Make my day

What do you take for granted? What is so commonplace for you that you don't give it a second thought? What are you so used to that it is simply a part of your day-to-day existence?

Someone (maybe someone you know), somewhere (probably closer than you think) doesn't have it.

This week someone came to me with some Bengals tickets that they simply couldn't use. They are season ticket holders and they can't make it to the game after Christmas. Unfortunate, but not life-changing. After all, they've got tickets to all the games anyway. Instead of giving the tickets to one of their close friends, they asked if I could find someone who could really use them. With the help of the folks at Parkside's outreach I did. And it will be one of the best Christmases in their memory. Because of something someone else takes for granted.

This week at Panera they made an extra sandwich. Instead of dumping it in the trash, they gave it to my wife and made her Wednesday.

This morning at Strabucks someone was rewarded with a free cup of coffee and it made their morning.

Make someone's Christmas this year, it might be easier than you think.

Untamable

It doesn't make a difference to me what Obama did or didn't see in China, but I love the determination, bravery and moxy of the house churches in China. (It's also great to see this message slipped into the Wall Street Journal of all places.) When people fully turn their lives over to Christ and become disciples, no government can keep Christianity down.

Inspiration.

Luke 5 - Fishers of Men

Jesus tells Simon not to be afraid, because from now on he will catch men. That's what Jesus has called us to be - fishers of men. Yet, for some reason we call ourselves Christians or if we don't like that word we call ourselves "Christ Followers" because it sounds new, cool and different. But, that's not what Jesus calls us to do or to be. Following Him was just the beginning. It was the how, not the what. Why do we stop short? Why don't we focus on the ultimate goal? Is it because we think it is too hard? Is it because we are afraid like Simon? Or is it that we haven't been caught ourselves? Maybe we've been hooked or snared, but have we been reeled in and brought into the boat? Are we just a bunch of fish that are trailing behind the boat (followers if you will)? We need to start reeling people in.