Burn for You

My friend Bill gave me a Remix of Toby Mac's Diverse City when I met him in Columbus this weekend (I like the Remix better than the original). By the way Toby, if you read this, it's time to get DCT back together!

Anyway, one song on the album just keeps going in my head lately, "Burn for You."

It makes me think about how much God has changed me this year. Thinking about it really excites me! He has brought me to places I never thought possible and I feel energized. I know that in this life there are ups and downs, but God is always there to renew us... to move us.

Taking time to remember all the things He has done in me gives me hope and renewal. It sparks off a brand new REVIVAL!

You gotta' love that.

Burn for You by Toby Mac

I’m a brand new man, I’m a conscious man
I’m a man who’s burnin’ for you
The mistakes I’ve made have been chased away to the bottom of the ocean blue
I’m a brand new man in a foreign land, I’m a man who’s feelin’ that fire
And it’s all so clear when I’m standing here at the peak of my desire

So won’t you move me like you used to
I want the world to know I burn for you

I feel revived again, I am alive again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up
I feel revived again, I’m energized again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up

Woke up in a sweat, those ghosts in my head
Had a grip, but I slipped on by
It’s a whole new day as the darkness fades
And the sun’s climbing in the sky
I concede, my love, that I need your love
I’m before you, a broken man
And it’s only you, no substitutes who can renew this soul again

So won’t you move me like you used to
I want the world to know I burn for you

I feel revived again, I am alive again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up
I feel revived again, I’m energized again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up

You got me higher than Kilimanjaro
Got me believin’ I can “save the day”
I’m up and running like their ain’t no tomorrow
I’d rather burn for you than fade away
I’d rather burn for you than go my way

I’m a whole new guy with a whole new vibe
Changed inside – more flame in the fire
Can’t stop, won’t stop praying for desire
Like the bunny on the screen feel so energized
Old shell gone without a trace, new face
No more shortness of breath, new pace
Live life now without the taste of fear

I feel revived again, I am alive again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up
I feel revived again, I’m energized again
(Burnin’ for you) You got me lifted and lifted you lift me up

The Office

Cheryl pulled out the first season of the Office last night. Not talking about the NBC show here people. We're talking about the original BBC version. Chock full o' British humor at it's finest.

If you have never seen this show, you must do so. It may take you a while to understand the words coming out of their mouths and yes there is some rather crude humor from time to time, but this show is amazing.

The sitcom as we used to know it is dying away. People are going to have to come up with new ways to sell comedy. The Office does that. Shows like Arrested Development, Scrubs and Curb Your Enthusiasm are shows that are taking comedy in a new direction.

Just a disclaimer before you sit the kids down to watch any of the afformentioned shows... they are for big kids with a sense of humor. Don't watch any of them if you are easily offended.

So take a chance and pick up The Office from Netflix and get ready to laugh... once you figure out what they are saying.

Nu Thang!

So I am trying this new thing...

What I do, is go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up very early in the morning. Not as easy as it sounds, you know?

I have always been a "Night Owl." For some reason I have bought into this idea that I am more creative or "hit my stride" when everyone else is hitting the sack. Granted, there is solitude at night. It gives you a chance to be alone with your thoughts. But most of the time it just means you flip around on the TV or go on wild goose chases all over the internet... I will literally sit down and open the laptop to look at the weather and end up reading about why ragweed makes me sneeze sometimes, then try to find home remedies and end up taking some hour long survey to win a free iPod!

Trifling.

So the other reason that I became a late night guy, was that I never wanted to miss anything. That sounds weird, but hear me out. When I was a little kid, I can remember my parents having people over or they were just watching TV or talking and I, of course, had to go to bed. It was brutal... my dad would sing this song (to the "Good Night Ladies" song):

Good Night Scottie.
Good Night Scottie.
Good Night Scottie, we're sorry to see you go.

So anyway, they would send me to bed, but I would not go to sleep. I would sit up and listen really closely to what they were talking about or what they were watching. Many times I would try to come up with a way to get out of my room to get into the action.

