting from the election. this is my first presidential election living in a "battleground" state and i can tell you that it wore me out.

the choices just stink this year: i can't find it in myself to buy into any candidates stuff. my pastor says "vote christian"; and i hear what he's saying. he raised several key issues and says that they are important to God. but, he didn't mention some others that (as i read the bible) also seem important.

what about the poor? what about the widows and orphans? what about honesty?

i am just so de-thused (which is the opposite of enthused) by the process the only thing that i can feel good about is that it's over tomorrow (or man, i hope its over tomorrow).

my plan is simple: go and vote for some people (i'm about 90% sure who i'm voting for); then pray for whoever wins (because they will need it and it's very hard to harbor ill-feelings about people you are praying for). i don't really think that anything much will change after this election -- but i blame past elections for that. i'd love to see a movement rise up that decides that the life of unborn children are as important as abolition, suffrage or civil rights.

but, i don't think that it's the president who will do that. i think, (sure really) that it's we the people who have to rise up to see to that. anyone ready to stand up? right now, i'm too tired to use capital letters. :)

espn classic is re-airing the texas-texas tech football game from saturday on tuesday night. if you didn't see that game, and you're ready to not listen to any more election stuff - you should totally go and check it out. it was an exciting game.

andy

Wonderful

I was thinking this morning about how much I miss singing the Messiah every Christmas season. And, I started thinking about the scripture the Handle used while composing that work.

If you're familiar with the work, you know that it's just a store house of scripture about the qualities of Our Savior. But, the verse that struck me (today) was Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The first name Isaiah was told to give Jesus is Wonderful. Wonderful.

He really is. And, He's coming again. Wonderful!

Worship

We had our regular Wednesday service tonight only it wasn’t all that regular. The Holy Spirit showed up with amazing power. It wasn’t really all that showy a thing, it was just a very heavy, peaceful, resting kind of presence.

It was something. (At times like this, I find English to be a pitiful tool for communicating. There really are no words to describe what the Holy Spirit is like – He’s God. And, somehow, even “God” doesn’t really do Him justice.)

I am awed by David’s question (as I think David was), “What is man that You are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4) Why does God care about us? Care enough to see us refreshed?

While I would like a better answer, the one that I am left with is: “Because.” Tonight, as I am still awash in His presence; that answer is enough for me. Tomorrow, I will try to keep “Because” enough.

Happy Birthday, PJ! I love you and I am so blessed that you are my pastor.

Peace -- Andy

Today's Fox ...

is the snooze bar. My job doesn't require me to be at work at any specific hour, it just requires that I get done the things that I need to get done. So, after writing about how I need to go on a "fox hunt" ... today hits and I spend the first several waking moments hitting the snooze bar to get "just 5 more minutes" of sleep.

How can my still-pseudo-sleeping mind believe that "5 more minutes" of sleep would be all that helpful? I have no idea. I am thinking about taking the cover off the clock and breaking the snooze bar so that my options are: start the day, don't start the day.

Grrrrr ... Andy

Busy

PJ was giving his Wednesday night lesson last week. And, he said something along the lines of "if you're too busy to have a daily quiet time, you're too busy". Yes, it hurts when people say things like that. Scott Heine's recent sermon about honor the Sabbath day said essentially the same thing (only -- instead of a daily quiet time, it was a daily quiet time (6 days a week) and an entire day once a week). So, I am being convicted from "all sides".

Yes: I am too busy. As I have started to look for places to cut back my life, I am struck by the way that little things tend to pile up and push me off bigger things (that in turn pile up -- and make a giant pile of things).

Somewhere, there's a verse about "little foxes spoiling the vine" ... but how that applies to my life. Important things get squeezed out: God, sleep, exercise (now check that out: God, Rest, Health. What could be much more important than those three?).

I have a fox problem and I need to figure out just how to get rid of it.

Peace.