Starbucks, sickness, the museum...all in a Saturday!

I am having an awesome Saturday…
Sitting here at Starbucks, I ran into a guy that I had not seen in a long time. I met him and one of his buddies a while back at the Starbucks that I'm at right now. I spent some time at a small group with them. Those guys are in love with Jesus and it was an amazing time that I had getting to know them a little a couple of months ago.

I'm at Starbucks because Ruthie is at the Toyota Center for “The Radio City Music Spectacular” with her mother. I never come to this Starbucks but decided to stay here to meet her mom so she could go with her to the show.
Guess who I saw at the Starbucks when I walked in? Hehe..
The same friend that I had met a couple of months ago! Pretty cool! Hehe.
We talked for a bit and then I stayed for a while to read and get online.

Well, let me tell you about my Saturday.
I started out my day sitting outside of a Starbucks, another one (Its been a Starbucks day) with Joe, a friend of mine. We took in the beautiful morning and caught up since we had not seen each other since last year. Hehe (corny, so what?).
We talked about life, church planting, new year resolutions and other things.

Then I met up with my sick girlfriend…
When I say sick, I mean physically.
Not sick as in “Cool” or sick as in “Gross” but sick as in mucus, sneezing, in need for her boyfriend to cook her some sopita (soup).
So that was my job. I can now cook. Ha!
I can say that because my love got "healed" after eatin' my cookin'!

We then went over to an exhibition at the Houston Museum of Natural Science to go see “The Birth of Christianity” They have been advertising this thing on the radio and all over the city billboards.
They were going to have original parts of the book of Isaiah, authentic parts of the Gospel of Luke… I was excited!!!


Have you ever been in a hurry and gone inside a gas station and picked out a Pepsi soda can, paid for it, ran out to your car, drove off, opened the soda, took a huge chug from it… and it happens to be a DIET PEPSI!!!??
Have you ever been in a hurry in the morning and got dressed so quickly that when you re at your job, you happen to look at your socks and one is black and the other blue?!!
AGGGHHHHHHH!

After going over to the museum and forking over something like $50, we go into this tiny room where they had clay pots, a painting that hung on a wall, jewelry, a bath tub from King Herod’s palace (although that was pretty cool), I was screaming at myself, inside my mind, almost saying words that Jesus would not have liked.
Is this it?!
I came here for this?!

I mean, its cool and all but dang show me the scrolls where Paul writes to the Ephesians!!!
Well, after 20 minutes of bumping into people in that tiny room, we went into another room and to my relief, I saw fragments of the authentic pieces of “paper” that Isaiah had written on.

But the damage was done.. I was hating it.
It was probably my mistake to think it would be more exciting.

To their credit, I totally loved the exhibits where I saw fragments of the original pieces of the Book of Hebrews.
I saw the fragments of the original pieces from Epehesians and Galatians..

My best one?
I saw the original passage of Scripture where John writes those awesome words that get me thinking all the time when I read them..
"The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” -John 1:29

If I could take one good thing from this exhibit… that would be that I saw with mine own eyes these fragments of words that are inspired by God!
Amazing that I could experience that!
I love God’s word…. With all my heart… and I want to strive so hard to follow Jesus’ teachings.

So that was my Saturday.
Pretty neat huh?
Well, maybe not for you, but for me… it was great.

Until next time, peace.
Chunk the deuce!!

From distress to a living hope!

2008 has been a good year... and here comes 2009.
With only one day left, I reflect on the things that happened this year... and I also look to Jesus for guidance in this next year.
To tell you the truth, I am kind of confused.

My plans are not His plans. Hmmm.
I can strategize and plan, but at the end not be at peace with what is about to be done.
I'm in turmoil right now.. Its turbulent and I look to Jesus to calm the storm.

I repent.
Seriously, man, He feels so far away, but still feels so close that I can smile and be reassured that everything will be OK... one day.

My life as it is, is fine... its good.
I mean, I can have more, but I have everything I need.
I am learning that Jesus is all I need.

I can conform to this world and say:
-If I only had a little bit more money.
-If I only had a better car.
-If I only had a better house.
-If I only had more name brand clothes.
-If I only had more... more... more...

God, I repent for my foolishness and immaturity when I start to desire things that don't bring glory to you and only bring glory to me.

I hear the apostle Paul muttering these words while in a prison, writing to the Philippians, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

How can a man having had everything and now had nothing wrote to the church like if he had everything?
He says in Philippians 4:11-13 "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

How can someone say all that while being beaten and put in jail?
Ahh, the glorious Jesus.
I tell you, when you recognize the beauty of Christ, you can say the same thing.

In my weakest moments, I turn to Christ on the cross and like that thief, I say, "Jesus, remember me... remember me."

Some may see this post somewhat depressing in such joyous times as the new year begins, but others may see that in this post, there is an abundance of humanity, sin and weakness in my part.

And also a hint of living hope... the hope that Peter wrote about in his first letter.
"According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" I Peter 1:3b

I have that living hope...