Best of You

Over the last couple of weeks I have been having an ongoing conversation with the Lord about “what is best.” Sounds pretty generic I’m sure but I will hopefully explain myself. This “what is best” is really a conversation about “what is my best.” Another words, God’s word says we are to give Him our first fruits, 10%… my best. Or is it my best?

Here’s a question: if you do something that is required, is it your best?

Here it is another way: if I am required to tell my wife I love her and kiss her once a day, is she getting my best?

Or: if my job gets just what is required of me, are they getting my best?

Is God getting my best… or just what is required of me?

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been recovering from a fractured fibia. So, needless to say I have spent a lot of time “resting.” Rest is good but if you are anything like me, too much rest can easily become laziness. When rest becomes laziness, my best becomes only what is required. During these weeks of “rest,” I discovered on abc.com you can watch full episodes of every season of Lost. Absolutely amazing. I am hooked. Lost has to be the best TV drama show I’ve ever seen. Anyway, I found myself watching episodes of lost until 1 or 2 in the morning. If you are a lost fan I’m sure you can relate. After about 3 nights the Lord asked me “what is getting your best?” I hesitated and gave a generic answer, so He asked me again… “what is getting your best?” You see, while I was staying up watching Lost, my wife was going to bed alone. I was mistaking 10% for my best.

The other night I was driving home, and I was listening to the Foo Fighters on my ipod. One of my favorite songs of all time is “best of you.” In the middle of the song the Lord said, “What is getting your best? Who is getting your best? If you’re not giving Me your best then something else is getting it. If something else is getting your best then what you’re telling Me is… this thing over here is more worthy of getting my best than You.” I’m telling you I feel like the Lord is hammering this point in my life because it has monumental importance. This has the potential to be a death trap in our lives if left unaddressed. So help me, I don’t want to show up before the Lord with a newspaper wrapped gift and say, “here is the best I could come up with.” So help me, I don’t want to hand my wife a paper bag and say, “don’t you feel overwhelmed with my very best.”

Something or someone is getting your best, and you determine what that something is. You also determine what your best looks like. But, don’t for one second confuse what is required of you for your best… 10% is not your best, it is what’s required.

So, what is getting the “best of you?”

my first

If you haven’t noticed I have taken a little break from blogging… ok, it was much more than that, but a break none the less. At the end of the year I decided to take a break from blogging so that I could spend some time with the Lord. I wanted this time to be about me and Him. To be honest, I wanted to be a little selfish. I am realizing that there are times you go through seasons and it is more beneficial for you to “be a little selfish” about what the Lord is speaking to you. Nehemiah understood this, and Joseph quickly learned this. At the beginning of the year, I made the decision to give God the first of my year. I felt like I needed time just to clear my head, but more than that, I felt like I needed time with Him. It is amazing to me how the Lord knows exactly what you need, and He knows exactly when you need it. The last two months have been the richest most intimate time with the Lord… it has also been the richest most intimate my marriage has ever been before. It’s a crazy concept I know… ask and you shall receive. Oh, you want more of Me… here you go. You want a healthier more intimate marriage… here you go. You want more intimacy with me… here you go. Oh and by the way, it will cost you your life.

If it’s not costing you your life then you are still getting in the way.

Crisis

This morning I listened to pastor Brady Boyd preach at a conference here at Gateway. He preached about the crisis New Life has gone through since December 9th. Many of you heard the news and know the story. Brady spoke about the crisis they have had to overcome. Here are some of the key notes.

The Significance of Crisis:

1. Crisis will test your leadership

2. Crisis will confirm your faith

3. Crisis will reveal God to the world

Leadership that is never tested can never be trusted.

