BJ Not BK

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Please note that bjnotbk will be out of the office returning bright and early Monday morning, early afternoon, or whenever I can get access to the web.

My apologies for not posting much this week. 

Have a great weekend and see you Monday!
 

Some of you sleep on your side, some in the fetal position.  Some of you sleep on your backs.  Some of you sleep with pillows tucked around you, in between crevicies, over your head and around your neck to the point of suffocation.  Some of you sleep in jammies with cute prints, rumor has it that Joe Napalm sleeps in footed pajamas with prints of small green tanks on them.

Then there are the straight up freaks, you know who you are, you are the few, the proud, the stomach sleepers.  Yes, I am talking to you oh, foot hanger off the bedder. 

As as we toss and turn for hours trying to find the right spot, the right mix of blanket, sheet, and pillow, you are counting sheep. 

You sir, are an inspiration.

 

 Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car ...wait, the armored car has been traded in for the white bronco and you guessed it!  O.J. is behind the wheel.  Thanks Juiceman! 

1.  Friday is for photos:  The first photos comes to you courtesy of a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains.

2.  This photo was taken during the 22nd annual "Napalm for the better education of left-handed, liberated, confused, underprivileged, dwarves of America - foundation golf tournament."

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

3.  Can you believe the police are unfairly targeting OJ again?  When will justice be served?  When will racial profiling be...."I don't care that they have a tape of...What? Listen, don't start interjecting the facts into this ok?"

4.  What are you listening to?

I am going through an incredible sermon series on 1st Corinthians.  I am also listening to pinky dinky doo....don't ask!  All I can say is that itunes has 100s of children's free podcasts and that my daughter really really likes pinky dinky doo....curdle me sour!

Here is your Jack Johnson clip for the week [link].  This song reminds me so much of the annual flag football game at Napalm field.

5.  What are you reading?  I am still plowing through The Call by OS Guinness.  I picked up some new books this week one on Missional Theology, and Blue Like Jazz.  Has anyone here read Blue Like Jazz?

6.  I was thinking about a new series of posts.....Better parenting through pirating....or How Pirating saved my marriage.  Any thoughts?

7.   The weather has been so nice this week.  Maybe I will break out the wife beater shirt, grow out the mullet for old times sake and fire up the camaro, t-tops out of course and take the ole lady for a tour through the mountains.

8.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you.

Pumpkin, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin chi tea, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, orange, and on and on and on goes the relentless onslaught of the worship of pumpkin.

We haven't even entered the first official day of fall and already restaurants, stores, and malls are filled to the brim with pumpkin flavored items gum, deodorant, hair gel, toothpaste, cake, candy, muffins, breads, prints of pumpkins, fresh pumpkins, and on and on and on....enough already!

I get it!  You like pumpkins.  Pumpkins remind you of fall, autumn, harvest time, Halloween (Satan's holiday).  I don't really care.  Right now it is 90 degrees outside and the last thing I want to see, taste, or smell it a hot pumpkin spice latte with a bowl of cream of pumpkin soup garnished with fresh pumpkin seeds.

I promise I am not anti-pumpkin, just anti-too early to advertise pumpkin.  Can we at least wait until the official start of fall before we push the pumpkins and all things autumn?

What's that?  Oh, that's right the first day of fall is when all the Christmas decor comes out in full force.  My bad.

I am a parent of two wonderful children.  I understand many of the challenges parents face regarding discipline.  You have to understand each child, their strengths, their weaknesses.  You have to be able to read cues, is my child acting out because of surroundings, lack of sleep, or are they hungry?  Or could it be that they are being disobedient?  I am a big fan of disciplining your child (and I am not solely referring to spanking, although I do believe that spanking is a necessary part of disciplining) this means involvement with your child, teaching your child, talking with your child, establishing authority and order with your child.  I also understand that there are times as a parent when you will have to correct behaviors, teach, and instruct in public places....I have no problem with this either.  One thing however grates on my nerves and that is a parent who instructs via yelling.  

You have all witnessed it.  You are at a restaurant, the mall, Wal-Mart, and there is little Johnny climbing the shelf, pulling every box of cereal onto his sister who sits in the middle of the aisle playing with the boxes.

"Johnny!!!  Johnny!!  Johnny!! You stop that right this minute young man!!"  the parent yells. 

At this point everyone within a five mile radius named Johnny looks around as if to ask "you talking to me?"  Mechanics named Johnny who are in the middle of an oil change stop, pilots flying planes overhead named Johnny radio into the tower, policemen chasing criminals let the perpetrators flee in response to the yelling of the parent.

