No excuses!

Divine Connections

One of the primary things I believe about God is He is a relational Creator. He proves that over and over in so many ways. The longer I live, the more I see a connection between my past and my present (and even my future) that demonstrates His relational nature.

This past week we attended the National Master's Commission Conference in Fort Worth, TX. It's the first national MC Conference we've attended since 1999, the year we moved back to Lafayette. Most of you know Robin is in our Master's Commission program this year and our team always attends the conference. The national director, Lloyd Zeigler is a good friend who has been after me for some time to attend the national conference again. After all, our program in Lafayette was the very first program launched outside of the original program that Lloyd led in Phoenix, AZ. Today there are hundreds of programs world-wide! Sunday, after our last service, Donna, Chase and I loaded up and headed to Texas! It was a great conference! It was so inspiring to worship with over eight hundred young people so on fire for God! John Bevere was the keynote speaker this year and man did he ever bring it! Our guys performed their Christian Commitment stomp routine and brought the house down!

One of the highlights of the trip was God once again proving His relational nature to me. The host church for the conference has a Master's Commission program led by a young lady named Crystal Bernard. She also serves on the the board of MCIN (Master's Commissional International Network). Crystal is the daughter of a man named Glen Johnson, who I worked with at the old Howard Brother's distribution center back in the early 1980's. (For those of you who don't know ancient history, Howard Brothers was the Walmart of it's day.) I worked their on their loading docks and Glen often checked in the merchandise I unloaded. I was a backslidden Pentecostal preacher's kid, Glen was a fiery young Christian who shared Christ with me every day until I finally committed my heart to Christ! Now, thirty years later, I meet his daughter serving on the board of a network of Master's Commission programs of which we were the very first! You've got to love those divine connections!

Just My Opinion

Opinions are just that: Opinions. They exist because of our unique perspectives, likes and dislikes - But at the end of the day they're nothing more than a product of our own bias. That's why they should never be regarded higher than love. What difference does it make if we don't see eye-to-eye? We may not have the same opinion about something, but that doesn't make me right and you wrong - We just have differing opinions! I don't have to take that personally and act as though an opinion is more important than our friendship!

If this were a matter of principal, if there could be cited some chapter or verse, then I would be obligated to hold to my convictions and allow Christ to bring the sword that He promised would divide us. But for the sake of a mere opinion? Never!

We love to weigh in. We love to offer our opinion! Yet when we insist on our right to opine, we often forfeit the trust of so many we might otherwise influence for Christ. Is it worth that? Throw that up on the scales of justice and determine whether weighing in with your opinion is really the right thing to do! I say it is not! But of course, that's just my opinion.

An Ax and Two .38s!

You gotta love this guy! Reminds me of the joke where the old lady tells the robber to repent according to Acts 2:38! He gives himself up and when the cops ask why he tells them she claimed to have an ax and two .38s! (Only this pastor was actually ready to cap 'em!)

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My Take On Super Bowl XLV

I've always loved the Super Bowl. It's fun to get together with family and friends to eat junk and talk smack while America's two best teams slug it out on a world stage. I really enjoyed this year's match up: The Green Bay Packers verses The Pittsburgh Steelers. Two great teams, with great history - It was the perfect setting for a memorable game. There was only one problem: Once your home team has been to the big game, the Super Bowl is never the same without them in it! The Saints will be there again. Maybe even this next year! Until then you just have to make the best of it.

Super Bowl XLV definitely had it's highs and lows. I've already mentioned the actual football equation. I wasn't disappointed there. The team I was pulling for won! I wanted to see Aaron Rodgers come out from under Brett Farve's shadow once and for all - and he did! Although I once was a Farve fan, I've become increasingly disgusted with his behavior off the field and I am thankful to see him go away. After a Super Bowl win and a MVP to boot, Rodgers should never have to worry about comparisons to Brett again. On the contrary, it's Brett who should be worried.

For me, the Super Bowl is more than football. I also always look forward to the commercials and the halftime show as well. This time around, those were both a huge disappointment. I thought the best commercial was the Budweiser spot that featured the old west cast who break into a rousing version of Elton John's Tiny Dancer after the beer arrives. Pretty funny stuff. As to halftime, I thought the Black Eyed Peas had a spectacular show, but they didn't sound good at all. I know it's hard to mix live music for television, but it was pretty bad!

So that's my take on the big game. I'm hoping next year's post will include feedback on lots of funny commercials, a killer halftime show (John Mayer would be my vote) and a picture of Drew Brees holding up that Lombardi trophy again!