The Motivation

Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

I recently had a classmate write "How much more motivation does anyone need?" in reference to the verse above. Unfortunately there are many times I need more motivation than heavenly rewards and the pure pleasure of doing good things. Can we be honest for a moment? Sometimes life sucks, and I don't want to do anything good for anyone but myself. Let's stay away from Sunday School answers and get real for a second. Do we really do good deeds in life because we want a jewel in a crown that we can't even accurately conceptualize? My guess is the average Christian uses this form of motivation once, maybe twice in a lifetime on earth.

I am really not trying to argue, but to cause us to get a little more real and honest. Lets remove our masks and discuss what are real motives usually are when we perform a task in the church, in our job, or in our efforts to evangelize.

The Heart

Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Does this verse mean I am to suck it up and do any job or task with all my heart regardless of whether or not I really want to be doing it? I would hate to speculate the amount of times in my life that I have worked out of obligation and not out of my heart.

I would like to take a different angle with this verse. Lets imagine for a moment that God wants us to live from the heart (those of you who are John Eldredge fans know what I'm talking about). If we are to live from the heart, why do we bother with jobs and tasks that essentially prostitute our heart? In other words, why do we do things just to do them? Shouldn't we be selective in where we work and what job we perform? Should it not be a job or task that makes our heart come alive? Lets take it deeper. Should we volunteer for a role at church out of obligation or a sense of duty? Isn't that still prostituting our heart or do we get some kind of special star on our crown because we volunteered to help out on the finance committee? I know I have used strong language, but I would like to see some discussion on this matter.

The Least

Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

I have to become a servant? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for that guy over there with the long hair who smells like crap. I have to become a slave? Okay, I will for you Jesus, but not for my wife when she needs me to wash the dishes. I have to love who? Okay, I'll love you Jesus, but not that co-worker who just got MY promotion.

Jesus...help me to obey.

Drunk Armadillos and Wheelies

Today on the side of the road I saw an Armadillo on its back with a beer bottle between its paws. No, I am NOT making this up. Someone walking along the rode must have seen the dead animal and placed a beer bottle on it...sick freak. I only wish I had my camera so it could be my new desktop image.

I did a wheelie on my riding lawn mower today...and then it died.

It has been an exciting day.

Laziness -> Cowards -> Murder

Proverbs 22:13 - The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"

Laziness often leads to being a coward. It is a lack of passion to get up and fight the battles that are in front of us. Laziness is why 1 in 4 teens have done drugs, why 90% of kids between 11 and 16 have looked at pornography, why only 4% of this generation believes in the inerrancy of Scripture, and why the church in America has been silent to long. Sluggards are the millions of "Christian" parents who refuse to develop a relationship with their children and teach them right from wrong, how the Word of God applies to daily life, and the importance of loving oneself and serving others. It is time for a battle cry. It is time to fight the lions and demons outside our doors...to shake the gates of Hell in the name of Jesus. The longer we pretend we are okay, the more likely getting murdered in the streets will become a reality.

Nehemiah 4:14 - “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

PostSecrets

I mentioned before about PostSecrets (www.postsecrets.com). It really fascinates me that so many people have written Frank to share their victories, defeats, obsessions, fears, and oddities. I saw the following on his website and thought is was insightful:


Today I went to Barnes and Noble to purchase your PostSecret book. I had sent in secrets that had never appeared on the website, and now felt that looking at or buying the book was a secret in itself. I was having difficulty finding it, and was reluctant to ask for help. After about 20 minutes of searching, I finally caved and asked an associate to help me find it. The woman led me right to it - in the Biography section.

I was shocked.

How can this be considered a biography? A biography of who? It was written by hundreds of strangers - how is this biographical? I sat down with the book, and began to read. I slowly realized the answer to my question. I was reading a biography of myself. Of myself and everyone else I know, or have known. None of the secrets I sent in were published, but the secrets I was reading were mine nonetheless. I felt them, I felt their reality, I knew their depth and their strength. These secrets belong to everyone. This book is a biography of the human spirit, of human nature. It is the deepest, most true biography I have in fact ever read. Most biographies leave out the secrets, those small nuggets of stark reality that people keep inside themselves. This biography is nothing but that - and for that it is invaluable.

