Hit and Run!

Eye witnesses stated the dog was simple crossing the walkway when the dump truck sped around the corner at a high rate of speed. The dog, whose info has not been released until his family has been notified, took the blow straight to the head and was found unconscious by EMS upon arrival to the scene. This photo was taken of the driver checking on the victim before fleeing the scene. Authorities have not been able to identify the hit and run suspect, but did find traces of Cheetos and Chocolate Milk inside the abandoned vehicle.

Not Me!

I read this while on my trip last week. I thought I would share it now since the feeling has started to come back in my toes!

No, no, our "word for today" is not from a cartoon - but I do occasionally see something enlightening in a little comic strip called "Family Circus." For example, there was this one where the house is a total disaster - and Mom walks in. The look on her face tells you that Mt. Vesuvius is about to blow. She has one and only one question - "Who did this?" Well, Dad and the children are all innocent, of course. Apparently, the house must have just exploded and made itself a mess. But when Mom presses the question for who should be held responsible, one of the kids cleverly replies: "It was the ghost of 'not me'!"

I want to have A Word With You today about "The Answer in the Mirror."
That ghost of "not me" really gets around. There are a lot of folks who see almost every problem, every conflict, every mistake that way. Whoever is at fault, it certainly isn't me! Sadly, those folks continue to be the common denominator in one problem after another because they simply cannot see, or admit, their blame for anything. That's what destroys marriages, and children, and friendships, working relationships, churches - you name it. Mature people, on the other hand, are those who can look in the mirror and honestly see their part of the blame.
Our word for today from the Word of God - Proverbs 16:2 -provides this insight: "All a man's ways seem innocent to him..." Man, that is so true! "They did it! They caused the problem. I'm a victim! It's their fault." Never me. Always them. We have this amazing - and perverted - ability to see ourselves as usually being in the right, of bearing little or no blame for the problem, of seeing our own complete innocence and someone else's complete guilt. If you are to any degree like that, I can almost guarantee you are leaving behind you your own personal "trail of tears."
That verse in Proverbs 16says, "All a man's ways seem" - notice - "seem" - "innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord." See, when God looks at the situation, He sees what's really going on inside us and holding us responsible for the part that we have done wrong. I'm happy to repent for other people's sins. I need to be quick to repent of my sins.
Sadly, those who tend to see the fault as being in the other person find themselves trapped in a repetitious cycle of friction, unhappiness, self-pity, negativity, destructive talk, anger, hurt, and a constant state of what I call "un-peace." It's a lousy way to live. You live that way until you finally see the trail of brokenness behind you and you realize that you were a common denominator in all or most of that unhappiness. That's when you stop blaming others and you finally experience what Jesus promised - "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). And the truth is, the man or woman in the mirror has been wrong, has shared the blame, has apologies to give, as well as some forgiving.
I saw a simple but profound little sentence on a church sign recently. It said: "God, I have a problem. It's me." That kind of prayer is the only place some of us are ever going to find any healing, any happiness, any peace. Not "I have a problem - it's them," but "it's me." That admission can save a marriage, a relationship with a child, the unity of a church or a ministry, or a relationship that's too valuable to lose.
It's not my brother, not my sister, but it really is me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer! The answer is in the mirror ... and then on your knees.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries 11-10-2003

Yoda and Goliath

Today Caleb and I were watching a cartoon episode of Star Wars the Clone Wars. In this Episode Jedi Master Yoda had to fight his way through giant tanks, robots and a jungle. Caleb jumped up in my lap and expressed his concerns about the situation Yoda was in. Caleb told me, “Yoda is old, slow, and small. Yoda will never make it!” I simply stated “Remember Caleb, little guys can do big things.” Of course Yoda made it and saved the day.

Caleb turned to me and said, “Dad, Yoda is like David and the bad guys are like the Philistines and the tanks are like Goliath. David listened to God and wasn’t afraid and neither was Yoda, but instead of a slingshot, Yoda used a Light Saber.”

I guess he does listen!

My Name. ( For Kaity)

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car):

Patches Z-71

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie):

Vanilla Oatmeal

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal):

Orange Horse

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born):

Wayne Ruston

5. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink):

The Blue Dr. Pepper

6. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers):

Jim James

7. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ):

Ann Louis

8. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter):

Jones Jonestown

9. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower):

Fall Iris

10. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + ie or y):

Apple Shorty

11. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree):

Toast Oak

12. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”):

The Fishing Rain Tour

Kung Fu

Sunday 5:20pm

Joel- Caleb help Dad sweep up the food Ainsley dropped on the floor.

Caleb- Cool Dad! Do I get to use the big broom?

Joel- Yes you can. Dump the food over the fence for the sheep and donkey please.

Caleb- No problem.

Sunday 5:31pm

Caleb- Dad....... I think I may be in big trouble.

Joel- Where is Noah?! What happenend?

Caleb- Well I was practicing Kung Fu and I broke the "sweep thing".

Joel- Where is it?

Caleb- In the Fence.

Joel- How fast do you think you threw that thing?!

Mr. Jonas

Let’s just imagine that I’m some famous Hollywood actor that has pulled in a record 80 million dollars in the last 12 months, because my two movies I made this year have done so well. Then I travel back to my home town of Choudrant , Louisiana and I drive up to a random family and I give them a Play Station 3, 52” LCD Flat Screen TV, and a Minivan. Now I’m on the TV and Radio for giving back to my roots, and saving Christmas for a family. I’m a hero and people are told they should be like me and give to others the same as I have. Holy Smokes! I’m better than Santa.

Now imagine that someone has written a letter to a local radio station on behalf of my family, because my family has had a hard year and I’m not going to be able to buy the movies, bikes, clothes, video games, and the MP3 players my kiddos need in order to have a good Christmas. So the radio people put me on the air, give me all the stuff, tell how much it’s worth, where my friends can buy if they want it, and assure me my troubles are over. The letter makes people cry on their way to work. It’s replayed on the radio a couple of times in the morning just to make sure everybody gets a chance to listen and feel all nice inside. Not everybody’s happy though. Some people in Radio Land thought my family didn’t sound thankful enough on the phone at 5:00AM in the morning, and call the station and say they know a family a little more deserving of such a gift and the stuff should be taken from me. How rude of my family.

Now a man gives you a dollar bill with a challenge attached to it. You clip it to the front of your wallet and look at it for weeks. You want to do something really outstanding with it. Something that will change the world, but you have not a clue what to do with it. So every time you pull out of the wallet it’s looking at you. Asking you “What are you going to do with me?” It’s frustrating you begin to think you have failed in some small way. Look at Mr. Movie Star and the Radio people. They changed those people’s lives. It’s just a stinking dollar!

Now you are standing in line at the fancy nice gas station that has great coffee waiting eagerly to pay for your own brew, so you can get back to work and accomplish all the things set before you. When the older gentleman in front of you realizes he left his wallet in the car. You sigh wondering now how long this matter is going to take when the other register opens “Next in line please”. Yeah! You pull out wallet and you see the dollar. “Excuse me sir, I’ll get your coffee.” “I appreciate your help son.” The older gentleman rushes out to his car to get a dollar to repay you. You politely say “No” and he replies “Why want you take this dollar from me?” and you say “Because it’s not mine……” and “Merry Christmas and God Loves You Very Much” and you leave with a new friend, and 3 cents left from that stinking dollar to use to change the world.

Christmas Decoration

This is a photo of one of my old High School friends from East Texas Christmas decorations.

Let the comments begin!

(I know your laughing Mandy, because you have these friends too!)