Treadmills

March 10th, 2010 by Jason No comments »

As I slide the key into the door this morning, I reached up to my arm and press the start button.

Well I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind
I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time
But I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon
I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah  – 3 Doors Down Krytonite

I walked across the room, hopped up on the treadmill and pushed the start button.

And if I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
If I’m alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?
I’ll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite

And I was off, running hard, working hard, sweating up a storm, but going nowhere – just looking at the handsome man in the mirror. ( no that was not the person on the machine beside me!).   I so dislike running on treadmills, but sometimes when I travel I will do it.  It feels to0 monotonousness.  It feels so binding, and so mechanical.  I like the variety, the wind in your face, the change in terrain, and challenge of getting out there and being a apart of it.

Wow!  sounds like our lives sometimes doesn’t it?  Running hard, sweating up a storm, but going nowhere.  Feeling mechanical, bound – going through the motions.  Afraid to engage, staying safe in the exercise room called ourselves.

It reminds me of a Matthew West song  “Motions”

No regrets no this time

Just ok is not enough

I don’t want to go through the motions,  I don’t want to live one more day.  without your all consuming passion inside of me.

What if you had given everything..

Today, lets get off the treadmill of life.  Work to get out of your place of safety, use the bold spirit you have been blessed with and fully engage. 

13Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

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Go Go Joe!

March 9th, 2010 by Jason No comments »

A few weekends ago I traveled up the road to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with some local high schoolers and my family to take in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.    It’s a great and fun show, and the tunes have been stuck in my head for weeks. There was one part of the movie that has stuck with me.  It’s after Joseph has been betrayed the second time (  the first by his brothers, the second by Potiphar).  He sits in jail with no hope.  No way out.  No chance.   It’s in this moment that Joseph sings about how he doesn’t matter and that his life is not important.  But right there in that same moment, the narrator starts to sing to him “Go Go Joe, Go Go Joe”.  In the midst of his despair she starts to encourage him and finishes her encouragement with “We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”.  Its a funny line, but a really really powerful line. 

That’s the part of Joseph we can relate to.  I don’t tell dreams, I don’t have twelve brothers and I dont have a multicolor coat ( oh, well, yes I do…)  .. but really, I can relate to feeling at rock bottom, to feeling that you are alone, or that you have no hope.  And I caught myself rejoicing in my mind when I heard her singing”  We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”  It reminded me of my of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs - I Will Rise

There’s a peace I come to know, though my heart and flesh my fail, there’s an anchor for my soul ,I can say it is well, Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed, the victory is won, he is risen from the dead, and I will rise!

Yes!

We have read the book, we come out on top.

 24See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25 

 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Galatians 3:26-29

And if you are not sure what happens to Joseph or if just you want to see a great show, my son and nephews will be in a rendition of “Joseph” along with the high schoolers at Boyd Buchanan this weekend.  Three shows – 7 on Friday night, 2 and 7 on Saturday.  Come out there and enjoy a great show and rejoice that we come out on top!

Enjoy the day you have been given – its a day closer to the promise.

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Cold Iron

March 8th, 2010 by Jason No comments »

Today I engaged that in that old battle.  One that I have engaged in many times over the last several years.  The battle with the hotel iron.  Yes, thats right, the battle with the iron to get your clothes presentable after squooshing them in the luggage!

This morning I thought I had it whipped.  I put in some water, turned in on high and when to town on my shirt, only to see wrinkles that would not go away.  Argh!  I really hate to iron anyway, its a neccassity of life, that I find so mundane.  So, back to the story, I then reallized, that is was not producing enough steam.  I puledl it into the sink, filled it to overflowing with water, and then though the cloud of mist and steam, I could see a nice flat pressed shirt appearing on the iron board.

Aren’t we like that some times.  Just not full enough to be effective?  There’s nothing more irrating then ironing with a cold iron – ironing with an iron that is not operational.  Whats the purpose?  Its a waste of time.  There is no impact on the clothes.  You can press harder, move it faster or yell at it, and it doesn’t matter, a cold iron is just that - a cold iron.

In the famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, Jesus mentions something like this:

 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

He tells us that we are to be effective, useful and impact others.  Today, don’t be unsalty salt, don’t be an unlit candle, don’t be a cold iron.  Fill yourself up, turn the steam on high, and impact what you touch.

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Pending Setup

March 5th, 2010 by Jason No comments »

Well, that’s the state of my March Fourth Project!   In order to get my little project complete from yesterday I needed to set up a database.  Usually the GoDaddy application installation happens in like twenty minutes.  But I guess they were out last night making another Go Daddy girl commercial, because my database install did not go anywhere, and my project was once again cast back to the procrastination pile!

The funny thing is that is how my day started as well.  I just could not get started this am.  Hitting the snooze alarm, waiting as long as I could to do anything I needed to this morning – its like my brain was Pending Setup.  So after asking Andrew his spelling words for his test today ( its Friday you know – that means Spelling Tests),  I ask him to recite his memory verse one more time.  (He also has to memorize a verse of the bible each week that he recites on Friday. )  He spat it out:

33Whatyou should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. (Matt 6:33 ERV)

And then it hit me.  That was what I need to complete the setup and get this day going.  Forget about the mundane stuff that is sure to happen today, just focus on God’s Kingdom and what he wants you to do.  That’s motivating me today – I hope it helps you as well.  Enjoy the Day!  It is Friday, and Spring is in the air!

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March Fourth and Do Something

March 4th, 2010 by Jason No comments »

Its here, the only day of the year that also a command.  March Fourth!  Its a day to get up and go.  Its seems this would be a better day to start with resolutions then Jan 1 when you are all tired from the Holidays.  Plus it’s sound so strong and energetic – March Fourth!

Today, pick something that you have had laying around that you have been wanting to do, and just get it done.  I am going to spice up the front page of this site a bit, so that http:\\www.butcherville.com actually has some content, even though my friend Blue Line has returned to be with me all day today and tomorrow!  What are you going to do? Can’t think of anything?  Here are a few suggestions:

  • share the Daily Buffet with a friend, I know you have been wanting to- maybe some one else is as crazy as you and find encouragement through through this bit of text.
  • mow your lawn ( ok not really)
  • say a prayer for Tennessee Jed.  I have spoken with him a little this week, and he is still struggling with lots of stuff.

It’s amazing how many things we want to do, however  we never stop and take the time to do.  Its like that in all aspects of life – even our spiritual lives.  We have high intentions, but find ourselves wandering.  Sometimes its the battle within ourselves that prevents us from getting things done. Check out Galatians 5.  This is an interesting verse, especially around the end of the 17th verse.

Galatians 5:16-18 (New International Version)

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Which is it that we want to do, that we do not do – the sinful nature, or the desire of the Spirit? Anyway. which are you going to let lead you today?  March Fourth leave the flesh behind and be led by the Spirit, then watch what happens!  Do it today – March Fourth!!

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