-Georgia

Our July

Our new patio furniture...the umbrella even has lights!

Karen at "Thunder on the Mountain" in downtown B'ham.

Our wives decided to hold the first annual "Husbands Day!" We got to go camping and then came back to an incredible breakfast.

Karen and I went to North Carolina with a lot of our family for my cousin Maclaren's wedding.

We had a much needed vacation in D.C. and PA. We spent four days in D.C. visiting museums, monuments, restaurants, and playing frisby with W on the front lawn. Every American should make a pilgrimage to Washington.

It was great spending a few days in PA with my brother, Jenny, and SiSi. We even made a special trip to the Jigger Shop...some incredible ice-cream.

3:30...A.M.!

Yes, my friend, it is 3:30...in the a.m. I just got done with a test...only one more week of Managerial Economics left. I am not really up this late because of the test, though. Really it is because my wife is out of town. I have come to the conclusion that being a bachelor sucks. Like any man, I enjoy my time alone. However, going more than a few days without my wife just isn't right. I sleep differently, I eat differently, I prioritize differently (which is why I just got done with my test). Karen, come back soon.

May in Pictures

Karen and I at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, AL. This is the one place in the U.S. where all of your lost baggage is sold to people like me. If I am wearing your shirt one day, let me know and I will sell it back to you.







I saw this in Fort Payne, AL and thought it was a cool marketing tool.














I fell down the trail...okay, almost fell down the trail.














Karen and I at DeSoto Falls.











My good friend Jeff Gangel stayed at our home for a couple of days. Most of you TFC alumni don't know it, but he can be quite the goof.











School work and more school work. Rewarding but hard.











Caleb's first birthday party. I loved his face here...it's like he just discovered cake for the first time ever.













Karen is out of school now so she is relaxing and taking care of me. I like it. I will probably get fatter.

Stop!

I thought I would take a moment to share one of my ultimate annoyances. Have you ever pulled up to a stop sign and, as fate would have it, someone pulls up at another part of the intersection at the same exact time? For a brief moment, your world combines with a total stranger. You stare at each other with a hint of determination, wondering who will go first. As you pull ahead, you take a slight side glance, just to let them know you have won the match.

However, there are days when we all feel a little more generous. Those days, I choose to let my temporary opponent make the first move, and I actually wave them ahead. But...what is this? They can't be outdone by me, and not wanting me to win, they give me a re-wave (much like the infamous re-gifters), knowing the awkwardness that would ensue if I were to reject their wave. The adrenaline (and anger) races through my body as I wonder, "Who do you think you are to reject my generosity!?!" So, the other morning, I am face to face with a re-waver. But this time, I don't give in! I stare at them, seeing their smug smile, thinking that they have won. I don't budge, and for a solid minute we exchange re-waves and frowns. And finally, after persevering through the awkwardness...I win!

April Fools!

(see previous post)...although one day we really will have a baby.

News!

Karen and I are going to have a baby!

One Year Anniversary

It's our one year anniversary. No, not mine and Karen's. It has been exactly one year since I joined the blogosphere! Happy anniversary to me and my blog!

Priceless

This was a good weekend. On Saturday Karen and I went to see Firewall with Harrison Ford. After church on Sunday we decided we would go driving around and explore some of the roads we never knew existed. Eventually we found ourselves at Lake Purdy which supplies most of the drinking water for Birmingham. It was pretty cool because it is a 1,050 acre lake with no houses on it...you can even rent boats! After driving around looking at enormous homes, we ended up at Barnes & Noble where I wasted a completely good hour reading the dumbest book (see pic...don't ask). Once we were done there, we went to Aldridge Gardens in Hoover and it is beautiful. To sum up our lazy Sunday - "Driving to nowhere in particular: $10 (gas). Exploring a lake you have never been to: $0. Reading America's dumbest book for an hour: pointless. Sitting in duck *#$!: smelly. Having your wife tell you that you have helped her gain lost joy: priceless."

