Guarantees

They only guarantee in life is that we will spend eternity somewhere.  I've come to learn that nothing else is guaranteed.  Loyalty sure isn't.  I was disappointed again today.  I shouldn't be surprised.  This isn't the first time they have done this.  I won't go into the details by chance they read this. This has nothing to do with my family or friends.  I guess being faithful and giving all you have means nothing.  Disappointment is just a part of life.  I'm sure I will get over this tomorrow and probably after I post this.  It just stinks especially when it hurts someone you care about.  Three times I'm out.

Making sense

I'm a high-capacity person.  I can handle juggling many things at one time.  Yet, this is a time where not much is expected of me.  My wife is slammed.  She is staying up to 2 and 3 in the morning working.  I could handle it fine yet I'm in place of boredom.  She, on the other hand, is overwhelmed.  I don't get it some times.  I wish I could reverse it.

The Process

I grew up in Tuscaloosa so I'm a big Alabama football fan.  Coach Nick Saban has been the coach for over a decade and we have seen 5 football national championships.   Coach Saban is known for "THE PROCESS."  He got the process from Dr. Kevin Elko.  The process doesn't look for wins or losses but to become the best person or team you can be.  The idea is if you follow the process the wins will follow. 

I wrote yesterday about being bored vocationally.  The good news is it has given me a lot of time to work on my D.Min classes.  The other benefit is it has molded me.   I always am moving and going.  I've had to just wait.  I don't like to wait.  I like control.  There, I said it.  I like to control my own destiny.  But for the first time in my life I have no resumes out.  I am talking to no churches or organizations.  I'm just being.  I don't pretend to understand what is going on.  I guess I need to focus on being the best me I can be.   I need to work the process.

Boredom

What do you do when you have done everything that is expected of your job and more and yet still are bored?  I have written extensively about the changes in my job over the last two years.  I love meeting people and helping them.  I liked that part of my job from the beginning.  I also liked it when I had the chance to lead a team of people.  I created leadership lessons and enjoyed seeing them grow.   Now the only one I'm leading is me.  I'm just bored.  O well.  Why couldn't I still have a leadership position and the opportunity to minister too? 

Serve Day Everyday

Our church does a Serve Day every July.  Our pastor says this is the one day he wants everyone who considers Church of the Highlands home to serve on this one day.  If you have read my blog enough you know that I eat, breathe and sleep outreach.  I found the Dream Center a few years ago.  Well, actually it found me.  I'm an adjunct professor at Highlands College.  One of my first students 5 years ago asked for prayer for an outreach he was doing at the Dream Center.  I asked if he needed help and he said sure.  I had the privilege of leading a few students to Christ that day.  I was hooked and went every time he had that outreach. 

The next May I was going through Step 4 of the Highlands Growth Track for the 5th time because I was going to start serving on the Online Campus Dream Team.  While I was there the student who was now on staff at the Dream Center named Kevin Farmer was at the Dream Center table with Pastor Jamil, the Woodlawn Campus pastor.  Jamil's wife worked at Highlands College and we knew each other.  They recruited me to go to the Dream Center and serve on one of the Saturday serves.  I went to the next one that happened to fall on the 2nd Saturday of the month.  I went out to this community called Kingston.  I sat back an observed as our team went door to door passing out groceries and inviting people to a block party.  After we knocked on a few doors I began speaking up to the people we were interacting with.

Next thing you know I had the opportunity to lead 2 or 3 people to Christ.  One of the Outreach people looked at me and said, "this is your first time?"  I said I'm kind of a ringer. lol.  I was hooked.  I kept coming back and said that I just wanted to go every month but didn't want to be on the leadership team.  Well, Robby Johnson wouldn't take no for an answer and so I've been serving as a Door-to-door leader for over 4 years. 

What I've learned is that God has given me a gift.  I don't know how to explain it.  It is not me.  I'm not a great salesman.  I'm an ok communicator.  But put me in an opportunity to share Jesus with people and the Holy Spirit kicks in.  So, Saturday our small group went with my team on Serve Day.  We saw 13 people give their lives to Christ just on our team!  Wow!  Serve Day is awesome, but serve day is every day.  I don't want to just minister on one day a year.  I want to share Jesus every day!

Random Thoughts

Last week was a busy one.  Lots of stuff going on in our household.  Life has challenges for even the best of families.  Not sure why God wants us to have some of the stress on us but it could be worse.  Vocationally, life is in a standstill.  I've never been more bored.  First time since I graduated from UAB that I'm not in a leadership position.  Why would God have me so passionate about leadership and not have me in a leadership position?  Not sure but maybe it is a time of humbling.  It sure has been.  Granted, I did this on my own but I couldn't do the leadership that was presented.  Nothing morally wrong with it.  Just wasn't for me and my family.   I pray James 1:5 and other wisdom verses every day.  Not sure how wise I'm becoming.  I'm having quality and meaningful devotion times.  I'm pretty fit physically.  We aren't broke.  Not rich either.   I don't know what's next.  We shall see.