What Are The Odds?

Image courtesy of The Spider 

What are the odds that you're holding your title with dignity? 

Dignity means told hold something honorably, or show a standard of worth. 

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which The Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12 NKJV). 

Honor, dignity, respect, what do they mean to you as a child of God? What do these words have in common? They reflect worth, and admiration, they place value. 

• Respect: a feeling of admiring someone or something that is good, valuable, important, etc.

Respect is not fear, it's admiration. 

In the fight game, people call fear a healthy respect. However, fear is totally different from respect. 

In the fight game a fighter respects another fighters skill and deems them worthy of competing against. They respect one another by being aware of each others strengths and understanding the value of having the opportunity to accept the challenge. If one fighter comes out slow or timid, turning his or her back immediately before one strike has landed and appears as though they are afraid of getting hurt, then most likely that fighter is afraid. If a person issues a challenge then backs down, that's a symbol of fear. 

Do your kids cower as you walk past them? Do they duck or cry when you approach them? The imperfect one would hope not. 

Do you crouch or cry at the sight of your parents approaching? Again the imperfect one would hope not. 

Some of you have heard the old cluché, "Just wait til your father gets home!" 

If there was respect in that home, mama wouldn't have to wait for daddy to get home, or for a replacement dad to show up, the children would do as they were supposed to, and be obedient. The same holds true for us all (regardless of age) concerning God. 

When we as children act out, or commit a deviant act towards our parents or act ungodly away from church then we are disrespectful. What's the worry? Dad is not physically there, so what's the worry?

The truth in respect, is that a child wouldn't fear corporal punishment more than the fear of losing self worth and value, because they tried to lessen the value of their parents. 

Respect is a Middle English term taken from the Latin word, respectus, which derived from respicere, meaning to look back in regard to (re+specere) to look -- more... spy. 

Remember that children's song, "O' Be Careful?" 

They don't spy or waste time watching them out of fear. They, the children, watch because they admire that adult, their parent(s). 

The imperfect one admires the innocence and beauty of an 8 month old baby. The imperfect one understands that the 8 month old is dependent on an adult to meet his/her needs. That 8 month old has the respect of the imperfect Christian. The imperfect Christian is not the least bit afraid of that child, but admires that child and respects it. 

The imperfect Christian respects a person seasoned with 80 years. The imperfect Christian admires the experience and survival skills of this person, whether male or female. Again, the imperfect one is not afraid of this person, but admires this person. 

There is value in human life. The imperfect Christian understands the value of life. When others do not see the value in others then they are disrespectful. The imperfect Christian encourages all to have a "self-respect" that would outshine the disrespectful actions of others. Honor your parents, but more so, honor your God, so that you may be honorable in your own right, honorable in the sight of of others, honorable in His sight. 

Until the blessing of a new dawn...

Until the return of Christ Jesus...

Peace, blessings, and joy... 

That real PB&J!

Exodus 20:16

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/12/12/what-was-fake-on-the-internet-this-week-kitten-killing-christmas-trees-and-malia-obamas-pregnancy/

http://www.snopes.com/media/notnews/maliaobamapregnant.asp

Little, Malia Obama is pregnant y'all, and it has to be true because Fox News or someone that really loves our first family and posing as Fox News said it. With that news, I have some news of my own.

Ok, the imperfect Christian has a confession to make:

I, the imperfect Christian, am related to the first family. Yes, I said it. The imperfect Christian is a family member to the first family. The imperfect one did not desire the publicity, but he is a relative. The imperfect Christian's last name is dutch/German, but Pres. Van Buren makes that okay, because there is not one Muslim in all of Germany, or Holland, and if there were, they would not be so bold as to move to the United States of America and run for President. Well with the new immigration law (that for the record the imperfect Christian does not agree with) maybe they might consider the move now. Even consider moving and inviting die hard conservative Dick Cheney's daughter to their same sex partnership ceremony? Who knows?

To switch gears the imperfect one has been attending Christian churches for years now, but all the while no one has once thought of making him show his birth certificate to run for a church office, or pronounce 22 million and a half times that he is indeed, a Christian. Pardon, an imperfect Christian.

