Lenten Thoughts

I grew up in the South. I also grew up in the evangelical church of the South. We did not celebrate Lent. Thinking back, I am not sure I had a any real understanding of the Lenten season until I was in HS. In my thirties like many I began to ask simple questions about my faith, my world view and my future. In this time of searching I read authors I had never heard of, built friendships with people from different Christian traditions & more than once asked myself, "Why did we do/believe that?".

Along the way I discovered many of my Catholic brothers & sisters of the faith had just that...faith. Faith in the same God, the same scriptures and the same Christ. Their faith and worship was rich with images not only for the eyes, ears, but also the palate of taste. I had not only discovered new members of my spiritual family, I had also re-discovered my faith in a new and vital way.

Advent & Lent are now a part of my annual worship experience and each year The Spirit teaches me something new and beautiful about following this Jesus the Christ.

I am excited about what I shall discover over the next 46 days.

PS Just so you will know, here is what I am fasting from the next 46 days.

1. I will be eating vegetarian

2. I will be consuming no desserts, sweets, candy and will avoid white sugar.

3. I will limit myself to 3 pints of local brew per week.

4. My Facebook statuses will be limited to the things I HEAR from God's presence as I practice LISTENING.

My homeless friend is a poet.

I have a homeless friend, he is a poet. The first time you meet him you would never know such a thing. He has broad shoulders, muscles on his arms the size of tree trunks & a "I dare you to look at me wrong" look in his eye. He is always shaved and wearing clean clothing. He has a deep raspy voice and is easy with a joke; once he knows you.

The first conversation I had with him he told me about his bad habit. His bad habit? He has a habit of getting thrown in jail. Not for anything "serious", just placing his fist in the face of people who run off at the mouth.

We have become friends. We text each other every day or so and bump into each other around Durham once or twice a week. He even has a face book page. Probably one or two of your face book friends are homeless if you knew their whole story.

He spent the last two years in a tent in a secluded patch of woods in East Durham. He is a "professional" urban outdoorsmen and can teach you how to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer using a 12 volt car battery.

Two weeks ago he asked me for a pen and a piece of paper. He sat down and penned this poem. He told me he had had it in his brains for a few days. His penmanship was legible and spelling correct. More than a few homeless have talents and skills that are amazing.

Whether you are Christian or not I hope you will enjoy the beauty of the words he penned. This is like and Christmas to him. I hope and pray 2011 brings him much joy and an extra bucket of coal for the fire ;)

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Twas the night before Christmas

And all along the streets

No warmth for the homeless

Nor anything to eat

I with my sleeping bag

And an old homeless cat

Went behind the bush for a cold winter’s nap.

Then all of a sudden

I heard a wonderful sound

I jumped from the bush

In one single bound

And what did my wondering eyes did see,

A soft spoken stranger looking at me.

He spoke very softly, passing out blankets as he went

I knew in my hear he was heaven sent.

I asked the stranger, where are you from my dear friend?

He said even though I’m not there any more

I’m from Bethlehem.

May you experience a blessed, merry & warm Christmas!

Why I support nose studs and the ACLU at the moment.

Ariana Iacono was suspended from Clayton High School again today. She wears a small nose stud in her left nostril & face piercings are against the Johnston County school system's dress code. She will not remove the offending piece of jewelry and has been removed from school once again.

WRALnews ORIGINAL STORY.

The Johnston County School Board is flat wrong on this issue and I find myself on the side of the members of The Church of Body Modification & the rather left leaning ACLU.

Miss Iacono wears her nose stud as a part of spiritual wholeness for her mind, body and spirit as a member of The Church of Body Modification. The church is a non-theistic religion that encourages its members to seek spiritual strength by modifying their bodies through body piercings, tattoos, body implants, scarification and other physical challenges. Their faith is built by their mutual support for each other as they face the day to day challenges of life. It appears they have built some form of spiritual family, nurturing and care for each other even having clergy to lead and guide individuals/groups through spiritual rituals.

As a christian I may not believe in their view of faith or spirituality but, I have chosen to follow a Christian faith with a pretty orthodox theology & worldview; Miss Iacono, her mother and members of the Body

Modification congregation have not. They have chosen to exercise their Creator endowed unalienable right of liberty to go in a different religious direction than I.

