tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70531450690901118322024-02-08T09:34:16.527-08:00Da Wise OneDa Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-49827641038691796342010-12-01T05:10:00.000-08:002010-12-01T05:16:11.224-08:00So this is Christmas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#181818;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">John Lennon wrote a little song called “ Happy Christmas” in 1971, and I like the lyrics. Now, while I appreciate the Beatles, I am not the biggest fan. And though most of Lennon’s later songs were a little too “hippie” for me, this song resonates with me. The song goes:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">And so this is Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">For weak and for strong<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">For rich and the poor ones<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">The world is so wrong<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I put a challenging question on a few social networking sites this week and got an interesting response. The question: “</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Was Jesus born to free us from sin and enslave us in consumer debt because of his birthday? It started a debate on the date of Jesus’ actual birthday rather than the larger issue of debt as a result of the holiday. I think it’s because many people are not willing to curtail their spending.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I honestly don’t believe that it’s Jesus’ goal for people to amass large amounts of consumer debt in His name. The reality is that in this economy people don’t have the money to spend a large amount of money on gifts, but as the black Friday rush indicates, most people will continue with Christmas as usual. To that I agree with Lennon in that the world is so wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Many people could get no Christmas presents under their trees, and it would not affect their standard of living one bit. We don’t need others to charge up their credit cards in an effort to make us feel more loved by them. So this is Christmas? Most people can barely remember what they got last year for Christmas, not to mention who gave it to them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It is a shame that we have reduced this holiday to such a low state. This is the one time a year that the world turns their attention to Christ. Why not make this season about Him and not about regret or guilt over spending money we don’t have, for gifts people don’t need. That does not mean that we can’t give gifts because Jesus was the greatest present the world has ever known. But, how about giving what we can, and making no excuses for what we can’t. Let’s make Christmas about Jesus.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New \(W1\)""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span><p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></span>Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-3722769778269284852010-11-24T18:49:00.001-08:002010-11-24T18:49:56.726-08:00So Thankful (the poem)<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">I’m thankful for my life</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my wife<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my son and how he fought for life<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for the good <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">And even for the bad <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for the lessons some of which I wish I never had<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for the God’s grace<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for His love<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Through which the race I run is guided from above<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for dad, a man I never knew<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Had to learn to be a man here without you<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my mom, who tried to hold me down<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Cause daddy played the record, bumped it, and skip town<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for the days, back when we were so poor<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Don’t got all I want, but much more than before<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my family those who I love so much<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">When days away I long to see and feel your touch<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Especially for my wife, my one, my side, my heart<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">Please God through death only shall we part<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">My handsome little son, who brings me so much joy<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">God’s not done with daddy baby miracle boy<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my friends, those who care and pray<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I hope my life encourages to seize the day<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for my future, the things yet come to pass<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">The dreams, the plans, the more of what life eternal has<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I’m thankful for all you, reading this even now<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">I pray thankfulness in you would always much abound<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">So thankful!</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New \(W1\)""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-28617610513038263722010-11-08T06:59:00.000-08:002010-11-09T17:53:53.028-08:00Football Lessons<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Think on this…I love football. I have played the game as long as I can remember. My family has a history of producing great players and I have two cousins that went to the NFL and more that could have. I played all the way through high school and made an intentional decision not to play in college, although I was recruited and could have done well. After college I played flag football and coached my team to 2 league championships. I am even now the coach of my wife’s women’s team. I LOVE FOOTBALL! It played such a pivotal role in my character development and I was reminded of one area recently. That is, my resilience.