Too Cool...

A Doe...a deer...a female deer...

A picture i took of a doe while i was in the woods.  one of my favorite pics...

Peace

Canada...Desires of Your Heart.

Last week me & Ashton had the trip of a life time.

We went to a place in Canada called Green Lake (its in Saskatchewan) and deer hunted for a week.

For me - it's a dream that started when I was probably about 12 or 13.  So, the trip of a life time is really true for me.  It's a trip that I worked on for the last 3 years to make happen...it's his 18th birthday present.

The hunt part of the trip was successful - but it was more than a hunt.  It was a hi-lite in many ways for us both.

I told Shawn that if I had scripted the trip before hand - there's not 1 thing I would have hoped for to have gone any different...not the travel..the hunt...weather...deer...people...any of it - but especially my time with my son...not one thing would i have done differently...that's incredible to be able to say!

The Bible says "God gives the desires of your heart"... you can believe it - not always on some quick fix thing...but I guess sometimes you find out what the real desires of your heart are when they are challenged in so many ways & yet remain...they are desires that God will somehow make happen in your life.

Peace

Whatever You're Doing

As you might have figured out by now - I'm big into songs/lyrics.  Music has always been a powerful mover in my life...


Shawn told me to check out the lyrics to a song by Sanctus Real - titled "Whatever You're Doing".  It's a great song - but even greater for my journey...It's now part of my Ipod mix...


Check it out - then if the lyrics hit ya like they did me - go buy the song...you'll be glad ya did...


Here are the lyrics


It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly




Peace


bob

A Song You Need to Listen to From Time to Time

Here's an old song's lyrics that everyone needs to listen to from time to time...

It's "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong - absolutely wonderful & helps remind us about the real things of life...

if you don't own it - do yourself a favor...go get a cup of coffee - go to itunes...buy it & listen to it a few times over & over...let it really sink in...

Lyrics -

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world. 



Peace


bob

Genesis

Hey all...

I've been asked by a few people where we can now be found...

As of June, 2011 - Genesis is now meeting in Regal 13 Greenbrier...Sundays at 10:00

Peace

Dinners...

Have you ever eaten with someone you’d rather not be eating with?

They might chew with their mouth open...smack lips as they chew...talk with mouth full...have food on their face...etc...

OR

Linen table cloth...plate on a charger...2” from table edge...equidistant...folded linen napkin in the plate center...3 forks on the left (fish...dinner...salad)...2 knives...spoon...blades facing certain way...They bring something you’re not even sure what it is - not sure what to eat with...

Have you ever had someone ask “Mind if I JOIN ya?” and your answer was yes in your head - but you said no...

Jesus ran into the SAME thing...having to eat with some people - he would rather not have eaten with...

In Luke, Jesus ends up at 2 very different tables...

1 - With People that JUST Don’t KNOW HOW to ACT...

The Other - With the People that have all the Right Silverware...Servers...

The dinner wasn't the big deal - Spiritually is where their Greatest Difference was FOUND

1st Table - SINNERS...

2nd - RELIGIOUS...

1st Table - The SINNERS Table 

Religious (Are not at the Table - but) Can’t Believe that JESUS would do such a thing...

DISTURBED = Good Word to Describe their Reaction...

2nd Table - The RELIGIOUS’S Table

Sinners are NOT Welcome

A Sinner Joins - 

DISTURBED = Good Word to Describe their Reaction...

Messes it all up - in the religious’ opinion...

So 

We have 2 

Very Different Table Settings

Very Different TABLE GUESTS 

Very Different Outcomes

Jesus takes them BOTH as TEACHING MOMENTS

READ 

Luke 5:27 - 32

"Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"...Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick...

32   

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

Jesus - Eating WITH Sinners...

SINNERS

Yuk!

Nasty Word - STING to it...

SINNER...

Sinners =

Those devoted to sin...A Sinner...

Not free from Sin...

