Here is your coupon!

I was hungry and focused on getting my sandwich from the local deli. I stepped out of my car and was approached by a little girl and her brother. No older than 7 or 8. They were armed with coupons for a discount at their mom's business. "Sir, would you like a coupon that will give you a discount?" I smiled. They were determined to accomplish what they had been asked to do. I leaned down, looked over the coupon and said, I would love to but I don't think I will be needing a Salon Style Haircut. I pointed up, smiled again and looked into her eyes. A little disappointed at first then a big smile came over her face. She politely said, "thank you" and walked back to the front of the Salon.

It left me thinking about their determination and focus. Just their willingness to speak to a man about getting a "Salon Style Haircut" was pretty impressive. Talking to a man with a haircut similar to this basketball was bold!

I read a story recently about Jonathan and the young man carrying his gear. Facing a hopeless situation Jonathan stated, "the LORD is able to do this great thing with a bunch or people or with just a couple." He was focused, not on the odds, but on the capabilities of his LORD. He couldn't loose, regardless of the outcome.
(for the story see 1 Samuel 14)

We all face huge battles everyday. Events and situations in which others seem more in control and determined to defeat you. And situations and events in which our own flaws seem to rule the day. How do you approach your day? Here are a couple of ideas I am trying. Nothing new, but good reminders.

First, Focus on the LORD of that situation and not the situation itself. Easier said that done sometimes, but constantly remind yourself to look upward. Know that God is able to prevail in this situation.

Second, have faithful people around you. "Do all that is in your heart," was the reply of the young man in the story. He knew that Jonathan honestly sought the LORD's glory and not his own. Let people speak into your life, honestly. Both supportive words and the hard constructive words. Easier said than done, again.

What battles are at your doorstep? Do you see the battle only? Can you refocus on some One bigger than the battle you face? Try giving coupons for a haircut to a bald guy. Big task, bigger God.

Captured at the Source...Really?

My bottle of water was captured at the source. It almost got away evidently but there was someone walking by with an empty bottle and he, or she, perhaps both, got it! Whew! I'd be thirsty if it hadn't gotten captured.

Usually when something is captured there is a great possibility that danger is involved. Some element of danger. Or the object itself is dangerous. And what about the source? If you catch something at the source it really hasn't had time to become dangerous yet, but there is potential.

I was captured a time or two, perhaps more.

As a teenager I was like all the other teens, as much as I hate to admit it! Determined to live according to my rules. Good rules I'm sure, but still, my rules. Those rules were usually at the mercy of testosterone. A wise young man began to teach me to take captive my thoughts. "They can be dangerous," he said. He showed me a verse that talked about other things to think about, "truth, noble, good, promote peace, good to talk about," etc... He said, "fill you mind with those things." He was smart. Tried to capture me at the source. And he must have, because I still remember those words. Mostly I remember him. I was captured by this man who loved his God. And he lived that love out in ways that captured our hearts. He was dangerous.

I was captured years later by the heart of another person. My wife. She saw what we could be together. She began the process of taming this wild heart in another way. She is still at it mind you. Taming me. I am still captured by her. And she was right. We are better together than apart. In the very deepest part of who I am, the source, she and I are one.

This blog is perhaps more for me than you. But perhaps you too have been captured. Of course I left out the most important One who captured me. I hope that is evident. He pursued me like I was guilty and His justice was about to be measured out on me. When He caught me that evening so long ago I understood that I was dangerous, to myself and others. He had every right to judge me. But His love was greater than my disregard for Him. His Son set me free as the source of life. That is a dangerous love. Now I get to share it.

When have you been captured? Do you realize just how dangerous you were? Are you dangerous now? For Him.

There's an App...

I have this love/hate relationship with technology. I had a TI-99 in the early 80's. Loved it for a while but then in school we worked on Apple IIC's and the Enhanced Apple II E's. Then It was IBM 386... and the list continued. Each one promised great things. They delivered for a short while. Now it is the iPad and iPhone, and Android based machines. Each one with great claims and limited delivery. Oh yes, then there are the applications. There is an App for about everything. I love them. I hate them. It continues!

