Rejection is no fun. Just stop for a moment and feel it………it hurts egh?

No one likes to be told “no” or “you are not good enough.” And even more painful than the rejection, is the message that comes with it. Messages like: you’re fat, you’re an idiot, you’re stupid or you’re a failure etc… and then we start to agree with it and take it on as our identity.

We begin to play the part and be that funny guy in the crowd who is scared that you really will not like him if you knew the “real him.”

or

We agree that we will always be the overweight guy and we just make the best of it.

Jesus constantly dealt with rejection and identity. Think about all the stories of the Pharisees and other religious leaders not to mention the populous. He was constantly defending who He was. Even His disciples rejected Him in His most desperate of hours….think Peter and his 3 denials.

Then, as we see in the cartoon, there is the relationship rejection. Wow… these are tough. Think back to your first love that went sour or being told no at a dance when you were younger.

All this came up for me when some work I had done had been rejected by a potential client.  I was hearing all types of accusation.  Feeling as though I had failed =s I am a failure; feeling as though I screwed up =s I’m a screw up etc…

But that was not true!

Rejection and the message of it is directly linked to our identity. Christ did not agree with the messages that came with his rejections. He knew who He was and we should too.

I was able to come away from the situation and hear the truth.

It has taken sometime for me to understand my identity and situations, like that above, have journeyed me along. Not only my personal identity, who I am etc…., but my identity in Christ. It has taken a major journey and that journey is ever expanding. It’s a mythic story that God is creating in me and all around me. It’s a fun journey.

John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart, deals with identity in his first book the Sacred Romance. Below is an excerpt I’d like you to read about this theme.

We are not what we were meant to be, and we know it. If, when passing a stranger on the street, we happen to meet eyes, we quickly avert our glance. Cramped into the awkward community of an elevator, we search for something, anything to look at instead of each other. We fear to be seen. But think for a moment about the millions of tourists who visit ancient sites like the Parthenon, the Colosseum, and the Pyramids.

Though ravaged by time, the elements, and vandals through the ages, mere shadows of their former glory, these ruins still awe and inspire. Though fallen, their glory cannot be fully extinguished. There is something at once sad and grand about them. And such we are. Abused, neglected, vandalized, fallen—we are still fearful and wonderful.

We are, as one theologian put it, “glorious ruins.” But unlike those grand monuments, we who are Christ’s have been redeemed and are being renewed as Paul said, “day by day,” restored in the love of God.

Could it be that we, all of us, the homecoming queens and quarterbacks and the passed over and picked on, really possess hidden greatness? Is there something in us worth fighting over? The fact that we don’t see our own glory is part of the tragedy of the Fall; a sort of spiritual amnesia has taken all of us. Our souls were made to live in the Larger Story, but as Chesterton discovered, we have forgotten our part:

“We have all read in scientific books, and indeed, in all romances, the story of the man who has forgotten his name. This man walks about the streets and can see and appreciate everything; only he cannot remember who he is. Well, every man is that man in the story. Every man has forgotten who he is. . . . We are all under the same mental calamity; we have all forgotten our names. We have all forgotten what we really are. ”

(The Sacred Romance, 92, 94)

You are not rejected! You are a new creation!

And so much more.

Tags: Cartoon, Eldredge, Identity, Men, Rejection

THE SHOTGUN RULES

Are you tired of having fights with your friends every time you go to or out for dinner on who gets to sit next to the driver? Believe it or not there are millions of semi strict and/or goofy rules that determine who gets to sit in the shotgun…mostly all made by individuals trying to manipulate their way into the front seat.

The Theory

The term “Shotgun” refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. “Calling Shotgun” is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one’s self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile.

The History
The history of calling “Shotgun” goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving. This left him and the occupants of his wagon susceptible to sneak attacks from bandits and thieves. To avoid this atrocious circumstance it became necessary for one person to sit next to the driver with a shotgun and fend off the enemy.