While I am making such a bold move and confessing openly, I would also like to confess the inspiring of Ronald Reagan. I told Ronnie that I once lied about not knowing what or where the putrid smell in my best friends desk was coming from. When in fact I had left hard boiled eggs in his desk, that stayed there for approximately 2 weeks. Needless to say they became a bit righteous. Oh the kicker to this story, is that the eggs were left behind while my friend was out on medical leave, and during Easter break. What a pal huh? I was blessed, and honored to share this story with my old cowboy pal, Mr. Ronald Reagan. Ronnie was so inspired by my getting away with the Great Easter Egg Fiasco, that he told the world that he was unaware of the Iran-Contra scandal. That he had no idea arms were being traded (sold) for hostages.

http://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/timeline-hearings.php

I would also like to confess being the first person to use the phrase, "Stay thirsty my friends!" I first said this to the Bush twins in 2001. Hey, they told me that they were 21! I don't drink XX (Dos Equis), but if I did... it wouldn't be with these two. No matter how pretty they are!

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2001-05-31-bushdaughters.htm

And the moral of today's story is:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Exodus 20:16 (KJV)
Aloe Green could you take us out please? "I paid for every heart that I ever stole, I believed every lie that I ever told...

The lyrics are inverted but you feel me right?

It's Not The Title You Hold, But How You Hold The Title

Image Courtesy of Great Lakes Voice 

Lance Armstrong was crowned Tour De France Champion for a record seven times until he was stripped of his titles. He held the most prestigious title in the bicycling world until the discovery of his cheating. He held the title seven times temporally and wrongfully. Sadly enough he could have possibly won without cheating, and rather than being noted he would be noted as the biggest let down in cycling's history, he would have been recorded arguably as one of the greatest cyclist of all time. 

We all hold a title of some sort; World Champion, friend, Branch Manager, General Manager, Supervisor of Whatever You Do, so on, and so forth... 

The title that I am personally most thankful for, however, is:

MIC, or aka Most Imperfect Christian. 

The Most Imperfect Christian title assures me that I'm still a child of the ultimate crown holder, that I am a child capable of forgiving, capable of being forgiven, and a child of the undisputed King of kings, Lord of lords (I Timothy 6:15&16), and Most High (Acts 7:48). Therefore, I am a crown holder by being an heir to the King. 

How should we (as His children), hold our crowns? We'll share that in the next one. Until then:

Peace, blessings, and joy... That real PB&J

A Light at the End of the Faith-walk

After working for the past year every Sunday, I finally decided to be disciplined enough to visit with people that inspire me, and that I've promised to visit. 

Mr. James Davis was one that inspired me, and doesn't know that I'm blogging about him, so I can't get in trouble with him for boasting on him a bit. 

Mr. James always spoke to me at the store, always encouraged me, and never spoke harshly to me, of me, or of anyone when we spoke. He did however, invite me to church with every encounter. Today I honored that invitation. 

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him." Hebrews 11:6

I think it pleased God to see Mr. James' persistence pay off. I was in church and met a host of new friends. I met people genuine in their compassion, and enjoyed a great service at Friendship Baptist Church. 

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Mr. James hoped God would move me, because he hadn't seen me until today. Hahaha! Upon seeing me and hearing my testimony, Mr. James blessed me with more kind words and asked me to call him when The Lord blessed me to under-shepherd His people somewhere, so he (Mr. Davis) could come hear me speak. It puts chills on me that someone still sees me as a man of the Most High, or that someone sees just a smidgen of Gods' presiding in me at all. 

Before that I attended the early service at the Spruce Pine UMC where Pastor J taught about keeping the faith also. He reminded me that God makes a way out of no way. Pastor Jeremy taught from Exodus 14, using an analogy that referred to the Dukes of Hazard. Classic sermon, and I'll never look at the parting of the Red (Reed) Sea quite the same again. "Caught between a rock and a hard place, between the devil and the deep blue sea." Pastor J reminded us that even if some of us often have our backs against the proverbial wall that God is always faithful and delivers His children. 

It was great seeing some very familiar faces; my band instructors from school, one of my star soccer players (pastor's daughter), a former cohort (band member) from the Playhouse, and others from other walks in my life. I had great experiences in both church families. 

Following up church, I had a great time watching the Panthers beat up on the Lions and eating way too much of my grandmama's delicious Sunday Best, and spending time with my Baby Girl... Life is good! Now capping off a great day with a wonderful night! #SuperSunday with a #ProudPapa that wears the title each day and participates in #ADayInTheLifeOfAnImperfectChristian

Peace, blessings, and joy... That real PB&J!