Preeminently Sinful...Especially wicked...

STAINED - with certain vices...

See their problem?

Jesus eating with STAINED People...

Obviously Marred by their Lifestyle...

WHY?

The healthy don’t need the doctor - it’s the sick that need him...

Matt. 9 (Same story)

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

SICK - Miserable...

Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.

Then read Luke 7:36 - 39

.37 - BEHOLD

A Sinner (268)...

...this man - if he were a prophet - would know WHO & WHAT Type of person she is...For she is a SINNER (268)...

Stained person...

Marred...Still not yet free...

.47

Her SINS - which are many - are forgiven...

.48

Your sins are forgiven...(50) Your faith has saved you - go in peace...

Luke 14

Then He also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

Where did summer go? Fall is coming...

Tomorrow kids go back to school...

Where does time go - really?  It seems to just be on a treadmill on high speed & you can't turn it down...

Yet, with summer over - fall is coming, my favorite time of the year...

Jeans & a long sleeve tee, nothing better than that...Coffee on the deck with out flies flying...Fall colors on the trees - awesome...Dew on the ground in the morning...Great holidays...The woods w/Stik & friends...A fire - preferably not my house...Less sweating...Grass stops growing - yes!...The beach - only different than August...

I love fall...

Yet - about the time we get into it...it too is over...

Seasons of life...

Peace

Random Stuff in My Head

Just some random junk rolling around in my head...

Baseball is a great game.  

Red Sox - just can't get it done this year.  I still hate the Yankees as a team, like some of the players - hate the team.


Redskins will probably look a lot like they have the last several years.


Inception - a great movie.


Droid Incredible - A computer - not a phone.

I hate the hazy hot humid summer stuff.  Give me fall/winter - jeans & a long sleeve t.

It's harder than it looks.


It's not as hard as you might think it is.


My kids are great kids.  No matter how many times people tell you - they will still grow up faster than you think.  I am extremely proud of each of my kids..I hope they know how much I love them.


Reading really does make you a better person.  You can learn from simply reading a book.


Watching your parents "grow old" comes with a lot of mixed thoughts for them.  I'm glad they are both around but I hate seeing all they have to go through in being here.  I pray that they really enjoy this part of their journey.

I have a great wife.  I have a great home.  I have a great family.  I am loved.  I am blessed.

Singing really does make you feel better.  Except when you are in the gym with you IPOD on & the guys can hear you - that look they give you doesn't make you feel that good...


Sunsets have to be of God.

We all have something to do that will be great.

There are 2 sides to the story.

My dogs have never quit liking me.


Silent Library is too funny.  The funniest one ever - the bird feeding the guy in the nest.  I watch it all the time - over & over & over & still laugh til my side hurts.  My family says I'm weird.


The globe has a lot of strife on it.


The new Camaro has to be one of the best looking cars on the road.  I owned 2 back in the day - wrapped 1 around a pole.  Grace met me there...


God keeps good records.


I'm not going to miss Larry King.


Why do I always wake up at 4 in the morning?  


The way we view success is quite different than the people in a 3rd world country.


The oil spill was gross.  


Vacation.  Off shore.  Hunting.  Coffee.  Waves.  Frost.  


Dinner with friends is still great.  So is dinner with my family.


Everyone needs whatever their cup of coffee is in life from time to time.


"I tried" is really a great thing to say in life.  It's much better than having a life full of "I wonder" when you get older.


I know too many people with cancer.


These are great lyrics - If everyone cared and nobody cried.  If everyone loved and nobody lied.  If everyone shared and swallowed their pride.  Then we'd see the day when nobody died...And I'm singing...Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive...Amen I, Amen I, Amen I (I'm alive).


There really is a better day.  I hate that one of my friends didn't know he had one coming.


Hurt people - hurt people.  So do angry people...There's still only 1 heaven to go to.

Grace really is sufficient.  Love is better than life.  Mercy is renewed daily.  Peace can pass comprehension.  Joy can be full of glory.  God is with me & you.

