an “electronicphenomena”…

Well, I just got back from an awesome week of camp. I was blessed to be a counselor for a well mixed group of young men from the ages of 12 -14. They were challenged as well as I was challenged to get unplugged from the world and plug into God. In a world full of “myspaces”, ipods, laptops, internet cyberworlds, cell phones that do what a computer does, xbox-nintendo-playstation game systems, an “electronicphenomena”…there seems to be plenty of distractions to divert one from God. I have to admit that I am guilty of being distracted from God because of my desire to succumb to this electronicphenomena. I have heard it said in the form of a military attack, the idea is to surprise your enemy as their attention is diverted. Well it seems that our attention is sure diverted and the devil is waiting like a lion ready to devour. I was challenged this last week to check myself and see how much of me I am devoting God and how much of me isn’t devoted to God. Is my prayer time less than my TV or Computer time? I am properly worshipping God or am I just singing? How much time do I really spend in His Truth (The Bible)? What am I doing with gifts He has blessed me with, am I receiving glory or am I giving Him glory? Am I being a good steward of the money that He has given me or am I treating the money that He has given me as “mine”? It’s good to be challenged, being comfortable means that I’m not doing anything. Maybe you are one who needs to unplug for bit and plug into God. Blogatchalater!
-gravyjmm

Truth from a 3 year old

The wisdom of 3 year old is just something. Its amazing as adults, we sometimes do not say the truth out of fear that someone isn’t going like us or the fear that we will hurt someone’s feelings. A 3 year old doesn’t have this fear. My son recently offended Buddhism…how? While mommy was packing to move, I took him with me to A Chinese restaurant, for some take-out…and whilst in the restaurant, he pointed his finger and asked me what “that” was…”that” was a statue of Buddha”, I replied to him and he in a very serious response said, “ Oh…he has boobies.” He said this in a loud voice that every Buddhist in the room could hear, easily offending their religion. This got me thinking…did he really offend that religion? Now while he’s 3 and not really able to understand the concept of “speaking truth in love”, my son was simply stating what he saw. We live in a world full of “religions” and I don’t believe in a religion because, speaking for myself, I don’t believe that their in any hope or peace or joy in any religion. For me all hope, peace, and joy come from one thing…Jesus. And he didn’t teach about religion, He taught about a relationship. Jesus never feared as His Father, our Father, in Heaven never feared on speaking the truth in love…so why do we, why do I? The truth is that there is only one truth and that is God’s truth and everything else is wrong…it’s a fact, not a belief. In a world that’s so corrupted and immoral and think its time for me to not only speak but live that truth in love, no matter the cost. The wisdom from a 3 y.o. can really be an eye opener.

-gravyjmm

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks I needed that…ever have “one-of-those” months! Not that there is anything wrong with “one-of-those” months, it just been crazy, but that life and God is always good no matter what circumstance I’m in. Being a full-time minister of youth in summertime can be a quite busy on top of moving and having a family, mixed in with multiple “stuff” from church and throw in a little of life “things”...June has just been exceptionally active, throw in my wife and I’s 2nd Anniversary and because God has sense of humor, I just found out that wife is pregnant. I will blog more on Wednesday.
Scream atyalater

-gravyjmm

I have just been to my first Promise Keepers here in Florida. I thoroughly enjoyed it…for the fellowship, for the impact it made on me personally (Spiritually), and for the challenges PK laid out for me. It was called “UNLEASHED” which all the speakers just let it go, there were many times that the men were shouting and clapping and at one point I believe I said, “Heck Yea”. Many “well-made” points were made but 2 that really stuck out were:

1. If my walk with the Lord isn’t there, how can I lead people to Him, I can’t give away what I don’t have.
2. Before the Living Fountain can flow, I must allow God to put the well in my life.

That’s some good eatin’ to chew on for awhile. Hey today is 6/6/06 which means that there will be some paranoid people out today…have fun!

-Gravyjmm

Are you paranoid?

Paranoid - par•a•noid (păr'ə-noid')

adj.
1. Relating to, characteristic of, or affected with paranoia.
2. Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others: a paranoid suspicion that the phone might be bugged.