God is doing amazing things through New Life church, and God will continue to do amazing things through New Life. I pray that God will continue to reveal Himself to pastor Brady and the people of New Life.

post-Durango

Well so I’m back!!! Actually, we’ve been back since the 10th but unfortunately I’ve been sick. I wish I could say I was sick from leaving that beautiful snow but that’s not it. No, I’ve been fighting some chest junk for a week now but I feel like I’m finally coming out of it. Our trip to Durango was amazing. The snow was the best I’ve ever seen. I wish I could tell you that I got two full days in on it but I went all out on the first day and managed to fracture my fibia on the last run of the day. I landed a jump a little awkward and ended up tweaking my leg just above my boot. The most humiliating part was getting drug on a sled behind the snowmobile down the mountain. Oh well, it was so worth it… it was the most air I have ever gotten.

The rest of our trip went great. Everybody had a great time and that’s all that matters. Then again, it was Durango and we were skiing… pretty hard not to have a good time. Anyways, just wanted to give the peeps a heads up as to how our trip went and what I’ve been doing since we got back. I will try to get back into a routine so I can hopefully post more. Hasta Muchachies!!!!!

pre-Durango

Hey everyone. I know there has been some serious lack in consistency to my blogging lately. I made up my mind after Christmas to take some time away from blogging. I needed some time for just me. I’m not going to lie it has been hard not blogging, but at this point I don’t even know where I would start. I just wanted to let everyone know where I was and what I am up to. Me and some friends are leaving tomorrow for our ski trip. Pretty excited about this one. I have some brand new K2 Public Enemy’s that I need to break-in. I will try to write some post during our trip to keep you updated, but know promises… it is vacation.

Happy Birthday My Love!!!

Yesterday we celebrated my wife’s 22nd birthday. She had a great day from start to finish. It amazes me how everyone did as much as they could to make her feel special. This is how her day started out. When she was younger her mom would make her chocolate doughnuts for breakfast on her birthday. So, her mom called some of the people she works with and set it up so that when Sarah came in to work… they sang her happy birthday and had chocolate doughnuts waiting for her. That’s the way her mom roles. She will always do her best to do whatever she can to make someone feel special. We ended the day at Houston’s restaurant. I set up our reservation for 7:45, which gave us plenty of time if we wanted to turn it into a 3 hr meal. We ended up just over 2 hours. During those two hours it occurred to me that there is nobody else I would rather be spending that moment with. I cherish memories like last night when it’s just me and her. I have to admit I’m a little selfish at times. I started out by inviting two other couples to go eat with us, and realized that really just wanted to be a little selfish with this one. So, needless to say we had an amazing dinner for two, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Happy Birthday My Love!!! I hope you had one of the most amazing days ever. I love you more then words can explain, and I couldn’t imagine my life without you.

vacation… 10

Well, this is it, we are driving back home. I’m at a dilemma though… I don’t know if this counts as a vacation day because this drive back can be brutal. It is a 5 hr drive from Lubbock to Dallas. The good news is that I rewired my radio last night so I could hook up my ipod. Hopefully, this will help pass the time.

That’s it for now. It’s on the road again for us… Willie Nelson style.

… the end of Christmas vacation ’07.

vacation… 09

Limited internet!!! Thanks for your prayers.

… end of day 09

vacation… 08

No internet!!! Keep praying.

… end of day 08

vacation… 07

Well, I guess I’m headed to Lubbock. I’m not real sure if I will have internet access so pray for me if you think about it. The good news is that I will be close to a Starbucks. So, I will be able to meet that craving at least. No, I’m sure I will be just fine… I think. Then again I am going to be with Sarah’s family??!!! Pray for that too… just kidding they are great.

We will be spending a few days with them in Lubbock before heading back to the big D. Sarah’s sister is playing in a basketball tournament this weekend so I’m sure we will be watching some of her games. If you have never seen a girl’s high school basketball game before… you’re missing out. This is the most athletic sport you will ever see, right next to chess. Once again, just kidding. She is 15 years old and already 6’2″. Yeah, there’s some potential to say the least.

Anyways, hopefully there will be a chance for me to blog some from there but no promises. Hasta La Peep!!!

… midday 07