No App can really deliver what I need. What is that you might ask? I would answer...Peace. Maybe a better word in our world is Margin. You know, the space between stuff. There are formulas for newspapers and books. Enough white space so the eyes are not overwhelmed. Life is like that too. We are great at adding one more detail, one more sport, one more book on the shelf, one more thing to have to manage or worry about, to our lives. When was the last time we took something away every time we added something? I usually buy more bookshelves or double stack the books!

There are apps that will help me manage my time, my notes, my inventory but they will not create the margin I need.
So I must ask myself, is life without margin worth it? Is there any real downtime in my life, or my family's lives?
What then can I do about it, you might ask?

First, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Wish I'd have coined that phrase. Sounds like a line from the Bible right? Ok, it is. God built into the lives of ancient Israel a weekly reminder. Then every seven years was a year of rest. Then every 50 years! Debts were cancelled. Built in margin. Life is good with margin. Not so good without it! Don't know that I'll write the word "sabbath" in my schedule, but I should put something down to save that space! I dare you to create some margin.

Second, unplug. This point is extremely uncomfortable for most of us. Listen for it. Silence. It is just not there any more. If you are a church goer listen the next time the person leading says, "lets have a moment of silence." It probably won't last more than 10 or 20 seconds. Time it. I dare you. You can always give that 20 seconds back to God on the way home. Just shut off the radio for a minute. If we are always bombarded with media then we have little time to actually process the good from the bad. Or let the good really take hold of us. Unplug.

Third, and perhaps most painful for me...simplify. How much time do I spend just making sure my stuff is taken care of, or working properly. My iPad needs to be charged a certain way for the battery to last the longest. I think about that. My guitar has to be kept at a certain humidity level. I think about that. Those are just two things. I dare you to begin to really simplify. I had a professor one time tell me after he moved to a new house there was one box that remained packed for a year. He didn't know what was in it. His wife asked what he wanted her to do with it. His response, "throw it away. If I haven't needed it for a year and I can't remember what is even in it, I don't need it." I cannot even imagine doing that!

There are app's for a lot of things. Some may help with these three issues, maybe. But odds are you can begin doing these things without a new app. Think about it: Margin; Unplug; Simplify.

Which is the hardest for you? I'd love to hear.

Dreams vs. Goals

Dreams are funny parts of our lives. Dreams are scary parts of our lives.  Dreams are exciting parts of our lives.
Which is it? And what do you do with them?

Dreams are not just those moments that invade our minds as we lie horizontal after the daily routine of life. They can be, but they are what inspires us to take a risk. They inspire us to believe we really can fly. I can fly in my dreams. Can you? My dreams are in color. How about yours?

We are told from the earliest days to dream big. Swing for the fence. Live like there is no tomorrow. You know the lines. But at some point dreams become the ammunition others fire at us. "Dreamer." "Idealist." Perhaps you've heard them before too. Perhaps you are guilty, as I am, of firing that ammo a time or two. We usually allow people to dream until they reach a certain age. Then it is time to grow up. Stop dreaming.

Dreams, however, need not fade like the sunset or fade like a rainbow from some storm on the horizon. A dream planted by God, and lived out for God, can bring excitement, fun and honestly, a little humility into our lives. Dreams are not accomplished in isolation but with the help of others.

God authored some pretty big dreams in the Bible. Three boys not bowing down because they had big dreams of remaining faithful when all bowed. Dreams bigger than a fire. One man who would stay faithful to his Lord even as he was being pummeled with rocks. Dreams bigger than fear of death. Two of the many. And people used their dream as ammo against them.

So how can you determine if your dreams are the stuff authored by the Giver of Dreams?