I’ve noticed that Arby’s is advertising that their chicken is 100% real chicken…does this mean that other so called “fast food” places serve only partial chicken . I remember working for McDonalds “back in the day” and I was a big fan of the McRib Sandwich, My boss who happened to be my best friend told me that I wouldn’t eat them anymore after I saw how they looked coming from the box to the cooker…he was so right…they looked like frozen formed pink play-dough blocks and if I remember correctly, the ingredients included the word “etc.”…speaking of McRibs, I haven’t seen them in almost 10 years…

What if the labels that you read on the outside of food that you purchase isn’t correct…how do I know that those labels are what they say they are? Is it possible that the protein, cholesterol, carbs, and vitamin count on the labels are wrong? Wouldn’t it be funny when we get to heaven and God smiled and said, “You could have eaten those carbs, cholesterol, and fat”…

How does a chunk of metal a.k.a the airplane stay in the air?

What do doctors or surgeons really do when they put you to sleep and “perform” surgery? What if really only took 15 minutes compared to 3 hours as they say. I wonder if we are being laughed at people when we supposedly “bite the bullet” and pay lots of money for $5 to $15 procedure or stuff.

I wonder what the government actually really bugs…telephones, cell phones, internet, TV…think about that for while.

Actually none of this stuff really bothers me but I thought that it would give those who read this blog, some interesting things to think about. About the only paranoid that I know is that one song from Black Sabbath…for some of you out there, I probably really messed you up. It’s okay… trust God, it works believe me. Have fun!

-Gravy jmm

Today is 5th Step Freedom

Today is Thursday and tonight at 6 pm, I will sit with my sponsor in celebrate recovery and do the 5th Step in Celebrate Recovery:

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. “Therefore, confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed.” James 5:16 NIV

This is an absolute 1st for me…confession, a complete confession to another human being that I trust of everything that I kept hidden…whether sin, pain, feelings…it is all coming out, 28 years of “stuffed” stuff, tonight and I am actually really excited. For me, there is so much healing in sharing, taking my mask off and just being real helps me so much in my walk. Tonight my sponsor will point at my character defects that I display which I now look as a blessing because now I can identify my stuff and surrender it to God on an hourly, day by day basis. They tell me when I am done with my 5th step that I don’t have to pick it up again…EVER. It is finished…move forward...why should I pick it up ever again when God has not only forgiven me, but forgotten? WRECKLESS ABANDON ,BABY…I believe William Wallace said in best in the movie Braveheart, “FFFRRREEEDDDOOOMMM.” In the words of the man, Jesus, “Get behind me Satan.” WOOOOO, YEAH
-Gravy jmm

cars are fun to fix

God is great and cars break. My history with cars isn’t great but hey what fun would life be without cars and the fact that they break. Today is Friday and my wife and I currently have 2 cars…both of which probably will be living with God soon but hopefully not until we have replaced them. I must though, say that God has blessed me with vehicles, and they might not have been Bentleys, but they were God-sent and that makes them special. My 1997 Nissan was a gift from God because the car I had in 2004 was destroyed by Hurricane Frances and someone just gave me that car. I just put, well I didn’t, put a new rotor and new brake pads on the front of the car. It currently has working air condition but needs new rear brakes as well as a new radiator. My wife’s car which is worse has 2 windows that don’t work and as of today, it needs a new tire as well as the alignment is shot and it needs new brakes both in the front and back. Her car is 1997 Lumina and its air condition is shot and it has fewer miles than mine. Cars are objects and they break and God wouldn’t have me lose my serenity over it. Besides I am sure that the 3 people who read this blog can understand the fact that cars break and that they break at the most inconvenient time. But of course God’s time is never inconvenient. What I guess makes it inconvenient for me is not the fact that cars break because I have come to accept that years ago, what makes it inconvenient for me is that gas costs $9,786.73 a gallon…of course that is a “jamesim” (see GBH for explanation of term). I guess what I really want to say is…it would be cool to have those hover boards that they had in Back to the Future II which took place in 2015 which is only 9 years away and it seems we are no way near what they predicted the future to look in that movie which really bums me out. To quote C. Thomas Howell in the movie Red Dawn…”Wolverine”

-Gravy jmm

I'm sick so here's a some funny bulletin bloopers

I always seem to get sick this time of year with the stupid cold/flu thing. My old thinking was this is really inconvenient…I can’t do this, I can’t touch this, blah, blah, blah. My thinking this time was…hey I can rest which I got very little because we have a puppy that believes his daddy’s arm is his teething bone. Any-the-way, needless to say I’m using Lysol. Since I am sick and have a major brain fog issue…as the GBH has always told me, “Dude you have random thoughts.” Here are some of my favorite church bulletin bloppers:

• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door.
• The third verse of Blessed Assurance will be sung without musical accomplishment.
• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
• The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy."
• During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.
• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.
• On a church bulletin during the minister's illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

My personal favorite
• Don't let worry kill you off - let the church help.