The usual trick was to say I needed a drink of water. So I would go into the kitchen and get the drink and stay very, very quiet so they forgot about me. Then I would listen intently and enjoy the night... until they heard me and sent me packin'. I can also remember when company was over coming out and asking a question and eventually taking center stage somehow to entertain. I figured if I was entertaining enough I would put off the "Good Night Scottie" song for a while.

So here I am. Trying to make a transformation from "Night Owl" to "Early Bird."

Lock Down

Sometimes in unfamiliar surroundings we forget the most basic of things.

For example...

I was at my mom and dad's house the other day with our dog, Bailey. I was just about to leave after working on the pool and a few other chores. Bailey and I came into the house and prepared to head back home. I got all my things together and set them on the table and remembered that I needed to bring something in from outside. I told Bailey to stay inside and I would be right back...

You know, at my house, when you lock the door, you can't turn the knob. I guess that is not the case at my parent's house. As I walked out the door, shutting it behind me so my little furry friend wouldn't follow, I got that bad feeling in my stomach like I had just done something very stupid... I did.

I locked my keys, my phone, my shoes, my wallet and my one year old puppy in the house! First I felt like an idiot. Next I did what anyone would do to cover their mistake, I tried to break into the house. How I thought I could do this is still a mystery, but I tried. All for nothing.

Now I had to figure out how to contact someone with a key. So I saw a neighbor pulling into their driveway and asked to use their phone. I called Cheryl to talk with my brother, Matt, so they could come home and help me.

In the mean time, I hear Bailey, barking and crying. "Where did you go? Why did you lock me in here?" So I went to the back window and looked in. I called out his name and he came running. He jumped up on the couch and stared out the window at me. It was like 90 degrees on Friday, so eventually, I sat down by the doorwall in a chair. Mom and dad have these giant shutter contraptions that cover the slider. Bailey barked a few times then I saw these giant shutters shake and move. Suddenly I see this little wet doggie nose pushing them apart. He got them open just enough so that he could see me sitting there.

So there we sat. Bailey staring at me, always keeping me in sight.

In that moment, I thought to myself, Isn't this how I should be? Shouldn't I long to see God like this? Keeping my eyes on Him, shouldn't that be my priority? The thing that calms me and gives me a sense of security...

I am learning God. Sometimes it takes a moment of forgetfullness to remember how important You are in my life.

My Dirty Little Secret

I can't hide it anymore. Somehow, some way, people are going to find out and I might as well be made fun of know instead of later.

I like Country Music.

There, I said it. What a relief!

Luckily I am finding more and more people that also enjoy it, so I am not feeling so weird about it. Cheryl has always enjoyed it, but while we were at Shandy's house yesterday, I also found out she likes it. I should have known though, she is from Texas after all, but her husband even likes it. Our Pastor, Scott, likes Bluegrass, so he is almost there. He was making fun of us for liking it and I was kind of like, "Umm, Bluegrass? Do you have room to talk?"

He also laughed at me for celebrating my dog's birthday... it's a shame when a man can't express love to his loyal poochy companion. Maybe someday he'll be enlightened.

Back to the point...

I wanted to get all this out there because I heard a great song this morning as I was waking up by Ketih Urban (Australian Country Singer... Goo'Day Y'all). Part of the reason I enjoy country music so much, is that is says something. The songs are stories. There are things that you can laugh at, cry over (isn't that right Cheryl) and identify with in most of the songs that I am drawn to.

I am going to get mushy again, but I loved this song. So here it is.

