Legacy

Goals: The Big 9 for ‘09

Last year I had set 16 goals for 2008.  You can look at how I did here.  Some of my goals were abstract and hard to evaluate.  My aim for this year was two-fold:  (1) Make sure my goals were concrete enough to measure progress and success (2) Make the goals memorable and easier to remember.  I decided to pick nine goals to go with the year, ’09.  I’m calling them, “The Big 9 for ’09.” 

As you look over them, you can see how each one can be easily measured.  For example, at the end of the week, if I haven’t spent one on one/face to face time with Luke, I have not met that goal for that week.  If we get Legacy Master’s Commission started in September, I’ve met that goal.

I post my goals simply so you can hold me accountable.  Feel free to ask me how I’m doing on my goals. Take a look at them and let me know what you think:

1.  Take Evie on a date at least once a month.

2. Spend one on one/face to face time with Alexa at least once a week (A Date w/ my daughter).

3. Spend one on one/face to face time with Luke at least once a week (Guy Time w/ my son).

4.  Read at least 35 books (Last year my goal was 25, and I read 26).

5. Complete my credentials with the A/G (Um, I did not come close to reaching this last year).

6. Increase Speed The Light giving to over $28,000 for the year (last year the goal was $10,000 and we hit $14,000).

7. Start Legacy Master’s Commission at Christ's Chapel in September of ’09.

8.  Begin implementing milestone’s 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the Legacy Milestones in our church.

9.  Complete Sozo training. 

Who Is My Neighbor?

Last Wednesday in the student service, we continued our series, Hope Lives.  In this series we are taking a first hand look at poverty and what we can do to end extreme poverty. 

We looked at the two greatest commandments Jesus gave, (1) Love the Lord with all your heart and (2) Love your neighbor as yourself.  The question that was asked for the night was, "Who is my Neighbor?" 

When Jesus gave the two greatest commandments, he was asked this question, and his answer was a story, "The Good Samaritan."  In this story a Jewish man was robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the side of the road.  A priest and a Levite passed him by without offering assistance, but a Samaritan, whom the Jews despised, stopped and not only assisted him, but put him on his donkey, carried him to an inn, took care of him overnight, and payed the inn keeper to keep him there until he was restored to health. 

So, to answer the question, "who is my neighbor?", Jesus' answer was whoever is in need that crosses our path. 

I challenged the students to open their eyes throughout the week and find one person in need that crossed their path, and do one kind thing for them to help meet their need.

If you live in the Northern KY/Greater Cincinnati Area today is a perfect day to meet a need!  If you look around your street you will find a driveway that needs shoveling.  Perhaps it is an elderly person, or someone with a disability.  It could be a woman whose husband had to go to work and won't get home until later.  It is a simple way of meeting the need of a neighbor and showing them the love of Christ in a practical way. 

If you do venture out to shovel a neighbor's driveway, they may offer you money.  I challenge you to kindly refuse their offer.  Tell them it is an honor to shovel their driveway, or suggest that they give that money to their favorite charity or to their church. 

If they offer you homemade brownies...well now that is a different story!

Do You Know Your Neighbors?

I read a heartbreaking article this morning about an eight year old boy who spent 10 days with his dead mother, Gaynell Tipado, before the authorities or anyone, for that matter, found out.  The family moved to Romulus, Michigan after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  The boy was home-schooled, has no siblings and his father died several years ago, authorities said. The child is in foster care while police try to locate his other relatives.

This article has me asking myself, how well do I know my neighbors?  Could this happen where I live on my street?  How well do you know your neighbors?  I'm sure the cold weather played a factor in taking so long for anyone to find out Mrs. Tipada had died, but it is still sad that it took so long.

I am recalling what Jesus said when a man asked him, "Who is my neighbor?"  Jesus responded to the man's question by telling the story of The Good Samaritan. 

How wrapped up in our daily lives are we?  Are we looking out for our neighbors and showing them the love of Christ like the Good Samaritan, or are we so busy that we pass by and not even notice what is going on around us like the priest and the levite? 