Defending against bandits is no longer the priority of Shotgun however, but it has evolved into a pre-driving ritual that is experienced before almost every car ride across America and even the world. Because of the obvious evolution that has already occurred with Shotgun, we ask you to consider Shotgun as a living entity and be aware that it is always changing for the better good of society.

Section I
The Basic Rules

1. In order to call Shotgun, the caller must pronounce the word “Shotgun” in a clear voice. This call must be heard and acknowledged by the driver. The other occupants of the vehicle need not hear the call as long as the driver verifies the call.

2. Shotgun may only be called if all occupants of the vehicle are outside and on the way to said vehicle.

3. Early calls are strictly prohibited. Shotgun may only be called while walking toward the vehicle and only applies to the drive immediately forthcoming. Shotgun can never be called while inside a vehicle or still technically on the way to the first location. For example, one can not get out of a vehicle and call Shotgun for the return journey.

4. The driver has final say in all ties and disputes. The driver has the right to suspend or remove all shotgun privileges from one or more persons.

Section II
Special Cases

These special exceptions to the rules above should be considered in the order presented; the case listed first will take precedence over any of the cases beneath it, when applicable.

1. In the instance that the normal driver of a vehicle is drunk or otherwise unable to perform their duties as driver, then he/she is automatically given Shotgun.

2. If the instance that the person who actually owns the vehicle is not driving, then he/she is automatically given Shotgun, unless they decline.

3. In the instance the the driver’s spouse or date for the evening is going to accompany the group, he/she is automatically given Shotgun, unless they decline.

4. In the instance that one of the passengers may become so ill during the course of the journey that the other occupants feel he/she will toss their cookies, then the ill person should be given Shotgun to make appropriate use of the window.

5. In the instance that only one person knows how to get to a given location and this person is not the driver, then as the designated navigator for the group they automatically get Shotgun, unless they decline.

6. In the instance that one of the occupants is too wide or tall to fit comfortably in the back seat, then the driver may show mercy and award Shotgun to the genetic misfit. Alternatively, the driver and other passengers may continually taunt the poor fellow as they make a three hour trip with him crammed in the back.

Section III
The Survival of the Fittest Rule

1. If the driver so wishes, he/she may institute the Survival of the Fittest Rule on the process of calling Shotgun. In this case all rules, excepting I-4, are suspended and the passenger seat is occupied by whoever can take it by force.

2. The driver must announce the institution of the Survival of the Fittest Rule with reasonable warning to all passengers. This clause reduces the amount of blood lost by passengers and the damage done to the vehicle.

Please follow the above rules to the best of your ability. If there are any arguments or exceptions not covered in these rules, please refer to rule I-4.

Above rules compiled from: www.shotgunrules.com as well as other blogs with my own twist. Like I said, manipulation.

Any funny stories out there about a shotgun call?

Tags: Car, Lists, Shotgun

I love my husband and on the 9th, Greg and I celebrated our 7th anniversary. This past weekend, we were able to have a great weekend alone and while we were walking around I saw some soft pretzels. The pretzels birthed desire; desire turned into hours of preparation/work; preparation/work turned into soft pretzels. Wonderful pretzels. All the hard work melted in our mouths. Wow they were good.

I thought it would be cool to get Jackson to help. We had a very good time. Below are some precious pictures that Greg took!

Tags: Baking, Pretzel, Recipe

I love baseball.  I love to play it!  I love to watch it!  I love all the accoutrements around it!   From the smells and sounds to the history and the feel of the seams, it’s a classic game and purely American.

Baseball is perfect for fathers and sons.  It lends itself to great times spent together and that was no different for me.

When I was growing up, I was in a neighborhood of baseball players.  We’d play Wiffleball and stick ball.  My brother and dad, as well as other guys in the neighborhood, would create a ball field in the corn field (they didn’t come.)  What awesome times we’d have playing ball and acting as if we were different major league players.

God used the baseball field as a training ground for me.  It taught me and allowed me to begin to walk in the areas of discipline, team work, hard work and focus.  It taught me how to listen to instruction and how to trust a coach.  The best thing it did for me though, was to give me a place for my father to delight in me.

