junk!

I spent a few hours yesterday with our new Pre-School Cordinator cleaning out one of our preschool rooms. It was full of junk!

About 10 full garbage bags later the room looks amazing. It just needs a few details things and we'll be in great shape.

The coolest 'find' in our treasure hunt was Sunday School materials from...drum roll...(fine don't drum roll with me)...1986! Yes 1986! We had SS material that was 21 years old. I'm not sure how it survived this long but it has been taken to the curb.

My life sometimes has things that I hold to for awhile too...one time I was mad at my best friend for like two days. There have been other things that I've held on to longer...bitterness...unforgivness...jealousy...and like my classroom they needed to be cleared from my life.

How about you? Any 'junk' in your life?

Lightning bugs

Last night Brooklyn, Gabriel, Emma and I spent a few minutes outside catching lightning bugs. Remember when you were little and how much fun that was. We had a blast. Each of them caught about a dozen and we put all of them in a glass cup and then took the cup inside the house. Then we turned off all the lights and watched the lightning bugs do what they do best. Light up! It was so neat to see about 50 lightning bugs light up the room.

I thought about that as we were watching these little bugs. They are doing exactly what they were created to do. Light up.

As a Christian, a follower of Christ I am called to do the same thing. The bible tells me I am to be light in a dark world. That as I follow Christ I am to let the light (His light in me) shine before men and let others see my good works.

What a great reminder of my purpose? Today I will focus to be a better light for Christ. How about you? Are you letting your light shine?

What's your part?

I remember playing on my Jr. High basketball team. I was the one at the end of the bench. I rarely played. I was OK at basketball, it's just that the other 11 players on team were good, some even great.

I remember one game we played and we won by a score of 80 (something) to 50 (something) - getting old can't remember the exact score.

But that game I score 2 points!

I helped our team win. I'm sure no one else would look at it that way and no one probably remembers that a skinny 8th grader scored two points that night. But when God looks at my life he remembers.

Even though I only scored one basket, I contributed to the team.

What's your contribution to Team C1? Don't think for a minute you don't have one.

"God shaped each person in turn" (Psalm 33:15). "Each of us in an original" (Gal. 5:26) When God draws up a play He has you in mind to execute it. No contribution too small.

Play the position God has for and expect victory to come your way.

I'm sore...

I had a great workout yesterday and I'm feeling it today. It hurts to extend my arms. I love to lift weights because my competition is myself. If I eat right, train right, and stay disciplined I'll grow.

I believe the same can be said for your walk with Christ. If you stay disciplined you'll grow. I think the reason most of us stop growing is because of the pain factor. Each week my goal is to add MORE weight so I will become stronger. By adding weight each week I continually get sore.

I refuse to get comfortable.

How about you? Are you growing with Christ or just comfortable?

What about your walk with God has gotten stronger this week...this month...this year?

Here a few things that have made me stronger in Christ.

• My prayer time is more consistent.
• My daily bible reading.
• Reading books that help me grow.
• Choosing to stay positive, no matter what!

The benefits of worrying

I love lists - to do lists, grocery lists, christmas lists...

So here's a new list: a list of the advantages of anxiety!

Worrying helps our health - I know if lose sleep when I worry I feel much better in the morning. My stomach never hurts when I worry either.

Worrying brings joy - when you're a worrier doesn't the sky look bluer and the birds songs sound sweeter?

Worrying solvers our problems - I know whenever I worry, like magic all of my problems are gone!

I could go on but I'm worried that you might get upset...

God's word says, "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked (don't worry) up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up the time comes." Matt. 6:33

There word worry means - to divide the mind

You can't think straight and you can't live with worry.

I've found that if I will choose to talk to God (prayer) about what I'm tempted to worry about things go much smoother in life.

When we pray we aren't worrying...God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on Him because he trusts in God. Is 26

I read this week that I am unable to have wisdom for tomorrow's problems. So why worry about tomorrow.

God will make sure I'm taken care of today and I love that He meets my needs for today.

Maybe you're temtped to worry about your health or your finances or your career...know that God has plans to prosper you and to bless you and when you allow Him access to your daily decisions He'll open the right doors for you.

How about you? Is your life weighed down by worrying about tomorrow. If so, take a second and ask God to give a peace and joy for today!

Whatever

Have you ever 'played God?' Isn't it so easy to do. Well God if I were in charge I would do this or God here's what I think should happen in this situation.

No you haven't ever done but you know someone who has - me too...

The bible says, “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3). I love that!

