FLAMINGOED!!!!!

Dogs barking...neighborhhod kids on their way to the school bus stoppoing to look...what is going on out there?

I've been flamingoed!

Awesome! There is one flamingo near my driveway wearing a lei and an envelope around its neck. Here's the 411:

WHY: One of your friends decided that you needed some new lawn ornaments for a while. With a donation, you can send this same flock to another friend of your choice.

A DONATION?: Yes, you have been flamingoed as part of a fundraiser sponsored by a small group at Hope Community Church of Cary. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the church's Mina Project, which supports local Triangle charities, with particular focus on the Cary-based Hope for Haiti Foundation. Using money from the Mina Project, the group plans to purchase and renovate two buildings in Bainet, Haiti that will be transformed into a much-needed hospital and dormitory. For more information about the Mina Project and the charities it supports, please visit www.gethope.net.

I love this! Our church gave thousands and thousands of dollars back to the people who attend our church with the charge to transform that money into even more for the Kingdom. This group blows me away with their creativity, and I know they are going to receive radical and outrageous donations for the Mina Project. I've enjoyed having the flock in my yard, but I contacted "Animal Control" and the flamingos will be migrating to the house of one of my friends tonight!

Love it! Can't wait to hear the reaction!

Crazy and Audacious

I love to be challenged. As uncomfortable as it can be to have my thinking "adjusted", I think in the end it means I am willing to grow...to develop in all areas. I get juiced when I read or hear something that makes me take some time to "digest" it all.

On a plane ride home, I was reading the Sept/Oct issue of Rev! magazine. I really like Rev! as it is a great resource for ministry today. There was an interview titled, "Crazy, Audacious Pastoring" featuring Francis Chan. Chan is the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California.

Question posed to Chan: Why did you decide not to build a $20 million building, when that was the logical next step for a church of your size?

Chan's response: "Our attendance is 3,000 to 4,000 people, but our sanctuary can only hold 1,000 people, so we're packed. The opportunity to build arose, so we went into escrow on some land. Then they showed me the plans for the building. Nothing felt right about it. I didn't feel that Jesus would go forward this way. I didn't have peace about it. I thought, "Wouldn't Jesus have people meet him at the park or even make it harder for people to follow him?" When the crowds were there, he didn't give the type of altar call that would get everyone forward. He almost gave an anti-altar call. "Are you sure you're supposed to be here? Maybe you should leave because you don't understand the commitment...

You still want to be here? Pick up your cross and follow me."

Jesus preached sacrifice. It's almost like he hid and the people had to find him. I thought, "Man, would he really create the most comfortable atmosphere to draw people on, or would he make it a little bit more difficult for them?" Isn't the heart of God to sacrifice your own pleasures for the sake of those who are in greater need? Isn't that what 1 John 3:16-18 was about? I thought, "What if we did make it a little bit more difficult?" Every week we're feeding people who live outside. In other parts of the world, this is how they live 24 hours a day. I'm simply sacrificing an hour of my week for their sake."

In the end, Cornerstone scrapped plans for the $20 million auditorium, deciding instead to build an outdoor ampitheater and give half the budgeted money to aid others.

Makes me think. God leads different churches/leaders in different ways. No cookie-cutter mentality allowed. I must expose myself to the multiple and varied ways of our omnipotent God.

Excuses

DATELINE: JULY 26, 2008

CARY, NC - Russ Williams determines to be more consistent in posting to his blog. "Daily posts are my new goal", says Williams. "God is doing so much and showing me so much in my life, I have to get it out there!", Russ exclaims with determination. Russ Williams subsequently posts about "relevance".

DATELINE: AUGUST 13, 2008

CARY, NC - Eighteen days after Russ Williams promises daily blog posts, he finally updates his flippin' blog!

Do you want the excuses or should I just get to it?

That's what I thought.

Thanks.

God has been blowing things up in a big way through a lot of revelation. It seems as if a lot is coming to light (in such a powerful, great way) in a very short period of time. That can be deceiving, though. It's a little like an "overnight success". We see the breakthrough and the "suddenly". What we don't see are the years of faith, dedication, perseverance, sweat, and work leading up to the "suddenly".

Same thing for me now. My time in prayer seeking God desperately...reading His Word and seeking truth...following the promptings of the Holy Spirit (sometimes gentle nudges and sometimes big brutish shoves!)...through all of these and more, God is bringing progressive revelation to me.

I really got juiced when I read Craig Groeschel's latest book, "It". You must read this! The official release date is not for another 2 weeks, I believe. So much of the book hit me hard, and I have highlighted, marked up, and sweated all over this book!

I will tell you the one thing that probably was the most revolutionary for me. I won't expand the thought anymore than what Groeschel wrote, but think about how it could apply to what God may be doing in your very own life. Then get the book, and find out more!

page 95: GOD OFTEN GUIDES BY WHAT HE DOESN'T PROVIDE."

"Maybe God will guide you to see something that you couldn't have seen if he'd just removed the wall."

He then references Acts 3 and Peter, John, and the crippled beggar. Read this!

"The truth: you have what you need. Watch out for the excuses."