My Better Half

Car door slams, it's been a long day at work
I'm out on the freeway and I'm wondering if it's all worth
The price that I pay, sometimes it doesn't seem fair
I pull into the drive and you're standing there
And you look at me
And give me that come-here-baby smile
It's all gonna be alright
You take my hand
You pull me close and you hold me tight

It's the sweet love that you give to me
That makes me believe we can make it through anything
'Cause when it all comes down
And I'm feeling like I'll never last
I just lean on you 'cause baby
You're my better half

They say behind every man is a good woman
But I think that's a lie
'Cause when it comes to you I'd rather have you by my side
You don't know how much I count on you to help me
When I've given everything I got and I just feel like giving in
And you look at me
And give me that come-here-baby smile
It's all gonna be alright
You take my hand
Yeah you pull me close and you me tight

It's the sweet love that you give to me
That makes me believe we can make it through anything
'Cause when it all comes down
And I'm feeling like I'll never last
I just lean on you 'cause baby
You're my better half

Well, you take my hand
You pull me close and I understand

It's the sweet love that you give to me
That makes me believe that we can make it through anything

Bailey Boy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAILEY!

I can't believe this cute little puppy is now our BIG Bailey Boy! This picture was taken the night we picked him out. He was six weeks old.

Bailey has had his ups and downs over the past year, but he has been a great little guy overall. I'm sure that we spoil him to death, but look at that face, how can we resist?

If you've met him, I'm sure you know how much he loves people. Evidenced by the constant attack he sends your way trying to receive your affections. It really drives me crazy when he acts that way, but I have to remember (and I hope you do too) he's only a puppy. At the age of one, he is pretty well behaved. No problems with relieving himself in the house. In fact, that happened maybe 2 or 3 times the first two weeks he was with us and never again. He doesn't destroy things (unless they are meant to be). He still needs to learn to come to his owners when they call, but he is great little companion.

Cheryl and I are very happy to have him in our lives. He makes me laugh. He makes me angry sometimes. He really makes my life an adventure and I love that about him.

Some people treat their animals like their children... I think we can be that way sometimes, but when you see that cute little face look up at you, how can you not love him? Not easy is it?

The Girl of My Dreams

Do you remember your one true love in high school?

Me too, she was so beautiful. We fell in love instantly. We spent every waking moment together. Let me start from the beginning though. There were some things that needed to align themselves in order for us to find that cute high school love.

In our freshman year we got two new girls to our little private school. This was great news because many of the other girls had thrown me into the friend zone over our time in elementary and junior high school. As these two new girls walked into homeroom on the first day of classes I was immediately smitten by a brown haired blue eyed babe.

As the weeks went by one of the girls in class became pretty good friends with the two of these girls. Doing the typical high school thing, I asked through another girl if the new beauty had any interest in me. Word came back that she thought I was funny (heard that before) but was not interested in me as a boyfriend. I found out later that this was actually not the case, she had no aversion to me as a boyfriend at all. I found that out way down the road, so I decided to concentrate on other prospects.

One Spring afternoon in gym class our group of fine students was learning to play golf. We were standing in a line along the school building swinging nine irons at little wiffle golf balls. I hate golf, I have no patience for it. As I followed through on one of my swings I heard a giant smack. I thought I hit the side of the building with the club. I turned around to find the dream girl on one knee holding her head and saying, "I'm okay." As she pulled her hand away, blood ran down the side of her head. I called for our teacher and they quickly took her off to the nurse and eventually to the hospital for stitches.

I felt horrible. What had I done? This girl literally was in modeling... I had ruined her career. Now how would I ever win her affections? She would probably never forgive me.

My remorse was eating me up inside, so I had a friends brother drive me to her house to apologize. I bought a basket with a bunch of stuffed animal kittens in it. When we got to her house, I was so nervous. I rang the doorbell and talked with her parents and apologized a million times. I gave her my peace offering and hoped for the best.

Fast forward to our junior year of high school (1988). This beautiful young lady and I were talking one day. As devious as this sounds, she and a friend were having a bit of a spat, so we decided to play a little trick on her. Her friend liked me (I had no interest) and we thought it would be funny if we pretended to date. Now, at this point in my high school career, I had given up on this beautiful woman and moved on to others. So we proceeded with our little plan. I gave her my varsity jacket to wear around school to make things look legit. We were eating lunch together and hanging out quite a bit.

