Archive
Life Lessons From The Black Crows
Birds of the air don't worry, so why do we?
Today I was looking out the window and saw four black crows (not to be confused with the rock band that made the song “Hard To Handle” popular in 1990). As I observed the birds, I noticed they were very free-spirited and just went about their business. They didn’t worry about living conditions, food, or really anything else for that matter. I immediately thought of what scripture tells us about worrying.
Matthew 6:25-34
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Why is it that we are so quick to worry and not immediately turn things over to God? Is it a pride thing? Is it human nature? Whatever it is, how do we change this vicious cycle?
What do you do to overcome worry?
Photo Credit: By Isa Sorensen
Share this:
Pastor, Say It Ain’t So – Dealing With Depression
Photo Credit: By Lloyd Morgan
The other day I was on Twitter and was bothered by what I saw. I follow a lot of pastors, as they typically provide words of wisdom and encouragement. One pastor really disappointed me though and I won’t reveal his name, as I don’t know him personally or why he feels the way he does. He went on a Twitter rant about depression and Christians.
This pastor commented in multiple tweets that “Christians should not take medication to help them combat depression because it was of the devil” and “depression was due to a lack of faith.” How can someone who is supposed to be a man of God tell people they are suffering from a mental disease because they don’t believe like he thinks they should? He might as well tell people who have cancer that they have it because of their lack of faith. Seriously?! It’s people like this who annoy me and make me understand why people don’t like Christians.
I am very close with two people who suffer from depression and medication has greatly helped them. Depression is caused by altered brain structure and chemical function. Neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain) become unbalanced. You can’t will yourself out of depression. Depression is not a weakness either. The first step is being diagnosed and realizing that depression can be treatable – it’s not something they have done or not done and they are not a failure if they deal with it. About 121 million people around the world suffer from depression in some form.
Share this:
Grimm – Fairy Tales Meet Crime Drama
David Giuntoli plays Nick Burchkardt on the new NBC show Grimm
When it comes to television shows, I usually have two or three favorites and the rest are usually filler or background noise. Since my absolute favorite show Smallville is no longer in production, there has been kind of a television void for me. I am kind of leery about trying to get into new shows because the minute I get hooked they get cancelled (ex. Pushing Daisies and Dollhouse). I had heard about this new NBC show called Grimm and knew it had something to do with fairy tales but that’s about all I knew.
Right now if you follow Grimm on Twitter, you get the privilege of watching the premiere before everyone else. NBC will air the episode on Friday, October 28 at 9:00 PM EST. This is definitely not a family or kid’s show. Just imagine a crime drama (like CSI) mixed with fairy tales – this is what you get with Grimm. I don’t normally like a show after the first watch, but this one had me hooked.
David Giuntoli plays Nick Burckhardt, one of the remaining “Grimms.” Burckhardt is a cop who discovers that he is able to see people for who they really are – a wolf, witch, etc. The thing is he can’t tell his partner Hank (Russell Hornsby) or anyone else he has this ability. Not to spoil anything, but the first episode deals with the story of red riding hood. After watching the early preview of the first episode, I can honestly say I’m ready for more. Check out a preview of the series below and let me know what you think.
Photo Credit: By IMDB
Share this:
J.K. Rowling – A Wiz with “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone”
Photo Credit: By Amazon.com
I know, I am probably one of the last people on the planet to read the Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling. Call it peer pressure – but I have finally read the first book: Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone. Most people would look at the books and think they were only for children – I have to admit that I was one of these people. One of my former coworkers used to constantly talk about the books and told me that I really need to read them because she thought I would like them. I picked up the first book at a used bookstore thinking that if I didn’t like it, there was no great financial loss since I bought it used. To say that I was very impressed with the book would be a huge understatement.
The story is about a boy named Harry Potter. He is left on his aunt and uncle’s doorstep as a baby and knows no other life than the one they so begrudgingly provide for him. Harry is forced to sleep in a cabinet and must deal with the constant abuse of his cousin Dudley. The poor kid later receives several letters (which his aunt and uncle hide from him) informing him that he is a wizard and will be attending Hogwarts for his schooling and training. While at the school Harry discovers that he is some kind of legendary hero of sorts, as everyone knows his name and his story – even he doesn’t know his own story. He finds out that his parents were killed when he was a baby and that one of the professors had a strong dislike of his father.
