recap

Psalm 104, 114, 115; 1 Kings 20

I learned a lot this past week. It was a growing week.

I was in Atlanta this past Monday through Wednesday for a technical/professional conference, and I gave a presentation on Tuesday morning. The Lord helped me give a good presentation and field the questions pretty well, for which I am very thankful. The conference was also very helpful for me to learn more about the subject of my research and meet others who are researching similar topics. I was also challenged by the committee that oversees my research funding to get more data! But perhaps the greatest blessing was the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time with my office mate, co-researcher, and friend (Younggy). Over the past two years I have had friendly and polite conversations with him, but I feel like this past week allowed us an environment and time to joke and relax, which grew our friendship even more. I have a great deal of respect for Younggy.

Thursday afternoon I took my wife to seek the Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian (which was fantastic!), and I am impressed with how easy it is to make a big impact on my relationship with my wife. I am sincerely trying to consistently show her the love of Jesus Christ.

Thursday evening I tried to help my friend Pat check the brakes and replace the coolant hoses on his car. What I thought was going to be a two hour effort ended up being about four hours of minimal success that made him late to a social event where he was the center of attention. I felt really bad, but he was very gracious about it. I was very impressed with how he just enjoys life - whatever he's doing. He really enjoys getting to know people. After considering my friendship with Younggy and Pat (and my wife, for that matter), I realize that I am just way to uptight about stuff. I need to be more easy going. Fortunately, I got to hang out with friends from school, and I had a great time hanging out with Younggy and Pat. It was a nice follow up.

Yesterday morning we studied the book of Jonah in our Bible Life Group. The frictional application was to evaluate how I have prejudices against people and how God loves them. Granted, there are some very wicked people, and it might be easy for me to consider myself better than them because of my orthodoxy and orthopraxy, but the reality is that I am just as sinful as the next guy, and it is only by faith in Jesus Christ that I may be forgiven.

Our Pastor preached on Romans 10 yesterday morning. He charged us with (simply) sharing the Gospel. "In order for people to HEAR the Gospel, I must SHARE the Gospel." Here is the truth: people can't believe unless they've heard - so let's share the Gospel!

I called and talked to my Dad a couple of times yesterday (Father's Day). I really miss seeing him. He is a strong man: spiritually, physically, intellectually, and emotionally. He taught me the Scriptures as a child, took me to church, introduced me to Christ, demonstrated the Father's love, and taught us to work hard. We had lot of fun with my Dad. Just this morning I was standing outside with my dog, and the weather reminded me of home. How I miss that place!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for my friends. Thank you for what you are teaching me through my relationships with others. Thank you for my wife, and thank you for your Word, which is always true. Thank you for my Dad who emulates you. I pray that you will continue to grow him to love you with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Lord, please help me be a more easy going person. Please help me love others like you love them - no prejudices. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.