On this one the U.S. Constitution is clear. Government shall make NO law respecting any religion. They cannot make decisions that prefer Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastriansim, Neo-Paganism or any other ~ism or ~ity that comes down the road. The Supreme Court has loosely defined what it takes for a new religion to meet the standard of a new religion and by all things I understand The Church of Body Modification has met that standard. They are a religion as defined by our laws and the precedent of lower courts as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. The USSC has also made it clear that whether I like the religion or understand the religion or support the religion has nothing to do with whether it is a legitimate form of worship.

So here it is in a nutshell. I might not agree with the CofBM, I might not like the CofBM, I might not feel comfortable with the beliefs and practices of the CofBM but, I must support their Creator given right to freely exercise their faith as they believe & stand up against any and all who would attempt to hinder them in that freedom. You see, they may not agree with my church, they may not like my church, they may not feel comfortable with my beliefs of practices. Do I want them telling me I cannot exercise my faith? Never!

The Johnston County School board has shown they prefer certain religions by telling Miss Lacono she could wear a nose stud if she were Hindu or head covering if she were Muslim. I suppose she could also wear a sexual purity ring if she were Christian. They are foolish here and will waste countless hours and many dollars in defending a decision that will never stand in a court of law if it goes that far. Any ninth grader at Johnston High can see that and Miss Iacono has shown herself to be more wise than the school board on this issue.

The Johnston County School Board is barking up the wrong tree, this dog will not hunt.

May all members of the Church of Body Modification be blessed and may they prosper in their endeavors.

Miss Iacono, you are welcome to wear your nose stud or whatever body modification to my church anytime. And maybe after a conversation we will find out we are both after the same thing...a life beyond mere existence.

Shaun & Rai's miracle day...and life.

Shaun & Rai King are planting a organic church in Atlanta, GA. Only God's grace and mercy have allowed them to see that day. Read about their miracle day and trust God today for the one you may need.

A good man sacrifices all...

A good man saves his down syndrome son...

Traveling with a friend through life...

Larry is my friend. Not only is he my friend but he is a leader in our faith community. He would not see himself as such, he would see all the flaws he struggles with every day. I have watched and walked with him through our life with God now for over ten years. In many ways, our path toward and with God has run a parallel path. That has much to do with our time growing up in church. In other ways, our paths have traveled in totally different directions, that has much to do with life experiences and choices the both of us have made along the way.

In all, it has been a life changing experience not only knowing him, but watching as God has worked and walked in Larry's life. As I think back, it is plain to see how God has also worked so slowly and clearly in mine. Many times, seeing God work in and with those close to us is a mirror to help us see how much God is doing in us.

Larry's latest post is excellent. I hope you will read and enjoy.

Great day at the Shop

We had a great day at the Carpenter's Shop today. Dr. David Black spent the morning with us. He is a professor of N.T. and Greek at SEBTS. His main topic was to refute the arguments of Dr. Bart Ehrman regarding the N.T. scriptures

We all learned much and Dave and his wife Becky are a just plain fun people.
Check out the blogs and website they operate and their thoughts about their time with us.

Great interview with Bishop N.T.Wright

Bishop Wright is one of the bright spots in Christian theological scholarship. He has a deep respect for scripture and is not afraid to gently step on the toes of incorrect belief within the church of this age. The fact he appeared on the Colbert show says more about Colbert and the Comedy Channel than you can imagine...it actually says that a network for vulgar humor could be more in tune with spirituality than news networks.

More Discoveries to come...???

1st century church found?

HT:Marko

More Discoveries to come...

Israel is one giant archaeological dig. Month by month small pieces of the past are found and studied. I do not believe that we will find an autograph of scripture, but we may find something as significant as The Dead Sea Scrolls in the future.

Date seeds from the time of Christ were found at Masada in the 1960's. They were planted. One has germinated and could grow to a fruit producing tree that has not been seen for over 1500 years. To date, those seeds are the oldest to germinate.


As a man of faith, I am not afraid of science, I embrace its discoveries and the endless curiosity that drives the investigative mind. I am not looking for science to prove my faith...I hope it never does. Some things should remain a mystery and require the application of simple faith.