"Johnny!!! Young man you stop pulling those cereal boxes into the floor on top of your sister right this minute!!!  Or else!!"

Or else what?  Let me guess...you are going to yell some more?  Maybe if you get really mad you might roll your eyes?  Or better yet complain to every person who walks by as to how bad a child Johnny is?

"Can you believe this little guy?  My very own Johnny.  Have you ever seen such behavior?"

Yes we have...on America's Most Wanted.

Children don't respond well to continual, habitual yelling.  Vague threats with no backing mean nothing to Johnny.  This is the 14,267 time you have raised your voice today.  Johnny does whatever he pleases because you are too lazy to move three feet to where Johnny is, take him by the hand and correct his behavior.  Your idea of parenting is yelling until the child's eardrums begin to bleed and only when they are in extreme pain will the behavior stop.

I bet these parents are the same who try to teach English to non-English speaking peoples through slowly and loudly pronouncing each sentence.  I suppose in the eyes of the yelling parent they are performing several duties at once:

1.  Parenting and correcting their child's errant behavior - WRONG
2.  Indirectly showing other parents how to parent by speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear - WRONG

I am not saying don't call your children down when they run amok in public....please do!  What I am advocating is involvement beyond the larynx with your children.  Get involved, move beyond your own laziness and train your children how to act.  Do you ever wonder why your kids yell at you?  Where did they learn such foul behavior?

I WONDER!!!!!!???? 

     When you humble yourself before Christ a transformation takes place.  There is an increase in Him and a decrease in you.  Humility seeps into every facet of your life, clearing your vision of not only your own state as a sinner saved by His grace and His mercy but now, for the first time you can see the needs in others.  Humility allows us to see pain in others, suffering in others, depravity in others, and it is humility that gives way to burden.

Burden is a heavy word that sits on your chest smothering you, making it hard for you to move during the day and difficult to rest at night.  Burden is the acknowledgment of others, the concern for others, the sad state of others without Christ, dead to God in their sins, dead spiritually to God in their rebellion all the time knowing that you too were once dead to God because of your sins and that now you are no better than the man next to you and that it is only by His grace that you are saved, can claim victory, no boasting on yourself, only boasting on Christ Jesus.  Burden is knowing that you are with Child and that you will call Him Jesus, knowing that you have seen the Father, loved the Father, that the Father loves you, yet soon He will pour out His Holy wrath upon you.  What could drive Christ to this other than burden? 

Burden is not a problem it is love.  You see if all we have is a weight, a heavy thought, a problem that occupies our minds from time to time then it is just that, a problem.  But when we couple our problems with love then we have a situation that is inmovable, that incapacitates us to the point that we must do something, for to sit by without action would crush our spirits, and destroy our souls.  Burden is the love that carried the cross to Calvary, to the hill of skulls so that the Son of Man could be lifted up and that many would be drawn to Him. 

You meditate on this problem, this weight God has given you not because you are trying to solve things of yourself but because you know Christ can solve, can cure, can heal and that His gospel is what is needed but how and to who?  Burden gives way to calling.

     I don’t get mail much.  No one writes personal letters or cards much anymore.  Sure, there are the Christmas cards, but nothing overly personal, nothing to make you feel really special, cared about, thought about.  I don’t know what it is but there is something exciting about the mail.  Maybe it is the possibilities, maybe it is the unknown?  What will be brought today?  Unfortunately most of my mail these days consists of pre-approved credit card and home mortgage notices.  We do get the occasional Pottery Barn catalog as well as our monthly Runner’s world and Christianity Today subscriptions but other than that not much to talk about.

What really gets me going these days are how crafty the bulk mailers are getting.  You know, the envelopes that look like tax returns, or the ones with the print that is suppose to look like someone hand wrote the address?  If you aren’t’ to careful you could just get sucked into believing that someone, somewhere sent you a note.  You could for just one brief moment experience a minute taste of existential nirvana where you are living in the moment, for the moment when all of a sudden you are violently ripped away and thrust back into reality.

While the envelope looked authentic, the handwriting appeared genuine just one detail gave it all away, exposed the hoax for what it was, shattering all hopes in the future of humanity.  What is it you ask?

Your name on the address followed by……”or Current Resident.”

So what are you saying?  Mr. bjnotbk we sent this specifically to you because you are very important to us but if for some reason you are not there then anyone else on the planet will do.  Actually, if this never makes it to bjnotbk please, anyone, anywhere, fill free to open it.

And just when I was beginning to feel special.

 Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week my drivers are being escorted by ex Russian government employees.  It seems that they are very agitated at Putin's latest move to dissolve the infrastructure.  Can you say cold war part 2?

