A few thoughts for your Tuesday . . .

Ministry

• It is so important to keep the big picture in mind.  I think in ministry it’s VERY easy to get frustrated in the day by day and to lose sight of the bigger picture.
• Clarity is a big word that I use a lot.  I seek to clarify situations so I know how best to help. It’s an endless prayer for wisdom to be understand at a high level.  Discernment is not something that comes naturally for me, but with help from the Holy Spirit He enables me to see things better along the way.
• If you love people and seek to help them grow closer to Christ, what are your biggest challenges?

Sports

• Murray!  Wow it is exciting that Andy Murray won Wimbledon.  I’m happy for the British people.
• In case you missed it, a guy died (this is a real story) and asked for Cleveland Browns players to be his pall bearers so he could have them let him down one last time.  One of the comments on his obit (or a related story) made the joke that they’re not used to carrying things without dropping them for very long! Oh what fun . . .
• The Indians missed a big chance in last night’s game.
• I don’t think Dwight Howard will solve the Rockets’ problems any more than he did for the Lakers.

Family

• On my busiest days I feel like I am a terrible dad.  I know that’s not true; I simply need to balance the busy times with times that I am present and engaged.  
• Similarly, I am NOT wired to be away from my family for long periods of time. Over the last couple days I haven’t seen our older kids too much, and even that short amount of time makes me feel disconnected.

Random

• I have a guy who’s trying to sell me a certain kind of life insurance policy.  I really need to gain some more information, but for my approach to such things, it definitely sounds interesting.
• So it down-poured and our softball game got cut short last night.  Then, I left my cleats at the facility.  I’m headed out there to (hopefully) retrieve them tonight.

Quotes

• “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Jesus)
• “Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.” – Jonathan Edwards