My dad loved to watch me play baseball!  He was very encouraging and never missed a game.  When I was younger, he would play catch with me, took me to my practices and even stayed after long days at work.

There was this one time when I was 12 or so and playing in a game with the game on the line, that I came up to bat.  I hit a home run to win the game and as I was rounding 1st base I heard my dad say “hot oh mater” and throw his hat in the air.  It was a great moment and as trivial as it might sound it really meant a lot to me.

See, from all this, I gained a deep sense of love and acceptance.  I knew without a doubt that I was the beloved son and as I got older and played against harder opponents, I began to realize that I was God’s beloved as well.

There was a year of transition in baseball when I was 15.  I was having a great year, hitting over 400 with lots of RBI’s and HR’s.  My dad was very proud of me but that was also the year that my church when on it’s first mission trip to NY.  I had to choose.  I remember dad encouraging me to follow my heart.  It just really hit me today.  I remembered that he said, “son, do what you feel is right.”  I choose to go on the mission trip.  Those trip were such a catalyst to my days now as a missionary.

I miss my father.  I really am disappointed that he cannot be a paw-paw to my son, know my family or experience me as a man.  He passed away in 1999 when I was 21 and for reasons I am still not sure of, I lost a lot of my memory of my father shortly after he passed.  I have been asking God for years to restore my memories, bad or good, and I have been very thankful that God really has been flooding me with memories.

On this father’s day, I am so proud of my son and the blessing of time I have with him.  I am thankful that he will know that he is my beloved son and like I learned from my father, that we are God’s beloved son.  He is well pleased!

I love being a father.  It is one of the best things of my life and what a privilege.  I am excited to continue my delight of my son, whether it is playing a sport like baseball or reading a book, I am really looking forward to being apart of all these types of things and letting him know how proud of him I am.

Ultimately, God is our Heavenly Father and must continue our fathering.  He is our true daddy and whether you had a great dad or a dad that hurt you and never let you know that you were a beloved, you must now go to God for that love and instruction and allow Him to Father you.  To learn more about how to deal with your earthly father and your own heart concerning him whether he has been hurtful toward you or wounded you badly or not, please contact me!

Tags: Baseball, Father's Day

Is There Really a Human Race is one of me and Jackson’s favorite books. It has so much deep meaning if you really think about it. I really wanted to share it with you.

Is There Really a Human Race?
By Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrated by Laura Cornell (Illustrations are hilarious)

(boy says to mom) Is there really a human race? Is it going on now all over the place? When did it start? Who said, “Ready, Set, Go”? Did it start on my birthday? I really must know. Do I warm up and stretch? Do I practice and train? Do I get my own coach? Do I get my own lane? Do I race in the snow? Do I race in a twister? Am I racing my friends? Am I racing my sister? If the race is a relay, is dad on my team? And his dad and his dad you know what I mean? Is the race like a loop or an obstacle course? Am I a jockey or am I a horse? Is there pushing and shoving to get to the lead? If the race is unfair, will I succeed? Do some of us win? Do some of us lose? Is winning or losing something I choose? Why am I racing? What am I winning? Does all of my running keep the world spinning? If I get off track when I take the wrong turn, do I make my way back from mistakes? Do I learn? Is it a sprint? A dash to the end? Am I aware of the time that I spend? And why do I do it, this zillion-yard dash? If we don’t help each other, we’re all going to CRASH!

(mom says to boy) Sometimes it’s better not to go fast. There are beautiful sites to be seen when your last. Shouldn’t it be that you just try your best? And that’s more important than beating the rest? Shouldn’t it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by the help that you lend? So, take what’s inside you and make big, bold choices. And for those who can’t speak for themselves, use bold voices. And make friends and love well, bring art to this place. And make the world better FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE!

This book reminds me to enjoy the adventure. Sometimes we are racing and we don’t even know it. Sometimes we know it and we don’t do anything about it. I pray that you would ask God what part of your life has become a race, and that you can come back to the adventure of life and intimate relationship with Chirst!

Tags: Books, Family