1.  Friday is for photos:  The first two photos come courtesy of a daddy/daughter trip to the zoo.

2.  This photo comes to you courtesy of our very own Fluffy Cow.  

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

3.  I miss Joe and his pithiness. 

4.  What are you listening to?

Two songs that really get me going when I work out are "TNT" by ACDC and "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy.  Did I just say that out loud?  (note to self...check internal monologue before speaking).

Here is your Jack Johnson clip of the week [link].  This guy is just the coolest right?

5.  What are you reading?  I picked up The Call [link] this week by OS Guinness.  I am making my way through the gospel of John and loving it.   I went to dailylit.com and am making my way through Crime and Punishment.  I honestly didn't think I would enjoy this but it is pretty cool.

6.  Speaking of reading.... Does anyone here use Amazon.com?  I love their site but I sometimes am frustrated with the length of delivery time and the way they package their books.  I received one of my books today and the cover was creased....bummer.  What a thing to complain about right?

7.  Noteworthy news:  Have you noticed that all news is the same news?  Only the names and places change.  Politics yada yada yada, war yada yada yada.  I have been a news junkie for sometime but lately I just don't care so much.  I like to scan through and pick out the absurd and then point out how absurd it is, not really a talent huh? 

8.  I am looking forward to the 2007 Napalm/bjnotbk backpacking trip.  The weather has cooled a bit and you can feel fall in the air in the evenings.  A couple of mornings I have had to wear a jacket when ridding my bike to keep from chilling.  I like it!  Soon the leaves will begin changing colors and the days will get shorter.

9.  Weekend plans?  I am not 100% sure about ours just yet.  I do know that the wife and I have a hot date planned.  Yes, we have a baby sitter for the two angels so we are going to let our hair...er, she is going to let her hair down and we may do something really crazy like....order two burritos from taco bell instead of one.  We are just crazy enough to do it.  I don't care what we do as long as we do it together.

10.  Thanks everyone for reading bjnotbk this week.  My prayer is that you will be entertained and encouraged or challenged each time you stop by.  I am also praying for you, my readers, that is, so be encouraged in knowing that no matter what someone, somewhere is praying for you. 

 Three words have been surfacing in my mind and my thoughts lately over and over and over again.  Humble, burden, and calling.

1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive 2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission <a humble apology> 3 a: ranking low in a hierarchy or scale : insignificant, unpretentious b: not costly or luxurious

Humble is not a popular word.  Humble is not a luxurious word but I would argue with Webster in that humble is a costly word.  Humble asks for a sacrifice from the one who would take up the word.  Humble asks that we forgo self, that we esteem others not less important but equal or more important than ourselves.  Humble requires a submission of our hearts, our intellect, and our feelings. 

It is humility that allows us to understand that we are not good and can never be good enough and are in need of a savior.  .  It is humility that enables us to see the cross of Jesus Christ.  It is humility that allows us to submit ourselves to the authority of Christ and the direction of His Holy Spirit and it is humility that brings the understanding that the Bible is the true word of God.

What do we have without humility?  Without being humble?

We have intellect but no intelligence.  We have prosperity but no peace.  We have affluence but no positive eternal influence.  We have monuments of materialism built to ourselves to satisfy our own desires that do not last.  We have a physical life but are dead spiritually.  We have moments of happiness but no joy.  We have problems but no solutions.

Humility allows us to see that there is indeed something greater than ourselves which flies in the face of the wisdom of this age.  Humility says “no, you first” when everyone knows you should go.  Humility says I will step down from the Kingdom of Heaven and become a frail, human baby, and die a horrible death for you while you mock me, and hate me.  Humility says I love you.  Humility says thank you for saving me.  Thank you Jesus.  I love you Jesus.

Humility allows us to see others in need and gives way to burden.

What would change in your life or need to change if God called you to be a missionary?  To uproot your family, move across the globe and love on a foreign people in a distant land, in an unfamiliar country?  What changes would be necessary to enable you to be successful in loving people to Jesus?

