Merry Christmas

Today we had a short time with staff to give them a neat gift that I’ve been waiting for months to give them. It’s these nice Nike pullover jackets with our logo on them. I ordered them last year and we got them in the summer and I’ve had them stored at my house all this time. You have no idea how many times that I wanted to tell them or give them the gift that we had gotten just for them. It was especially bad when it began to cool off a little and the jacket would have been just perfect. I believe that is how God is towards us. I can only imagine how anxious He is to give us the good gifts that He’s gotten for us. We are in the middle of a short Christmas series that we will be talking about these things and I know that there are some incredible gifts in the lives and hearts of HOF that have yet to be discovered, discipled and delivered to the body of Christ and to the world. C’mon HOF, in 2008 let this be the year that you give the gifts to the world that God has given to you. The best is yet to come, I can feel it.

Watch the Gray Area

This past Saturday morning we met at a local elementary gym to have a friendly game of basketball. Forty-somethings down to twenty-somethings with the old guys versus the young guys. Glad to report at our age we don’t play shirts and skins, but yellow versus any other color but yellow. The humidity that day was high and it made the gym floor slippery in spots. The wood of the basketball court was okay, but the painted concrete that made up the out of bounds had a film of moisture on it and it was dangerously slippery. We constantly had to remind each other to “watch the gray” as several people’s momentum took them onto the slippery part and great was the fall of them. Thank God, no one was hurt, only pride and some bruises I’m sure will be felt this week. It reminds me of living for God, we have to watch the gray. There are areas of life that we can venture into that make our footing unsure, out of bounds areas. While on the playing floor all was well, as it is when we are engaged and being the church and not just attending I find that I do better. I believe that is why God gave us such boundaries as leadership, His Word, and the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we would have His protection so we wouldn’t go out of bounds. So as you navigate the end of ’07 watch the gray, stay in the game and see God do something awesome in your life.

WWII Museum

Today we did something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time, I took the staff to the WWII Museum in New Orleans. A good friend and pastor told me that it was an awesome leadership trip, so today we took the staff. The timing turned out to be great as today is Pearl Harbor Day, the anniversary of the bombing of Pear Harbor in Hawaii. I was reminded again of the monumental effort both stateside and on foreign soil that it took to keep our nation free. I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the battle that the church is engaged in against the gates of hell(which cannot stand against us). Maybe I’ll do a sermon series using the truths and principles that applied to that war that could apply to us today. I’d like to remember all who have served or who are presently serving our country in the military and say, thank you. HOF just recently was able to send some colors and paper to a military unit from LA to give out in Iraq and also included some Louisiana stuff and LSU to make the soldiers feel at home. I’m fired up to see the church begin to understand and act like part of an army on a mission with victory as our only option. We have no other choice but to win because the options are not acceptable. With Jesus as the captain of the host, we will be victorious.

Deck the Halls

Well, we’ve begun a new tradition at the Bledsoe house that we’ve never done before, outside Christmas lights. I have been very reluctant to do this because it just seems like it’s not a good use of time and energy. My children have been relentless in wanting to decorate and with my wife finally succumbing to their pressure we are doing it this year. Last night the kids and I got in the yard and began to put them up. I learned quite a bit about lights last night and have a new appreciation for those people who have yards full of stuff that everyone likes to drive by to see. I learned that I needed to start at one end and go to the other and not start in two places even it that looks easier. I’ve also learned that you need to plan, it will not just work out. I also learned that it is a lot of fun to do things with your kids that they enjoy and seeing them happy is one of the greatest things in my life.