Relevance

rel-e-vant adj. related to matters at hand.

The word "relevant" gets tossed around a lot in today's churches, and it often gets assigned to things in a misleading manner. All things "new" are not necessarily relevant; and all "old" things/ways are not necessarily useless.

Bottom Line: The Word of the Living God is relevant.

The Gospel message of Jesus providing true salvation is relevant.

All of the rest is preferences and packaging. I believe very strongly that we have to reach people where they are. God desires (demands) our praise, and He is looking at our hearts. I really do not think for one second that God discounts our praise because there may be drums and guitars, for crying out loud! I love today's music. I love "loud"! Again, God looks at the heart of the worshipper.

While I love rock and metal, I also love old hymns. I bought Selah's "Greatest Hymns" album this week, and wept...wept as I listened to these beautiful songs. By the way, if you have the Family Perks punch card at Family Christian, you can purchase the cd at the Cary location for $5!

I think some churches are afraid of letting go of their pipe organs and hymnals because it's what they have "always done". Do we do what we do in church because it is what we like? Are we doing what we do for the Lord and to reach those who are far from Him? I also think some churches run away from singing hymns because they think that the hymns are no longer "relevant".

That is a mistake.

My favorite all-time hymn is "It Is Well With My Soul", written by Horatio Spafford. This dude experienced some tragedy in his life. Look it up.

Get these words:

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, tho trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

My sin -oh, the bliss of this glorious thought: My sin not in part, but the whole Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul."

Wanna talk about relevant words and relevant worship?

Out Of The Park

I am really not a big baseball fan at all. I enjoy going to a ballpark and experiencing a game live, but I really do not like watching it on tv. However, I did tune it to "The Home Run Derby" tonight to watch Josh Hamilton. What a story. Josh's in-laws attend Hope, and Josh and his wife were part of our services not too long ago.

Josh was the #1 MLB draft pick out of high school, but quickly became heavily involved with drugs. He was away from baseball for three years, but is back stronger than ever now with The Texas Rangers. At the All-Star break, Josh leads MLB in RBI's. He credits everything to God. Everything!

Josh didn't win the derby tonight, but he did break the record for the most HR's hit in one round. Hamilton hit 28 home runs in the first round alone! He hit so many that he automatically advanced to the final round. The announcers were talking about his story...how he "had the cocaine habit, found God, and had a dream. Now he's here in Yankee Stadium living that dream. It's a lousy night to be an atheist!" Wow! You won't here a commentator say that a lot, but it's hard to avoid that with Josh's life story.

When Josh lost in the final round to Justin Morneau, ESPN interviewed him afterwards. Josh said, "I thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for this opportunity, and I want to glorify Him everywhere I go."

That's a home run.

Oakwood

I went out to Historic Oakwood Cemetery today in Raleigh where Beth is buried. It really is a beautiful place, and I still take flowers out there for Beth's grave. It is some small way that I feel I can honor her and remember her...although I don't need flowers for that. I think of Beth literally EVERY day of my life, and I miss her so much. I do not believe that I could really ever express truly what a void her death has left in my life to this day. I am so thankful that God daily...daily provides His love, grace, patience, and peace for me in my life.

A lot of well-known people are buried at Oakwood: Coach Jim Valvano from NC State's 1983 National Championship basketball team, numerous governors of North Carolina, business leaders, etc. Wade Edwards, the son of Senator John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, is also buried near Beth.

This past Tuesday, Senator Jesse Helms was buried there. I never was a fan of Helms. Surprise! There has been enough said and written about Helms and his legacy that I don't need to add to it. Before all of this "growth and maturity" happened in my life, I would have loved to have had a forum like this to be able to spout off.

The point is that there are a lot of "notables" buried at Oakwood; but none more notable than Elizabeth Knight Williams. She may not have written laws, governed a state, or played basketball, but she lived a full life of love, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, compassion, fairness, and passion. She is one of the many life stories represented there, and oh how I would love to have known them all.

"Special"

There's this routine that Colby, Cosmo, Marley, and I have. They have trained me so well, and I love to spoil them; so really...it works out for everybody. When I go to the grocery store, I always get them a little something for a treat. I call it a "special" and boy, have they learned that word!

They always greet me at the front door when I come home, but they are also looking for the bag from the store to see if they are about to get "specials". That look of expectancy melts my heart every time. They don't get the "specials" every day, but they anticiapte that they may get something at any time. Plus, no matter how many "specials" they get in a week...well, it still is "special".

I am striving for that expectancy in my walk with God. "What do you have for me today, Father?" He so wants to reveal so many SPECIAL things to us. Am I waiting "at the door" or am I "asleep" on the sofa missing the whole shebang?

Colby always finishes his "special" first and then sets his sights on getting Marley's. Colby will finish and go to the door as if he was letting me know he needed to go use the "facilities". When I open the door, Marley runs outside and Colby ducks back in to grab Marley's "special" and take it upstairs. Marley falls for it every time. He will figure it out one day.

Nothing God-related really in that detour! It's just kind of amusing to watch it play out the same way each time.