Yet God hasn’t called me to be a missionary…or has He?  The truth is that if you  have accepted Jesus as your savior, asked Him to be Lord of your life then you are born again, you are a child of the King, a brother of Jesus and are not of this world anymore…you belong to God, purchased by the blood of Jesus.  You are an ambassador to the greatest Kingdom so no matter where you are placed geographically you are called to be a witness, a missionary, of the life giving, Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 

So, with that in mind……

1. Training – We should be convicted at our lack of knowledge of scripture and motivated by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to be in our Bibles, searching the scripture, seeking truth, wisdom, and understanding.  In short, we need to take our game to the next level. 
2. Assimilation - Learn the language, customs, and the culture to where our family would be assigned.  I am not advocating total immersion into Pop culture, rather I am recommending that we understand what is going on in the culture and not totally remove ourselves so as to seem unapproachable.  You wouldn’t wear your Ocean Pacific half shirt when living among devout Muslims so why would you wear a suit among a people group who disdain authority?  I know that this can and probably will be debated but listen, our goal is to share the gospel not impute legalistic dress codes right?
3. Focus – Every contact you meet period is a divine appointment.  My efforts, plans, methods, resources, everything should be strategically planned and placed to reach as many people every minute of every day.  What do you do for a living?  Construction?  Then build for Jesus.  What do you spend your money on?  Does it go to point someone to Jesus?  What are your talents?  Are you using them to share Jesus?  
4. Protection – My family will be elevated to a higher state of protection from physical, spiritual, and mental attacks.  Everything coming into our home will be filtered through Philippians 4:8.  Nothing will enter my home, my car, our lives that has the potential of harming my family.  Satan can and will attack anywhere regardless of geography, occupation, etc.
5. Stillness - My mind will be renewed daily and transformed with the reading of the Bible.  Prayer will be one long, ongoing, continual conversation with God.  I will seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and I will seek to be sensitive to those around me so as not to miss a cry for help, a chance to share, or an opportunity to love.
6. Sacrifice – I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me forgo my own desires, pleasures, fears of rejection and give my life in service to others in the name of Jesus.
   

The truth is we are all called to be missionaries and we have each been given our own mission field comprised of :

-Our Family, we are to submit ourselves to Jesus, use our homes to glorify Jesus, point our kids to Jesus, use our time, talents, and treasures for Jesus.

-Our Friends, God has given each of us friends, some believers, some not.  How are we doing when it comes to encouraging them follow Jesus, to love Jesus, to tell others about Jesus?  Are we praying that those that don’t believe will come to a saving faith in Jesus?

-Our Faithful, God has blessed many of us with church homes, pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers, ministers, greeters, all who serve and love Jesus.  Are we loving them as Jesus would?  Are we reaching out and lifting them up in prayer to Jesus?  Are we loving our church, the very church Jesus died for?  Are we doing our part in the name of Jesus?

-Our Familiar, God has blessed many of us with co-workers, dry cleaners, waiters, clerks,  those familiar faces we see and talk to each day.  Do they know Jesus?  Have you shared with them Jesus and how He has saved you from your sins and given you an eternal home in heaven?  Are you loving them to Jesus?

There is absolutely no difference between the saved and the unsaved apart from Jesus Christ.  I still sin and will continue to sin until I have been completely redeemed by Christ.  The only difference, and I can’t fully explain why, is that God has saved me from my sins through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross.  Now, my job is to share that good news in my mission field whatever my occupation, geography, or social status in life.

The question now isn’t what would you change but what will you change?

      What would change in your life or need to change if God called you to be a missionary?  To uproot your family, move across the globe and love on a foreign people in a distant land, in an unfamiliar country?  What changes would be necessary to enable you to be successful in loving people to Jesus?

     I have been thinking allot about this subject lately and I came up with a few crucial items to begin with.  

1. Training - Obtain additional training in scripture, theology, and doctrine.  In short, take my game to the next level.
2. Assimilation - Learn the language, customs, and the culture to where our family would be assigned.  
3. Focus – Every contact you meet on the mission field is a divine appointment.  My efforts, plans, methods, resources, everything would be strategically planned and placed to reach as many people every minute of every day.
4. Protection – My family would be elevated to a higher state of protection from physical, spiritual, and mental attacks.  Everything coming into our home would be filtered through Philippians 4:8.  Nothing would enter my home, my car, our lives that would harness the potential of harming my family.
5. Stillness - My mind would need to be renewed daily and transformed with the reading of the Bible.  Prayer would be one long, ongoing, continual conversation with God.  I would need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and I would need to be sensitive to those around me so as not to miss a cry for help, a chance to share, or an opportunity to love.
6. Sacrifice - Forgo my own desires, pleasures, fears of rejection and give my life in service to others in the name of Jesus.
   

Yet God hasn’t called me to be a missionary…or has He?

Part 2 tomorrow……

     Another week gone, and another series of posts handed over in triplicate to the folks at iron mountain to be hauled via armored car to the hillside bunker for safe keeping.  This week my drivers are being escorted by Peyton Manning and the Colts, the man is untouchable. 