Along the way Harry befriends Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Rubeus Hargrid who join him on several adventures but also become his partners in crime. The main premise of this book is the children find out about the Sorcerer’s Stone (the individual who posses this stone will live for ever) and believe that one of their professors is trying to steal it. I don’t want to ruin the book for you so I will just leave the details at that. I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it. It was a very easy read that kept my interest the whole time. Viewing the first movie is next on my list of things to do, as I’ve heard that you can’t read the book and not watch the movie.
Share this:
It’s (Not) All About The Benjamins!
Time is one of many things a leader can invest.
I am leader in one of the environments at my church called Fusion. This cycle we are talking about the subject of investment. When people hear the term “invest” they immediately think of money. It’s not always about money. You can invest your time, talents, and so many other things.
My friend Susanne does something really cool for her Facebook status. She will find a word that has impacted her and provide the definition. It would go a little something like this (Susanne – this one goes out to you! (c: ).
“Invest: to use, give, or devote (time, talent, etc.), as for a purpose or to achieve something…I like that word.”
She always follows it with “I like that word.” When I read that definition this morning it made me think…how can we as leaders invest in the lives of those we lead?
- Be a great listener – People want to be heard. Don’t try to solve their problems, just provide a listening ear.
- Celebrate with them – Birthdays and new jobs are just the beginning. In one of my previous small groups we always celebrated everyone’s birthday and it turned out that one of the guys had never ever had a birthday party thrown for him.
- Mourn with them – Losing a family member is difficult and it’s even harder when you feel alone. It’s easier to go through the loss of a job with others supporting and encouraging you. A guy in one of my previous small groups lost his daughter to a childhood illness. The majority of our group traveled from Atlanta to Tampa just to be with him in his time of need.
- Spend time with them – Be intentional about doing things with them. Go out to dinner. Grab coffee. Find out what they enjoy doing and do it together.
- Remember the details – When you have conversations with people, remember things they tell you. You never realize how much it means to people when you ask them how their interview went or if they finished their big project at work. It makes them feel important.
How do you invest in those you lead?
Photo Credit: By mpclemens
Share this:
You Make Beautiful Things
"Beautiful Things" by Gungor is amazing!
Music is one of my passions. Hearing moving lyrics together with amazing instrumentation is just something that moves me. Last week at church we had re:Group (an annual small group leader training) and at the end of the night, the worship band played this song I had never heard. The lyrics felt like they were speaking directly to me – like they were written by me to a loving Heavenly Father who is providing for me and taking care of me. The song is “Beautiful Things” by the group Gungor. Here are just a few of the lyrics:
All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
This song just reminds me that regardless of the circumstances that are going on around me, God can use them to make something beautiful. Even with all that is going on in my life right now, it is comforting to know that I have not been forgotten and that everything is not happening in vain.
Enjoy “Beautiful Things” by Gungor below.
Photo Credit: By Amazon.com
Share this:
Baby Movin’ On Up…
Packing - one my least favorite things!
This week is going to be extremely stressful. There is so much going on, that I’m already for it to be over and it’s only Monday. Have you ever had one of those weeks?! It wouldn’t be so bad if all of these things were happening on different weeks, but unfortunately they are all happening at the same time. I can already feel my head starting to throb.
Item #1 – I am moving this week. It’s literally only two minutes from where I live now, but I’m still moving. I absolutely detest packing. Some of my things will be going in storage, some things will be going with me to the new place, and other things will be trashed or given to Goodwill. My youngest brother and I were renting a house together and now I will be living with two guys I know from church. I’m looking forward to it, but the transition of getting there is very stressful right now. In the long run this will also help me save money.
Item #2 – The reason I am moving. My youngest brother (he is eight years younger than I am) is getting married on Friday of this week. It will be a very small family only ceremony in Tennessee. I am the oldest of three boys. My middle brother (he is three years younger than I am) is married with four kids. My youngest brother will be getting married this week. And then there is me…the oldest, not married, and not even dating anyone. I am excited for my brother, but I still kind of feel like the “odd man out.” I would like to get married one day, but there are no signs showing that it’s going to happen any time soon and that can be depressing at times.
Item #3 – I am job hunting. I lost my job toward the end of June and the current status of the economy and job market is horrible. I am collecting unemployment, but that only helps so much. Unfortunately things in life cost money – food, gas for your vehicle, insurance for your vehicle…well, you get the idea. I am ready to find the right job for me (one I enjoy doing and one where I get up every morning excited about what I do for a living) and get a more stable way of life.
