Tag Archives: UNC

UNC 77, NCSU 63

27 Jan

The losing streak is finally snapped as the Heels bring one home from the road. 

You know it stinks when the game is so critical yet you can’t hardly find the score because neither team is ranked.

Wake up, Tar Heels.  Y’all looking so bad that I’m actually excited about Nascar.

And that is BAD.

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Jokers

13 Jan

For all the jokers out there who say that the Christian life gets easier as time goes on, I say you're full of mud.  The evidence all points in the opposite direction.

While I can be successful in resisting temptation for a while, the tempter is continually searching for an unguarded back alley door.

When I succeed in harnessing some sinful tendency, I immediately relax, and the bouncing ball promptly hits me in the back of the head with something else.

I sing "Victory in Jesus" as a prayer because I know all too well that it's not a state I live in very often.  "Blessed Assurance" is my heart-cry because I have no other than Christ.  "Sweet Hour of Prayer" is my genuine longing because I fight for five minutes while I shower.  "It Is Well" is a call to remember that He has declared me "well" even when I don't feel so good about it all. 

Sin draws me.  Sin often wins.  Entirely too often.  The struggles of life threaten to drown me. 

Yet, there is an anchor.  Oh, how I fail to turn to Him early and often.  His arms are open and His hands are able.  I reminded Crossroads a week or two back that the biggest thing prayer changes is "us".  While that doesn't always satisfy my need to see things "fixed", I still believe it's true.  God does answer prayers that are offered by His people in agreement with His will.  I believe that.  (God does not, I don't think, CHANGE His will to fit our prayers.  That just doesn't work for me.)  However, when we pray more, we learn much more about God and we are drawn closer to Him because we are focused on Him. 

Some would say that praying is how we fix our problems.  I say "no".

Praying is how we survive our problems. 

Pray without ceasing.

That's Bible.

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Worship

3 Dec

There’s something at a very deep level bothering me about “corporate worship”. 

It started at Promise Keepers 2008 in Atlanta, which was my first experience with large-scale “worship” in a while. 

I can’t put my finger on it. 

It has something to do with the leaders being expected to perform in a certain way. 

It’s not that the leaders are doing anything wrong.

It’s more that congregations expect worship leaders to make it easy for them to worship, and if they don’t do it right, then the congregation doesn’t know how to worship. 

So, as congregations, we do whatever the leaders lead us into, and we learn to do whatever it is that the leaders do.  That’s not to say that what they do is wrong.  I love the songs.  I love the leaders.  I love the music.  But I don’t think it’s “worship”. 

Singing songs that celebrate Jesus, celebrate salvation, and glorify God is an OUTGROWTH of worship.  It’s an ACT that we do BECAUSE we worship God. 

I’m unconvinced that “worship time” is the right language. 

Suffice to say that I’m very unsatisfied with the idea of “worship” equalling “singing a certain song in a certain way.” 

Worship is a life. 

Bothered. 

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Cool Things

21 Nov

There are really all kinds of cool things going on in my life, if I would just sit down and think it through.  I’m a very lucky and extremely blessed man.  I owe God a big apology for all my complaining. 

That’s not to say that I’ll never complain again, but it won’t be any more “right” then than it is now.

Karma Shuford Photography.

T and K.

Bethel football and basketball.

Crossroads Baptist Church.

Precision Products.

Mom and Dad.

Good friends.

My guitar.

Any piano.

The Blackberry.  The iPod.  The ThinkPad that runs Ubuntu.  Two digital cameras.  (K told me tonight “I wish I was YOU, so I could have all your STUFF!”  She was amazed at the quantity of camera lenses, flashes, and bags, but it still was a shocking alert about how much “stuff” I do have.  Quite a thought to ponder.)

A bunch of Bibles.  The Bible on the Web.

Somehow I always find a way to want more. 

I want to find contentment in Christ and be really, really, really CONTENT with what I have.  Or even less. 

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Friday Thawts

20 Nov

There was once a time that I had a Friday “regular” post, called Friday Thawts.  I also did “Monday Mawnings”, which was usually a reflection on the weekend’s events. 

As of now, I officially resurrect those days.

Today’s thawts…

  • The freakin’ UNC Tar Heels have got their work cut out for them against Syracuse tonight.  Ohio State knocked on the door hard last night, but the Orangemen will BRING IT.  That junk basketball the boys in blue have been playing won’t cut it tonight.  I’m afraid we’ll lose by 10.  Cross your fingers that I’m wrong.
  • Green Bay Packers vs. San Fancisco 49ers – Of course I want the Pack to win.  I know they CAN.  Whether they actually show up or not is another question.  Pack by 3.
  • Nascar – Grrrrr.  I hate racing. 
  • Crossroads is voting on a new pastor this week.  I’m looking forward to God doing amazing things.  
  • Crossroads is giving away free Christmas portraits to non-members in the community.  I love it. 
  • Got some news this morning that Precision Products may get really busy in the next few months.  Praise God for that!
  • I don’t like it when my kids are sick.
  • I need to get back on my exercise program. 

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