1.  Friday is for photos:  The first photo come to you courtesy of mine and L's efforts.  I will hand out one shiny nickel to the person who can guess what book the butterfly comes from, this should be easy for all my moms out there.
            
2.  The second photo was taken during a recent visit with my great-grandmother, grandmother, Mom, and Aunt.  5 Generations spanning 93 years from 1914 to 2007.  Did I mention that I love my little boy?
    

If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [link] and Joe Thorn's here [link].

Speaking of Joe Thorn and photography, check out his recent publication on Chicago's Public Radio Station [link]. 

Want to see your photo published here?  Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration.  Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission.

3.  Only one day into the Presidential campaign and I am already bored with it.

4.  What are you listening to?

I have been so blessed recently with all of the free podcasts available on itunes.  I listened to Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle this morning....man what an awesome message!!! 

Here is your Jack Johnson clip of the week [link].  I absolutely love this song!

5.  What are you reading? 

Right now I am reading through the Gospel of John, how can anyone read the Gospel of John and not see that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, and God?  This is a personal, eyewitness testimony by John written as early as 50 years after the ascension of Christ.  Very, very good stuff.

I am also reading a Psalm a day and a Proverb that corresponds with the day, today is the 7th so I read the 7th Proverb.

6.  Speaking of reading....how would you like to read through the classics works of literature in less than 5 minutes a day?  Well, thanks to the folks at www.dailylit.com [link] you can now subscribe to their daily RSS feed of your favorite book.  Right now I am subscribed and reading through one of my favorite books, Crime and Punishment.  Let me know if you give this a try.

7.  How was your weekend last week?  We went to three cookouts, one badminton tournament, and one family gathering.  Me and L were able to spend some time together as well. 

8.  Thank you to everyone for visiting bjnotbk this week.  Thank you for being apart of the Steeple community and a part of my trivial world.  Blessings to each of you!
 

 It's time I have told myself.  Our people are together, rallied, and pumped.

No, I will not use YouTube, nor Leno, let's leave that to the rank amateurs.

Today, along with my running mate Joe Napalm, I gladly announce our 2008 presidential ticket via our exclusive partnership with BK.

    Now, all I have to do is raise 1.6 trillion dollars to fund my campaign...note to self, "ask Joe who Mocha is and make sure he wants to run on the 2008 ticket.

     Oh, and sausage egg, croissants are now $1.20
 

You have arrived or dare I say, your 65 inch LCD, HD TV has arrived.  You have your pork rinds and plenty of Diet Coke on stock and the first 6 seasons of the Dukes of Hazard on DVD.  You are fat, dumb, and very very happy.  No matter what else is going on around you in the world you have found solace in your high tech sanctuary.  There is nothing that could move you except a fire, a tornado, or a call to nature.  There is nothing that could call you to change or to make changes....ahhh the good life. 

It is a rare occasion when someone who is truly happy with their current lot in life looks to make a change.  I am in sales and I have yet to hear the following:

"You know, this is exactly what I want and it has all the features and benefits I need.  There's just this one thing though..."

Awkward pause

"It doesn't cost enough.  Is there any way I can get this but just a little more expensive?"

Our tendencies are to pursue pleasure and to preserve security, peace, to maintain status quo and we go to great lengths to make sure this happens.  You can apply this statement to pretty much any facet of life whether it is your marriage your home life, your job, or your walk with Jesus.  If things are going well then why change?  The real question is are they going well?

The truth is that we view change as an evil, a joy killer and it is the safety of what we know that we cling to rather than the peace and comfort we claim to hold to.  This is problematic because our souls are like water, if they are moving, changing, raging, then they are full of life but when our souls are static they tire, become stagnant and have the tendency to breed disease killing off a small part of who we are. 

Jesus said...."He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25)

One of our biggest challenges in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we have become "happy" with our current spiritual standing.  Why else would so many Christians remain covert?  Why would so few read their Bibles?  Pray?  

Lately you have been sluggish, dissatisfied, happy, yet unfullfilled?  Maybe God is trying to stir your waters, to move you to action, to get you in the game, to reach those around you for Christ?  

How about for one time, just once embracing change, stepping out, reaching in to those around you, and reaching up to the God of creation and the Lord of salvation and really embracing happiness, not the kind of happy that comes from watching the Dukes of Hazard and eating fried pork skin....mmmmm fried pork skin, but the kind of happy that provides peace in the eye of the storm and fulfillment in a world searching for meaning.

How about being unhappy today, just this one time, and changing the world for eternity? 

 You won't want to miss this news making announcement here at bjnotbk tomorrow.