Farm Country

Recently I went to Fort Smith, AR. We flew into Oklahoma, which is definitely the brownest state I have ever flown into (see pic). We then drove 2 hours east to Fort Smith, AR. I have never seen a succession of farms like I did during that drive. It must be where 80% of the cows in the U.S. are. I even saw a dead one getting its eyes plucked out by a buzzard (sorry, no pic). One random bit of information: the speed limit on the turnpike there is 75 mph. Has anyone ever seen a higher speed limit? Fort Smith is an interesting little town, especially the Ozark Mountain Hemp store. I got a buzz just driving by. It was definately the farthest quickest trip I have ever made (hope that makes since). We left on Monday at 8 a.m. and were back by Tuesday at 3 p.m. It was pretty crazy!

Uncle Jon

Well, on Feb. 19 at 11:57 p.m. it became official. I am the uncle of a new world changer. Her name is Sienna Rae Mitchell and she is the fulfillment of her name ("delicate"). After an 18 hour process that included salad tongs made for giants and a vaccum, Sienna was born at over 8lbs. (her dad was over 11 when he was born!). Praise God for a safe delivery. I have to admit, after seeing her and talking with my brother, I really want a baby (no, Karen and I have not made any big decisions).

Apple vs. Microsoft (Round 1)

I really feel sorry for those of you still working on a Windows based computer (I wouldn't be surprised if someone out there was still working with Windows 3.1...it probably runs better than Windows XP). I think to truly understand the difference between Apple and Microsoft, you have to give yourself one month on a Mac running the Tiger OS 10 platform. How many times does your computer crash in a week? Mine....none. How many viruses are you susceptible to (you really don't want to answer that)? Me...none. Can your Windows computer run a dual platform with OS X? Mine...yes. I have used Microsoft Office for probably 7 years now. I have learned more about Word, PPT, and Excel in the past 6 months by using it on my Mac than the previous 7 years combined when I was using it on a Windows PC. Apple does a better job at making those programs functional than Microsoft does...and Microsoft created them! As you can tell, I am partial, but I have seen the difference. I could probably go on for another few pages, but I will spare you from having an argument with your wife about why you need to go out and buy a PowerBook G4.

The God of Each Generation

Recently one of my classmates wrote, "My Dad said that he believes that the Lord has prepared each generation for the challenges that they will face, knowing that they will need to withstand more than we did."

I believe this is a profound concept, and I have thought about it many times. As I look at how I view God, how my parents view God, and how my grandparents view God, we each have a different characteristic we value. It's not that God has changed in any way (He is the same yesterday, today, and forever) but that He reveals Himself differently to each generation. He knows what each generation will need. In other words, my generation has experienced broken homes like never before. At the same time, most of my friends truly see God as a loving Father, one who they can be intimate and real with. My grandfather's generation tends to view God as just, righteous, and strong. That is exactly what they needed Him to be as they went through the depression, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War and other catastrophes. I hope this makes sense. I am in awe of God's desire to reach us right where we are as individuals and as a generation.

Yellow

Why do my grandparents answer the phone "Yellow?" I find this perplexing. Perhaps next time they answer that way, I should say "Red" or "Mellow." By the way, what ever happened to Mellow Yellow?

The Vicious Cycle

Here is some food for thought that I have been processing lately.

A big factor in consumer behavior is income. However, income levels are becoming less of a factor than they once were. Take, for example, people driving up to a school in a decked out Escalade while their kid receives a free lunch at school (paid for by you and I)…something is terribly wrong with that and my wife sees it over and over at her school. Recently I have been thinking about how the role of credit has changed the U.S. and consumer spending (I know...kind of strange to let this thought fester for long, but it has). The overwhelming majority of Americans live beyond their means (averaging over $6,000 in debt). It really bothers me that as credit has increased, product pricing has become over inflated because companies know the consumer will buy the product because they can simply charge it. It is an ugly cycle of credit and price inflation. Sooner or later, the deck of (charge) cards is going to come crashing down and we will experience what our grandparents wish they never had...the depression (part II). Perhaps I am overreacting, and I hope I am, but something needs to be done to stop the vicious cycle of overspending.

By the way...Happy New Year!