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was my freshman year and we had an amazing team. Not everyone on the team was a “superstar”, but the handful we had should have led us to an undefeated season. I was one of the few. But, during a scrimmage I dislocated my thumb and was out for 4 weeks. My friend Damon (who is no longer with us) had a disagreement with the coach and quit. The week I returned to play, the guys holding things together Mike R., Derrick C., and Jamie F. decided to skip a practice and they were ineligible to play. So, I was maybe one of 2 stars left, and I was a little rusty and outfitted with a soft cast on my arm. It didn’t help that we were playing the only team that could beat us, our hated rivals, Florence.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I made up my mind that it was up to me to win the game. Once the game started, I GOT POUNDED! Our main play was, hand the ball to Damian and watch him get his head knocked off. It seemed like everyone on the team had given up. Well, that sent me into a rage. I would get knocked down, and would jump back up, “Hit me harder”. I refused to give in. I argued with my team, the coaches, and the players on the other side. My coaches begged me to keep my composure, but I was not having it. There was no way I was going to let the other team beat me. We lost 44 to nothing. But, at the end of the game all the coaches from Florence shook my hand and told me how impressed they were, with my play. It was a moral victory, but a horrible loss, the only one we would suffer that season.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The lesson was worth the beating. I discovered that the harder the odds were against me, the tougher I became. It would serve as a theme for my life. When I was not accepted to college, I fought hard to get in and even earned better grades than I had in my life. When I was told that my wife was too good for me (I tend to agree), I worked to make myself a man that would be worthy of her. When my son was born with a brain injury, Daddy stepped in and fought for his son. I didn’t know any scripture at that point in my life, but God revealing one in me.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“If you fail under pressure, your </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">strength</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is too </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">small</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.”</span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Proverbs 24:10 </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Football showed me how to not fail under pressure. So, no matter what you are going through, don’t quit. No matter how hard the challenge, don’t give up. Others will need your strength…Just a thought.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Verdana;font-size:16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span><p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-44939530470737923652010-11-03T04:30:00.000-07:002010-11-03T04:31:18.444-07:00China (The People)<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…The crowning jewel of my trip in China apart from some of the most flavorful food I have eaten in my life was the amazing people. Once again nothing in China is, as it seems. I was anticipating a feeling of oppression and control. But, the Chinese people have many more freedoms than we would ever imagine. Outside of all the Asian people and architecture things felt mostly like anywhere here in the states. Conversation was similar to that here, although as a foreigner we were told to avoid the 3 Ts Tibet, Taiwan, and the Tiananmen Square incident. There is a major since that change is in the air and the country is becoming more modern and western.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">The Chinese people are exceedingly sweet. I didn’t see one unfriendly face as I endeavored to get out amongst the people. I had the opportunity to visit street markets and by the street food (okay I am trying not to talk about the food), I went through the subway, I spent time on a college campus, and I visited 3 churches. I had an authentic Chinese experience, but all things were consistent, the people are the highlight of the country. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I visited two schools while there. One was the 4<sup>th</sup> ranked college in China and the other was a smaller less prestigious one. The top ranked school was much larger and you could tell that this was some of the best students the country had to offer. The students were really smart and their English was as good as mine. They were the future of the country and they felt the pressure from both their families and their nation. The second group of students really grabbed my heart, as they were most likely ones who didn’t test as well and they didn’t carry the same sense of confidence. Both sets of students were very knowledgeable about the world and they seemed to not necessarily embrace the leading parties philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Read more: <a href="http://damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/">http://damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-51012395884296840362010-11-01T07:37:00.000-07:002010-11-01T07:38:09.632-07:00Trick or Treat<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…we don’t celebrate All Hallows Eve or Halloween. We understand its origins and it’s not something we endorse. We don’t judge people, or even Christians who do; it’s just not our thing. There are no ghouls and goblins on our door, or scarecrows in our yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But, we do give out candy to the neighborhood children. I know that it might seem slightly contradictory, but read on to get a better glimpse into our reasoning. Think about it, when else will children from all over the neighborhood come to our door? So we see it as a chance to love on those in our community.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">When I was a child I remember trick or treating. I am from a small town where many of the homes are right next to one another, that provides for great candy collection. We would forgo the traditional plastic bags or buckets, because bag snatching was a big thing and they simply could not hold all of the goodies we would collect. I would come home with a pillowcase full of candy that would take us hours to sort. The one thing I remember vividly was the homes that would give us the best candy. To this day I still see one house in particular. I am in my 30’s and I still remember a good Halloween house. Someone had an impact on my life because they gave me candy! That is crazy, but my point exactly. