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Ragamuffin Re-Write: Psalm 66

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From time to time, I come to the Psalms and re-write them in my own language, context, and circumstance. It is a great way to engage scripture and see it come alive in your current context. Give it a shot some time! PSALM 66

O my soul, shout your praise as best you can muster to the God you love and desire

How amazing is His provision! Sing out within my flesh!

Praise God for His help let your voice be heard over the noises of your life.

For you, O God, have stood by me tested me though you may, I rise refined from the hardship

You brought me through the fire of Christian tongues full of hate and foolish gimmicks

God, you have rescued me from waters which had drowned my soul under currents of verbal slaughter

I have come through fire and water; you brought me to a place of abundance

My soul will praise you with written offering

Come and listen, o soul within me; let your voice call out what Abba has done for you

I cried out with my mouth and pen, and Abba listened.

Praise to the refining Daddy, who has not neglected my prayer or EVER withheld love from me.

You're Welcome: Dear Photograph

This is a second installment of a reoccurring post idea here called: “You’re Welcome”.

Every once in a while you come across a website that just steals your attention right from under you. You may not even know why, but you find yourself just mindlessly clicking through because you just have to see one…more…post.

These will be things I find to share with you; things before you thank me for showing, I’ll just say, “You’re welcome!”

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A couple weeks ago I came across Dear Photograph.

Submissions are made of people going back to memorable places in their lives and photographing a well-placed older photograph of that place. The results are endearing and inspirational.

Take a break and remember.

#yourewelcome

MADE UP STATS: Karaoke

My college PSYC Professor said, "50% of statistics are wrong." According to the national survey I just made up, the top 5 Karaoke songs are [probably]:

1. Don't Stop Believing (by Journey) - Thank you, Glee, for the resurgence of this great song.

2. Anything with the "F word" in it 

3. Friends in Low Places (extended version) - People seem to love singing a song that highlights their drunken but jovial range. "This is ma'SONG!!!"

4. Ice Ice Baby - The rap song white people can perform...kind of.

5.  Bohemian Rhapsody - Thank you Waynes World for revealing the greatness of Queen to an otherwise lost generation

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What do you think are probably the most sang karaoke songs? Why? (You may NOT google it!)

Lessons I guess I'm still learning...

- apply sunblock - check tire pressure regularly - check oil regularly - fill the ice bucket in the freezer - write it down so you don't forget - creativity requires dedicated time - your dream requires dedicated time - test your blood-sugar after you eat....also. - workout - take the grill inside or cover it - you don't LIKE soymilk...you're allergic to it - write for the passion of it; not always just the work of it

------ What lessons do you KEEP FORGETTING? 

What would you tell yourself 10 years ago?

  That blonde California girl you meet this next school year will the pillar of grace in your life. The poem you recite to her in The Valley will be far more pivotal in your life than it will feel in the moment. Far more than a beautiful girl you crush on, your story together will be one that will wreck you on some days, but heal what is broken in you on most others.

If you are reading this a couple years from now, secret be told, she does love you. She will not admit that to you for several more years, but trust me.

Pursue her. You will want to. You will. Love her more. Love her through.

Through your parents' divorces. Through your past. Through your fears. Through your waiting. Love her through.

You want me to write you and tell you she will be your wife. You want me to write you and tell you there will be a day she will mother your beautiful daughter. You want me to tell you the future that I already know and am currently living.

But you do not get the future. You will miss the story you will one day love and I love so much now.

Open your eyes wide, and do not change a thing.

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Happy Anniversary to my wife of 7 years, and my best friend of more than a decade!

no title [poem]

this is for the broken ones smart enoughto know how foolish they are this for the ones who have tried and found life lacking

This is for those not content to confess that THIS is all there is

this is for burdened ones looking outside themselves for MORE more power more energy more brilliance something more

it is for those who pass up opportunities to pursue anything inferior to themselves

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Swallowing a Cow and Other Realities

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How many times were you told as a child to chew before you swallow? There is good reason for that. You cannot swallow whole pieces of steak or you are going to choke. When it comes to various parts of our life, we often try to swallow the whole cow, and we more than choke. We get outright discouraged by the impossibilities.

We have huge goals, dreams, and hopes. There is nothing wrong with that. Big dreams and hopes are only accomplished with smaller goals.

It goes beyond hopes and dreams. It involves our desires.

We desire to be better people. We desire to be closer to God, and those are great desires. Our desires are only accomplished with smaller goals in those directions.

You will not write that book if you don't LOVE sentences.

You will not win any battle in life without a thousand cuts.

Intimacy with God is an unrealistic expectation if you do not make realistic goals like reading His Word 3 days this week, journaling 3 times this week, or praying each day...this week.

Healing that wound in your life is an unrealistic expectation, but a realistic goal might be not isolating yourself or avoiding people this week...and next week...and...

Being a more involved spouse or parent is an unrealistic expectation, but a realistic goal might be to ask your spouse on a date this week, have a 'daddy-date' this Saturday, say 'I love you' once a day this week, or after each conversation this week.

This goes on and on and on...

When you do not set realistic goals, you can only form unrealistic expectations.

What is the best news you could receive right now?

An email arrives in my inbox. It is from Big Publisher Guy, and he is contacting me personally to let me know that they would like to pay a handsome price to...just...write. "We want you to write a book for us, and in return, we plan to pay you a great salary to support your family complete with health benefits. Once you're finished, we will schedule you a speaking tour to travel with your family while speaking all over the country and world with the message that God gives you.

You start tomorrow!

Oh, and you're debt free! We've paid all your ridiculous student loans in full."

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What is the best news you could receive right NOW?

*don't Jesus Juke me with something about the gospel being the best news ever

Speed Bump Conflict

Conflicts are speed bumps. You have to slow down in order to deal with them instead of driving out of your way to avoid them.

You do not avoid speed bumps because you do not want to disobey the laws but because you do not want to get caught

You do not avoid conflict because you do not want to hurt their feelings but because you don't want to hurt their feelings to their face

Allow people to speed over speed bumps to learn not to speed over speed bumps

Allow teammates to do conflict poorly to learn how to handle conflict well

Communities without conflict are contrived