If I don’t post for a few days, I’m probably buried underneath boxes of stuff from the move – so you’ll know where to find me. Just say a little prayer for my sanity during the move! (c:
Back to packing!
Photo Credit: By Ben Hoyt
Share this:
Remembering 9/11 – 10 Years Later
The front page headline from September 11, 2001.
September 11, 2001 – A day that changed our world forever. I remember vividly the happenings of that tragic day. It was my first day working at Old Navy at Parkway Pointe. We were setting things up to open the store and when our manager came in, she was almost in tears. She told us what had happened and we all went back into the break room and turned on the television to see the disastrous events that has just happened to our country. There was absolute silence through out the entire store.
We opened the store as usual, but only two customers came in and the topic of conversation immediately turned to what had happened at the Trade Center and the Pentagon. Corporate office called our manager and told us that we could shut down the store early so that everyone could go home to be with their families and to make sure any family members near the tragedy were okay. I later found out that a friend of mine from high school was in the area of the tragedy, but she and her husband were both okay. Many people weren’t so lucky and lost their lives due to this insane display of terrorism.
Today, we look back exactly ten years to the day of when it all happened. Our country is united and has more compassion for others. It is sad that something of this magnitude had to happen in order to draw our country closer together. I personally want to thank every man and woman who serves our country so that we can live a life of freedom without fear. I still think about the families who lost their loved ones in this tragedy and it makes my heart hurt. I don’t know what it’s like because I didn’t experience it first hand, but know that you and your families are still in my thoughts and prayers even now ten years after your loss.
Photo Credit: By Eric Shoemaker
Share this:
How Rude!
Some people can be so rude!
I have noticed more customers being rude to people who work with the public in the past week than I have seen in a very long time. On my way home from picking up my supper tonight, I stopped by a gas station to get something to drink. The lady in line in front of me decided to get mad at the lady behind the counter all because she didn’t have enough money to pay for her items. I’m sorry, but when did that become the lady behind the counter’s fault?! Seriously lady, show some respect and don’t get mad at her for your own stupidity.
What is wrong with people these days? It’s like they think they have the right to talk down to others and be rude to them just because they aren’t getting their own way or they are having a bad day. I went to another store a few weeks ago, and the lady in front of me was screaming on her cellphone, cursing out the person on the other end – all of this while the lady at the register was trying to ring up her items. I’m just amazed at the lack of tact some people have in our society. Have they ever thought about being nice to someone for a change? It’s amazing how responsive and positive others will be to you when you do the same for them. I know we all have bad days, but that doesn’t give people the right to be rude to anyone and everyone who comes across their path. (I will now step down from my soapbox. (c: )
Photo Credit: By Vladimer Shioshvili
Share this:
The Church of Facebook – Community or Connection?
Photo Credit: By ChurchOfFacebook.com
Community is an integral part of life. It’s hard to believe that Facebook started out in 2004 – in seven years, over 750 million individuals have become a part of this social networking phenomenon. What are these people seeking to get from their experience on Facebook? In his book The Church of Facebook, author Jesse Rice seeks to determine the motivating factor(s). One of the main issues he raises is can you really have true community online – without having face-to-face relationships?
This is a great read that I highly recommend. I enjoyed it more and more with every chapter. A few take aways I received from reading Rice’s book:
- “At the root of human existence is our great need for connection: connection with one another, with our own hearts and minds, and with a loving God who intended intimate connection with us from the beginning. Connection is the very core of what makes us human and the very means by which we express our humanity.”
- On Facebook we communicate to get a reaction. It’s not an immediate interaction.
- People tend to have a “whatever goes” mentality when it comes to Facebook – saying and doing what they want without taking into consideration how it may effect others.
- Being friends on Facebook is not a demanding relationship. You click a button and that’s it – you don’t have to do any maintenance on the friendship.
- Don’t define what a friend should be for you. Find out what others need in a friend and be that for them.
- Which is more important – being authentic or being liked?
- We have become a society that is too focused on what is new instead of what is now.
I love how the author uses the story of the woman at the well and how Jesus established a relationship with her based on her needs – correlating this with the whole Facebook experience. We tend to get on Facebook and play the comparison game by looking at how successful or active our “friends” are and either looking down on them because they don’t have what we do or we wish we had what they have. We also use Facebook and other social media venues to create a facade of who we think others want us to be and project that as our “real” self.
Rice even gives some great examples of how to enhance your Facebook experience – these alone are with the price of the book. The Church of Facebook is a must read for anyone in social media or ministry (or both).
Share this:
Scott Couey 