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">We believe whole-heartedly that we are to touch the live of those around us. To be honest, it’s a bit creepy for a grown man to strike up conversation with children. So, now that we are the cool candy house both our neighbors and their children know who we are, that we care, and we are safe. We didn’t go cheap on them, we gave out full size candy, and it caused a ruckus. After our house kids were saying, “full sized” in the street. One young lady said, “You’re my new best friend”. Now that we are BFFs maybe they will read the scripture card we attached. I know that some would argue the pagan nature of the holiday and I would agree and simply remind you of the pagan nature of our Christmas trees and Yule Logs (look it up). We are not opposed to using this holiday to touch the lives of our neighbors. The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">I became like a person weak in faith to win those who are weak in faith. I have become everything to everyone in order to save at least some of them.” 1 Cor. 9:22 </span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">The alternative is to hide in our home making a statement nobody will ever hear…Just a thought.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-84424469477900177692010-10-27T21:09:00.001-07:002010-10-27T21:09:42.110-07:00China (The Country)<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…Many people have been asking about my recent trip to China. I figured I would explain my insights through a few blogs. I do understand the interest people have in that country as very few ever visits this mysterious land. It made sense that the first thing we were told was that nothing in China is, as it seems. I found that to be the theme of my time there.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">The purpose of my trip was to learn how I might send students there to teach conversational English to Chinese students. I must admit much of the allure was the opportunity to visit the country. Yes, I always love the chance to touch the live of college students. After all I am the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">College Impact</i> guy. It’s become a life’s work, but the thought that I could be in a country many people will never see was a big deal.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">When I hit the ground in China I was a bit overwhelmed. I am used to being a minority here in the states, but 1 in 1.6 billion is very different. People would stand a few feet away from me and just stare. I was polite and said, “</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">n</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial">ǐ</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> h</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial">ǎ</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">o” </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">and they responded with hello and would continue looking at me. This was not rudeness on their part it was simply many of them had never seen a black person before. It is an all-Asian world so a black person in their context is just an oddity…<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Read more: <a href="http://damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/">http://damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-90002596941635332592010-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:002010-10-05T10:53:38.840-07:00Change the World<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…Last week was intense and filled with opportunities to make a difference in this world. I think we wrestle with such a lofty goal as changing the world because we see both the greatness of that ambition and the weakness of our own humanity. I believe that this is natural and honest although not the most spiritual response. God has high expectations for us His people, and we will not see the full expansion of His kingdom in the earth unless we choose to follow Him into His prescribed future.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">You see I have led a hip-hop environment called Destinations, geared toward reaching urban young adults for almost 10 years now. We have a history of having provocative shows with titles like Naked, Blow, Safeword. We have pushed the boundaries so much that even our more progressive church is a little freaked out at times. We had an idea recently to have a show that married our usual evangelistic focus with a cause. We decided to focus on child sex trafficking. With eighty million children being trafficked for sex, this was more than needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">We decided to partner with both local and international sex slavery organizations to increase our level of impact. Well this thing took off, and this little event that has had mostly been a local movement got a lot of attention. I was on a national radio broadcast, and we had two media outlets at the event to cover the story. We raised money for a local project as over four hundred new girls are trafficked in Georgia a month, and we raised funds to make a difference in Asia… <a href="http://www.damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/">http://www.damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-43199719554702066472010-09-22T10:11:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:12:24.251-07:00Love God & People<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…it’s easy to love God but people are a different issue all together. Let’s be honest, people have a tendency to be losers. Before you decide that I have completely walked away from God please read on. I just want to admit the truth here. People tell you that they will do something and let you down. People get mad at you and refuse to forgive. People abuse, miss use, bring harm, etc. Can you agree with me that people have a tendency to let you down? Parents, friends, spouses alike either have or will disappoint. It’s their nature.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">I would be okay with that thought if church people were better, but they usually aren’t. I know that they are supposed to be, but they often cheat, lie, complain, and gossip as much as non-church folks. For some reading this blog, this is a confirmation of what you have always believed about church people. Others would jump to defend and cover the flaws of other Christians, and I would do the same, but we must first own up to the problem. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">What is my point? It’s that people stink; I thought I said that. :-D Just kidding! Jesus was asked about what he considered the most important law in the entire scripture. This was his answer, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy… and love others as well as you love yourself. There is no other commandment that ranks with these." <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Mark 12:29-31. </span></span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">You see very few people will say that they have a problem loving God. Some will doubt God’s existence and others will argue over His interaction with man, but most have no issue with thought loving God. To love people is hard. Jesus did not tell us to love good people or Christians only he said love everyone. From the most hypocritical to the worst humans alive, we are to love them. We don’t have to like it, but we are to love them anyway. If we loved people more, maybe they would not have such a hard time deciding to love us in return…Just a thought.