Here’s one from our bulletin back in the day around 2001: we normally would have a bold message in our bulletin that read “Pantry needs” only this one time it read “Panty needs” which all of our seniors were red in the face.
-Gravy jmm

Being Real

They say in recovery that it will be worse before it gets better…what options do I really have…I could go back and stay in my struggles or continue the journey through the desert and up mount Everest. Why can’t life be like that Staples commercial, push the “easy” button? Of course the reality is…there is no “easy” button. There is a minister friend of mine that once said that in his 17 years of ministry, he learned 2 things…I thought he was going to say something that rocked but instead his said, ”God is great and life is painful.” Everyday is different for me and I have come to find out that I have limits. I once thought that I was strong and could do things on my own and all it got me was into a celebrate recovery program. Actually truth be known, I really acted for many years…I enjoyed wearing a mask because I didn’t have to be real and be held accountable. It was easy to hide behind a religious spirit. I finally couldn’t run or hide anymore. I was found out. I was a broken man. I thought I was on way to a mental institute, really. For the first time in my life, I am real. For the first time in my life, I don’t care anymore about pleasing people. For the first time in my life, I am transparent and not a Pharisee. For the first time in my life, I am finally dealing with everything that I’ve stuffed for 28 years. For the first time in my life, I am admitting all my wrongs and accepting life for what it is. For the first time in my life, I am no longer pointing my finger. For the first time in my life, I have really given up and surrendered. For the first time in my life, I don’t want to medicate with anything and I want to face my issues. For the first time in my life, I am finally joyful and grateful. For the first time in my life, I want to know God intimately. For the first time in my life, I am willing to be used by God. For the first time in my life, I no longer want to think that it is the world according to James. I thought for awhile that God’s will for me was to go back to Bible college and get my degree…I know now that I needed recovery…I have learned more about God and His purpose for me since I started looking in the mirror and got serious about recovery from my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. God is awesome and I love Him so much…I am so thankful that He knocked me off my feet and showed me how insane I really was…I am thankful that He finally broke down my walls and I finally let Him come into all of my life. It feels good to walk around weightless for the first time. Thanks for letting me share.
-Gravy jmm

Fundamental Elements of Blogtown

There always seems to be something going on! I’m not much for politics, I thought I was once but I rather swim in a tub filled with scissors than “get into” about politics. I’m not sure where I stand on the whole immigration thing. Its funny how in our country we are so divided on issues instead of being united as the name of country seems to give but none the less I am proud to live in the USA. Actually I can’t wait to be united with Christ in heaven but that’s God’s call when He calls me. Anywho as GBH likes to say…there always seems to be something going on and there always will be. I am no longer paralyzed from fear that news seems to give us on a daily basis. The only fear I need to have is that for God.

Jeremiah reminds me that, “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives. "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

I hope all is well in “Blogland” and blog at ya’ll later. Until then …live in grace and prosper.
-Gravy JMM

I Want to be Drafted!

Today is one of my favorite days…it’s the NFL draft and being a fervent Washington Redskins fan, I get real eager to see who they will snag. This year they’re not picking until 53 because they traded there 1st pick to the Broncos last year for Jason Campbell. I am also in to the draft just because I am a major NFL and a college football fan. I am interested into seeing where some of the players that I watched in college that I really liked will wind up. I can only image what these guys must feel like on draft day. Some have worked so hard and have achieved so much for this day to play in the NFL. Some of these athletes have some real awesome exercise and eating disciplines to keep them in extreme shape. Because I am such a nut about football and the draft I got to thinking about my life and where my walk with the Lord was…and I wondered if there was a “Kingdom” draft for kingdom workers…where would I be drafted? I wonder how much emphasis I put on my conditioning for God’s Kingdom. I wonder how hard I am really working at loving God and loving what God loves. Am I really living up to the potential that God has given me or am I burying my talents? I wonder if I am just doing what I need to on the surface. I know over the years there have been college players who were hyped into being these “great” NFL stars and they turned out to be nothing but a bust. Sometimes I can be my worst enemy because I can con myself into believing my own hype when I am nothing but a bust because I am not doing what I can be doing. I know that God loves me and that He has a purpose for me…I believe that but sometimes I know it in my head and I don’t live from my heart. I am a work in progress and I can reach the potential that God has given me…I believe I just have to get out of His way and let Jesus come into my heart and mold me. Then maybe God will draft me to do His kingdom work because He now can use me because I let go and I am allowing Him to use me.