Here a few reasons why I love that so much:

*It reminds me that God is in control and that no matter what happens in my life it doesn't knock God off his throne. It's sometimes so easy to forget that God works in ALL (not most) things for the good of those that love Him.

*It reminds me of God's place. He is not defeated...he's in heaven. God wants us to trust Him and realize if He is for you who can be against you?

*It reminds me that God gets done what God wants to get done.

This past Sunday a woman in our church came forward at the end of our worship time and gave her heart to Jesus and recommitted herself to the local church. Wow! Father's Day 2007 God knew that one of His children would give their heart back to him in a real way.

As you go through your week allow God to remind you of where He is and ask Him what He wants to still do in your life.

Watering Weeds

I love to landscape. It's a great stress reliever and it helps add a nice look to my home.

As I was working in the yard last week I noticed how quickly the weeds I had pulled a few weeks ago had come back. They were taking away from the beauty of the flowers in my yard.

Weeds are unattractive, unwanted, and can be unstoppable. So I did want any back-yard landscaper would do. I began to pull them out. I quickly realized that some weeds don't want to leave so they take a little more effort.

After a few hours and a lot dirt later my yard looks nice again.

I've thought about my weeding and how it relates to my life (and maybe your too). Too often we have weeds growing and without realizing it we are allowing them to grow in our lives.

In fact, I noticed that when I water my flowers some of the water actually falls on the weeds and I'm causing the weeds to grow.

Think about that: I'm actually watering weeds.

In our life we sometimes do the same thing. We allow weeds of worry, weeds of why God, or weeds of whining to take away from our Christ-like appearance.

Let me encourage you to pull those weeds out!

It may be tough and they may not to come out but trust me if you do your life will much better!

Vacation!

Just thought I'd drop my C1 Family a line - from the pool!

I'm enjoying the benefits of staying with my brother in law (Patrick) and his fine southern hospitality.

I don't think I've lifted a finger yet - we are grilling out every night and swimming in the pool and enjoying the freedom of having nothing to do!


One quick highlight: today my daughter Brooklyn learned to swim! I worked with her for a few laps and before I knew it she was swimming on her own.

I think the biggest reason for her success - she trusted her Father!

As you live your life you can trust yourself or you can trust in God. God says we get to call him 'Abba Father.' My main goal was to let Brooklyn know that no matter what I was going to be with her and not let her go under the water.

God's main goal is to do the same - He'll always be with you and He wants to let you know that He'll never let you go under (your circumstances - I Cor. 10:13)

My question: who are you trusting to get you across the pool of life?

Sweet Home Alabama

The Warren5 are heading to Huntsville, Alabama for a few days of rest with family. Beth's brother Patrick is hosting us for a few days. We've got a few things planned and a lot of things not planned.
A few highlights:



My brother in laws pool!
My brother in laws church - great church!
Going to a Sanctus Real Concert - kids love them.
The Newport Aquarium - they've got sharks!
Taking daily naps.
Reading a few good books.

We'll be back next Thursday, June 14th!

Out

Unhandy Andy

I'm not able to fix anything - in fact I've renamed myself "unhandy andy" when it comes to anything that needs fixed.

For example, my car has been making this noise (pretty descriptive huh) so I took it to a mechanic I've grown to trust.

He popped the hood and quickly diagnosed the problem and with a tweak and a twist my 4Runner wasn't making the noise. Cool.
I'm glad I went.

Isn't that like us? Maybe our life isn't running the way it should and we decide we need to take it to God. You know you can trust Him! And the amazing thing about placing your life in God's hands in that he can always diagnose the problem and with a few tweaks and twists have you back on the right road going the right direction.

This past week we had several first time guests at C1 and after church I was talking to one of them and they said, "I'm glad I went to church today."

Bringing your life to God so he can fix your flaws isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of wisdom.

I could have just let my car continue making that noise and in a few months be really paying for it.

How about you? Are you showing weakness or wisdom?

The wise meet at C1 this Sunday at 10:30 AM

Great Day

Yesterday was a great day!

My wife, Beth celebrated her birthday - thank you for the cards, gifts, cake, & to Renee & Liz for the party!

My church is growing - thank you for inviting your friends - we were almost at 200 again yesterday!

My kids are so cool - we went to a community soccer event. It was a shoot out - where you have to kick the ball through different size goals. There were about 100 kids down at the park. Gabriel won his age division and Brooklyn placed second her in age division. They each got tropheys! I think Gabriel slept with his...

I think great days are a great opportunity to remind ourselves how great God is. He takes such good care of us.