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Slowly but surely!
14 years ago
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Most of us...
have been introduced to the opportunity to alter a bug's life at some point or another. The slimy or fury little bugger shows up unexpected and unannounced. It is usually when your guard is down or things are just in a "chill" type atmosphere. When he (or her) shows up, what do we normally do? "AHHHH!!! (spastically swatting or reacting to the surprised situation) It's a bug!! Ewww! or Ehhahhheehhhahhh!" Then as we gain our composure, we lift up our weapon of mass destruction (a foot, shoe, magazine, or fly swatter) and come to work on ending this fiendish monster's life. In the moment, we really are not concerned if it is venomous or dangerous. In fact, it rarely goes through our mind that most of the time that bug does something for the good of all. I know, I know, bugs are still creepy, but what would happen if you let it go? What happen if you showed it mercy? What if you decided to lay down your authority and power and your "rights" to squash this bug and let it go? I can tell you what will happen, you learn something (I am getting there). You will learn forgiveness.
Jesus really showed me something this morning in John 13. He was hanging with His disciples at the last supper. The chapter begins with Him realizing that God the Father has given Him all authority and power. I think the twist in this story is the next verse where Jesus reacts to His authority by washing the feet of the disciples. You may not realize it, but Jesus was about to die a very horrible death. At any time, He could have changed the events and destroyed His accusers. Basically, He could have and technically had the right to squash the bugs in His life and in the situation. He didn't though. He let the bug(s) go. He knew that for a greater purpose, the bugs need to be let go and not squashed. Compassion! Mercy! Ultimately FORGIVENESS!!!
Sometimes in our own life, we have or feel that we have the right to squash the bugs in our life. "I have the right to respond this way" or "It's my life and I can do want I want" is just a few responses we can use as a foot to justify our motives. Sometimes you have to let what is right to us go and not try to squash out of our own personal justification. In fact to go further, we need to learn how to forgive as Christ forgave. It is not giving in, it is showing strength by laying down our own rights for a bigger purpose, God's purpose. I am not sure if I am connecting, but it makes complete sense. You may be in a situation that you feel that you may have the right to respond in a way. Maybe you were wronged, hurt, accused, or destroyed, but what is Christ telling you? What are you hearing in your heart from Him? Lay aside your self-justification of the situation. We are called to be obedient and live a life honoring to Christ. Let Him deal with the squashing (i know you don't want to hear that). You will be surprised at the out come because ultimately God will bring good to those He calls His own and His purpose will be displayed to others around you in a way beyond your expectation and comprehension. Something to think about when you see a bug next time.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Life needs a metronome...
If you live on this planet long enough, you will eventually see something get out of rhythm. It could be a heart, an orchestra, a poem, a play, flow of traffic, and ultimately life. As you know rhythm is a beautiful, flowing set or pattern of something. You usually see it in music, but what about life? I know for me (maybe for you too) life looses it's rhythm sometimes. Anything can knock it out of tune just a bit. Events, situations, or just who you are. I find myself needing a spiritual metronome. If you are not sure what a metronome is, then below is a provided definition.
Metronome: a mechanical or electrical instrument that makes repeated clicking sounds at an adjustable pace, used for marking rhythm, esp. in practicing music.
Basically, this device is used to regain rhythm. It provides a constant "tick" that guides you to the pattern you needed to find the flow of unison again. Looking at the rhythm of life, we need a metronome. So many times we get bumped off course. Our metronome as a Christ-follower is the Holy Spirit. The reason I mention this is that I find myself making very tough decision (weird decision), looking for advise, looking for truth, and just plainly trying to figure out my purpose. Through these pursuits, I tend to loose rhythm from time to time. Sometimes I try to fix it myself, other times I let others. I catch myself not listening to the "tick" of the Holy Spirit. He sets the pace and the rhythm that I need to flow with God and in life. He is our constant and our guidance. Basically, He is our metronome. He aligns our heart with God. He reveals the depths of who God is as well as God's word. He guides us to answers to difficult situations and questions of life. So...I encourage you to "listen" to the metronome. He is there, ticking. You might find yourself out of unison, and He provides the sound you need to adjust your sound.
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
~cham
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
I think out of the 30 years (almost) that I have lived, these last two months have been the toughest. I think I can honestly say that it hasn't been just one wrecking ball, but multiple. I have rephrased the saying "when it rains, it pours" to "when it rains, it tsunamis". These months have been tough. Honestly, I have cried more than I have ever had in my life, wrestled with myself, wrestled with God, sought my own results, and finally came to the point of being poured out as a drink offering to God and submitting to Him. This IS definitely the deepest pit that I have been in. I am well acquainted with it's walls, it's rules, and it's darkness. I would be lying to you if I said that giving up didn't run constantly through my head at certain times. In saying all of this, I have concluded to one thing: "Every pit has a purpose."
