Get in your car at night, scan the radio and you are likely to come across a talk/music show presented by Delilah. I have listened to her when I am heading somewhere on several occassions. People call in and dedicate songs to loved ones . It is all quite mushy at times...and often kind of a feel good program. And more often than not, she gives advice about how to have healthy relationships with other people in their lives.
I ran across a news item about her and decided to do some "internet" digging. I know you can not trust everything you read...but a couple things are pretty consistent.
This radio personality, who has upwards of 8 million regular listeners on 222 radio stations, gives advice on relationships and love. She is the mother of 10 children, 7 of which are adopted. (That is pretty amazing and cool). She grew up in Reedsport Oregon, which was just down the road from where I went to high school. It's a nice coastal town.
She has been married and divorced 3 times. Not so sure that this qualifies her to give relationship advice... You never really hear about that...but that would concern me.
What concerns me more though is the statement that she posts on her own website. Here it is ...
"We don't try to fix people. We listen. We sympathize. We empathize. If the show has a message it is 'listen to your own gut. Trust your own intuition. Go where it leads. Don't give up."
There is a problem here... The Bible says, " There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12, 16:25.
I just think we all need to reminded that the strongest voice speaking into our lives , should not be a radio personality, a preacher, a mentor, a boss, a relative and especially not our own. It should be the Bible. That is what we should be listening to.
If we listen to others, or even worse, just ourselves... it will have some very bad consequences. I have seen this in my life. Human intuition... or our "gut" certainly should not be the primary source of instruction and guidance . It should be the Bible. This book has stood the test of time. What a gift to all of us!
Unfortunately, we seem to be more interested in listening to other voices... it is a good reminder to me ( and I hope to you) that God himself gave us the Word. It is a light and a lamp. ( Psalm 119).
Be in the Word... and listen to THE voice that speaks from those pages of truth.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Triathalon update
Many months ago I was preaching and mentioned how much I admired those that did the Ironman Triathalon. Apparently people were listening. Several have asked about that goal and whether I was going to go for it.
One person that heard that was a friend named David. Since October he and I have been working out 5 days a week. I was working out regularly on the elyptical machine...but David has really helped me with getting stronger, faster and more balanced. Core exercises, plyometrics, and a variety of other workouts have helped me alot. The last month the focus has been on the upcoming triathalon.
Swimming was the first obstacle. It really has not been hard...because I like to swim. The stroke came back to me quickly. Most mondays I swim about a mile. Lately we have been focusing on 400 yard increments. ( That is the distance of the next triathalon.) Yesterday I set a personal best... under 8 mintues!
Running has not been to hard. I have done 3 5K's since October. Each time I have set a personal best, and although I am not too speedy, I am conistently getting better.
Biking ? Well, that has been another story. I have borrowed a bike, which comes from a very generous friend. David has been working hard to get me out there on the road. The problem is that I am not too comfortable on the road, especially if there are cars on the road with me. But we have taken on about 4 or 5 10 mile rides...including one today. I was much more comfortable today , and did my best time. I still would prefer bike paths, but the truth is that we do not live in Oregon...( where they are everywhere.)
So , tomorrow it is a mock tri... 7 AM.... 200 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 2 mile run. I think I will finish... and may do ok.
All of this leads up to the real deal in two weeks. The Spring Sprint Tri in Claremore is a 400 yard swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. I understand there will be 300 or more people there. My goal... to finish inside of the first 300 or so. :) (Really, it is just to finish.)
I am very thankful for my friend David, who is beginning to train other people. ( I will write more about him in the future.). And I am thankful that I have taken on this challenge and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads me. I have had alot of encouragement from several people and that is always good.
Ironman Triathalon? Well, it would be nice ...but I have a ways to go. I think I will just stick with some smaller challenges for the time being.
Thanks to all of you for your encouragement along the way.
Charlie
One person that heard that was a friend named David. Since October he and I have been working out 5 days a week. I was working out regularly on the elyptical machine...but David has really helped me with getting stronger, faster and more balanced. Core exercises, plyometrics, and a variety of other workouts have helped me alot. The last month the focus has been on the upcoming triathalon.
Swimming was the first obstacle. It really has not been hard...because I like to swim. The stroke came back to me quickly. Most mondays I swim about a mile. Lately we have been focusing on 400 yard increments. ( That is the distance of the next triathalon.) Yesterday I set a personal best... under 8 mintues!
Running has not been to hard. I have done 3 5K's since October. Each time I have set a personal best, and although I am not too speedy, I am conistently getting better.
Biking ? Well, that has been another story. I have borrowed a bike, which comes from a very generous friend. David has been working hard to get me out there on the road. The problem is that I am not too comfortable on the road, especially if there are cars on the road with me. But we have taken on about 4 or 5 10 mile rides...including one today. I was much more comfortable today , and did my best time. I still would prefer bike paths, but the truth is that we do not live in Oregon...( where they are everywhere.)
So , tomorrow it is a mock tri... 7 AM.... 200 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 2 mile run. I think I will finish... and may do ok.
All of this leads up to the real deal in two weeks. The Spring Sprint Tri in Claremore is a 400 yard swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run. I understand there will be 300 or more people there. My goal... to finish inside of the first 300 or so. :) (Really, it is just to finish.)
I am very thankful for my friend David, who is beginning to train other people. ( I will write more about him in the future.). And I am thankful that I have taken on this challenge and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads me. I have had alot of encouragement from several people and that is always good.
Ironman Triathalon? Well, it would be nice ...but I have a ways to go. I think I will just stick with some smaller challenges for the time being.
Thanks to all of you for your encouragement along the way.