Jesus is for Losers

Brant Hansen writes one of the best posts of 2008.

David Hayward has great thoughts on feelings and faith.

Take 45 minutes and watch this great "sermon" by Reggie McNeal



Read "The Rescue of MoonBase Asimov" and the follow-up post by Dan Edelen, both worth the read and the brain energy expended as you ponder.

A Better Life: Moving from the shadows into the Light.

"Things have been so different these past 9 months and i dont even know how to describe what life is like now. I feel like now that i have experienced life true and sober i wonder why i wasted all that time in a drug induced blur. Right now i am sitting with Landon and he is holding his bottle up for himself and is nearly asleep as he is doing so. Its funny to me how a mistake has turned into such a huge blessing in my life. Its amazing what being a parent will do for someone. Lately all i have been doing is working and going to school. I have had spare time with Landon but thats about it. I sit back and miss the days where i had no true responsibility and wish i could just relax. I miss sitting around with friends with nothing much to do and going out on dates with Natassia. We never have time for any of this any more and i really wish we did. This summer i have a month off of school and i really want to take advantage of it. I want to take some time and spend it with the people i love most. Money is important and so is school but i still need time on the side. It has been really crazy lately and sometimes i do wonder if i could ever go back to my old lifestyle. I never let that thought linger for too long for fear of where it might take me. Its amazing how i still sometimes desire the thing that brought me closer to death than i ever want to be again and nearly cost me everything in my life that was worth while. Im glad to be alive still and i am so thankful for every new day and challenge that awaits me. i like to end on an optimistic note."
-Andrew


These words were penned by my nephew Andrew. He has been sober now for nine months. Before that time, he spent much of his jr. high, high school and college years in a drug induced state. His freedom has been hard fought and I am sure the road ahead will have challenges. He is back in school at an art institute and working two jobs. He also spends much of his time taking care of his son Landon who is about nine months old. He is experiencing life with God and himself in a new way. He wrote this short and powerful piece on facebook and I wanted all of you to read and ponder his thoughts. While you are at it, how about praying for Andrew, Natassia and Landon.

I want the church to move forward, but I fear a trailer is the best move we can make.

Many of you have no idea of the spiritual road I have traveled. I spent my early childhood in the Plymouth Brethren faith; my teens years I was in a Southern Baptist Church/School, after high school I dove head long into the charismatic movement of the early eighties, traveling the South East to hear and see any and all moves of God. I rode the wave all the way to Tulsa and Oral Roberts University. While there I studied hard and attempted all manner of theological gymnastics from the prosperity gospel of Fort Worth, Texas, the demon chasing of Cleveland, Tennessee, the angelic visions of Boise, Idaho, to the time travel of various saints who have now moved on to glory. After Tulsa, my wife and I moved back to N.C. and have worked in local church ministry for the last 20 years. We have worked in/supported AoG churches, SBC, Independent Charismatic Churches and even Third Wave congregations. We have danced, shouted, sang, cried, tarried, prayed, oiled, read, memorized, felt, seen, heard, praised, anointed, cast out, filled with, prayed over, prophesied and gone, gone, gone down all the roads. We both have t-shirts and I even have a tattoo of The Prayer Tower on my....,well needless to say, we have been there and done that.

The last few weeks the blogging world has been all a buzz over Todd Bentley and John Crowder. I have seen much of this before, but Todd and John are both more cool than any holy spirit revival leader from the past. No toupees, no expensive suits, and I have not heard either of them talk about the new plane they bought to fly to build the Kingdom. They wear blue jeans and have gotees and piercings and talk with cool lingo. I do not know them, I cannot see their motives, I cannot know their hearts.
I AM a cynic when it comes to anyone who claims conversations with angels, regular/ multiple dreams and visions, turns worship into a cultic gymnastics session and teaches some theology that just makes my skin crawl.
At this time, I will say few words and wait. In time, the proof of this spiritual pudding will be in lives that experience radical life altering encounters with Jesus Christ. The taste of this pudding should be in folks allowing the living Christ to flow through them.