First. Ask who will receive praise and honor for this dream? Our Father? His Church? Only You? If this is a team effort, how will you handle it if someone else receives credit or gets more applause? (tough question)

Second. How does this show the love of God?
This is a tricky question. I've known people who've accomplished the dream of being a CEO of a purely secular company, yet used their resources for Kingdom purposes and were Godly the whole way up the ladder of success. God's love poured from them at each rung on that ladder.

Third. Is your dream big enough? (Have you settled? Did someone fire ammo at you and cause you to alter your dream so it looked more like a "goal?" -more on goals in a future post-)

So I ask you, do you still dream big? Do you help others dream, or accomplish their dreams? Or do you fire ammo at those easy targets?

I dare you to dream big again, and share those dreams.

Fire and Embers

I blame it on the Rockford files although my fascination with fire started much earlier. But on the promo for that show a malataf cocktail was thrown and exploded in the back of some old car. It was exciting. Fringe exciting. My young mind thought, "I can do that. I can be in control of the damage!"

Fire never works that way. Just listen to the stories about campfires, discarded cigerattes, careless matches. They seem to always end with, "I thought it was out." Never is.

Fire and Embers. The hot coals left after the fire has used all the fuel it can to produce a raging flame. Raw heat just looking for something else to consume.

There is a sentence I used to really like for the wrong reasons. "Pray for your enemies and by doing so you will heap burning coals on their head." That is the image I like to see when my enemies are winning. You can count on me to pray if hot coals will be the result!

I'd missed the point I think of this way of living. Just before that it talks about "vengeance belonging only to the Lord." So how do these things work together?

I love the Old Testament. Lots of stories. And lots of Fire and Embers. Problem is the Fire usually represents the presence of God and the Embers represent something being offered to God for Him to take care of, however He chooses. Jonah waited for fire to consume Ninevah...Didn't happen. But repentance did. I am afraid I might have been like Jonah. Angry that God's fire didn't reduce his enemies to embers and ashes.

So what to do about enemies?
First, do like we are told. Pray for them. Offer them up to God as a "burnt offering," symbolic of course, and by doing so the whole "burning coals" imagery can really take place. A great thing about a real burnt offering in the Old Testament world was it could never be taken back! If I'm really offering up my enemies to God, then I need to leave them with Him to do as he pleases. Perhaps they will repent. I hope I handle it better than Jonah. Perhaps they won't repent. It is up to God to deal with either situation. (Plus, what if they are praying for me (think burning coals on your own head!)

Second, the Fire of God is uncontrollable. Watch it consume someone and repentance happen. Then watch that fire touch all those around that person when they see what God has done! Sounds a little like the Love of God we see in the New Testament. "Love endures" Paul wrote. Love also consumes.

People try to put out the Fire of God all the time. But watch it spark up when it's the least expected. That is exciting and powerful, and a little scary. But it's bigger than me. And that is a good thing. Dare to let God's Fire consume you, and those around you!

What do you find is the hardest thing about praying for your enemies?

Mystery and the Panic Button

Yesterday it worked as it was suppose to. This morning...push the trunk release button and nothing. Had to actually get out of the car and use the key to open the hatch! I can hear it trying to open. I push the button more...push harder...push the release inside the car...still nothing opens. No access.Why? I don't like the mystery. I don't like it at all. The red button is a panic button. I am tempted to push it. It won't open the trunk, but maybe it will make me feel a little better. Maybe.

In my world, maybe yours too, there is little room left for mystery...for the "why" of situations that don't work the way they seemed to in the previous moment. It is frustrating. "We use to talk," "Where did all the money go?" "What is wrong with our kids?" "Why are the schools so messed up?" "Why is my church so frustrating?" "Why can't we get along?" "Why won't God answer the way He use to?" "I'm talking God, are you listening?" "I'm singing God, are you hearing?" "I'm trying to be faithful, can't you fix this?" Then we (or just me) starts doing all these things at a frantic pace, pushing all the buttons as fast as I can...nothing. Then the panic button seems to be the only option.