</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-69459714241632172392010-09-17T07:13:00.000-07:002010-09-17T07:14:17.876-07:00Under Construction<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…we have been raising funds to make our home handicap accessible for my son who has special needs. We are well into the first phase of this process and things and a bit of a mess. There is dust everywhere inside of the house and we have a massive amount of debris outside. We can see steady change and improvement, but the process has my family disheveled and out of sorts. We have had to embrace the reality that this is the new normal, at least for a while. The interesting thing is that I am learning a lot about life transformation as I watch my home renovation.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">One lesson I have learned is that whenever a major change needs to happen there is usually destruction that must happen first. Whether quitting smoking, or trying to be a more empathetic person we usually struggle when change starts in our lives. Things get ugly before they get pretty. Another learning is that everyone in the family is affected when an adjustment begins in the life of one person. You can’t avoid it. We are communal beings and when a person is being changed we all have to give them space. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">The truth is that we are and should ever be under construction. That is because no person is perfect, and who doesn’t want to grow to reach his or her full potential. But, when people are in transition we need to allow things to be messy and give them an opportunity to make the change. We can desire the needed change so much that we can despise the necessary process. The Bible says,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> “</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory.<b> </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">2 Corinthians 3:18 </span></span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">As my house is being changed I hope my life is as well…Just a thought<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-11830367492021747322010-09-08T03:57:00.000-07:002010-09-08T04:03:27.859-07:00Superhero & Champion<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">Think on this...My wife has always called me my son’s superhero. It stems from the first days of his life when I was the primary. I was the one who watched him emerge from the womb blue, saw him take his first breath, was the one fighting with doctors initially when they were saying he needed to be institutionalized long term, etc. My wife had recently had surgery, and I had to be what both she and my son’s hero. The other reasons that she calls me a superhero is the fact that Damian Jr. is a total daddy’s boy, and now he is my full time job. So yes, I will embrace that designation, but she is undoubted his champion.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">I remember six years ago with tubes coming out of every part of his little body, and my wife struggled to pull herself up to his bed to see her son. Having had a major surgery, this was no small feat. I tried to explain to her everything that was explained to me while she recovered, and she just stroked his head and whispered into his ear what would be the defining words of his life, “Keep Fighting, just Keep Fighting”. That was all she had that day, but she would quickly model that statement.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial">Before she was well enough to move around, she was working to make sure that our son had everything he needed. It started with his breast-feeding; as she was in tears making sure that he had what was most nutritious. I soon had to go back to work so she took the lead. There was meeting after meeting with doctors and specialists. She was interviewing therapists, finding programs, and firing people who weren’t in agreement with what we believed God was doing in his life. She was a force to be reckoned with...(<i>read more</i>) </span><a href="http://www.damianjrstory.blogspot.com/">http://www.damianjrstory.blogspot.com/</a></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span><p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-22133634223465381572010-09-03T07:02:00.000-07:002010-09-03T07:04:48.396-07:00Family Business<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…ever wonder why as children we were told to always wear clean underwear in case we get in a car accident? As if while bleeding profusely a medical professional would look for dirty underwear. There is a deep philosophy that we were being taught. It simply, you don’t embarrass the family in public. We are supposed to represent ourselves well when outside of our homes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">If I am completely honest I feel this way about Christians. So many of us live with such low standards that it makes me a little ashamed of us. Not ashamed of Christ, but of others in His family. I understand that it takes new believers some time to develop Christ-like character. I fully believe that even though we have been clean from all sin we still have habits that are hard to shake. I am no different. But, we can do better. We lie, cheat, divorce, quit, and complain just as much as people who don’t have the hope of Glory living in them. Not to mention all of the sexual, financial, and marital scandals of church leaders that have been in the news. We are supposed to be better than this!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I am not condemning anyone, but my heart breaks when someone outside of the family of God says, “See, they are all a bunch of hypocrites”. Yes, God’s grace covers us and we are in continual need of a savior. But, we must remember that people are watching us, and they may or may not join our family based on what they see in our conduct. The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">"</i></span><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">The name of God is maligned and blasphemed among the outsiders because of you! "</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"> . Romans 2:24 I love both God’s people and those who have yet to join His household. It’s a shame that people won’t give their hearts to God because of our poor character. I know that this is family business, but it needs to be said…Just a thought.