One day in Bible class I looked across the room and remembered that amazing feeling that I had the first time I saw her. Little did I know, but she was looking back at me in the same class thinking there was something about me she really liked too. She mentioned this to a friend of hers who was dating one of my good friends. So back and forth it went until finally we both knew how the other was feeling. And that is where it all started. We had fallen for one another.

We had our ups and downs, just like any high school romance does. The disapproving father. The immaturity of the class clown she was dating. As well as all the other things that go along with men and women in a relationship. Somehow we made it.

Let's jump ahead again. August 14th, 1993. That is the day that I made that beautiful girl my wife. Of course I had to club her over the head with a golf club like a caveman, but she married me anyway.

Each year is better than the last. I love her more every day.

Happy 12th Anniversary Cheryl.

I love you.

"You're a Godsend. A blessing from above."

Hotel Rwanda

All I can say is... Wow.

Cheryl and I just finished watching the movie Hotel Rwanda which is a film about the genocide of almost one million Tutsi people by the Hutu in Rwanda. To say I was moved would be an understatement.

America and other western countries stood by and watched this happen. It makes you angry and feeling helpless at the same time.

You begin to ask yourself, "What can one person do?" It seems like such an impossible task. How can I make a difference?

My hope is that all of us will stop asking how and just start reaching out. I'm saying that for my own benefit as well. I have no idea how to solve all the world's problems, nor do I think I can do it either. But I must begin to show the love of Christ to all I encounter. That is the challenge. That is the goal. That is all that He asks.

Only in My Dreams

O.K. This one may sound a little strange to some of you, but here I go.

When I actually remember my dreams, they are always something horrible. Seriously, I never remember the good stuff. Nothing with me flying or having fun, only horribly uncomfortable situations.

The worst part about these dreams is that they are so real. I wake up and feel like it has all really taken place. Sometimes I will literally wake up crying because of the things that happen in my dreams. Now, before we carry me away in a straight jacket, these dreams are not frequent. But when they do happen they really throw me for a loop.

Last night I had such a dream. Usually the theme has to do with losing Cheryl. Somehow our realtionship falls apart and I end up losing her. It devestates me. Like I said, it feels real.

Here's the thing, I really believe this to be another tactic of the Enemy to try to destroy me, to shake my faith. I have to say, that until recently, I would have never bought into all this spiritual warfare stuff. I always thought it was a nice way for people to blame all their problems on someone other than themselves. The question is, how can we deny that Satan will attack and use any means necessary to take us down? If he lurks around looking for ways to destroy us, why not try our dreams?

Ephesians 6:12 says:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

This chapter in Ephesians sets up something all of us need to do daily. A woman I met this year encouraged me to put on my armor. To literally pray this scripture every night before my head hits the pillow and every morning before my feet hit the floor.

¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

I have gotten away from this over the past couple months. My life is a battle. I need my armor to make it through the day.

The truth must hold things together for me. I am righteous in God's sight because of the work Christ did on the cross. The breastplate covers my heart, my soul and all of my vitality from the lies of Satan that claim I am not righteous in God's sight. My feet must be firmly planted in Christ. And while Satan throws all he can at me to destroy me, my faith in Christ protects me. Salvation given to us through Christ protects our minds, our thoughts.

The best part of all this is the Sword. It is the only offensive weapon we have. Jesus used it while being tempted in the wilderness. So can we. Not only that, we can hear His voice! We have the Holy Spirit. He guides us and helps us as we listen for His voice.

So put on your armor and dream away!

Livin' Large

If you know me or have ever met me, you know that I am a big fella'. A doctor once told me that I was "grossly obese," which sounds horrible and it is. Facts are, I have battled the bulge for many years. Seems like it has been an issue my entire life.

I have tried every thing under the sun with moderate to amazing success in losing weight, but somehow or another I "find" it again! Vicious cycle, you know. Much of my life is spent thinking about how out of shape I have become and trying to find that magic remedy.