That does not answer a questions some of you might ask...do I still identify myself as a "charismatic-christian"? My answer would be long and complicated, but let me say this...yes and no. I do believe the Holy Spirit lives in folks who have placed faith in Jesus, I believe the HS enables all people of faith with gifts and abilities beyond their skill set, I believe these gifts and abilities will ALWAYS minimize the gifted and maximize the Risen One Jesus. But, as of yet, I still struggle with what all that looks and acts like in the daily life of the church and of God's people. For a bit of insight, I'll send you to Next-Wave to read an article by Robby Mac. I consider myself one of them...I do not identify with those who are always looking for a new thing, a new meeting, a new voice, a new "revival". I do not desire to bounce off the floor, bark like a dog, get high on the HS or whatever the "new" thing might be.

As usual, Dan Edelen has some good thoughts on the topic of revival and new moves of the Spirit.

The last few days, Mike Morrell has done a bang up job on the topic. Look for his interviews with Ben and John in upcoming posts.



HT:Wes Roberts for the video

Just in: John Crowder speaks at zoecarnate today!
One quote I had to grab...

"What we see today is a lot of people looking for a Pneumatology without the Pneuma. They want the package without the Toy. What if God is intentionally making the package raw and offensive to these, in order to reveal their true colors? Maybe the package is irrelevant, as long as we’ve got the Toy."
~John Crowder~

Big paintings = God's kingdom on earth, touching people, where they live and work and play...

Dan Nelson started the painting above at 12 noon May 17. He set-up his giant easel as a part of Artplosure 2008.

This is the same painting at 3pm Sunday, May 18. Dan finished the painting at 6pm Sunday evening, the painting was then sold to the high bidder of a silent auction that went on while he painted. At 3pm, the price was around $550.00.

Dan is an artist. He paints big. He paints small. He illustrates books.
He paints portraiture. He draws on sidewalks with chalk. He draws/paints architecture. He draws cartoons. Dan plays several instruments. Dan sings. Dan writes music. Dan is an artist.

Dan is also a pastor. Dan planted and lead a church for several years. They would meet on Saturday in Moore Square in Raleigh, NC. They would make music and eat food together, inviting any and all in the park to join along. On weekends, Dan would set-up his giant easel and paint and talk to people as they passed by. Dan met many people and a church grew. Dan painted and pastored for several years, then decided to move the church to a home church. After five years of home church, Dan spends his Sundays painting all over the area. After many years of church, Dan is now part of the fastest growing Christian community in North America. Dan is one of the many Christians who is no longer a member of a church. Most Sundays he never even attends a church.



Dan is an artist, a musician and probably a better pastor now than he ever was when he was pastoring/attending a church.

DO NOT spend tens of thousands of $$$$ on a wedding...it's foolish.

I perform weddings on a regular basis. It is part of being a pastor I enjoy most. I enjoy helping a nervous couple through what is a simple process of becoming legally, "man and wife", helping them be at ease from the rehearsal through the formal part of the service. I enjoy most the weddings of folks I know.

Yesterday, I officiated the wedding of Hannah Gwaltney to Eric Piper. Eric is a computer geek from Grants Pass Oregon while Hannah calls Durham home. Hannah is the oldest daughter of dear family friends Will and Carrie Gwaltney. Will and Carrie have a great family and we are truly blessed to have them in our family life.

It always brings me great joy when a couple decides not to break the bank of family and friends to hold a wedding celebration. You do NOT have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to produce a beautiful wedding. After twenty years of officiating, let me tell you this one wedding truth; the larger and more expensive a wedding, the more stress that will be piled on bride, brides' mother, groom and family. My many wedding experiences have borne this out. With a large expensive wedding: there are a few folks that experience great joy on the wedding day, the florist, the photographer, the cake baker, the caterer, the dress makers, the formal wear rental agent, the party rental salesman, the limo company and the banker that gave daddy an equity loan. They leave the wedding with pockets full of $$$$$, whats not to be happy about;-)

Eric and Hannah were far too wise and much too frugal to go with Brides Magazine and the multi-billion dollar industry standard. They listened to the advice of Will and Carrie and carefully looked at the assets they had. Will and Carrie, Eric and Hannah looked for a facility that could handle about fifty to seventy-five guests that could also double as the banquet area. They found a local eatery in down town Raleigh that turned out to be a great choice.