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-78604934866028657542010-08-31T04:38:00.001-07:002010-08-31T04:38:53.741-07:00Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…I recently saw a bumper sticker that read, ‘Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper’. At first it made me chuckle, then it saddened me. Now, I am not a fan of bumper stickers, both Christian and other wise. I simply believe that a car looks better without them. But, every so often I will see one that makes me think. This was one of those. It was in the midst of a bunch of messages, but none of which grabbed my attention like that one.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">On the surface, this bumper sticker was of care and concern for the earth. I can wholeheartedly agree with that. Save the whales, decrease your carbon footprint, conserve when possible. I am fully on board with that. My family recycles, and we even try to use eco friendly detergents, because the Bible encourages us to be good managers of this planet. But, I saw a deeper meaning in the message. It was that the environment is the most important thing, and life is all about taking care of the planet. With that thought, I strongly disagree.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">You see, saving the planet doesn’t do anything for our inward souls. The environment is not important enough to pour our entire lives into. Preserving this world is valuable and necessary, just not worth our devotion. The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” Mark 8:36 </i>We shouldn’t be ‘Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipers’ because the ball of dirt we live on is too small. The solar system, galaxies, and universe are all too insignificant in comparison to the God who created everything. We must choose to live for the One who designed, shaped, and is holding them all together. His name is Jesus…Just a thought.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-33798916502725055322010-08-26T16:16:00.000-07:002010-08-26T16:17:35.702-07:00Still Breathing…<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">I came across a box of photos of Damian Jr being resuscitated in the delivery room. When Damian Jr was born, he came out blue and was not breathing. The medical staff invested 30-45 seconds resuscitating him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">I was unaware that all this was happening. The doctors and nurses intentionally did not indicate that anything was wrong as to not put me into to shock. All I remember is one of the nurses crying and whispering in my ear with such joy and relief, “He made it…”. My initial reaction was, “Of course, he made it!”. I no idea what our son had just experienced.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">My husband, on the other hand, witnessed every second. He kept pacing back and forth and taking pictures. He too was crying while holding it all together. And he finally shared that our son almost didn’t make it. BUT he was breathing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">About the Breathing Process</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">You have to breathe because all of the cells in your body require oxygen. Without oxygen, your body wouldn't move. It would be like a parked car with no battery. The car might have gas, but without a battery, you are not going anywhere! So you might have blood in your body, but without oxygen, forget it! You receive oxygen from breathing in air, and then the oxygen goes to your blood which is then circulated throughout your entire body…<span style="color:#B9B9B9">.</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Read more</i></span> <span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;color:#B9B9B9"><a href="http://www.damianjrstory.blogspot.com/">http://www.damianjrstory.blogspot.com/</a></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-38234582514665630572010-08-24T10:07:00.001-07:002010-08-24T10:07:27.542-07:00Suffering, No Thank you<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…we can be our children’s worst enemy as it pertains to their health and development. We can be so focused on giving them what we didn’t have that we forget to give them what we had, that got us to where we are. I grew up with very little, so I would often have to eat what ever what was available. To my chagrin that was often liver, yuck! Liver, although disgusting to my palate is rich in iron and very good for you. But, ever so often it would be what’s for dinner and if you didn’t eat it you didn’t eat.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">There were no special meals for little people who were not pleased with the selection. There was no, “If you don’t like your veggies then you have the option to opt out”. It was eat or starve. Many of us are so far removed from that life that we have succumbed to the pressure from ungrateful mouths that don’t know how good they have it. Now we have to give our kids supplements because they don’t have the enough vitamins in their systems because we have acquiesced to their desires and not given what they needed most, to gives them what they wanted most. If we as their parents don’t give them what they need they will be malnourished. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Spiritually the same thing applies, we often want what sounds and feels good and not what is going to be most beneficial. Suffering is one of those things, which the church has lost a taste for. Early Christians saw it as a necessary part of their journey. Now we want fast food faith that tells us we can have it our way. No, God does not care about our childish ranting; He wants us to eat what is necessary for growth. The Bible says,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>““ . We can kick, scream, hold our collective breaths, proclaim prophecy, quote scripture and the same thing will be waiting for us, when done complaining. God loves us too much to keep suffering off our plate. That is good news for us…Just a thought.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-50728086401007288252010-08-17T05:31:00.000-07:002010-08-17T05:32:19.332-07:00National Exposure<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…I recently had an opportunity to do my first national interview, and it was amazing. I did better than even I expected. I have an extensive production background so I know what makes for good broadcasts, but my experience has been being the camera not in front of it. I did have a cheat; in that, my local church has been using me to do video devotionals, which gave me a chance to develop my skills. Then following the national interview, I had an opportunity to go into a studio and shoot promotional segments for my book. This has been a great learning and marketing all at the same time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">One thing I have come to learn is that just because you have a video, interview, promotional material, people won’t necessarily purchase the product or bring you out to speak about it. I was keeping my eyes on the book sales, and there has no direct connection. The people who book my speaking engagements were waiting for nothing. All I could think was, “COME ON!” I have hustled to get this resource done. Students that have received the book, love it. Still, trickle, trickle, trickle… What do you do when you have done everything you know to do?