Life with The Swell Guy!

Consumerism

Here is an interesting video. It is even more interesting after you watch this video that we saw at church on Sunday. I'll now leave you to ponder.

It's Tuesday-palooza!

We love our old trucks rumbling around The South. If you can tell what it is, you can still fix it!

 Tuesday-palooza celebrates life through noteworthy photos. Selection tends towards humor, southern life and laughing at ourselves & the things we do to occupy our time. Your comments, suggestions, and photo submissions are welcome.

A welcome message

Our friends Kevin and Cindy are down to visit from Pennsylvania. I thought this bumper sticker would be a great welcome message.

Top Gun

After a couple of long work days a few of us industry guys were treated to an evening at a full scale flight simulator by the gang at DIS. They had a training class in the briefing room and everything. All of us had a "call sign" assigned by our host. We were big boys. And we were little boys again. We laughed as we chased each other in the sky and shot each other down. I had a spectacular crash landing into the side of the aircraft carrier.

Note:  In the photo is friend Les Pilchek (call sign Blowhard) from Canada.  His wingman, Kyle (Slapshot) was the ace.

I've been walked over more than once...

Marcos took me down Hollywood Boulevard last Sunday evening for a quick look around. He said he had something to show me. It appears my star is right between Bruce Lee and BB King. Cool. 

How can you not love a vendor selling bacon wrapped hot dogs?!

It's Tuesday-palooza!

I'm thinking the lead car needs a camo paint job or at the very least, brown fur.  After all, why go half way?

Tuesday-palooza celebrates life through noteworthy photos. Selection tends towards humor, southern life and laughing at ourselves & the things we do to occupy our time. Your comments, suggestions, and photo submissions are welcome.

Welcome to LA

Me and Snoop Dog. Yeah, we are tight. Word.

Deeper

I remember going to Creation, a huge music festival, for the first time when our kids were entering their teenage years.  On the first night there was this band called Delirious? which had a new sound that was somewhere between straight-on rock, U2, and worship music. I was mesmerized by what they communicated and I could hardly want to lay my hands on some of their music.

One of their early songs was called "Deeper".  It spoke to the desire to be close to the heart of God.  That thought has been on my mind quite a bit lately. What does it mean to go deeper with Christ?

My pastor, David, has been speaking about hearing Christ speak to us. This is a confusing topic for many because we have not learned how to hear. We spend all this time waiting to hear some clear, booming, James Earl Jones voice when often Christ comes to us softly when we are quiet enough to wait and hear him speak. It takes patience and seeking to learn to hear Christ speaking in our lives. It is such a beautiful thing when we feel and know we are hearing him.

 

Having followed Christ for years I will tell you that it can be easy to live shallow. I know how to provide words and counsel based on the bible.  I can say the right words. I can do the works. I can keep relationships on the surface and simply say things that sound good and holy. But there is more. There is deeper.

 

Christ has invited us to join him. He wants us to know his heart. And he wants to know our heart. This requires deeper.  It takes work. When I decided to follow Christ at nineteen I told him it was all or nothing. I could not do it halfway. It is a commitment that I need to remind myself of on a regular basis.

 

Is the work worth the effort? When I work on my relationship with Christ I find myself more in tune with what is going on around me. I am a better husband. I am a more capable father. I am a better friend and I have greater impact in our community. It can be hard to explain, but that is what I have found.

 

Deeper, deeper. This is a prayer. This is how we learn and grow. Christ invites us to come and join him. The joining part is where the journey begins, not where it ends. And with every step he invites us to come and know him more. He invites us to greater love. It is there for us. We just must be willing and committed.

 

It is such a journey. Won't you come join me? I can help you when you fall and you can help me. Deeper.

I had to laugh...

So by the middle of the afternoon yesterday I felt like I as dragging a little and I figured I had $2 to spare. And after yesterday's post I just knew if I walked over to Starbucks I would see someone that I knew. As I rounded the corner I heard someone shout "Daddy Z" and looked over to see our girls in the parking lot. I peeked to see what they were carrying and it turned out they both had a Message bible. It was a pretty good laugh for all of us.