Puppy The Hamster – Running For Her Life

December 23, 2012

I’ve never been particularly fond of rodents. I’m not afraid or even creeped out by them; I just don’t care for them as pest or pet. But my youngest decided that having one at her mother’s wasn’t enough, she needed a hamster at our house.




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Meet “Puppy” the Teddy-bear Hamster. Yes, she named him Puppy. How adorable.

We didn’t spring for the silent wheel, so it’s SQUEEK SQUEEK SQUEEK all night long. I suppose it was cute when she first jumped on the wheel and went tearing pell-mell for nowhere only to jump off, turn a circle and hop back on for another session of tiny leg pumping fun.




Run Puppy! RUN!!

Run Puppy! RUN!!






But then I got to watching her a little closer. She’s not running because it’s fun. She’s not on a health kick.

Puppy runs on her wheel for the same reason you and I do; because she’s trying to get out of her cage.




The Great Escape




What cage are you trying to escape?







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The Sword Is A Cross Used Wrongly – More Than Imagery

December 2, 2012










Use a powerful tool wrong, and things can get broken…








Which do you reach for when you face danger? What do you think about Christians raising the sword? As a nation? For protecting your family?









What does it mean to love your enemies as you follow the Prince of Peace?



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Time Flies – Doing What Matters Most

November 18, 2012

I’m feeling acutely aware of how short our time on earth really is. Millions have walked these streets before I have and, if the Lord don’t come back soon, millions more will after I pass. Feeling this way, I ache for my time to mean something great for His Kingdom.




Photo by Rion Nakaya






I can’t bring anything with me from this world to the next, so, while I still feel want, I try to fight my love of material things. I treasure my family, and spend as much time as possible with them. This time is meaningful, something that carries on after me in my children and on to their children’s children. (WARNING: The bad stuff goes with them too! Be good!)

I hope to do great things for my God and His Kingdom. I ache for meaning and purpose beyond serving my own desires. Maybe this is pride. I wish I had more direction, and clearer vision. The one I have is too vague, too ambiguous: just love people. Too many days that’s a challenge, again due to my pride.









And because of that pride I wonder if I’d do better to work less on serving God and more on simply listening and obeying Him.

For now I wait, not always patiently, and try to listen.




Tom Waits demonstrates how to listen closely.

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The Real Debate – Which Leader Do You Choose?

October 3, 2012

God has shown us what His power looks like. It’s loving and peaceful. It serves others to the point of self-sacrifice.

The world has also shown us what it’s power looks like. It wears riot gear or body armor. It promotes itself to the point of trampling others.

Don’t simply choose the lesser of two evils. Make your choice clear and choose to follow the Sacrificial Lamb of God.







James 4:4 (NLT) You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.



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A Thousand False Starts – Endless New Beginnings

October 1, 2012

I see my hypocrisy best in others. I see their faults, and – when I’m lucky – catch a glimpse of me in the mirror. The hard part is staying aware that it’s all the same shit – that their faults aren’t worse than mine, just different. Pride tends to let me excuse my own.

I’m furious with a friend right now. I care about this person, which is why their deception hurts as deeply as it does. Naturally, I feel my anger is just. I have reason to be angry.

Until I stop and look at the bigger picture. Until I even up the ledger with my own debts, faults and weakness. Then I don’t have quite as much maneuvering room for my slick and shiny prosecution. Reminds me of that passage about pointing out a speck in a brothers eye while a log sticks out of my own. (Mt 7:1-5)

Now I have to consider forgiveness. I don’t want to do that. My anger is far too justified…except that I need to be forgiven too. Maybe not now, but trust me, I’ll need it soon enough. If I haven’t screwed up yet, the day ain’t done.

That same passage talks about how God judges us the same way we judge others. I better slow down and look at that again, maybe even pray about what that means. Taken at face value, I’d say that a whole lot of people are crying “Lord, Lord” but aren’t doing the work of our Father in Heaven. (Mt 7:21-23)

I’d also say that I better be forgiving.

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First Report From Trinidad – Sanctuary For Children Founder Lee Greer

July 26, 2012

Working on updating pictures and video, but the first report on the trip is written by the team leader and Sanctuary for Children founder Lee Greer. Read the story here!




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On A More Personal Note – Thank You

June 28, 2012

A number of you, my friends, family and followers (and boy do I use THAT term loosely!!) have generously donated enough for my plane ticket to Trinidad. Thank you. Your kindness demonstrates a willingness to put your cash where your heart is. For entrusting me to be faithful with your donation, I again thank you.

We’re still praying about whether my wife and oldest daughter should go on this trip. Talk about last-minute! Things have been hard in our house. Lots of questions, not a lot of answer recently. I’ve doubted my ability to hear the Holy Spirit and looked for sin that might prevent my hearing His voice. I’m left to assume that the Lord has a plan and it’s bigger than us. This desert could be used to increase our faith if we choose to let Him work in us that way.

2 Peter 1:3-8
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s time for me to buy tickets, please pray that I listen well for the Lords answer regarding Jenifer and Abby.

Grace and peace from Him be yours.





Watch the video for Sanctuary For Children HERE

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