A Warm Embrace

A Warm Embrace...

A warm embrace begins with warm intentions. The imperfect Christian once frequented the local recycle center, taking his recyclable goods there at least once a week. You know empty milk cartons and Gatorade containers from fueling and refueling the body have to go somewhere. Therefore, embracing a love for Gods' green earth the imperfect one recycled. It was there that the imperfect Christian ran into a perfect role model for how an imperfect Christian should behave. Mr. Buster Sparks made certain to show Christian love to an imperfect Christian on every trip to the recycle center. 

One day before Christmas, nearing the turn of the decade and century, some participating partygoers took heed to his royal badness (Prince), and began to party like it was 1999; like we'd soon be out of time. The scare of major electrical/technological shut down and crisis filled the air worldwide as Y2K neared. But one man was not at all concerned with any of that. That man was Buster Sparks. Mr. Sparks only concern; that humanity would not celebrate Christ, but rather celebrate a faux end with a reprobate mind. 

Mr. Sparks looked at the imperfect Christian like one of his dearest friends and like a lost son trying to find his way. Mr. Sparks always taught the imperfect Christian a lesson in humility. Mr. Sparks always asked the imperfect Christian to pray for him. The imperfect Christians lesson in humility, to honor his elder, and God by not being ashamed of the gospel. Thank you Jesus, saints Paul, Timothy, and Pastor J. Trox! 

Mr. Sparks was a good, no a great Christian man. Mr. Sparks' Y2K lesson in humility, however, caught the imperfect Christian off guard. Mr. Sparks greeted the imperfect Christian this day with a kiss on the cheek. Shocked? Shocked indeed, like God Himself had pushed the imperfect Christian into a baptism pool filled with water and a live wire from a transformer! 

The Word of God says: 

"Greet one another with a holy kiss." Romans 16:16 (NKJV)

What did Mr. Sparks risk by greeting his brother with a holy kiss? Being judged for one. Secondly, a possible physical confrontation, and lastly being accused of being anything but a child of God. The imperfect Christian knew Mr. Sparks heart and knows it was one after Gods own. 

A warm embrace is from a loving heart, not a lustful one. Embrace love like a cold body embracing the warmth of the sun on a new, lively Spring day, transitioning from a bitter cold, winters day. 

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J

Words with Meaning, or Meaning with Words?

 

The Fixx performed a song called, "One Thing Leads to Another," and in their song they pose the question: "Why don't they do what they say, say what they mean?" Then explain that, "one thing leads to another."

The imperfect Christian hears the term, "I'm sorry, and asks himself what is this besides uniformity? Does it truly ameliorate the issue at hand? Is it comforting or true? In most cases, no, it is not. It's a cop out that says, "Ok, you got me!" It is not a sincere, "How may I amend this, what may I do to right the wrong?"  

"I'd do ANYTHING to make it right again!" 

Would you really? If you would should the offended party be willing to forgive you, and if so, how many times?

How many times should I forgive my brother Lord? (Reference St. Matthew 18:21) Peter was gracious enough to ask the Lord if 7 times would be a sufficient amount of times to forgive someone, and Jesus said (paraphrasing in a modern voice); Homeboy if you can double the California penal code ruling and baseballs 3 strikes you're out rules, then you should be able to forgive 70 times 70!

Therefore, if you can forgive 490 times, then what's 491?!

Perhaps someone has promised you something? Perhaps they promised that they would be somewhere, or provide some sort of service, but failed to deliver? Perhaps they promised to love you? Have you completely forgiven that person? Are things like they were before the incident? If you answered, "no" then you haven't forgiven that person or yourself.

Sivart Pooknyw said, "I want my life to have meaning, not wording. When I say I love you, I love you, I not only speak it, I live it!"

How many times has someone told you that they loved you, but wouldn't take 30 seconds out of their day to pick up the phone just to check on you. How many times has someone told you that they'd do anything for you, but when you're down on your luck they will not pay your power bill, in fact they are likely not to give you a dollar toward your utility bills, or any other bills, let alone pay a total payment for you?

When a lover tells his/her partner that they love them, they don't just use words of uniformity. They live that, and make that word a work, and it's supposed to be an ongoing work.

There is one that paid it forward, once, and for ALL. Yes, er'body, even the imperfect Christian.

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J