It’s just stuff, things that why we work right to buy stuff. House, car, food, clothes there is stuff you need and stuff you want. There is even stuff you need that can be stuff you want. Let’s say you need a new pair of glasses that’s a need but you get the pair that cost $600 dollars just for the frame because they are Prada or Coach. Now don’t get me wrong this is not an anti-stuff blog. I’m 33 and I have stuff but over the past few months something inside me has changed about how I feel about stuff. For example I love clothes and shoes I own a lot like 30+ shoes and over a 100+ shirts. That’s how it is for my 2 kids who are only 7 and my wife owns twice that. But hey it ok because we donate most of it after every season. That’s crazy I wasn’t saving any money for Kids College or anything and you say yeah credit cards our bad. I know, I agree I learned that lesson over 10 years ago. I was using cash only and have been for 10 years. You say didn’t you have a budget yeah in my head, so I did the rough math in my head and over the past few years I’ve spent almost 150,000 in cash on just stuff. The glasses example I mention earlier that was my wife a couple years ago. That’s college for one of my kids so I guess that’s what happen when you do the budget in your head. So Dave Ramsey did a series at Lifechurh.tv a couple of months ago and I guess I actually listened it all made sense. Now I look at things in a different way its more than just stuff. See I thought as long as I was not in debt or living from check to check, I was being a good manager of my money. See it all makes sense now just because we are not being bad or struggling with what God gives us does not mean we are living how he would have us to.

Yesterday Francis Chan recorded a message for One Prayer. The message was great but what I would like to address is something he said after the message. Sam Roberts asked him what he was reading and he said that he didn’t read much besides the word. Yet it what he said after that “There are so many obvious things in life we know, that we don’t apply. We need to go back and apply those things to our lives.”
Now I’m not a big reader about a book a month and I know people who read about 200+ a year. Now when we look back at the books we read are we taking the time to apply it to our lives or are we just reading it like a romance novel for entertainment. When we read God’s word is it something we are applying our lives?

Psalm 100:1-5

This week is teacher appreciation week and that means a lot to me. First my mom is teacher and I love my mom a lot and over the years have watched her develop, love, care and teach thousands of Children. Not only that but some of my close friends are teachers take Jessica Yates one of the most amazing people I know her heart for children is so BIG. She reminds me of some of the teachers I had growing up who truly cared and spoke truth into the lives of the students they come in contact with. I can say I have been blessed to have wonderful teachers for both of my children. So take the time out this week and say thank you to a teacher. I spend a lot of times in schools and I can tell you its not a easy job. Think back to the teacher that impacted your life and if you are a teacher I just want to say thank you for all that you do.

This is a commercial for Reach Records up coming summer tour. Don’t Waste Your Life Tour. I think it says a lot in such a short time check it out.

See, this weekend as thousands of people ran in the OKC Memorial Marathon, some ran the entire thing, all 26 miles. Some just half, others did it in teams of 4 -6 people. There were even some who signed up just for the 5k walk. They were even taking sign ups till the last minute. So you ask how I did. Well I didn’t run in the Marathon. Yes I’ve run a lot in my day especially when I was in the Army. But I was there at 6:30am when it started supporting friends and family who ran. I started out at mile marker 3 so many people I was supporting saw me way before I saw them. I even saw people I had no clue ran marathons. I even saw people who I didn’t think could run a marathon. Everyone had a different running style, outfit, and accessories from the fancy $300 shoes to people running in the old school converse chucks.
I felt like a storm chaser calling my mom to see where the next spot was and we would race to the next spot to cheer on those running in the grueling race. Trying to keep up with runners is not as easy as you would think. See you’re not in the race so you have to navigate through roads that are blocked for the race and people who are confused as to what is going on because they have no idea it’s a marathon that runs thru 26 miles of the city. It’s an event in itself. As you move along the route the crowd thins out and it’s no longer the sea of runners that it once was. The leaders are way in front and some have already started to turn back and walk. Others are at med station being looked at because something hurt or they are dehydrated by mile 6.
Reaching mile 13 the half way mark and you can see it in their faces; it’s the look of “I’m half way there”. More people are starting to slow down and walk, stop and stretch out cramps. Then you have people that are removing layers of clothing to beat the heat and worse yet a 25-30 mile wind has just started to kick in. Yet the leaders are still moving a great pace. At mile 16 people who where in front of others are now behind people who look much more capable. Those doing it in relays have switched up and are flying by those who are running the whole thing. You can here the ambulance rushing in for those who need help.
I’ve got to keep moving so I can see those I know. We rush over to mile 20 just 6 miles out and there are those who have conceded that they are not going to be able to finish and those who you could not tear away for the race. We cheer on those who we don’t even know because they could use every bit of encouragement. You see the lady you saw at mile 16 who was in horrible pain is even worse now but she is not giving up. To the man at mile 3, I looked and thought there’s no way he is going to make it. You want to see everyone finish strong.
Now it’s time to race to the finish line so you can see friends and family cross the line. See it’s pretty crowded at the finish line; everyone wants to see who crosses first. But it’s been at least an hour since the first place fished in fewer than 2 ½ hours; faster than most of half the marathon. Then here come your friends and family tired and exhausted but crossing the line like they just started the race because they did it; they ran 26.2 miles, a task that few people even attempt and even fewer complete. You yell there name, scream and let them know how proud you are because whether this was there first or 100th race it’s still an amazing accomplishment.
See you either in the race or you’re not. Yet a race is a lot more than just the runners it’s the organizers the police men and EMT that provide safety the volunteers that hand out water and snacks to the runners it’s the fans that cheer on the friends and family. It’s all these people working together for a successful race.
We all have our parts to play 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

What a great weekend very busy yet not so busy I was over whelmed. So I thought this week I would share what God taught me, and showed me a few lessons and gave me a new perspective on things. So stay tuned for all the exciting things I want to share.

Today though I thought I would start with the 2 NASCAR races I watched. I know you don’t like NASCAR or you like to make fun of it but just bear with me a minute. Watch the Video of the last 4 laps (you only need to watch the first 90 secs)

WOW! And he walked away. See you’re rolling around at 200MPH about to finish the race and now you’re upside down wrecking. I know that feeling sometimes but I know, I have to finish the race and that God has got me. No matter what the situation I encounter whether I’m the car that managed to avoid all the big wrecks that day or the guy who wrecks seconds before the finish God has got me. Psalm 91:2

Running a marathon is just not something you wake up one morning and do. Its 26 miles running must people don’t even like to drive that far. You have to train; it requires discipline in all areas of your life. You have to eat right, get good sleep have a good training program. I don’t know if you ever seen a marathon in person on even on TV it’s like thousands of people running so it can’t be that hard. Wrong, one not all those people finish, two a few hundred of those people run all big marathons third Most marathons have team relays so that they divide up the 26 mile or just run half marathons. Not to mention thousands compared to billions is very few. Even after someone has ran a marathon it drains them you can’t go out and run 2 or 3 a week you got to recover. Yet to finish a marathon is a great accomplishment that very FEW people do. My great friend(and sister) Anna Meadows is running a Marathon this weekend and has been training and preparing for months and I know she will do great. Yet it doesn’t stop there 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. So what is the prize you are truly running after?

We claim to be so many things in this world but Tedashii’s new song I’m a Believer says so much listen and be encouraged by the song.

Im a Believer ft. Trip Lee & Soyé – Tedashii

Tedashii album Identity release is May 19th