Eric and Hannah had their wedding celebration at The Red Room. The Red Room is a tapas lounge on S. Gregson St along a trendy section of the capital city. Hanna had shown me pictures a few weeks ago, but when I got there Saturday morning, I saw they had made a great decision. The RR staff had set up what could be called a small "sanctuary" on one side of the eatery, while tables and preparations were going on on the other side. A center aisle with seating on both sides gave the effect of a small chapel in Europe with the dark, rich colors of the interior. A glass wall was on one side looking out on the activity of Raleigh, but as the wedding was at 11am, the streets were virtually empty until after the ceremony and photos had taken place.

We had a quick rehearsal and the ladies went off to change clothes. Eric and his groomsmen looked sharp in matching suits and ties, which by the way, they will be able to use at a later date for job interviews. Hannah's father and brothers were also dressed in business suits and were the vision of proper wedding attire. As we waited for guests to arrive and the ladies to change clothes, folks were able to visit. The RR staff was busy, cooking food and making preparation for a party. They had ample wait staff, bar staff and at least two managers directing the operation.

At 11am the guests had arrived and all was ready. The music for the processional began, being played over the lounges sound system and directed by the brides' brother. All the ladies were wearing spring colors and all the dresses, save the brides, will easily be used again in the future. The beauty of the simple bouquets was only eclipsed by the beauty of the brides' mother Carrie;) Hannah looked great in her white gown and all went off well. The guests were asked to step outside while photos were made and the eatery went from chapel to banquet hall.

The photos were handled by a family friend who is VERY good with a camera and will be a tiny fraction of the cost of a big-name-professional. Before 12 noon the photos were made and the party began. The Red Room did an awesome job with food and wait staff. The food was served on the bar in front of the open kitchen and the smells of Spain were in the air as all feasted on great food. Check out the menus on line, they served us everything on the tapas menu, plus all three of the paellas. In my humble opinion, The Red Room would be a great choice for anyone who wants folks to remember the party after a wedding instead of the color of the bridesmaids' dresses.

Will and Carrie, Eric and Hannah spent the money where it really matters, in throwing a great party AFTER what is in reality a 10 minute ceremony. Six months after a BIG EXPENSIVE wedding, 95% of the folks in attendance will NOT remember the color of the dresses, the flowers, the music, etc... They will remember great food, great music, great wine(if you like) and a great party. Spend your money on the party, all the rest really does not matter. The other 5% percent that will remember, they have been brain washed by a multi-billion dollar wedding industry that desires to separate you from your money. Don't fall into the trap and damn the social section of your local news paper.

May God bless Eric and Hannah Piper as they form a new family to bless this planet with more of God's life!

Monday update: Carrie weighs in with her view as the brides' mom.

His children shall call him blessed...

I met Jane and Brad Tippet over ten years ago. They are wallpaper contractors and good at their trade. About nine years ago they lost their fourteen year old daughter Jessica to leukemia. Brad carved much of the lettering on a headstone that sits on the grave. They are Jesus-people. They are not traditional-church-going Christians, but show they know Jesus by the lives they lead.

Jane called me earlier in the week. Her 80 year old father died and the family needed a preacher for the memorial service. I had met Mr. Ferrell during the time of Jessica's death, but that had been some years ago. He was a man of faith, so I could always point to his Jesus and a reunion that will take place in the future, I just hoped that would be enough.

Early Wednesday morning I visited the house where Mr Ferrell had lived. Three of his children and a DIL and a SIL were there. As they began to tell me about their father, the picture became more and more clear. Mr Ferrell was a man who worked hard to make sure his family had what they needed. He had a huge sense of humor that caused the family to have fond memories of childhood. He loved his children, grand children and great grand children.Mr Ferrell was a devoted husband to his wife of 57 years until her death four years ago. His son Mark said his father did not teach him how to live or be a man by words, but he did it by his life.

I was surprised by the service. The kids were going to eulogize their father. I hoped they would not be overwhelmed by grief as they spoke.

