A Big Pile of Remembering


I have a remembering problem and a thankfulness problem. Maybe you do, too?


Romans 1:21 says For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 
--forgetting to be thankful


Psalm 77:11-12 says I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” 
--meditating on His deeds--constantly mulling them over in our minds, not our failures, hurts (which is what I tend to focus on)


Besides the numerous feasts and celebrations of rememberance in the Old Testament, there were also many times they erected pillars of stones as a reminder. On their every day commute, there'd be that pile of rocks--"Oh yeah, remember how God pounded on the Caananites!" 
--remembering His provision in our life, His faithfulness, His mercy. 


So, here's the beginning of my Big Pile of Rocks of Remembrance.

• running water
• electricity without interruption 99.999% of the year
• a job
• never missed a meal
• always had the choice of a good bed to sleep in
• healed of stage 3 melanoma
• insurance that provided the doc for above
• survived a very bad accident
• the work of Jesus covers my sins
• co-heir with Christ
• adopted as a son by God
• secure in salvation
• 25 different choices of cereal at the grocery store (and countless other palatable choices)
• the fellowship of friends in Christ
• 
  

A few thoughts for the New Year


Calvin Coolidge
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”

(although I would disagree with him that persistence will solve the problems of the human race. The ultimate problem is sin.)

Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped.


Theodore Roosevelt
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

New Year's Resolution

Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average… which means, you have met your New Year's resolution.

One of my all time favorites

Be Thou My Vision  


Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.


Be thou my wisdom, thou my true word,
I ever with thee and thou with me Lord;
Thou my great Father, I thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.


Be thou my breastplate, sword for the fight;
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight;
Thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower:
Raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.


Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
Thou mine inheritance now and always;
Thou and thou only first in my heart;
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.


High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O Bright Heaven's sun!;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

-8th century Irish hymn

Thanksgiving

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Deuteronomy 8:17-19

We live in an amazing country at an amazing time in history of unprecedented wealth and goodness--and yet we whine and complain. and I am guilty of this, too. May God forgive us.

It's Time for Holiday Picture Taking!

It's that time of year again. Another chance to take crummy, mugshot pics or something worth remembering.
People sometimes ask me, "What kind of camera should I get?" The answer? The one that allows you to fully explore your skills as a photographer. Yes, a nice camera can make a difference, but I've seen lots of crummy pics taken with $1,000+ cameras and amazing pics taken with pin-hole shoebox cameras and smartphone cameras.
Good photos are a blend of art, tech & technique.
My first recommendation when somebody wants better pictures is spend some time absorbing this website: Kodak 10 Tips to Better Pictures and learn about the art side of composition, rule of thirds and other concepts that underline good art. Then try to translate those to the photography world.
Good shooting!

Wedding Celebration/Ceremony

I was privileged to perform this ceremony... D-man and N-gal's names were changed to protect their privacy.

2:25

Friends & family,

Thank you for coming today! We are really glad you are here. What a great day it is, indeed!

Just a friendly reminder, don’t lock your knees. We don’t want anybody laying down on the job today.

So, we are here today to celebrate the marriage of D-man and N-gal. The legal community recognized them as being married on March third, 2011. Today, as their friends and family, we will be witnesses to and testify to their marriage commitment before us and before God in Heaven and also to celebrate with them, their love and devotion to one another.

2:27

Please join me in prayer (pray)

               Father in Heaven,

·        Thank you for your grace & mercy in bringing us here today

·        Thank you for the family & friends and safe travels

·        Help us hear your truths from the Bible and take them to heart

2:28

The Ideal Marriage

Friends & family, I would like to share with you today that at its foundations and core, the ideal marriage has a solid faith in God and a commitment to His definitions of love & marriage.  For a marriage devoted to God, where both husband and wife are committed to God, has the hope that no matter what challenges they face as a couple, God will empower their faith and empower their commitment to remain true to the biblical view of love and marriage and will sustain them throughout their marriage no matter what life throws at them. To live out these biblical ideals requires an active faith in God and a trust the He empowers us with His Holy Spirit to live it out.

Despite the post-modern mentality of our day, marriage is much, much more than a simple legal arrangement between two people. The Bible makes it clear it is much more. It portrays the union of husband and wife as a melding of two persons into one. Very early in the Bible, God said in Genesis 2 that It was not good for the Man to be alone

And Adam said upon Eve’s arrival,  
   "Yes! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh!
    Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh.

The Bible says that the two shall become one flesh. This does not mean the husband & wife lose their individuality, but they become much more as one. In this way, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity--God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit—three in one. Marriage, in a similar way, is a bringing together of two people where the sum of the two is greater than the individuals—two in one.