Starbucks Offers Free Coffee to Volunteers

From tomorrow, 1/21, through Sunday 1/25, participating Starbucks locations across the U.S. are offering a free tall brewed cup of coffee to people who pledge five hours of volunteer time to their community.

President Barack Obama has called on all Americans to get involved in making our country a better place through selfless service. Starbucks and HandsOn Network are helping by coordinating this nationwide call for commitment to coincide with Obama's inauguration as President. They have even set up a web site at pledge5.starbucks.com that will have a list of community service opportunities. If you'd like to see your project included there (as long as it's for a non-profit organization), you can use the form at starbucks.com/customer/contact_forms.asp?nav=3f to apply for inclusion.

Hot Pockets!

For those of you who have ever burned your mouth on a hot pocket or lean pocket (dieters) check out this video.  Jim Gaffigan is hilarious. 

It Runs In The Family

A few days ago, my wife noticed that Luke (our four year old son) was taking a long time in the restroom, so she went in to check on him.  This picture is what she found.  You know, sometimes these things can really wipe you out! 

New Series: Hope Lives

Tonight, weather permitting, the Christ's Chapel students will begin a new series called, "Hope Lives."  This is a Compassion International sponsored series in which we will take a first hand look at poverty and what we can do to erase it.  This interactive series will not only be entertaining, but will shed light on just how rich we are compared to the rest of the world and give us ways to make poverty history!

Along with the series, there is a Hope Lives book that reads like a five week devotional.  Here is an excerpt from the book:

The American dream is alive and well, the dream of the good life.  I see it around me--in my friend who started her own dog-biscuit business and in my country-bumpkin friend who became a doctor.  I think of them and remember the immigrants who streamed here looking for a life of choice and possibilities.  And I like to think that when these immigrants first saw America they ”held (their) breath in the presence of this continent...face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to (our) capacity for wonder.”3  The American dream is the dream of each person--the wonder at what could be if we were just given opportunity.  A desire for a life of freedom, happiness and prosperity.

I see how far we’ve come and how the American dream is really the hope of each heart...but still I wonder whether it has drifted from its original glory.  I look at my life and wonder.  I wonder if we’ve forgotten it.  Sometimes it seems as if the once noble pursuit of the American dream has diminished--diminished into a selfish and busy grab for the good life.

Hope Lives, A Journey of Restoration, pp. 25-26, Amber Von Schooneveld

Tell CVG: End sky-high fares

If you live close to the Cincinnati/Northern KY International Airport you know how incredibly expensive it is to fly out of the airport.  In fact, Cincinnati is the most expensive airport in the United States to fly out of most of the time throughout the year.  Usually my family and I drive to Louisville, Dayton, Columbus or Indianapolis because the price out of those airports is significantly lower.

Here is an on-line survey that is sponsored by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber: On-line Survey

This survey will allow you to let the airport know what impact its prices are having on you.

NFL Playoffs: Fun to Watch

Since my team was out of the playoffs in September, this playoff season has been fun to watch.   Three out of four of the visiting teams won this past weekend, which is unheard of in the NFL.  Just about every game has been a gritty, defensive battle.  The coolest thing to watch, in my opinion, is the Arizona Cardinals march through the NFC Playoffs.  Analysts from east to west are scratching their heads and have no idea how they keep winning!  Gotta love the underdog!  Go Cards!

He Is Not Silent: An Instrument to Hear Him

In the room you are in right now there is music playing all around you.  You might not hear it, but radio waves are belting out tunes that you can pick up if you have the right device: A radio.  The same is true of God's voice. 

To hear God's voice we must first realize that God is not human, and His first language is not English.  Just like we can't hear the music without a radio because our human bodies were not designed to perceive radio waves, the gift of prophecy was given to us by God as a way to hear from Him.  God is constantly speaking to us, but we cannot always perceive what He is saying without this incredible gift! 

In 2 Kings 6:10-17, as the enemy (the king of Aram) was surrounding Elisha and his servant, Elisha's servant was scared for his life.  Elisha prayed to God that his servant's eyes would be opened to see that God was with them.  The servant's eyes were opened, and he saw that "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha," and that they were perfectly safe. 

This prophetic gift is available to us today from God.  With it we can perceive what is happening around us in the spirit world.