Peace.

The 160 Character TXT Message

What is it about a text message?

It's almost like it is it's own form of communication that has its' own rules and language.

What I mean is we think we can accomplish anything via a text...cover any topic...end a friendship...share life changing news...say things we wouldn't or can't say in person - for whatever reason...etc...

It's lyk thos 160 characters (wich is a vry scintific numbr they aryvd at) r capabl (w/the ryt abreviations or shortcuts) of sayn mor > we can (or mayb care 2) n persn or othr form of comunication.

As a matter of fact - we now text almost 2x as many times as we call.  How many of us have sent texts in lieu of just calling...

So, with a text we have dumbed down some conversations that would be much more effective and valued in person.  With the text, we reduce what would be some difficult - but still right - conversations to less than 160 characters! Then we don't have to talk...we don't have to have any awkward silences...no emotions shared...nothing...Just hit send & in less than 160 characters - whatever needed to be said - from the senders opinion - has been said. If you don't reply - hey - at least they sent it - the rest is up to you.  If you reply - they are then free to reciprocate - possibly taking the conversation all the way up to 320 characters!  Or they can read your reply & go on....Because after all - they sent you a text to let you know whatever they felt you needed to know - no more & no less.

No matter that it could be from a friend...someone you value greatly...family member...etc...The whole thing can be reduced to 160 very scientifically calculated & studied characters.  Incredible...

There are definitely times a text message is the way to go...I text & get texts all the time & will continue to do so...However, I can also say there are times the text just can't get it done & I hope I am then willing to dial the number or something & not just send a text.

If you have any comments - text me...160 characters or less of course.

Peace

GENESiS

For those asking...

As of June 2011, we are now meeting at Regal Cinema Greenbrier .

10 am Sundays.  Come a few minutes early to meet some new & old friends...

Shawn & I can be contacted at - ChurchGenesis@GMail.com if you need any more information...

Bob

A BUZZ!

I'm not sure why...but this past weekend at GENESiS there just seemed to be a real buzz in the air.

It just seemed like from the 1st person to arrive to the last - there was an air of excitement in the place...

Nothing you can script...plan...create...manipulate...just something that God does - I guess?  Not sure...but it felt really good.

Funny - cause it happened in a Movie Cafe...with popcorn in the seats...a less than ideal situation...lots of pieces that haven't arrived - yet...but it happened none the less...

Just a group of people coming together expecting the God of All Creation to Show up in ways each of us need Him to show up...And He did & does.

So, in our life - it might not be ideal either - but look around with that same "air of expectancy" - for that same God shows up there too.

See ya Sunday - come excited...

Peace

Bob

Reading Lately

I read quite a bit...

Here are a few books I've read lately...

The Bible - in a couple versions (NKJV, TNIV & The Message)
One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus:How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith
Bo's Cafe (Actually read it a few months ago - but it's worth the mention)
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
The Practice of the Presence of God
Daily Devotions as well...

I've read more - but these are the ones worth noting.

There ya go...

Peace

Bob

You...Take Some Time for You!

In life - you have to find "things" "ways" to celebrate...

Whether a day off...walk on the beach...fishing...coffee...massage...talk w/friend...sunset...gym...seafood...read...pray...sing...concert...movie...church...etc.

Why?

If you don't find ways to: Celebrate the journey..."Pay" yourself for your efforts...Refuel... Then you will eventually run out of gas...you will determine it's not worth it...you will get angry at someone or many someones...you won't get to where you're going.

So, in the next moment of your life - if you haven't taken time for you - do so.  It will help you on your journey...

Peace

Struggles

So...

To try - once again & write something on here on a more regular basis...I'm hoping more random will work better for me...So...for the nth time - I start again with that as my goal...

My thought for this moment of life is all about struggles...How we handle them & how they handle us.  One makes us better, while the latter makes us worse.