To become all it can be and all God designed it to be, marriage requires a special level of devotion to one another. Too often today, marriage is approached from a 50-50 point of view—I’ll meet you halfway. Although this might be a reasonable approach for a legal contract, it falls short of what the Bible sets out for the ideal marriage. Marriage in the Bible is not a 50-50 proposition. The ideal marriage is an “I’m all in”, 100% dedication to one another. D-man & N-gal, believe me, there will be times where this commitment will be tested in this modern society of instant, disposable relationships. To be “I’m all in” requires a faith and a trust that God above loves each of you, will give you both that love and faith to be “all in,” to be 100% committed to each other even when it might appear the other’s commitment is waning. If you believe and have faith that God will and can  meet all your needs, this ideal biblical marriage can be a shining example.

Most, too, would agree, that love is key to an ideal marriage. So, what is the Bible’s view on love? Turning to 1 Corinthians 13, it gives us a pretty good definition of true, biblical love.
It reads:

Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails.

D-man & N-gal, that is biblical love. Love like that will sustain and grow your marriage in a way that will blow the mind of those around you.

What else does the bible have to say about marriage?

We won’t cover it all today, but to share just a few of the thoughts from the book of Ephesians. It lays out both groundwork and goals for both the husband and the wife.

I’d like to personalize these passages for you, D-man & N-gal, but understand friends & family, they apply to all of us that are married or that will become married.

In Ephesians, it says, D-man & N-gal, be angry if the situation calls for it, but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. D-man & N-gal, don't let the sun go down on your anger. Don’t go to bed angry. Ephesians continues, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another. D-man, forgive N-gal, and N-gal, forgive D-man, just as in Christ God forgave each of you.”

Before I read the next passages, let me acknowledge, some of you may be bothered by it, even object to it. Please hang in there with me until I finish the command to the husband before you write it off. Second, consider how beautiful and great this approach to marriage can be with an “I’m all in”, 100% commitment to each other with the power of God behind it, versus the 50-50 approach.

Again, personalizing these verses for you, the Bible says, “Out of respect for Christ, D-man & N-gal, be courteously reverent to one another.”

It continues. N-gal, understand, support and respect D-man in ways that show your support for Christ. D-man should provide leadership in your marriage as Christ does for His church, not by domineering, but by cherishing you. So, just as the church submits to Christ as He exercises such leadership, N-gal, likewise submit to D-man.

D-man, go all out in your love for N-gal, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. He laid down His life for the church. Christ's love makes the church whole. Jesus words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of the church, clothing the church in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that, D-man, is how you ought to love N-gal.

Notice, D-man, it’s not your job to make her submissive. And N-gal, it’s not your job to make him love you. Focus on what God calls you to do; give it your 100%. Each of you in the power of the Holy Spirit and by the grace of God, will fulfill these biblical roles for marriage.

But, God’s about rules; He’s about relationships. He’s about giving you life and life abundantly that comes through the ideal biblical marriage.

More good news! God also wants you to enjoy each other in every aspect. Ecclesiastes says:

Seize life!

Eat bread with gusto,    Drink wine with a robust heart.
   Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
   Dress festively every morning.    Don't skimp on colors and scarves.
   Relish life with the spouse you love
   Each and every day of life is God's gift.

Proverbs says:

D-man, enjoy the wife you married as a young man!
Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose— don't ever quit taking delight in her body.
Never take her love for granted!

I could read from the Song of Solomon, but I’d probably blush too much. So, I encourage you to check out the beautiful portrayal of the tender love between two betrothed lovers upon their wedding in the Song of Solomon.

Finally, D-man & N-gal, be wise and heed these words of Jesus in Matthew…

D-man & N-gal, “In the beginning, the Creator ‘made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together today in your marriage, let no one separate.

In marriage, each partner is to be an encourager rather than a critic, a forgiver rather than a collector of hurts, empowering rather than a reformer.

D-man & N-gal, God loves you both and God wants you to enjoy all the fullness and beauty He intended for the ideal marriage, the biblical marriage.  Commit these truths of commitment, devotion, respect and sacrifice of the Bible to your heart and you will have the ideal marriage.

Most of all, commit to love.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud. It is not rude,

it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

2:38
Let’s Pray: Thank you God for words of wisdom; words of life. You don’t leave us drifting. I lift up D-man & N-gal to you, asking you to nurture, protect and empower them throughout their marriage.
2:39
WAIT…. (D-MAN & N-GAL EXCHANGE THEIR VOWS)
Do we have the rings?
With this ring / I, N-gal, / take you, D-man, / to be my husband, / my constant friend, / my faithful partner / and my love from this day forward. / In the presence of God and our family and friends, / I offer you my solemn vow / to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, / in good times and in bad, / and in joy as well as in sorrow. / I promise to love you unconditionally, / to support you in your goals, / to honor and respect you, / to laugh with you and cry with you, / and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live. / With this ring, I thee wed.
With this ring / I, D-man, / take you, N-gal , / to be my husband, / my constant friend, / my faithful partner / and my love from this day forward. / In the presence of God and our family and friends, / I offer you my solemn vow / to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, / in good times and in bad, / and in joy as well as in sorrow. / I promise to love you unconditionally, / to support you in your goals, / to honor and respect you, / to laugh with you and cry with you, / and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live. / With this ring, I thee wed.

2:44

Friends & family, I present to you D-man & N-gal,  husband & wife!!!