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I believe the answer is wait. Wait for the people who have it to read it…wait. Wait for the people who are waiting to view the interview to view it…wait. Wait for those who are interested in having me come to their event to move on it…wait. Wait for the right person to mention back both the book wait and me... Wait for God to do what I can’t do…wait. The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” …Just a thought.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-6789825892292016742010-08-13T08:27:00.000-07:002010-08-13T08:28:04.065-07:00Damian Jr.'s Story<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">I have a new favorite blog. It just so happens to be one telling the story of my favorite little kid of all time. Please visit the site and make it a regular stop.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Welcome to the story! Damian Jr is a young man full of joy, laughter and musical passion who happens to have multiple medical diagnoses. His story is one of hope, determination, and love as he fights for the best life possible! We hope you find inspiration, resources, and support! Enjoy! <span style="color:#B9B9B9"><a href="http://damianjrstory.blogspot.com/">http://damianjrstory.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-2484103450111512192010-08-10T12:23:00.000-07:002010-08-10T12:24:04.523-07:00Squash Lessons<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…my wife and I have been growing squash on our deck. I don’t know if you have ever seen squash growing, but it is wild. It grows like ivy in that it quickly stretches wide across everything. We anxiously awaited the moment when we could harvest this crop which was talking over our deck. We would check them everyday while water them (they take a lot of water and fertilizer). We even began to talk about what we would make with them once they arrived.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Well the day was quickly approaching and we were more excited then ever. I was waiting for them to begin to turn the proper color. Well, calamity hit when I saw small holes in my squash and upon closer examination I saw that some small creature had eaten its way into every one of them. It was devastating. I put time, serious time into caring for what was supposed to be our dinner and now it’s some insects dinner. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I realized something, that is the way many Christians live. We do our best to grow and take care of our spiritual well being. We struggle to water and feed our souls. But, we forget to get rid of the small things that are looking to sabotage our progress and it ruins us. The bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up…” Hebrews 12:1 </i>It’s the small things that get us off track. This week carefully consider addressing at least one thing that trips you up…Just a thought<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-63846768040191932352010-07-23T06:09:00.000-07:002010-07-23T06:14:04.966-07:00College Impact spoken word by Sam Tulin<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzN5oKUtW0N3LaXnrzLYtkNYB-CR7pruFa1WBZxsfDCESVBum8LbHxjejlSjvRJx8WqTU5XHK6e5QP4sErpQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is just awesome. I am honored to lead amazing students like Sam. Request your copy of College Impact where ever books are sold. ...Just a thought!</span></div>Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-73240746837463779272010-07-08T16:21:00.001-07:002010-07-08T16:21:24.784-07:00Overwhelmed<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…When creating the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">College Impact</i> resource I did it with the greatest of intentions with hopes that God would use it to make a difference. The truth of the matter is, that no one really knows if the work they are doing will be well received. Especially, when you are doing something for the first time. That has been my experience.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">So, I finished the book and trusted God with the rest. I was anticipating quick responses from the people who had received advanced copies and those who ordered it early, but that didn’t happen. Then I thought, ‘Well I will get feedback from my family because they love me’, to no avail. Then I thought, that since the book was quickly being purchased at my local church, sure my church would read it and nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">All I wanted was some feedback. Why, because I wrote it and thought it was good, necessary, and vital, but as a person who was barely literate until the 7<sup>th</sup> grade you never know. So I waited, and waited and finally an adult from the church responded with, “I wished I’d had this as a student”. Then my siblings started reading it and they were complementary. That was a big boost.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">More and more responses started coming in and I started to see that what I’d hoped for was happening. Students were connecting with the material and it was showing them how to make an impact on their campuses. It’s about what God wants to do through them, and they saw it. I even had one student say that he believed God wanted me to write the book for that purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I am simply overwhelmed. I take it this is what all writers and musical artist experience when they put projects out their hoping that people actually embrace them. So, hearing the rave reviews on the book doesn’t change my resolve, but it is confirmation for what I trusted God to do. It’s encouraging, but now I must do all I can to continue to get the out to students and those who love them…Just a thought<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Purchase your copy at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/College-Impact-Empowering-Collegiate-Christians/dp/0976273829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278631154&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/College-Impact-Empowering-Collegiate-Christians/dp/0976273829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278631154&sr=8-1</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-28631618065938253322010-07-07T11:19:00.000-07:002010-07-07T11:20:04.135-07:00Come on In<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…my wife and I enjoy having people over to the house. It’s actually a pleasure to host people and to serve them. I usually cook a lot of food and she labors for hours to get the house ready for our guest. It takes us maybe 6-9 hours of preparation for about 3-4 hours of connection time. It may seem like a waste, but for us it is an act of service that brings blessings to our home.