But, I'm not sure I know anyone that doesn't have some type of struggle going on in their life, of course that's a relative term - but we all have some type of struggle going on.  Whether it's my 9 year old - doing her best in SOL'S or my 78 year old dad - in a now never ending struggle to overcome his heart condition.  Though on an objective scale, one can't compare to the other - on a subjective scale, each has their own struggle they have to face today.

I relate.  Don't you?

It just seems like the rain never stops - only it's intensity changes...

In life trying to keep up is hard enough - trying to dig out - even harder...

So, in looking around at the landscape of life - I see struggles everywhere...SOL'S for a 9 year old...A tough baseball playoff game loss for a 17 year old...A pretty big bill to get a SUV repaired for a 20 year old...A "trying to balance it all out" challenge for my wife...Me - trying to trust the timing with God, while knowing "it is all in His control"...

So, with faith in God & a daily determination to not let them get the best of me or even worse - feel overwhelmed by the size & number of them all - like you - I put one foot in front of the other - believing that I really am making progress & that for each of my family - we are handling our struggles & not letting them handle us...

Press On.

Peace.

Your Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

They say that on any given day the average person runs about 60,000 thoughts through their mind.  What's amazing is that roughly 95% (54,000) of those thoughts are the same as the ones you thought the day before...The tyranny of impoverished thinking...

See your mind as what it is - a wonderful gift - full of all the potential God has for you locked within it. When it's all said & done - it's one of the very few things we truly have dominion over.  What typically separates most people is how they interpret the events of their world...how they really think about it all...

When you learn to focus on the positive in life - your life will move into a higher dimension & capacity for living...

Think about it...

Peace

Taking Up Your Cross

How crazy is it - that when Jesus told us to take up our cross...that He was not associated with a cross yet? 

To think - their image of what he was teaching, was simply a detestable form of execution...the worse of the worse died on a cross...Yet, He said that we are to take up our cross daily & that if we don't - we are not able to be His disciple.  He must have been saying that, on a daily basis, we need to execute our old nature.  The image is one of a violent confrontation needed to really overcome the old us.

When was the last time we really did something even close to that in trying to overcome the old us?

Peace

God is ALL Around

Several verses in the Bible talks about God going BEFORE us...BESIDE us...and BEHIND us...

I've been praying those for months now...Mostly I’ve been focused on the 1st two – Before & Beside me...

When I pray, I picture those being true - He is already there & He is going with me...

By going before me, I’m asking Him to: prepare the way...to be there when I get there...to make the difficult doable...impossible possible...to take the secular and make it spiritual...In essence, I'm believing that as He goes before me - He is literally preparing the way for me/us in all areas of our life. As we move forward...as we deal with the past...as we just live again...I need to know & believe that in all areas of my life...

By going WITH me, I'm seeing Him as Immanuel - the God that goes with me/us. It seems easier to deal with things, easier to live again, easier to do anything - when someone is with you - or when you are not alone. So, I put than into my faith - God is WITH me right now...He is BESIDE me...The Bible says that He is so close that He is in my Shadow.  There are times I can really sense Him being iwth me - His strength...peace...calm..etc...There are other times - it's just in my faith - I know He is with me, because He said He would be...

Then - the one that really has hit me lately - that He goes BEHIND me. The way that has become a faith thing for me is - that when I leave from somewhere...God is still there! He is there still at work. Taking all my inability & making something out of it His way...Taking my feeble efforts & placing his touch on them...When I leave - it might not be done...might not have been enough...it might not have been exactly the right words...or whatever...But God - stays there & keeps working for me/us...It's by His Spirit only that anything happens anyway...So, I've learned to just trust that as I/we walk forward in life - God takes our best efforts & works in & through them as only He can...

The same passages also mean that as He goes Before...Beside...Behind....He is not only preparing, He is protecting...I've needed His protection in many many ways...He is Faithful...

