good, great, best, better.....

Proverbs 16:32 

"Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city."

Lord help me to choose what's "Better" each day starting today...

myrtha, myrtha, myrtha....

The most incredible woman I ever known and the mother of my four incredible kids....

HAPPY MOMMIES DAY MYRTHA....

I love you

"Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?  She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life..."  

Proverbs 31:10-12

What's missing today on the white house schedule of events....

For the first time in nine years there is no National Day of Prayer observance event at the White House.... I'm missing Lincoln like leaders today...I was impressed months ago when Obama stated clearly that he was a huge fan of Abraham Lincoln... now I'm not so impressed. Out of all the Lincoln speeches Obama claimed to read, how did he miss this heart wrenching letter and cry from an Oval Office in the past....

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Whereas the Senate and House of Representatives at their last session adopted a concurrent resolution, which was approved on the 2d day of July instant and which was in the words following, namely:

That the President of the United States be requested to appoint a day for humiliation and prayer by the people of the United States; that he request his constitutional advisers at the head of the Executive Departments to unite with him as Chief Magistrate of the nation, at the city of Washington, and the members of Congress, and all magistrates, all civil, military, and naval officers, all soldiers, sailors, and marines, with all loyal and law-abiding people, to convene at their usual places of worship, or wherever they may be, to confess and to repent of their manifold sins; to implore the compassion and forgiveness of the Almighty, that, if consistent with His will, the existing rebellion may be speedily suppressed and the supremacy of the Constitution and laws of the United States may be established throughout all the States; to implore Him, as the Supreme Ruler of the World, not to destroy us as a people, nor suffer us to be destroyed by the hostility or connivance of other nations or by obstinate adhesion to our own counsels, which may be in conflict with His eternal purposes, and to implore Him to enlighten the mind of the nation to know and do His will, humbly believing that it is in accordance with His will that our place should be maintained as a united people among the family of nations; to implore Him to grant to our armed defenders and the masses of the people that courage, power of resistance, and endurance necessary to secure that result; to implore Him in His infinite goodness to soften the hearts, enlighten the minds. and quicken the consciences of those in rebellion, that they may lay down their arms and speedily return to their allegiance to the United States, that they may not be utterly destroyed, that the effusion of blood may be stayed, and that unity and fraternity may be restored and peace established throughout all our borders:

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, cordially concurring with the Congress of the United States in the penitential and pious sentiments expressed in the aforesaid resolution and heartily approving of the devotional design and purpose thereof, do hereby appoint the first Thursday of August next to be observed by the people of the United States as a day of national humiliation and prayer.

I do hereby further invite and request the heads of the Executive Departments of this Government, together with all legislators, all judges and magistrates, and all other persons exercising authority in the land, whether civil, military, or naval, and all soldiers, seamen, and marines in the national service, and all the other loyal and law-abiding people of the United States, to assemble in their preferred places of public worship on that day, and there and then to render to the almighty and merciful Ruler of the Universe such homages and such confessions and to offer to Him such supplications as the Congress of the United States have in their aforesaid resolution so solemnly, so earnestly, and so reverently recommended.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington. this 7th day of July, A. D. 1864, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

By the President:

WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State.

concerned yet convinced...

I don't know if you have seen lately all the reports via our media concerning all the business' doing poorly, loss of jobs, homeless and hungry families due to the current economic crisis. First of all, we have had an ongoing economic crisis for some time now, it has simply gone somewhat undetected and reported by continual borrowing and incurring debt both internationally and nationally here in the United States. Secondly, in some cases it is probable that the media is not reporting all the facts accurately in order to exaggerate the impact in some communities.

In the midst of this news, I am reminded Biblically (a solid source of truth throughout history) that God is in control. While many are running around trying to bail out, sell out, etc, God steps up with His plan. His plan isn't new, its been around for a long time. His plan is His people!

The Church is God's plan for caring for those in need. The current real crisis is that the Church in most communities has not been equipped or prepared for such a time as this. To be honest, the wounded, hurting, hungry and poor aren't included in many church budgets, visions and mission statements. And if they are, it is seldom actualized in real tangible reproducible systems. Most churches have plenty of room for pews, staging and entry ways, but no room for the cold, weary, homeless and hungry. Many of these multi-million dollar church facilities aren't even used 75% of the week.

The Body of Christ will be stretched like never before as the needs of non-members and members alike escalate. The challenge for the Church will be how we put the needs of the community above their own comfort. I believe this is just the start of the discomfort and suffering some believers will feel who are simply use to reaching out to the needy by writing a check when a Pastor makes a plea prior to the offering being collected. Don't get me wrong, a financial gift can go a long way, but so can the shirt off your back, or the empty guest room in your house, or the square footage of a new shiny foyer. We will be tested in this way. The Church will have to "be" the Church more than planning how to do church. Mega churches will have to learn how to give away all they have built. Target groups will have to give way to empty stomachs, mission statements to missional thinking, order of service to genuine service, youth ministry to youth in ministry, mens ministry to men involved in actual ministry, etc.

To all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.... WE ARE GOD'S PLAN to meet the needs of the growing numbers of hungry, jobless, homeless, and non-insured, inside and outside of the membership of the church, not the government. To do this, we will have to hold on loosely to all that we have. Realizing that all that we are and all that we have individually and collectively belongs to Him. There is no other plan. There is no other way. We've got to take the needed steps to progress from Me to We, then from Us to Them.... Then, and only then, will they truly see Jesus.

bloomsday...

We had a blast today at Bloomsday. Last year I ran it alone. This year I recruited Myrtha, Daniel, Lachele and Will. I couldn't talk Vaughn and Royale to participate, but the five of us had a blast this year. Nearly 60,000 participants this year. It's a real adrenaline rush moving with that large of a crowd. I'm real proud of my family finishing well. A family that runs 7.5 miles together is soar together. We've all popped our share of Advil this afternoon. Fun stuff. Can't wait until next year.