To make matters worse, most people are insanely insensitive to fat people. They ask you things like, "How did you get so fat?" or "Have you always been this big?" Then you have the children who don't know any better. The truth just comes out, but it still stings a bit... "You're fat." What do you say to a kid when they say that? You can let 'em have it and send them crying to their mommies or just tell them the truth which I usually do, "I ate too much food and sat around a lot." Worst of all are the people that point or stare and make fun of you. Perfect strangers who elbow one another to point out the giant man that has decided to venture out into the real world today.

These situations make you want to stay at home and live life as a hobbit (not the Lord of the Rings kind either). You fear exposing yourself to a cruel world, hell bent on image and beauty. Lashing out at these idiots seems like an good option sometimes, but it would just leave you feeling even more empty inside.

My coping mechanism is to make fun of myself before anyone gets the chance. I built a semi-decent comedy routine around it. Pointing out something everyone is thinking about you seems to put them at ease. It's like they want to ask one another, "Does he know how huge he is?" Letting them know you are aware makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I remove myself from any situation that might bring light to my affliction. More and more, I protect myself by holding back from normal activities. On top of all that, Satan plays into all my fears. "If you go out to eat here, you'll be too fat to sit anywhere." "You can't go there, you'll have to walk to far and you'll sweat like a pig." "You're going to have a heart attack and die." So I don't experience life, I hide myself away.

Throughout this struggle one of my best friends and I have compared horror stories as well as the ups and downs of weight loss and weight gain. We always like to hear what the other one is doing about their fatness. In typical fashion I recently asked my friend what program he was on and what he was doing to "fix" himself. What he said to me threw me for a loop. He said, "Scott, I am trying to learn to be comfortable in my own skin." It blew me away. How can we be comfortable like this? How can we like who we are? How can others like who we are?

God really started to hit me between the eyes with this one. Being comfortable with myself. Now before you start saying, "Scott, it's unhealthy." I am not trying to say that I should just throw in the towel and balloon until they have to cut a hole in my wall and take me out of bed with a forklift. I am saying that God wants me to know that He loves me. He doesn't say, "How did you get so fat Scott?" He says, "I am proud of you. I love you." He looks at the inside, not the outer shell (1 Samuel 16:7).

God has been challenging me to do things that I am afraid of. I have made some actual strides lately too. I walked up and down a gazillion stairs to Lake Michigan for the first time in years. I was terrified for ages that I would go into cardiac arrest. I just asked God to protect me and to help me overcome that lie from the Devil. He told me, "Go ahead. Trust Me." It was like an adrenaline rush. My feet had not touched that water in so long, I forgot how great it feels.

This past weekend back at Lake Michigan God threw down another challenge. My wife and her side of the family were out on the boat in Lake Michigan. My nephews wanted to drive a few miles out and dive in and swim. I love to swim, not in front of people, but I love to swim. I grew up with a pool and I still swim regularly at my parents house to this day, but not in front of people. I could never allow them to see my body. I couldn't dare. I felt God telling me to "dive in" and enjoy the crystal clear water.

As I decided whether or not to go into the water, the lies started coming. "They are going to see how fat you are and be disgusted." "You will never be able to climb back into the boat, you're too fat." "You'll probably go so deep when you jump in that you'll drown yourself." That is the one that really made me want to laugh. Satan was grasping at straws on that one. That did it, I was going in. In my head the song "Dive" by Steven Curtis Chapman played like a soundtrack.

God was asking me to cleanse myself. I really believe that. He was asking me to dive in and let the water cleanse my soul. Remove the lies. Renew my soul. Be surrounded by it. It was literally like a baptism. Once I was in I felt incredible. There was still some fear there, but I was taking steps. I made an effort to move out of what had become comfortable.

My identity is not found in what I look like. I will not let myself believe that I am just another "fat guy." My identity is in Christ. I am a new creation in Him. The Holy Spirit is moving inside me and turning me into the man that God sees. The one He is proud of. The one He loves.

Tomorrow.

Dang it!

Too sleepy. Tomorrow it is.

Tonight...

I have a ton of things on my mind from our weekend in Holland, Michigan. I am just trying to narrow things down. Maybe multiple entries shall break forth, but there will definitely be something new... I even had a request for the story of Cheryl and I. So that may show it's face on this Bloggy Blog soon too.