God seldom seems to work the same way twice. That doesn't make Him unreliable. I think it just means He is not trainable. There is more to what he is trying to accomplish than just "open" some new access point for me. God was shrouded in mystery in the Bible. "In the cloud" "Behind the curtain." "On the mountain." Few people saw clear pictures. Most just saw glimpses. His back. And that was almost too much.

Jesus cleared a little of the mystery and showed us God in the best way we might understand. Father. Abba. His peers didn't like that much. They didn't get it either. And Jesus loved to spend time with the Father.  Each moment was fresh, alive, new, or perhaps for Him, old and new. Out of His everyday life He could say, "I've shown you the Father." and those moments with the Father allowed Him to state boldly, "One of you will betray Me." "All of you will deny Me," "Feed My sheep," "Not My will, but Yours." Oh, and He never panicked.

Jesus believed that the Father was doing something big, and He lived each moment in faith. Even on the cross, "why have you forsaken me?" was a cry wrapped in pain. But Jesus remained on the cross to lay his life down. No one could take it from Him. He trusted in God's plan. Talk about a mystery!

When nothing seems open. My trunk, the heavens, even at times the Father, I will trust that He is listening and has some greater purpose that I can't see. Some great mystery that will work out for the good, because I love Him. I may not "like" the mystery...not at all...but I love my Father.

And may I always remember that God is not trainable. Don't hit the panic button. Get out, try the key.

From A Thousand Feet and the Ground

They were doing a fly over at a parade this summer so I took a picture. There is a man in the back of this helicopter taking a picture of us on the ground. I'd like to see his photo, just to see if I'm visible taking his picture at the same time. I wonder what he was trying to capture? Did he see something that was humorous? Something curious? Just capturing the moment? But even though this was a parade flyover they were prepared for a situation. They were in full uniform. Waiting for the call.

Tomorrow morning my daughters begin another year of school. My wife another year teaching 3rd graders the finer points of...being a third grader! Lots of interaction in all kinds of real life situations. Humorous situations. Curious situations. Some situations requiring urgent care.

When I think about the gravity of what tomorrow means for the ladies in my life I can sometimes feel a little overwhelmed. Will the boys begin to call my daughters. What if they do? What if they don't? What if my wife gets a tough class this year? What if...?

I am reminded of two things:

First, my God does not slumber or sleep the Bible tells me in Psalm 121:4. He doesn't get the nods and get startled back awake as Head bobs!  Over and over in the Bible the writers took great pains to let those seeking God know that He was with them, watching them, loving them. Even in the darkest days. Days of pain. God was there. The call was for faith even in the storm.

Second, God sees even the smallest detail and cares. Jesus said in Matthew 10:29 that not even a sparrow hits the ground without the Father knowing it and He cares for us more than many sparrows.

Tomorrow as my girls, all of them, begin this new season of living, I pray that in the sunshine or storm they, we, will know that our Father is watching us, caring for us...Loving us thoroughly.

I hope to remember that tomorrow morning when I wave goodbye. And when I pick them up. May they see in me a Faith that points them to our Father. He is always awake, in full uniform, waiting for the call.

Weeds & Friends in the Garden

I have never liked gardening. As a kid it was my job, and my lazy brothers, to weed the garden. And we would always put it off, or do a crummy job, until the weeds had stalks like tree trunks. Tomorrow morning I'll be out in my own garden, and guess how big the weeds are? That is right. Huge. Some are about as tall as me.
However, I do like finding these little friends in the garden. Horned Frogs have always fascinated me. As a kid we were told they could spit some type of poison that would blind you. That is a cool friend to have. I found this one last time I was doing some yard work. He was running around trying to avoid the mower. He did, as did his family. He had taken refuge in my forest of weeds. Problem is, I displaced him because the weeds never let the garden grow. So when the weeds went, so did his home. He could have had a home in a bed of watermelon. Or corn. I left him with weeds. And then I took them.