My pit, though very hard and deep, has a purpose. So far, it's purpose has been extraordinary. Up until the last few months, I lived for myself and stamping God's approval on everything that I did for Him after I did it (without His input). I never asked, I just did and stamped. I lived in pride, arrogance, jealousy, and my walk of faith was limited to what I can see ahead of me. I never really knew how to cry for me and others, show compassion, and forgive....until (humbly saying this before God) now. My pit was to strip everything that I laid confidence in, so that God can show me what a true relationship with Jesus looks like. Let me first say, I STILL DO NOT HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER, but I have changed deeply..spiritually. Jesus is now my #1. I am now understanding that to live and be passionate for Him means that I have to be lovesick for Him. Within this lovesick lifestyle, things begin to change. Things that are hard to change about myself become easier. Things that I couldn't let go leave with no trouble. I can cry for people without feeling that I am losing a sense of dignity or manhood inside of me. I can and do forgive those who in my flesh I would deem as not deserving forgiveness. I have compassion, love, passion for people that I really didn't have. I know this is shocking for some of you, but it is to me as well. I thought I knew how to "walk the journey" with Jesus, but it took a pit to get me looking up. It is taking a pit to get me to reach up and depend on Christ. I still struggle, but the pit has a purpose. It is to take you to a new pasture (psalm 23) that you couldn't have reached in your current state. Your pit will come. So, I encourage you as myself to focus on above, to reach up, and to not lose hope in Christ. Though your circumstances may never totally change or you feel that life is a wreck, keep looking and reaching toward Jesus. He will give you a new song, a unique song. He will wipe the mud off and plant you on display to reveal His love and glory. Take hope and stand firm in the love of Christ. You will find yourself responding to situations, people, and circumstances in a different way. Much love in Him ~ cham.
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
Well, I think God has stirred something in my soul as a side dish. The last month I have felt that God was wanting me to take a portion of my paycheck and use it for something. That something always ended up with the idea of buying an "x" amount of coffee and giving it to people with a smile. Today, I feel that it's time to pull the trigger. I have now locked in "javalove.blogr.com" as my blog site. My whole idea for this ministry is to take the love of Christ to the streets of Birmingham through a cup of coffee. Sounds odd? It is. As a passionate coffee drinker, I am always drawn to cups of coffee. I spend a lot of time in coffee houses and autonomous coffee units in local retail stores and have come to the realization that there are a lot of people who enjoy coffee as much as I do. With further observation, I have noticed that coffee draws in people from different walks of life. My main goal is to serve everybody with the Love of Christ and a smile and maybe some conversation. Since my life and eyes have been open to hurting people these last few months, I want to give them something that at least brings joy for a few minutes of their life and possibly hope. What is with the website then? I am hoping that I can come up with a business card that will have the address on it that I can hand out. My idea for the blog site is to simple share hope in Christ. There are some many people out there that have lost love ones, their jobs, gone through divorce, can't find purpose, etc, and so I want to bring hope through a cup of coffee. Don't look at me as some forefront spiritual giant or that I "have it all together". I just know what hurt feels like, and I know what Hope lives like. So, hopefully in the next week or two I can launch it and post some cool things God is doing. much love ~ cham
Monday, July 28, 2008
As you may or may not know, but I am between ministries or jobs (whatever word you prefer). For awhile now, I kept asking God for something to do. He has me in a place (spiritually speaking) that is uncomfortable in the fact that I have to totally depend on Him (which I could only partially do in the past). I hunt for jobs, nada. I get offered jobs, they didn't work out. I finally said, "Ok, God. If and when you want me to work, then I will do it on Your time. Please just use me! I really do not care what it is." So...He answered. Yes, I am technically still jobless as far as full time is concerned, but He has brought up some cool things for me to do serving-wise.
After I prayed that short prayer mentioned above, within a few days I was bombarded with different projects. Below are some:
1) Non-profit Missional Organization: I met a person at O'henry's that is starting a website that shows life stories of all walks of life via video. All the videos are intended to point to hope and faith in Jesus Christ. I was asked to help with the brainstorming sessions (which I love to do!).
2) Freelance Artist: I don't consider myself incredibly skilled in graphics, but apparently I have enough skill that my friend's church decided to pick me up as a freelance graphic artist for their church until they find a permanent. I am pretty pumped because it gives me something to do, I can serve the church, and it pushes me creatively.
3) Seattle Video Shoot: I have have been asked by a friend to come out to Seattle for 2 weeks in late August to help shoot, edit, and develop a dvd to get out to the community surround the church plant the started as well as the church planter's association there in Seattle. This is awesome because again, I am pushed creatively as well as getting to go to Seattle for the first time. I hope to grow spiritually and extend my worldview of different people groups in the US.
4)Webmaster/Designer: I was approached to help design a website that will sell Christian Art. Again, another creative buzz.
So, you can say that God has some different plans as of right now for me. I look forward to all of them and will try and do my best at each. God definitely is blessing and using me in ways I wasn't expecting. Much love!
I have made about a million attempts to be a blogger. I think some of it has to do with A.D.D. (which my counselor said I had) and some has to do with not really having anything to say. I think if I just really got down to it...all of my former attempts were more for myself and to make me feel that I am cool, special, and unique. With saying that, God pretty much would use my personality to keep me from expanding the name of Cham. Oh yes, Cham (myself) use to be (and still struggles from time to time) very prideful and all about his universe (just ask God). Furthering that, I have walked through a difficult valley (still walking it), which in turn God used to rearrange and ransack my life so that the name of Cham falls, and the name of Christ arise. I am not trying to be cheesy or cliche or cookie cutter. I am being truthful and that is what this blogsite is about....truth. So, since Jesus has radically changed priorities, thoughts, and heart-felt passions in my life, I entitled this site the Planet of Cham. Isn't that still putting you in control by naming it that way? I guess it depends on how you look at it. I really named it this way to describe my faith, my journey, and my life. I didn't want to use world because it is to cliche and I couldn't do it. Planet still is cliche, but I like it as now.
So I plan to keep this up-to-date. Since I am limited to the internet, writing everyday will be impossible, but I will update as much as possible. So there you have it.
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