Have something for you soon.

The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side

One thing you always dream about having once you hit adulthood is your own home. A place where you can listen to stereo as loud as you want. You can turn the heat up as high or as low as you please and you can decorate it anyway you desire. There is one giant drawback... grass cutting!

I hate it. I hated when I was a teenager doing it for my parents and I hate it now. It's not so much the actual physical labor that drives me crazy (although with the temps this summer it has been a drag), but the time that I have to invest in something that I hate so much. I think part of it is, I am not good at it. I mean, I can't get my lawn to look nice. My next door neighbor is like almost 80 years old and he is working on his lawn everyday!

While I can't compete with that, I can enjoy my time outside cutting the lawn that I am blessed enough to have. I have to remind myself of that... I am blessed. Cheryl and I have everything that we need. In reality we have so much more. More than millions of people all over the world. Hey, even my friends in Las Vegas don't have as much lawn as I do. I envy them... less to cut!

The long and the short of it is... get it? Long. Short. I am so funny aren't I?

Sometimes the grass is greener right where you are.

FAILURE.

Before I get into this, I just want you to know this is not my "sob story." This is something that God has laid on my heart and has shed His light on. This is me being who I am, speaking my mind. I can't be afraid of what someone might think of me as they read this, I just have to write it.


Seven letters. So powerful. I hate the sight of it. Hated typing it. Can't stand hearing it.

It rules my life.

I have to be honest, there are not many times in my life that I have not felt like a failure. Remembering times that I have been told or been made to feel like a failure are easy to come by in my mind. Sometimes I feel like my identity is tied to failing.

The enemy, Satan, loves that, doesn't he? (1 Peter 5:8b) He wants to destroy us. Finding that one thing that throws your life into the abyss is his greatest work. He finds your wounds and passes the word on to all his minions.

"Guys. When you want to truly defeat Scott, tell him he's a failure. Remind him of how he has failed. Plant seeds in the minds of those in his life to make him believe he's a failure. It works everytime."


It's like a memo that they've all filed in the memory banks. They know my weakness. Failure is my kryptonite. With God I can fly like Superman. I can do all things through Him. He gives me my super powers! But somehow, I keep falling for that little piece of green rock from my home planet. The thing that can destroy me... FAILURE.

It is strange how easily I fall for it. Casual conversations can be a horrible trap set to throw me into a tail spin. In my mind I can see myself crashing. I see it coming, but he tells me I am powerless to stop it. Another lie that I have allowed to permeate my being.

Tonight, I felt it crushing down on me. Mocking me. It hurts so much. It's crippling.

By nature I am a dreamer. I dream big. In my mind there are no limits. But there is always someone there to kill those dreams. Satan uses anyone and everyone to disable me. Even those who are supposed to love me. They don't do it purposefully, but inadvertently they hit me with body shots that crumble me. Telling me my dreams are crazy and unattainable. That they lack common sense. They are not the normal. That I should conform. Be just like them.

But I am unique. As are all who read this. God made me in a special way. He made me a dreamer. That is something He lovingly put into my identity. When I dream of what could happen, He smiles. He looks around at those in Heaven with Him and beams with pride. He is proud of me! Me!! He can't wait to talk about what I am up to. It is the same for all of us. Just knowing He loves me like that gives me life.

God totally just dropped this on me...

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

The fear of failure is not of God. Love does not allow for fear. Christ does not give us a spirit of fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Thank God, that my new nature - the way He has rewired me - His Holy Spirit inside me gives me back my super powers!

My identity is in Him.

Dreamers are important in this world. I watched The Aviator on Friday night and it just struck me. Howard Hughes was a dreamer. People told him he was crazy (sadly he eventually was), but he followed his dreams. He took risks. He stepped out and not only dreamed about things, but put some action behind it. The guy revolutionized the aviation business. He did things and dreamed up ways to fly that no one had the guts to do in his day.