Charlie
Sunday, March 21, 2010
"Undercover" greeter
Today was a snowy cold day in Oklahoma! That is never good on a Sunday. I did not preach today and had planned to visit a church in Broken Arrow, but roads were bad. So I went to FCC and hung out for the services... It was great! I don't get to talk to alot of people on Sundays...so this was a good thing!
I am watching "Undercover Boss" tonight. I can't really go undercover at the church...but I did have a moment today that reminded me of this show.
It was second service...attendance was low and we did not have a greeter at one of the doors. So I was just hanging there and decided to grab some service bulletins and started passing them out. I said, "Welcome to FCC! " then stuck my hand out and shook their hand.
What a great experience! Most preachers shake people out.... I was shaking people in ! People did not know what to make of it. Now, to be honest, most did not know that I was not preaching, so it kind of confused some people. But most people figured it out once they got in the worship center.
It was alot of fun. And while it was not "undercover", it still made me appreciate all the things volunteers do at FCC. It takes alot of different people doing different things to get a Sunday morning service up and running each week. Our Staff, ministry leaders and volunteers work hard. They know that they are BIG part of how people feel welcomed, cared for, and ministered to.
Thank you FCC volunteers! You are awesome.
I am watching "Undercover Boss" tonight. I can't really go undercover at the church...but I did have a moment today that reminded me of this show.
It was second service...attendance was low and we did not have a greeter at one of the doors. So I was just hanging there and decided to grab some service bulletins and started passing them out. I said, "Welcome to FCC! " then stuck my hand out and shook their hand.
What a great experience! Most preachers shake people out.... I was shaking people in ! People did not know what to make of it. Now, to be honest, most did not know that I was not preaching, so it kind of confused some people. But most people figured it out once they got in the worship center.
It was alot of fun. And while it was not "undercover", it still made me appreciate all the things volunteers do at FCC. It takes alot of different people doing different things to get a Sunday morning service up and running each week. Our Staff, ministry leaders and volunteers work hard. They know that they are BIG part of how people feel welcomed, cared for, and ministered to.
Thank you FCC volunteers! You are awesome.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Ready on the bench
If you are a part of a team, you want to play. But everyone can not play all the time. So some sit on the bench....sometimes for the whole season. But when you number is called, you have to be ready.
I sat on the bench alot in high school. I sat on the bench in college...but it did not matter because I loved being part of the team and I loved basketball. But there was a time when my team needed me. So I played. Neither experience produced anything dramatic, but it felt good to be on the floor.
That was not the case today for Kyle Kuric. Kyle plays for the Louiville Cardinals. They were playing #1 Syracuse in the last game at Freedom Hall. The place was charged up, emotional, and electric. You would not blame Kyle for thinking that he probably would not get in game. After all, it figured to be close.
Well..... The starting guard hurt his thumb and was out for the game. So in the second half, Kyle Kuric gets the call. And guess what???? Unknown and unheralded Kyle Kuric led the Cardinals to an upset victory of the #1 team in the land. Several steals, several rebounds, dunks, and a total of 22 points in the second half!
What a moment for Kyle Kuric! He was on the bench, but he was ready... He practiced hard, he knew his role, and then when he got the call, he put his heart out there and just played.
That is one of the great stories of this years College Basketball season.
Kyles story reminds me that even in practice, I should do my best.Much of life is practice. Much of life is full of the same things each day. But even in the mundane moments of life, there are points where you and I are being prepared for something significant in our lives. And when the call comes... we need to be ready to go!
There are no wasted moments in God's economy. And God loves surprises. I think about my friend in scripture , Peter... He spent some time on the bench....but he did not give up. Jesus got him in the game in John 21. Then in Acts 2, when the call came to him, he preached his heart out! He was ready...and boy did he preach! I love it!
Do your best in whatever you are doing, for the glory of God AND so you will be ready. It may seem boring...it may just seem like practice... the odds are you may not find yourself in the game...but You just never know when you might get the call.... and then it is your turn to shine.
I sat on the bench alot in high school. I sat on the bench in college...but it did not matter because I loved being part of the team and I loved basketball. But there was a time when my team needed me. So I played. Neither experience produced anything dramatic, but it felt good to be on the floor.
That was not the case today for Kyle Kuric. Kyle plays for the Louiville Cardinals. They were playing #1 Syracuse in the last game at Freedom Hall. The place was charged up, emotional, and electric. You would not blame Kyle for thinking that he probably would not get in game. After all, it figured to be close.
Well..... The starting guard hurt his thumb and was out for the game. So in the second half, Kyle Kuric gets the call. And guess what???? Unknown and unheralded Kyle Kuric led the Cardinals to an upset victory of the #1 team in the land. Several steals, several rebounds, dunks, and a total of 22 points in the second half!
What a moment for Kyle Kuric! He was on the bench, but he was ready... He practiced hard, he knew his role, and then when he got the call, he put his heart out there and just played.
That is one of the great stories of this years College Basketball season.
Kyles story reminds me that even in practice, I should do my best.Much of life is practice. Much of life is full of the same things each day. But even in the mundane moments of life, there are points where you and I are being prepared for something significant in our lives. And when the call comes... we need to be ready to go!
There are no wasted moments in God's economy. And God loves surprises. I think about my friend in scripture , Peter... He spent some time on the bench....but he did not give up. Jesus got him in the game in John 21. Then in Acts 2, when the call came to him, he preached his heart out! He was ready...and boy did he preach! I love it!
Do your best in whatever you are doing, for the glory of God AND so you will be ready. It may seem boring...it may just seem like practice... the odds are you may not find yourself in the game...but You just never know when you might get the call.... and then it is your turn to shine.
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