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">For the holiday we fed what seemed like the world. There were two soon to be married couples at the house and a college student. Then we had an older couple and their mother as well. There were even more people invited, but they could not make it. The conversation jumped from such trivial issues as the love or hate for thrift stores to weighty issues as breast cancer. The group was so diverse that we all learned from each other.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">You see it’s enriching to our lives when we serve others. The Bible says, “</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">reap</span>s what he <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">sow</span>s.” Galatians 6:7 </span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">You see we feed and welcome people, because we love them. Then in response God makes sure that we are taken care of. We don’t do it to receive, but its good to know that as we give out of our desire to love on people we have watched his provision in our lives. It’s a blessing to be able to bless others…Just a thought.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-82331845028271450552010-06-30T22:15:00.001-07:002010-07-02T04:25:25.047-07:00Really?!<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <!--StartFragment--> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…I love sketch comedy and one of my all-time favorite shows is Saturday Night Live. They have a recurring segment called, Really?! It’s aimed at asking that old question that need not be answered. My life in so many ways reflects this sketch.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">Leave your job, really?! Walk away from a job that has help you provide for your family for 10 years, really?! That’s like telling a lion to leave a fresh zebra kill to search for food in the desert. Really?! Right a book, really?! That’s like asking Animal from the Muppets to do story time for a high school English class, really?! Become a primary care giver, really?! That’s like asking the crazy cat lady from your neighborhood to keep a brand new puppy, really?!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">Trust God with your finances, family, and future, really?! REALLY?! Actually, that is not a bad idea, really! We have a tendency to do only the things that make since to us. But, trusting God is never wrong. The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Trust</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> in the Lord with all your <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">heart</span>; do not depend on your own understanding.” Psalm 3:5 </span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">That is the biggest lesson God has been teaching me, lately. In which areas of your life are you struggling to trust God? How can you trust Him this week? The most secure place you could ever be is right where God leads you. Really!...Just a thought. </span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p></span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;font-size:16.0pt;">(for your viewing pleasure <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps">http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps</a> )<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-61483613051076712282010-06-25T05:33:00.000-07:002010-06-25T05:34:03.256-07:00Patience Please<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…it seems like the theme of my life for the past 10+ has been patience. Patience is one of those character traits that we all wish to have, but like many things it doesn’t come easy. I think about the dreams that haven’t happened yet, patience. There are areas of my life in which I thought I would be so much farther than where I am and again, patience. How is this elusive value learned? It’s developed while hanging on to hope as you wait.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">When I decided to step out onto the waters and pursue a life of full time service to God and people I thought things would move faster then they have. In my mind I was walking into the great future and everything I desired would be on the other side of my obedience. No, that did not happen. I was diligent to finish my book and to send books to key relationships that I have nurtured. Now, all I can do is wait. Wait for what, you ask? Wait for people to read the book. Wait for those who have read it to book to tell others about it. Wait for people to ask me to come and speak on the matter. Waiting.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">I realize one key thing. I am one connection, one endorsement, one mention away from everything I have worked so hard to accomplish with this book to gain momentum. The thing is, I am not on some ego trip, it’s all about accomplishing what I believe God has for me. Even when doing what God has for us there is often a time of challenge and struggle. Jesus had his time in the wilderness; David had to tend his father sheep, Moses lived in exile. This is my time to develop the patience I need to fulfill God’s desired purpose within me. The Bible says,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> “</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">I pray to God—my life a prayer—and wait for what he'll say and do. My life's on the line before God, my Lord</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">“ Psalm 130:5-6 </span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">What are you waiting on God to do in your life?<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> </i>It’s a hard lesson, but a good one…Just a thought</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-30174525222427098892010-06-23T05:49:00.000-07:002010-06-23T05:51:47.730-07:00Purpose-versary<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; ">Think on this...I just crossed a major anniversary in my life. No, I am not referencing my 10 year wedding anniversary, that has just past(that is an awesome thing). My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Purpose-versary</i> is the 1-year celebration of my leaving corporate America to walk in what I believe God has for me. This was a major transition in my life and I have learned lessons that have drawn my heart closer to Christ. It’s not an easy path that we have been on, but it is one on which we are glad to follow God on.