That is the answer though. Dream all day long, but get moving on your dreams. As Elvis so eloquently sang, "A little less conversation, a little more action." While I'm sure that is not what he had in mind, the King will just have to live (he could still be alive you know) with the fact that we, the dreamers, will use it as motivation.

Faith without works... like a screen door on a submarine (thank you Rich Mullins).

It's time to step out. Our identity is found in our Heavenly Father. I'll never find what I am looking for anywhere else. I will never be complete without understanding that.

I am ready to live victoriously. Just saying that makes me dream about what is in store. There will be bumps in this road, but I must press on. Keep my eyes on Him.

Dream big.

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I just wanted to acknowledge that I talked with Cheryl and Aaron about this tonight. Thank God for both of them. He uses them in my life so much. Cheryl has supported and encouraged my dreaming ways since the day we fell in love. Aaron is always there to encourage me and speak truth into my life. Both of them are a testament to the love of Christ. They have been vessels to show His love to me and countless others.

For all my fellow dreamers out there and even you non-dreamers, give this book a look.

God Bless.

Sweet Relief!

After what seems like a month of high 80's and 90's with one million percent humidity (it certainly ain't a dry heat) , we finally got a break!

Cool, breezy, partly sunny and 77 degrees... aaah!

Thank you God.

By the way, I wrote this one just for Nicole(see picture on the right). She still would have been cold while we were all sweating!

The Mushy Side of Me...

Do you know how weird you look when you are outside playing with your dog and tears start to roll down your cheek? I know, pretty weird, but if you know me at all, I like being weird - being me.

This morning I'm playing with our handsome little doggie, Bailey, and I decided to listen to some of the older stuff on the iPod. The other night I began a pilgrimage through everything Michael W. Smith, and on this day we came to the album, I'll Lead You Home (1995). On that album there is a song that always gets me. It's called, "The Other Side of Me." Even as I write the title, tears well up in my eyes.

I love being in love with my wife, Cheryl. In the infamous words of Jerry Maguire, she, "completes me." I can see people rolling their eyes and that's fine for them, but when you find a love like this it's hard to contain. I feel like Eddie Murphy in Coming to America as he walks home from his first date with the woman of his dreams. I want to shout out loud... I LOVE HER! People are yelling at me, telling me to shut up, but I can't do it.

There are many songs that Cheryl and I share a fondness for, for many different reasons. But the songs about true love always make us treasure what we have. My prayer is that everyone might be able to experience what we have. I mean that sincerely. I pray that God will bless others the way He has blessed us.

I could never share or experience this type of love if it weren't for Him. He loved me and now I in turn can love others. His love is the model. I am so thankful that He is alive in me so that I can truly love...

The Other Side of Me

If they were to write about
The story of my life
They would have to mention you
With every page they'd write
There's another side to every story told

If I were the ocean
You would be the shore
And one without the other one
Would be needing something more
We are the shadow and the light

Chorus:
Always love me
Never leave me now
Now you are the other side of me
Always love me
Never leave me now
Now you are the other side of me

I have known the emptiness
Of feeling out of touch
And living life without you here
Would be living half as much
Cause I've a need that only you can fill

If love was mathematical
You'd understand the sum
to the heart's equation
Where one and one makes one
And lonely equals me minus you

- Michael W. Smith

The Sunshine in my life...

Just a quick note to let the whole world know that the love of my life, Cheryl, finally bit the bullet and started Blogging! Did I mention she's a bit camera shy?

Not going to put any undue pressure on her, but she is a phenominal writer.

Did I mention how beautiful she is?

Cheryl and I have been together for 17 years... we started dating in high school at the ripe old age of 16 and now have been married for 12 of those years on August 14th. I couldn't have been blessed with a better friend and love than Cheryl.

God truly gave me someone special... Thanks.

The Royal Screw Job...

My brother, Matthew (guy in the pic to your right) , just got the screw job today and that got me thinking... why are so many people out to screw us?

This is one of those questions with many answers for sure.

