Break the Silence

"Spiteful words can hurt your feelings, but silence breaks your heart."  ~ C.S. Lewis

I just ran the Rock and Roll San Diego marathon yesterday, and for a good part of it, my dad was on a bike giving me both water and encouragement.  As I was still a good 10 miles from the finish line, I could feel my right leg starting to cramp up, little by little.  But, before I verbalized this feeling in my leg to my old man, my dad said that I looked like I was running great, smooth, and hitting my mile splits on time.  Inside my head, I knew that I had trouble around the corner.  Finally, I let my dad know that I would need more and more water to try to stop the cramping that was starting.  The last thing I wanted to do was walk or risk not finishing the race.  From my dad's perspective, everything about my running looked fine.  But inside, I knew something wasn't quite right.

I know for a fact that each of us have someone in our life that is weighing heavily on us...struggling with something that no one can see from the outside, but eating us alive on the inside.  If our communities simply tend to our own indiviudal struggles, we will all be alone.  We all need people in our lives that provide encouragement and that truly listen to things that are going on in our indiviudal lives.

Let's not allow each other to have broken hearts because of our silence.  Let's continually do what we can to verbally lift each other up today.

Why I Run

This coming Sunday, I plan to run the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon, the 4th marathon of my life.  This time, I am running for a reason somewhat different than any of the previous three.  At this year's race, I don't plan letting my joy become dependent on my final time, although I will be trying to run my best.  Rather, I am excited to run a race where I know deep down that I am running to bring clean water to children in East Africa.  And not only that, I will be running this race knowing that I have so many other things in my life that are much more important to me than running these days.  As I continue to raise my two kids, I realize that there are more than just children without food or water that are depending on me.  There are two children within my own four walls at home that need me for so much more.  They need me to comfort them, to encourage them, to teach them, to give them confidence, etc...as a parent I have a huge responsibility to be there for my kids.  And there is no greater reward than to watch your kids grow and mature.

I challenge all of us to stay focused on our own personal hobbies and on the things that bring fun to our life, but at the same time, never let our main focus drift away from joy to fun.  Focus on things that bring you ultimate joy, and you'll have plenty of fun along the way.

Walking With Guidance

My son, Easton, just turned 9 months old this past week. He's at the age where he really wants to be able to move throughout the house without having to be restricted from grabbing anything. From his perspective, he thinks I am preventing his fun and exploration when I pick him up when he gets close to something that can hurt him. So, my wife and I have been walking him around the house, holding his hands, so he can learn about all the things around him. But, we don't prevent him from the little bumps and bruises he gets when he pushes his limits a bit. We have to let him learn what he can and can't do, without every putting him in a situation that will be too dangerous.
When I do this, it reminds me of what Jesus probably does with us in our lives. He allows us to experionce the world he created. He hold our hands as we grown up (and we are all still growing up), but not to the point where he does so much to where we feel that we don't need Jesus as our Savior. He allows us to experience the true things around us so that we ultimatley can see the good He has to offer to us. So, next time you are in a tough position, remember that Jesus is holding your hand, if you let Him. If you turst Him with everything you do, He doesn't promise an easy life, but He does promise eternal life and to never give us more than we can handle.
Have a great week.

Too Good to Be True

One of the most popular financing options in my business right now (the solar industry) is a $0 down solar electric lease program. In an equity and cash strapped marketplace, homeowners are not looking to necessarily spend the reserves they have. Our $0 down programs allow homeowners to add solar for free, and have a lease payment for electricity that is less than what they would otherwise pay their local utility, and their electricity rates won't increase. Even with such a great, risk free investment being offered, many homeowners will choose to pay more to their utility instead of producing their own power at a fraction of the cost. The common reason for this choice is because homeowners are generally skeptical of the "too good to be true" offer because of so many dishonest contractors that have come before me. It makes me wish that if we could have a society of more honest, upfront people, we would all benefit. My challenge to all of us this week is to be genuine men and women with an intention to follow through with what we say we are going to do. Nothing more, nothing less. If we can do this, our society will then be built upon a tendency to trust others. This is the foundation for a thriving community.

Taking Ownership

It's relatively safe to say that 2011 was probably the best year of my life, for a lot of different reasons.  The Lord has blessed my family in a lot of different ways.  However, nearly all of the blessings given to me has come with a substantial increase in responsibility.  As the investment of time in my career continues to grow with each passing year, and as our family continues to grow as well, I feel the Lord handing me blessings that are directly tied with a mandatory increase in maturity and personal growth.  I feel that God gives us certain blessings in life when He knows that we are capable of handling them.  Whether it is a position in the workplace, or at home, we must step up to the plate if we are to experience the joy that is packaged in the gifts from God.  This year, I want to challenge us to focus on what God is putting in our lives that we can truly enjoy if we stand up to the tasks placed in front of us.  We need to take ownership of our lives, and recognize our calling when it is placed right on our lap.  Have a great 2012.

No Time to Lose

Over the past week, I think it's safe to say that our thoughts have been on the Christmas season.  With the celebration of the birth of Christ being front and center this past weekend, my thoughts turned to the life of Jesus in a different way than they have before.  As I am sitting here writing this at the age of 29, I find myself approaching the age Jesus was when He willingly gave His life for the opportunity for us to have eternal life with Him.  When I was a child, a teenager, and in my earlier twenties, the age of 33 felt a ways off, if you will.  Now that I am approaching that age, I realize that a 33 year old man really isn't any different than that of a younger or older man regarding the topic of death and the ultimate sacrifice.  As I analyze my life, I think of where I will be at 33, and I don't think I will be much different at all four years from now.  It has made me realize how quickly Jesus went to work in His mission here on this earth.  He really didn't mess around.  He came here to save men and women, to preach the truth, develop disciples, and to provide a bridge from us to God the Father.  I find myself simply starting a ministry and a business at my age.  It's time to gain some ground, to become more like Jesus.  If I am to follow the life of Jesus as my example of how to live, I have no more time to lose.  None of us do.

Friends

I read a quote from C.S. Lewis today that said, "every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends."  I think this can be taken in so many different directions.  I'll read this one time and think about casting judgment on others and how I need to give that up.  Then, I'll read it and think that if we wait to surround ourselves with perfect people, we will never have friends.  I have come to the conclusion that I strongly believe that if we choose to live life alone, we will not fully become the people God intended us to be.  We must not isolate ourselves in life.   We need to give to others to be able to receive.  We need to have people in our social circles to keep us encouraged.  So, if we aren't able to look past the faults of our friends (and ourselves), then we are never going to experience the community that God has intended for us.  In community, there is life through the Holy Spirit.