Boy, was I about to go to school. Glenda, the second oldest daughter, told many of the funny stories of Mr. Ferrell. She told of a man who loved and laughed and taught the family to do the same. Jane, the youngest, read a letter she wrote to her father on Father's Day almost twenty years ago. Words twenty years old shouted of the faith, love, care and concern this man had for his children and family. Mark, the youngest son, sang a song in tribute to his father and said, "He was the greatest man I have ever known."

As you can imagine, after the children gave testimony to the greatness of their father, there was not much I could say. Their words were a honorary memorial to the life of this "common" man, a simple wallpaper hanger, a simple husband, a simple father, a simple grand father, a simple great grand father, a simple WWII vet, a simple Jesus man; who's impact will be seen for several generations to come.

Carl Glenn Ferrell
May 20, 1927
May 4, 2008

Short visit, long implications...

The Pope visited one of the oldest synagogues in the U.S. on Friday. The video at the news website is less than 22 minutes. It may have been a short visit, but I believe this stop could have far reaching and positive effects on the church of the world.
A "raw" video of the visit was in the side bar this morning. It is worth the time to watch and listen. Rabbi Scheier gives a powerful illustration for followers of Yaweh to build relationships and work together. If we as the Body of Christ, (I include all Catholics and Protestants) as well as those who call on Yaweh, (Jews and Christians) would begin to know and care for each other, we could then love and care for a hurting, hungry world.

Another video at YouTube...

simply begging...

For those of you who know me, you know I have several
careers. I am a pastor/general contractor/beekeeper. The GC role feeds my family. It is difficult and scary at times, but somehow, we have never missed a meal and the bills are paid. I have a business partner Harry Polk. He is my friend. He also owns a small construction company. As sole proprietors of two small companies, Harry and I have found it advantegous to work together on many projects. We have a simple agreement, when I am the GC, he is my foreman, when he is the GC, I am his. It has worked for almost four years. We have not made a large profit, but we have managed to grow each company little by little, very slowly.

On Thursday, we were working on one of Harry's projects. We were at the end of the day and finishing a roof to avoid a coming sleet/rain storm. In the end, Harry took a serious fall. Even as he was in severe pain, he did not think of himself...he worried only about his family and their future. He was rushed to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. After a few hours in ER, he went into surgery. He will survive! He sustained a broken left femur and two broken wrists. The leg should heal fine, the wrists are still in the air. He will return to surgery on Tuesday and then a long hospital and rehab stay.

I do not want his family to suffer a huge financial setback! His health insurance will cover all health care, but he did not carry disability or workmens comp on himself. So, I am asking for the help of ALL my friends all over the world. I believe the family of faith can work to help the Polk family in the next few months. I want to raise as much cash as I can and pass it on to Harry's wife Kristie. The construction projects will not stop, as I will step in and bring them to completion, but the monies for Harry's weekly draw will need to be spent on subcontractors to complete the work.

I am asking all my friends to send some cash my way. All donations will pass through the account of my small church and will be tax deductible. 100% of the cash will be given to the Polks for household expenses. Send any and all donations to:

The Carpenter's Shop
6135 Huntsboro Rd
Oxford, NC 27565-7546

~OR~

Paypal account: carpentersshop@gmail.com

I do ask that you will pray for Harry, Kristie, Braelyn, McKenzie and Ta-Ray.
If you are in and around Durham, NC, Harry and Kristie can be found in Rm # 6105 at DUMC.

Blessings2u,

Jimmy

FollowUp: Shelley set up a blog regarding Harry's recovery, check it out.

He's just so darn cute! Like a lynx.

I did NOT see the 60 Minutes piece last night, here is a link to the videos. My family and I were enjoying the N.C. State Fair and our share of fair food fare. Mr. Osteen has been a topic of conversation here in the Chalmers' home over the last few days. So, I would like to clear the air and make one statement.

Joel Osteen is NOT preaching the story of Jesus his father John Osteen preached. Joel Osteen is NOT preaching the truth of the good news of Jesus contained in the Bible. Period. There I said it.


Michael Spencer did watch the show. Here are his thoughts.
Just so you will know, Michael and I do not agree on some things. On this topic, I find myself in his camp, on his side, waving his banner.

Here are the thoughts of a real live, theologian and scholar.

I forget, wanna fight about it!

"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them."


"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?"

"What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving."

"People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

(HT:Russ for the awesome photos)