Outside the Pigeon Holes

Today's Psalm - 39 which begins: I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence." Timely and appropriate for some recent interpersonal dealings. I am starting each day with a Psalm. I read it outloud to the fuzzies. It's good bonding time and a good way to get my head in gear for the adventures of the day. Last night's Alpha was neat. It was about why Jesus died. Lee played excerpts from The Passion. And then he gave a scripture and pointed out a verse which added to my continuing clarification of just what the cross is really about. He quoted Hebrews 12:2... 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. As soon as he read it, tears came to my eyes because I internalized what it is saying...The "joy set b

Since I am living a day at a time now, I want to try to keep up with some sort of daily wrap up...or at least weekly...Or monthly...or something...You know how these things go. It was indeed God's voice that whispered to me when I was running errands a couple of weeks ago. I was worried about finding a job and thinking that while I really desired my job with the county back I believed it was time for me to realize that at least for this year, that would not be a possibility. Then I heard/sensed/felt the words (dunno if it's really audible, but God does communicate with me in words).."You don't think that I would answer you when you told that mountain to move?" (earlier in the summer I acted on Jesus' mustard seed promise - that with just faith that small you can tell a mountain to move and it will - and I stood at the mountain of "the county powers that be" and told it "Move"). I wasn't sure if what I heard was really Him or if it was j

On Friday I volunteered with World Vision at the Barlow Girl/Matthew West/Down Here concert. I wasn't really up for going since I had to be up early to head up to Cleveland to the Yankee Peddler Fest (which was a groovin' time! Thanks, Shari and fam!). I decided to go since I missed BG last time they were here. Volunteers needed to be there an hour before the show to get our bearings. The Underground is a big standing-room only club. All the merchandise tables and the World Vision tables are stationed around the perimeter of the audience area. were were standing outside the WV booth with Erin, the volunteer coordinator (who is married to the drummer in Down Here) and a guy came over and stood next to me. He said "Are these our World Vision volunteers?" Erin said "Yes"...The guy said "You guys are awesome for doing this" then he turned to me and extended his hand and said "I'm Matthew West". Trying to hide being caught off guard (I had

the addictions training class that we went through for the Growth and Healing ministry we are launching at VWS was a great experience. Linda had us work through some of the steps to give is a taste of what recovering addicts go through on their healing journies. Reading through the AA "Big Book" and working through first 4 steps revealed to me that Gerald Mann was right when he said "Alcoholics Anonymous" is the Gospel in Drag. It totally is...The precepts and principals are identical to Jesus' teachings on right living...Putting God and others first, giving God our junk, serving others, and living one day at a time...It's all there. It also taught me that I was on the right track when I was a teetotaler between the ages 15 and 33...Not that I believe drinking is bad, but because when I look at the traits and family history of the typical alcoholic, I see a lot of similarities in myself. In a lot of ways, before I became healthier and stable with meds, I ma