Got me thinking though about my life-long tendency to procrastinate. The job almost always has to be done anyway. It is never as easy when it has been put off, especially when I've been reminded of it by a loving wife, or just by walking outside and wondering what was blocking the sun. And I rarely put things off because I'm doing something important. (Just trying to be honest)

A friend of mine, the amazing Sarah Stapleton noted one of the things we are because God is our Creator:
1. We are Stewards of the resources we've been given. Of those resources Time is the most valuable commodity we have. I can earn money, buy things, show off my stuff. But not Time. All you have is all you need for that moment. And I can't save it up like rollover minutes. And how much of it do we waste? Ouch. Someone once said, "the worst form of murder is to kill time." Tomorrow I'll spend a lot of it on really big weeds. And in all likelihood I'll displace a few critters. I hope I'll be a better about my allotment of time.

2. The second thing I'm learning is about displacement. Not just the little fellow in the picture. What could I be doing with my time instead of extra hours in the weed-patch. I could be not sweating inside with my kids on a Saturday morning. I could be playing with them and building some great memories of this fleeting time that I have with them in my house. I could be gazing at my wife as the sun breaks through the windows and gently falls upon her peaceful slumber. I've displaced some great potential memories.

Be a good steward. Especially with Time.
What out for displacement. Sounds awkward. But someone always looses.

Running with Scissors

They told us not to run with these but how could these scissors do any real damage? All they can do to paper is bend it! That is what I learned in the first grade in Mrs. Wootan's class. That was about 35 years ago.
I was in Wal-Mart the other night. Behind me in line was  a familiar face. I ventured a guess. "Are you Mrs Wootan?" "Yes I am," came a friendly smile. She clearly didn't remember me. I received numerous swats from the woman. She couldn't be thinking about me. I introduced myself by my "grown-up" name. She smiled and we talked a few more minutes, as I said good-bye she called me by the nickname I quit using in about the second grade.
Busted.
But she still smiled and said goodbye, and God Bless you.
That is what I needed to learn in the first grade. Honestly, that is what I need to be reminded of every day. Of the blessing of God.
God knows me better than anyone, and He has chosen to bless me through His Son. And through so many other people in life. I am so tempted to only show my "grown-up" self to the people He sends my way. What a shame, honestly. If people cannot see the Grace of God in my life, in my broken, getting spanked, nicknamed self, how will they experience it in their real life?
It is still not a smart thing to run with scissors. But it is always advisable to share the blessing of God. Thank you Mrs. Wootan. God has blessed me, and you are evidence of the blessing.

Sad Day/Happy Day

July 4th, 2010- The roof of my Starbucks collapsed due to heavy rains. They ended up demolishing the store and have almost completed the rebuilding process 8 months later!

I’ll admit it, “My name is Donovan and I’m a Starbucks lover.” I worked for them for about 6 months during my post-graduate days and enjoyed every minute of it. Really. It wasn’t just the perks...free pound of coffee...drinks at a discount...insurance...but the people. The obnoxious people who are so exacting...”I want my shot pulled at 17 seconds and not 18 to 23 like the book says.” And she would watch closely. Or the one that would call his drink order wrong but believe it was right: “Venti, no foam, extra shot, mocha, half-caf, latte” Everyday...and ask, “got it right!” “No, but good try.” 

But most of all I loved what Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, calls the ‘third place.” Home is first. Work is second. Starbuck sought to become “third.” A place to relax and unwind and belong. Of the three stores I rotated between they each had a large group that clearly felt this was their “third place.” And I was a part of that. From the hello when they entered. Or when I’d call their drink before they ordered it, or just the questions about how things were done to make a drink correctly. There was a level of comfort that had to be achieved for the place to become “third.” It required me to get to know them in some way beyond the surface. It was a real challenge for some people. Others were ready to be known. 

