fall

I had a BEAutiful bike ride this AM. It was very relaxing and the weather was just right. Fallen leaves covered the trail. It was very nice except the TWO times I fell.
I have been riding for over four years. I would like to think I have a little experience. However, not today. I actually ran off the trail once and the other time I simply stopped and fell. (i think i pulled something trying not to fall)

I had two thoughts to go with my two falls. 

1. No matter how experienced you are failure can still hit you. Especially if you lose focus. Sometimes we can think we have it all together and nothing can stop us. I think about this in marriage. A couple has been married for many years and think they are experts. Then the next thing you know they are getting a divorce. Why? They lost focus! Never think your to big or smart to fall.

2. You hurt yourself more by fighting the fall then you would if you would just fall. There are times when we know we have failed but wont admit it. We fight it by saying it's not our fault or ignoring it all together. Just admit it and move on. 

BTW both times i got back on my bike and kept going. Failure is not final!

Let me go get some icy hot and google search training wheels... 

What the....

Have you ever experienced something that just made you question, what the world is going on? Well I have experienced just such a thing recently at a Chic-fil-a.

As do most people in my area, we eat Chic-fil-a a lot. I would say several times a week. We have the Dwarf House, regular Chi-fil-a, and a Truett’s Grill within a few miles of my life. And we support the maker of the original chicken sandwich.

The food is great but the service is what makes me ask what the world is going on? For the most part you can walk into any Chic-fil-a and receive the same service. The same smile, the same good attitude, the same feeling of importance. I was sitting at Chic-fil-a recently and they came by and picked up my trash (this was the self serve side) with a smile. Chic-fil-a workers come by and ask if they can fill our drinks or get you anything else. And you don’t even have to leave a tip! It seems the employees are there to make your experience a memorable one. And this keeps many coming back for more.

Now you may say that’s the answer, they are employees. They are getting paid! The boss tells them to must act this way or you don’t get paid! I’m not so sure if money is the whole answer. Sure it plays a roll but I have been to other fast food restaurants and not felt welcomed or anything for that matter. So what the world causes a Chic-fil-a employee to act different?

One thing I noticed is it starts from the top. Most every time, when I’m grazing on a great spicy chicken sandwich, I see the owner of the store walking around greeting people, taking trash, and filling drinks. The managers display this standard also. The leadership sets the standard. They are not hidden in an office in the back, but very visible upfront. Leaders lead. They set the standard and boundaries in which others work within.

I’m on a search to find out what the world makes Chic-Fil-a different other than the obvious.

Galatians 5:13-15

13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. NLT

We should use our freedom (which was given to us from Christ) to serve each other in Love!

intimacy issues

Our humanity is corrupt. And I have seen it more lately than ever. I think there is an intimacy issue!

John 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
The only way you have a birth of any sort is when two come together in intimacy. You know the drill, the bird and the bees. Hooked up, shacked up, and knocked up. When we are intimate we always have the risk of birthing. Birth is the result of intimacy.

There is also an issue of attraction. Intimacy follows attraction. Attraction is something that sparks interest and draws us in. So it may look something like this – attraction -->intimacy -->birth.
Look at this idea from another perspective, a spiritual perspective. If we see the flesh birthing things in our lives then we have been intimate with things our flesh is attracted to. We have been shacked up with fleshly desires. We have hooked up with fleshly motives. And have birthed flesh.

Our flesh is attracted to sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like according to Galatians 5.

When I read the things the flesh is attracted to I say no way, but consider what you look at, watch, read and spend time doing and dwelling on.

The solution is to break up with the flesh. Stop shaking up!

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5)

anchor or engine

I heard a question the other day that asked “are you an anchor or an engine?”

Well obviously these two items are different and serve different purposes. However it is something to consider are you more like an engine or an anchor? Here is the major difference…

An anchor holds – an engine propels

I would like to say I’m both due to the fact that sometimes you need an anchor and sometimes you need an engine.

In my marriage I need an anchor (of love) to stay in the harbor of my relationship. I defiantly don’t need an engine to propel me out to sea. But I do need an engine to propel my relationship forward, for if my relationship is not moving (growing) then it becomes stale.
I need to be an anchor for my kids to hold them to the values of our family, but need to be an engine to propel them toward their future.

If I’m in a storm I want to be an engine, If I’m in a lagoon I want to be an anchor and enjoy the time.

I think the question should be “do you know when to use an engine or an anchor?” Do you know when to drop the anchor or crank the engine?

An anchor is not something you want to drag behind your engine. Both have a purpose and wise you will be if you learn it.