Nobody wants to let someone get the best of them. Nobody wants to lose. Some people are just plain greedy. Others figure they should screw other people before they get screwed themselves. It's a horrible vicious cycle.

Sometimes there is no way not to get screwed... take the whole insurance industry. Take your pick; health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, life insurance. One way or another, if you have to use them, you will surely get screwed. Trust me, we used ours last winter for a broken window... they doubled our premiums for the year. Moral of the story, buy a new window and fix it yourself.

This is not paranoia. People really are out to take advantage of us. It makes you want to fight back doesn't it? I mean, there are times that I want to nothing but horrible things to happen to my credit card companies... fantasies of a some Tyler Durden action.

As much as my flesh begs me to get "even," I know what I have to do...

³⁸ "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' ^{[g] 39} But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Matthew 5:38 - 42 (TNIV)

"O.K. Scott, I'll just be a doormat. I'll let everyone take advantage of me and abuse me any way they choose."

First off, did I say that? Nope, to give credit to the right guy, Jesus spoke those words to a bunch of people on a mountain over 2000 years ago. They thought it was a wild idea too. I wanna' say that we shouldn't be a doormat, but I think maybe we just want to feel safe and cozy. Maybe Jesus really was saying, let them walk all over you, eventually it'll pay off. They'll see you are different. They will be attracted to your caring spirit. They will wonder how they can get what you have. Isn't that what its all about?

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' ³¹ The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Mark 12:30 - 31 (TNIV)

Just a thought...

God Bless.
-----------------------------

Not trying to be heavy every time I Blog, but when the Spirit moves, there is no stopping Him!

Panera Bread...

It's odd, but I think my brother, Matthew, has subconciously tricked me into liking Panera Bread.

Up to this point I always thought of Panera as one of those trendy places to eat "healthy food" (which it is), but suddenly I have been here to eat like 3 days in a row!!

I have to admit, half the reason that I enjoy the place is the free internet. You have to pay like $2 for a cup of coffee, but there are free refills... they don't say there are, but it's right out in the open for you to help yourself.

So as I sit in Panera typing away on my newly launched Blog, I have nothing really profound to speak of... but then I started thinking about how impacted I have been over the past few days about the love of God.

Let me explain...

You know, as Christians, we spend a lot of time looking for God's love. We long for it. We sing about how badly we want Him to pour it out on us. We pray that He will show Himself to us. We beg and plead for it... GOD!! SHOW US YOUR LOVE!!

This past Sunday, something that I am really starting to understand was taught on at my church, Relevant Church. Mike Beardslee, one of the dudes from our church community, talked about a passage in 1 John... God's Love and Ours (1 John 4:7 - 12).

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The big idea that we talked about was something that I think we gloss over quite often and it's found in verse 12. "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Now, the thing is, John, who wrote this book (hence the name), walked with Jesus on this earth. He had seen God's Son, Jesus Christ, do amazing things. He experienced Jesus' love for him. Which is where the "ah-ha!" comes in.

How can we experience God's love? How can others experience God's love? Really, truly experience God's authentic, amazingly awesome love? Listen up, this is big... if we love one another, God LIVES IN US and his love is MADE COMPLETE IN US...

Wow! All we have to do is look around us and love each other!! That is how we experience God's love... by loving each other. By helping one another. By caring about each other... Seems pretty simple when you say it, but we all know hard it can truly be.

I knew I had to write this down today, because Aaron and I were sitting here in Panera and God spoke these same words to him this weekend. Confirmation dear brothers and sisters! We are doing a weak job of loving each other. God wants to pour out his love on us, but we need to start looking around at each other to really experience it. We need to open ourselves to spreading his love and experiencing it through one another. We need to be willing to give out his love to those who need it. Those who are in need. Those who look like they have everything. Since we all need practice on loving, why not start with one another, the Church?

The Launch of the Ramblin' Scotzman

I've always wanted to blog...

I've wanted to do a lot of things, but since I am on this computer sooooo much, why not talk about some of the crazy things that run through my head?

Nothing crazy tonight, but trust me there will be in the future...

Sleep tight.

Scott