Friday, January 16, 2009

tHe pursuit of "the clap"..(not the std....)





If your a movie buff like me, it's never really about the "whole" movie...as much as the many moments within a movie. The parts that make you well up inside, or let out a laugh, or cheer louder then you expected....
One of my all time moments takes 45 seconds in a movie. Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith as a dad who refuses to quit despite all the chips not only being down, but obliterated. Will Smith is amazing in this role. He captivates, yet his greatest moment comes towards the climax of the movie. Basically he gets what no one expects him to get, what he himself wasn't even sure he could get, and no one especially wanted him to get. But he gets it. He wins!
He went 22 rounds with the world and he wins, and your excited for him, and Will plays the part of a guy who's about to explode at the news that "he's getting the job!". 
Here comes the great scene. He walks briskly out of his office, down the elevator about to explode. He gets outside and doesn't know what to do with himself, so he begins shuffling with the crowd walking in sync with them. 
Then comes the clap....

the clap above his head says everything, the clap above the head is probably 2.3 seconds, but it represents everything he's thinking...and you can so relate (OR WANT TO...)

The clap represents a fight...a bloody, messy, uncomfortable fight....
The clap represents the winner. 
The clap is says the battle is over, and I have won. 
The clap says I may have wounds, but I'm not defeated
The clap is closure
The clap says you can breath again
The clap says "IT WAS ALL WORTH IT"
The clap justifies you
The clap solidifies you
The clap proves others wrong about you
The clap removes the option of anyone writting you off...ever again
The clap confirms you
The clap releases you
The clap symbolizes all these things above but most importantly 

the CLAP says 2 things
IT IS FINISHED......AND WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN........


I looked over at my wife the other night as we 
re-watched it again....all I could say was.....soon...I want that clap!!!!!!

tHe Wonders...(like I WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 0-NEDERS?)


I can't be the only one...I just can't I tell myself
You know, the person who reads into "everything", or who's mind races continually, non-stop, day and night.
The person who will go back and "re" remember a conversation, or the look a person gave you and wonder hours, maybe even days "What did he/she REALLY mean by that"? My old  youth pastor (one of 7 btw) used to say "There's a lil' bit o humor in EVERY joke". I was 15 when he said that. I've denied it to people's faces before. But if I'm being honest, the old guy might have been onto something! 
Were passionate about getting our points across in subtle ways, slip of the tongues are never really slips are they? ARE THEY?
So my mind wanders..and wanders, and wanders and wanders. It seems the older I get the harder it is to shut down. I ponder what people REALLY mean, when they are  saying something. The young girl who is constantly over and over and over saying "I remember in youth group when WE USED TO....." what does she really mean? Does she mean "WE NEVER DO.......anymore"...or "You suck...we were better off without you".....Now not to sound senseless and insecure, I'm just trying to engage a thought process. (side note: To make sure I'm clear in the fact that I am very much NOT INSECURE... I don't run these through my mind and WORRY, FRET, or even CARE about the "thought(s) of Jimmy Smuda) I run them through my mind alot of time for my prayer points. Ex: The other day a person and I were having a very private convo. By the end of the convo we both agreed on some things, and disagreed on other things. But this person was "joking" about several key things. Some at my expense (again..which is ok), some at the church's expense (not so ok), and others expense (def not ok). 
As I got home that night, I sensed the spirit telling me "Nothing you just talked about had anything to do with what you 2 were talking about"..
HUH? So I just wasted 2 hours  of dominate wisdom (trust me...it was) to not even get to the core of that person...Horrible! I'm a studier of people, their movings, their characters, their words. Sometimes I just love to watch peoples movings (sounds so creepy) why? Because you RARELY get the honest "This is what I mean" conversation anymore.
The:
"I'M STUGGLING",       "I'M LONELY",       "I'M LYING",       "I'M DYING",       "I'M SINNING",          "I'M QUITTING"            "I LOVE YOU"      "I HATE YOU"      "YOUR STUPID"       "YOUR BRILLIANT"            "YOUR USELESS"        "I'M POINTLESS"
conversations have long ago died. ESPECIALLY in the church. We gloss with the "onics" of "brothers, and sisters".......but are we really getting down to the matter at heart? I hate guessing! I don't feel relationships (especially holy relationships bro/sis) were meant for "wondering".

You know why God loved David? Not because he could "shred" on the Harp! Or  he loved his statue. Not because he had good aim, or that he was bold enough to "GO STREAKING!!!!!!!!!! and dance before Him.

GOD LOVED DAVID 
BECAUSE HE NEVER 
HAD TO WONDER
Acts 13:22 "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."

So wait? God "wanted" david to be a murderer, a adulterer?
No, of course not! The "everything I wanted to do" was Transparency. GOD never had to wonder with David.

The very thing He "hated" Adam for ("Adam? where are you? who told you you were naked......wondering!!!!!) is the very thing God loved David for...


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be blessed

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

GOD USES TOILET PAPER......


So you ever have one of those "feel sorry" for
yourself moments. You know, "no one loves me", 
"does anyone know I'm alive" type of deals. I wanted
to take a break from blogging to really concentrate on 
concentrated prayer. 
Of course when you commit to a intense prayer time 
to refocus, refresh, and re evaluate who
you are, is when you seem most attacked. 
Yesterday was that day for me. I was in
the middle of a very "stellar" feel sorry for me moment. 
I mean this was a good one!
REALLY GOOD. Everything from, Am I even called to be a pastor?, 
Am I a good pastor? dad? husband? The infamous 
"I HAVE NO "REAL FRIENDS"...whine..
Oh yeah! I was clicking on all cylinders. 
I did all the "HOLY THINGS".. prayed, wept, 
threw dirt on my head (ok i didn't weep) 
I even read out of Job 
(for some reason felt i could relate)
I needed encouragement....

So I prayed for my own Eliphaz!

This guy named Eliphaz comes to Job's rescue 
in Chapter 4
(Message)
He says this: 1-4 The Eliphaz from Teman spoke up:
"Would you mind if I said something to you? 
Under the circumstances it's hard to
keep quiet. You yourself have done this plenty times, 
spoken words that clarify,
encouraged those who were about to quit. 
Your words have put stumbling on
their feet, put fresh hope in people about to collapse. 
But now YOU'RE the one in trouble, you're hurting!
You've been hit hard and you're reeling from the blow.
But shouldn't your devout life give you confidence 
now? 
Shouldn't your exemplary life give you hope?

Such inspiring words out of Job. Did it help? NOPE.

Here's how God works in the most unusual, creative, 
outstanding lavish ways.
My daughter has this THING. She loves 
to write little notes around my house. 
When she's "doing her duty". She loves 
to write littlenotes on the toilet paper so 
the next "dutier" will find them.
My notes have been "Daddy is the greatest",
"Bella loves Mommy"
etc etc.
As I continued in my downward spiral. 
I went to my bathroom to shave.
I had just come out of a prayer time, reading this
scripture,and felt even MORE dopey.
Then the TP hit me. I looked down. 
My 6 year old writes these
words that shredded me.

Spelt in the phonics of a 1st grader...

"I LOVE YOU EVRITHENG 
aboout you...Just the waye You Are"..

Enough said....
Proof God even uses toilet paper...

Cornelius Projects update....


 



















The first installment of CORNELIUS PROJECT is under way. We are currently editing video from our homeless excursion, and filming more as we go. We hope to have the final documentary done by APRIL, and we will make contacts to have some showings around Long Island.We've been making contacts with people who are heavily involved in many other social projects, as well as hot button issues. Stay tuned for more details.....