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">You see there have been some things that have required us to live differently then before. With one of our incomes being eliminated and the other person working for a church (nobody works for a church to get rich) things have been tighter then ever. We aren’t able to have the things with which we have become accustomed. Even our ten year wedding anniversary was scaled all the way back from Japan, to a Japanese restaurant. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Instead of a steady check for coming as a form of income now my income is based on speaking engagements and book sales. Neither is moving at a substantial pace, although I am grateful for the opportunities that have come. So, we are ever in a hurry up and wait situation. Self-employed people understand that struggle all to well.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Verdana;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Then you must consider my son’s special needs into the equation. He has nonstop therapy sessions, equipment needs, basic requirements that come with having his challenges. Those financial needs have only increased as he has grown. Life is challenging at best!...[Expanded blog http://www.damianlboyd.com/college-impact-blog/ ]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-12131857211121053222010-06-17T14:59:00.000-07:002010-06-17T15:00:16.073-07:00The Power of a Father<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: 13px; ">Think on this…with Father’s Day approaching I am thinking about the power of a father. We need not look far to see the effects of poor examples of fatherhood. I see it often as a minister. There are many people that come to me for pastoral care that are dealing with issues stemming from their dads. Some people struggle with abusive dads that have destroyed their since of self worth, and left them with little esteem. Others are left trying to teach themselves lessons that should come from a father, but due to his absence they have to figure it out on there own.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt"><o:p>Then you have the overly permissive fathers out there that either didn’t have a backbone enough, or didn’t know how to put healthy boundaries in the home. Their children have a tendency to explore so many pursuits that they can wreck their lives. There is still the adoring fathers out there that can, with great intentions smother, their children and give them the false impression that life is about them. Then when those kids grow up they run into a world that is not centered around them.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt"><o:p>The harsh truth is that fathers have a lot of influence over who their children become. It’s not easy being a good, well-balanced dad. It takes everything you have to figure out how to show the right amount of discipline, guidance, and affection. I don’t want my son to have to deal with issues because I was ineffective in my raising him. Especially when my son will use my relationship with him as a template for his relationship with God. That’s a lot of pressure. But, I wonder how many people’s lives would be better if more fathers would wrestle with these thoughts.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;mso-font-kerning:.5pt">Whether or not you have had an exceptional dad in your life or not its good to be grateful for positive they have done. Sometimes we need to be grateful for the areas in which our fathers were good, even if that is hard to identify. If you had no father at all(like me) then thank God for the father figures you have been able to interact with. Why? The bible says, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">"Behold, I will send you</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Elijah the prophet</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"> </span></sup></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">lest I come and</b></span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><sup><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"> </span></sup></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">strike the land with a decree of utter destruction</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana">."</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana"> Malachi 4:6 </span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">You see, God cares about the fathers in our lives. Honor the men in your life that have taken on this vital challenge and responsibility...Just a thought</span></span></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7053145069090111832.post-36089209959354953642010-06-10T04:58:00.000-07:002010-06-10T04:59:03.461-07:0010-Year Anniversary<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: 13px; ">I have officially been married for 10 years today. It has been one crazy journey, but I truly love that woman more today than I ever have. She is not only beautiful, but she is also extremely intelligent and so spiritual. She is such an encouragement to me, and with her I know I can accomplish all my dreams. She makes me a better man. To add to that she is an incredible mother. I truly have a hard time believing that I have done anything in my life to make me worthy of her. So, I see her as an extension of God’s love and grace towards me. And I get to sleep with her. I apologize if that offends any one but…no I am not I GET TO SLEEP WITH HER :P</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">To appreciate why this matters so much to me you have to understand that I didn’t grow up with a healthy view of marriage. The few men I saw around me either cheated on or treated their wives horribly. I have no context for having an amazing marriage and I am 10 years into one. That blows my mind! She didn’t have the greatest examples either yet she is a wonderful wife.So you see, why I am so happy to tell the world of my love for this woman? The thing that fires me up is that we have only touched the surface of what we believe we are supposed to accomplish together. Our future is so much brighter than our past. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:16.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana">Now, I want to encourage anyone who is in the rough place of relationship, it’s worth it to stick it out. It’s worth it to go the distance. It gets better if you allow it to. For those who long to be married, I will give you the lessons we learned leading up to June 10, 2000. Love God with everything you have and serve Him faithfully. That’s it! To my bride, I love you with my life. Except for Jesus, you are the love of my life! Thank you for a 10 wonderful year and here is to 50 more. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”</i></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Da Wise Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037777600640470793noreply@blogger.com0