God is ALL Around - Pray It...Believe it...Practice It...

Peace

Comments - FYI

We get many more comments than we post.

We don't publish any of them that mention other people or seem to be more for us than for the world.

So, if you don't see your comment posted - that's normally why.

So, thanks for sending them - they mean alot to both of us...

Bob & Shawn

Loving Your Enemies & Praying for the Cursers

Jesus instructs us to "pray for our enemies" & "pray blessings on those that curse you."

A couple months ago - I began to do exactly that...Calling out in prayer people that either were my enemies or that I had developed strong negative feelings toward.

When I first tried this - just saying their name was about all I could get out...But, over a period of a few weeks - after calling their name out every day in prayer; I honestly got to where I was (and still am) wanting God to truly bless them. And, through that - I was able to process anger...bitterness...hurt...revenge...sorrow...and probably a few other feelings within. A process of personal healing really took place - I became totally free of their impact on my life.

Part of the trick is to that when you pray blessings on them - you leave it at that - no more & no less. Leaving the interpretation of that up to God - you realize that if God blesses them - He will do what's right in their life - just as you trust He is doing in your own.

So, now daily - I call out people's names & have even wept over them as I truly want God to bless them...When Jesus taught us how to live & how to treat each other - though he placed a greater standard on each of us - he was teaching us how to obtain the abundant life He came to give.

Lord - bless my enemies...

Crazy thing - another scripture says "that when OUR ways please the Lord - HE will make even our enemies at peace with us!"

Lord - Help my life be pleasing to you...

Peace

Update

Hey all

We get asked quite often some form of the question - what are you up to/how are you all doing...

So - I'll start with an update of things in the Groves Home.

Shawn & I are doing great. We have been going to marital counseling for about 8 months now. Until mid December - we went every Thursday. Now we go every other. To say that our counselor (a Christ follower) has been a God send would be an understatement - for both our marriage & myself. My past keeps trying to show up via people that "just won't let it go" or that don't want me or others to forget about it - but we are doing well in spite of all that.

For about 3 months now - we get up each weekday at 6:15 to pray together. This one spiritual discipline has provided some serious healing for each of us & our marriage.

I have been meeting with a Sr Pastor of a local church, every Tuesday, for about 5 or 6 months. Again - a God send into my life. He offers some great friendship as well as Godly wisdom. Our meetings have gone to every other week now too.

My kids - are all doing well. Cosmetology school...Baseball...an 8 year old Sweetheart...

We have still not found a church to call home. Fact is we haven't even come close yet. We have only been to church a few times in the last 9 months. Sundays are still a tough reminder of my sin(s).

We have been surrounded by some great friends through out the last several months. It would be true to say - that without them we would not be close to where we are today. They know who they are & we are eternally grateful for those that have been there for & with us.

A Couple local pastors have reached out to me/us during this extremely difficult time in my/our life. They have exemplified the ability to still offer grace & forgiveness - which - for some reason - is not as readily offered when you fall as a Pastor. Not that we shouldn't have a higher accountability & all that...but when ya fall - your titles are all gone & you are then just a regular ole sinner that has to still make it...

I still hear often of my past from someone that "follows Christ". Interestingly enough - that's the only group that still does that? They still are calling people...talking about the latest rumor...making sure all the people in my life have all the latest...etc...Truth is - repairing a marriage is tough enough...having to do so in the spot light that people keep shining on us is quite another...whoops - I'm sorry - I didn't mean to get off on that...but if you want to know what a day is like in our life - that would still be what it's like...

Well, there's more - but for now this will do...

Peace

Bob

Hey

Good morning...

I haven't been in here for quite a while - but will start sharing some on a more regular basis...

If you are still following this blog - send Shawn & me a comment saying hi...

Some good news for now - the Bible says that we are fearfully & wonderfully made! Think about that! You are unique & there is not another on this earth that can take your place...

Don't allow you not being like someone else hold you back from being you!

Peace