So we wait for our Starbucks to open the doors. Soon I hope. But more than that we hope it can become our “third place” again. 

you can see more pictures by me and learn about my photography endeavors at donovansphotography.com

Better Now than Before

Do you remember Junior High Track...or even High School. In West Texas that means two things: 

1. Wind...without fail the wind would blow. Not a gentle breeze that cooled you down after a great race. A wind that almost stopped you every time you rounded a corner. Or a gust of wind that blew you backwards while trying to pole vault.

and...

2. Dust...is my gum suppose to be crunchy?

Enough about dust.

But today was a good day. Both wind and dust were present. But I didn’t have to run, jump, or fall. I pushed a button on my camera. It is much better now than before.

I used my Canon 7D with the 70-200 f2.8. What I was doing was playing with focusing areas. Tracking seemed better in the portrait view, as seen in this photo. When I used landscape position and adjusted the focusing area accordingly, the camera struggled to maintain focus. 

I met another man with the same setup. We had a lengthy discussion about the issue. Didn't resolve it but enjoyed the conversation. By the way, the young man in this photo won his heat. I didn't stay for the final but he will be a tough one to catch. 

This B-17 saw limited action in WWII but today serves as a reminder of the countless men and women who invested their very lives in preserving the freedoms that we take for granted every day. Once these machines served to wreak havoc on the enemies of freedom, now they are memorials-markers to remind us of where we've been and the course we must journey upon to ensure justice and peace.

What memorials are there in your life? Markers that point to the justice and peace that have been granted you? Daily reminders that give the direction of the path of justice and peace are vital for most of us. For the followers of Christ we are given the Spirit within and the Word of God to direct us. Each day we set out on the journey of life with a common goal. To be bearers of peace. That peace was purchased with a great price. The Son of God. He fought the battle I couldn't win. Justice for me comes through Him. Peace for me comes through Him. I look at the plane and I am thankful for the freedom I have. But the peace with God I have? May I remember that every day.

Do you ever feel like a lone tree covered with a dusting of snow? Memories of the sun are buried deep in your roots but the only flowing sap seldom seems to rise to the surface. Yet still you stand. Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

It is seasons of winter that the depth of your roots becomes apparent. Maybe not to you but to those around you. In the battle of life, yes, it is a battle, it is not until after the spring or after the thaw, that those who've made it can look back with a little perspective. And the beauty of trees that last, and people that grow through those times, is the shade they provide. Rest. Comfort. Strength. "He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in it season and its leaf does not wither and in whatever he does he prospers." Psalm 1:3

Refereeing Basketball

I spend most Saturdays in January and February refereeing games for Lubbock's Upward Basketball program that several of our churches host. I called about 5 games Saturday. I was tired. But I still kind of enjoyed it. Until I went to the store on my way home.
The thing about Upward Sports is it is a Christian based program and we encourage parents and the crowd to focus on the positive things thereby teaching the kids to do the same. It is pretty amazing. Even when I blow a call, which I do, occasionally, there is little negative feedback. I know I blew it and I work hard at not letting that happen so often.
But in the store getting some milk for the family a funny thing was happening. I had forgotten to remove my ref shirt. It looks pretty authentic. Just missing a patch that connects me to the UIL organization. But the shoppers didn't notice. I received some looks that let me know they had condemned me already for my role on the court. Someone tried to hand me their glasses to help me see. (not really:) ) But I stood out, in a not so pleasant way!

Guilt by association is a scary thing. I do it. Someone is dressed a certain way. Someone has certain mannerisms. Has too much hair. Or not enough (God forbid). Each of us has a list. Oh it is a secret list for sure, maybe shared with those we allow into our inner circle. But we have the list.
In Jesus that list was torn up. Thrown away. An early writer made a list of pretty bad people and said, "that's what some of you were, before..." but not now.

I'll remember to leave the ref jersey in the office next week, I hope. But more than that, I hope I leave my list as well. God looks at the hearts of people. I hope to see a little deeper as well.