-Gravy JMM

I have to stop being a wuss

To quote the band “Tears for Fears”…”Shout, Shout let it all out…” Sometimes you just have to shout. I have found in the 12 step Celebrate Recovery program that I am involved, actually the better word here would be engrossed in…I used to blame everyone and everything for my issues. Come to find out, it has always been me. I used to think recovery programs were for “those people” when all along I had hurts, habits, and hang-ups. What does this have to do with shouting? In recovery I introduce myself as: James, a child of God who struggles with co-dependency, anger, sexual integrity, depression, religious spirit, food addiction. You see I struggle…and I try not to live in my struggles. I have always stuffed my issues and I have found out that stuffing only lasts for so long. I finally came to a point in my life were I was going to BLOW…God finally got my attention. I was sick of being sick and sick of wrestling God, a match that I can’t win. Having said all of this and probably wasting a minute of your time, here’s what I really wanted to say…I am shouting to God that I am sick of being a 90 lb wuss, and I want to trust God with everything that I am, not 68%...everything…100%.

Step 3 in Celebrate recovery stats, “3. Made a decision to turn our life and our will over to the care of God. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God –this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 NIV. This is really hard because its COMPLETE surrend…I have to give up and turn to God. Here is STEP 3’s prayer:
Dear God, I have tried to do it all by myself, on my own power, and I have failed. TODAY, I want to turn my life over to You. I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. You are the One and ONLY Higher Power! I ask You to help me think less about me and my will. I want to daily turn my will over to You, to daily seek Your direction and wisdom for my life. Please continue to help me overcome my hurts, habits, and hang-ups and may that victory over them help others as they see Your power at work in changing my life. Help me to do Your will always. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.

I can be such a wuss but I am thankful that God loves and gives me the strength and peace to do what I have to do. Basically, I am nothing without God. So for me, I know what the scriptures say in my head…its time for to live them from my heart. God is and always will be bigger than me and there is nothing impossible for Him to do. WORDS ARE JUNK…Its time for me to just do it, just trust Him. So if you read this, and you have struggles…there is nothing too difficult for God to fix, you just have to let Him do it. Remember if God’s not in control of your life, your life is out of control. I might be a wuss and have 83 things that I struggle with…I am forgiven and God has grace for me through Jesus and God can remove from me what doesn’t belong…I just have to move myself aside and let Him use His Holy Spirit to guide me and He will do the same for you.

Sincerely a wuss in recovery;
-Gravy JMM

Remembering Columbine

I realize that today is the 7 year anniversary of the Columbine shootings. I remember waiting tables at Rio Bravo in Orange Park and hearing on the news of the shootings and I remember thinking why would someone or people do this? I realize now, 7 years later, the finger is still pointing at who to blame: The parents, the police, Marilyn Manson, the ones who sold them the guns, and so on. The truth is that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold pulled the triggers, no one else. The truth is Eric and Dylan had some pain and chose to take the pain out the wrong way and lot of lives were destroyed because of their choice. Nothing could have prevented the Columbine shootings except Eric and Dylan. The hardest thing that I have had to come to accept in my life is that I CAN’T control or change anyone, what they say or what they do. The sad truth is that there always seems to be headlines like this in the news of tragedy after tragedy. My sponsor tells me that there are 2 types of people: Those in recovery and those who need to be. The only thing I can do is let God change me and for me to deal with my hurts, habits, and hang-ups the right way, God’s way and not the way that Eric and Dylan did. Columbine was a heart-breaking tragedy as so many other occurrences like it. Pray for the lost and if you are a child of God, be a mirror that reflects Christ because Jesus is the only hope for this world and a lost person is only going to see Christ if they see Him in me.
-Gravy JMM

"Deny Religion, Embrace Jesus"

Ah the joys of a traditional Easter Sunday...this is one of 2 times a year most people make it a point to come to a building and I guess punch in their ticket so God can see that they were at "church". This is also were traditionalists and religious people make not of that and do nothing but stay seated on their "throne". I am a recovering traditionalist as well as a recovering religious spiritualist. Let me explain...someone who suffers from a religious spirit, knows all the answers as per the bible and fail to live them. The Book of James says that were aren't to just merely listen to the Word, but do what it says...someone with a religious spirit doesn't do what the Word says, its all a talk. If this was 2000 years ago, Jesus would have referred to me as a Pharisee...Jesus would have said to me that my lips praise Him but my heart is far from Him. Like I said, I am a recovering religious spiritualist...I didn't go to "church" on Sunday, I went to a building and had fellowship and sang praises with my brothers and sisters in Christ who belong to HIS church. Being a minister is something I "get" to do, not something I "have" to do. I don't go to a "church"; I belong to His' church. I am happy that there are those who only come to a building a couple times year, I just glad that they are there and I pray that seeds are planted that God can water and that they don't see me but they see Christ in me. A Pharisee thought highly of themselves, they knew the all answers and they were never wrong. How can God use me, if I am full of myself...He can't. I have a bumper sticker on my guitar case that says "Deny Religion, Embrace Jesus"...the greatest thing one can do is have a personal relationship with Jesus, not some religion...money can buy religion, but not hope, peace, strength, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love which comes from God through Jesus. When I was baptized, or when I read the Bible, or when I come to a building on Sunday... I am doing nothing for God; those are all gifts that He gave me. Its not about head-knowledge, its about TRANSFORMATION. Its about a 24/7 lifestyle. Its not about pleasing people, its not about what your giving, its not about what you are doing, its not even about you...it is always, always has been, always will be about GOD. So today enjoy Jesus and let Him come into your life and transform you. Get out of your comfort zone and take God by the hand. Remember worship is not just on Sunday; it is your lifestyle for God.
-Gravy JMM

Go Through It!

I don't necessarily enjoy going to the gym but, I know what the results will be as long as I continue to abide by the disciplines of eating properly with a good exercise plan. Many moons ago, I remember jokingly asking my 3 y.o. if daddy could sleep in his little Spider-man tent...and he with a very serious looking face said, "Daddy you can't, you're too fat." I had remembered that he probably heard me on many occasions saying that I was getting fat because my closes weren't fitting. So after prolonging the inevitable for many, many, many months...I joined a gym. I really stick out at the gym...I always find myself working out between guys who wear those "protocol gym clothes" and make 200 lbs look easy as were I am wearing a goofy tee shirt (thats Goofy from Disney) and can barely bugde 25 lbs. Having said all of that and probably realling wasting your time just to get to my point...walking with the Lord is similar to working out. When one lifts weights, the idea is to break down the muscle in order build the muscles to be stronger...after a few weeks or a month you can go from lifting 25 lbs to 35 to maybe 45, all along you wear yourself out but you become stronger and healthy of course eating properly helps along taking vitamnins. There is NO mircale pill, you just have to continue to work and work in the gym. The results will be a healthy strong body. What does this have to do with walking with the Lord...life is painful. For me all of times I didn't want to deal with pain or problems, I wanted a way out. God's way is not out but through our problems and pain. Truth is...no matter what limitation or circumstance I am struggling against, God can empower and equip me beyond what I thought possible. I need to accept pain as a part of life. Acceptance will help me live in God’s reality so I can adapt and change to the way things really are and learn to trust God. I need to welcome problems in my life as gifts from God to help me become a better Christian for His Kingdom. God sees my difficulties different from the way I do. God’s way is not out of my problems but through them. As stroms arise, either I am going lay down in defeat or I will invite God to be Lord of my entire life and lead me on...God will ge me the strength to grow through any situation. As pain and problems come at me, with God's grace, strength, peace, loving kidness... I will become a stronger Christian in this life. I need a healthy prayer life, a healthy devotion life, bieng still, and a healthy trust and dependency on God. With God I will be stronger as storms arise and things that I thought were impossible will be possible because of the power that God has. I just have to take God by the hand and with Him go through it!
-Gravy JMM

April 6, 2006

Mirror, Mirror on the wall…

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9 – 14

Remember the quote from Snow White…mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all…the evil queen thought she was until the mirror revealed that is was Snow White. The Pharisee believed he was a righteous man but Jesus said that the tax collector was justified because he was humble…the tax collector realized he was a sinner and needed God. When I look in the mirror, I examine myself…do I need to shave, do I need a haircut, do I need to get some facial products for my face…When I am before the God I need to examine myself, but sometimes it’s easier to examine others. Lamentations says, “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” Sometimes it’s easier, though, to examine others rather than self. I know for me it would be more fun to look at the character defects on those around me becuase I really don't want to look at me to closely...I'm not into change, I want to be comfortable...but if I am comfortable that means I'm talking more than doing. Truth is if I or you or really honest and open before the mirror and God, there's alot of pain and defects that I have or you have but God doesn't waste a hurt or pain. So if you are looking, really honestlty looking into the mirror today...are you wearing a mask or are you real before God and others.

-Gravy JMM